The pyramids are one of great human ingenuity. Built thousands of years ago, before the advent of cranes, tow trucks, and mechanical shovels, the question is- how did they do it? Theories abound. Archaeologists toil to uncover fragments and piece together a comprehensive understanding, one sees yet another testimony to human creativity and perseverance.

The dimensions of these massive creations are awesome.

In a word: WOW!

Complex mathematical formulas have been used to promote different theories of how many workers and man- hours the construction took. Herodotus, a Greek historian, reported that 100,000 workers were used. The Nova series recreated the building of a small pyramid, and found that 12 men could pull a 1.5 ton stone over a slick ramp surface with great ease, and their 1200 man team could pull and place about 340 stones per day. At this rate, 4-5000 men could build the Great pyramid in 20-40 years.

Of course, a great human toll was taken. Examination of the bones of workers shows their average life span to be 30-35 years, while that of supervisors was about 50 years. The skeletal remains showed emergency treatment where stones had fallen on feet, and great neck and back strain.

Pyramid construction was a national Egyptian project. The people were motivated by their religious beliefs, in which the king-pharaohs were worshiped as deities. Building tombs for these "gods" would ensure the common person's afterlife and the prosperity of Egypt. The Egyptians were as inspired to develop technology for the after-life, such as mummification and pyramids, in the way we build for "this life:"

It seems as though there was a labor tax, where everyone served and was rotated back to their village. A villager must have been awe-struck when brought from his small farm to the site of this immense construction.

In addition to the contribution of his blood, sweat and tears, his labor service helped initiate him into the worship of and subservience to the Pharaoh.

There was a skeleton team of year-round laborers, both skilled, who did the fine cutting and fitting on the outer surface layer. They cut and joined stones so precisely that a razor couldn't fit between them. The general labor teams did the inner core, which is rougher, with big gaps between stones filled in with pebbles, rocks, mud and mortar. During the seasonal flooding of the Nile, when farmland was unworkable, the pyramid sites were inundated with farmers and other temporary workers.

The pyramids consisted of two parts. A solid limestone core was built over and around a rocky knoll. It was made of steps and added stability. The top layer was made of a dense and durable limestone, smoothed to the flat triangular surface we associate with pyramids.

The Unfinished Chamber is 66 feet below the foundation. It's thought to have been built for the tomb and then abandoned when the pharaoh decided he wanted to be elevated.

The inner Grand and King's Chambers, which can be reached by climbing through a dark, ascending narrow tunnel, was built with red granite. The body and the pharaoh's possessions were looted before archaeologists hit the scene, but the chamber is an awesome site in itself.

"In every generation they try to destroy us, but the Holy One Blessed be He, saves us from their hands." With all it's impressive accomplishments, where is the great Egyptian civilization today? Gone the way of other former persecutors, the Greeks and Romans, collecting dust in an antiquities museum, while Jewish culture is vibrant and growing.

At the end of the Seder, we sing "Their idols are of silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have a mouth and speak not; they have eyes and see not...Israel, trust in the L-rd, He is their help and their shield!"

As magnificent as the pyramids are, they were the focus of an idol worshiping culture.