Source that we were enslaved in Egypt to bring national unity

Question

I heard in a Shiur that the Medresh says that the reason we were enslaved in Egypt was to bring national unity. Does anyone know where the Medresh says that? Thanks.

Answer 1

Try here https://alhatorah.org/Purposes_of_the_Egyptian_Bondage/2/en#Formative There are 2 sources quoted there as taking this approach. Here is the earlier one (פסיקתא חדתא, אוצר המדרשים אייזנשטיין עמ׳ 48)

אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא היאך אעשה להם שיקבלו בני השפחות, אורידם למצרים ויהיו כולם עבדים ובשעה שאגאלם אתן להם מצות פסח שיעסקו בה הם ובניהם ובני בניהם ויאמרו כולם עבדים היינו לפרעה, נמצאו כולם שוים

God said: how can I make them accept the sons of the maidservants? I shall send them down to egypt where they will all be slaves, and when I redeem them I shall give them the mitzva of Pessach that they and their children will be involved in and they will all say "we were slaves to Pharoh" thus they will all be equal.

I recommend Alhatorah's modules in general as an excellent reference resource.