Shemot | What were the ערי המסכנות? And Why Does It Matter?

Shemot | What were the ערי המסכנות? And Why Does It Matter? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

What is the meaning and significance of the ערי המסכנות which בני ישראל were forced to build?

The first labor forced upon the Hebrews in Egypt was a labor tax, forcing them to build ערי מסכנות. We explore the possible meanings of this unusual phrase, set it in apposition to the later back-breaking work to which they were subjected and the significance of this type of work, considering the storied history of Yaakov's progeny in Egypt.

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