IMREI SHEFER BY RABBI YEHOSHUA YA’AKOV
Shemos
Imrei Shefer of R. Yehoshua Ya’akov - Parshas Shemos
   

Why did Yisrael cry out only now?

(2,23) “And it was during that long period that the king of Egypt died, and the Children of Yisrael groaned from the labor and cried out. And their cry from the labor ascended to G-d.”

Why did Yisrael cry out after the king died and not before? One explanation which I heard is that the Egyptians did not allow Yisrael to weep and cry out about their troubles lest they arouse heavenly mercy upon themselves and be taken out of Egypt. But when the king dies the custom is that everyone gathers together to weep and cry out and eulogize for the honor of the king. Thus Yisrael now grabbed the opportunity and gathered together with the Egyptians to weep and cry out with them. But their weeping and crying out was not the same - the Egyptians did so for their king, but Yisrael did so because of their troubles.

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