If you’ve ever seen the movie The Prince of Egypt, you can probably picture the scene that dramatizes the 10th plague. The Israelites mark the doors of their homes with blood by the light of their torches before retreating into their clay huts. The alleyways of Goshen are dark, and the air is still… until a breeze begins to ruffle through the fronds of an overhanging roof. A swirling white light grows in the dark sky until wisps of white energy flow down, swiftly sweeping through the streets, collecting the breath of life from the first-born sons of the unmarked Egyptian homes. Finally, the illuminated essence swells and rushes through the city before it spirals back up into the sky. The tenth plague is complete.
This depiction is compelling; it entertains us, and it gives us a memorable visual connection to a key moment in the story of the Exodus. However, there is a moment that is perhaps even more crucial, which the film skips over entirely! Just before the Israelites carry out Moses’ instruction to mark their doorposts, Moses gives another instruction—one that we continue to follow today: “This day shall be to you one of remembrance: you shall celebrate it as a festival to God throughout the ages; you shall celebrate it as an institution for all time” (Exodus 12:14).
We can guess why the filmmakers chose to “pass over” this particular section of the story. While it is clearly important to the Jewish story, it would be a challenge to find an exciting way to embellish this speech and instruction with as much flair as the 10th plague that follows. I like to think, though, that including this scene was simply not necessary. We live the instruction to hold Pesach as a day of remembrance every year… and we have tangible (and edible) symbols to keep the memory alive within us!
One of the most beautiful things about Judaism is that we continue both to tell our story in new ways and find our grounding in ancient traditions and texts. And it all belongs to you! All you have to do is engage with it and make it yours—like you did just now!
Click here if you couldn’t picture that scene (or you just haven’t seen The Prince of Egypt)!