Page 11 - HaMizrachi #8 Pesach

Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon Rabbanit Sharon Rimon

YETZIAT MITZRAYIM

A SEMINAL EVENT

oshe said to the people: and the G-d of Israel. Even more than commandments, his reward will bring
‘Remember this day on that, the Exodus teaches us about him success and if he transgresses
M which you departed from G-d’s supervision of history – His them, his punishment will cut him off.
Egypt, from the house of bondage, awesome power and ability to lead the Everything is by Heavenly decree…”
for with a strong hand G-d removed world and to change nature and the
you from here... And you shall tell course of time. The Ramban explains Thus, Yetziat Mitzrayim gives us both
your son on that day, saying, ‘It is on (Leviticus 13:16) that we should an existential-national basis and a
account of this that G-d did for me remember this lesson of the Exodus spiritual-faith basis for our Jewish
when I left Egypt.’ And it will be for every day of our lives: lives.
you for a sign on your hand and for a In addition, by remembering the
remembrance between your eyes – so “… He commanded us that we should Exodus we ignite hope, both as
that G-d’s Torah may be in your mouth always make a memorial and a sign individuals and as a nation. How so?
– for with a strong hand G-d removed for what our eyes saw. And we should
you from Egypt. And it shall be when copy this thing for our children, and A person who is in a difficult situation
your son will ask you tomorrow, ‘What their children for their children, finds it difficult to believe it can
is this?’ you shall say to him, ‘With until the last generation... and… that be otherwise. However, if he has
a strong hand G-d removed us from we write all that was shown to us of experienced a turnaround in the past,
Egypt from the house of bondage’...” signs and wonders upon our arms he will be able to believe it possible
(Exodus 13:3-16) and upon our eyes, and also write to overcome the current crisis and
them at the entrances to our houses emerge stronger for it.
Since then, the Exodus from Egypt has in mezuzot. And that we mention it
been a defining event in our national with our mouths, in the morning and The Exodus constitutes a fundamental
experience. Every year we remember in the evening… And so [too], many memory of the possibility of exiting
it on Seder night and in many other commandments recalling the Exodus from exile to redemption, both on
mitzvot, passages in our prayers, and in from Egypt are similar to these. And national and private levels.
many blessings every day. all of it is to be a testimony for us During 2,000 years of difficult and
about the wonders, for all generations,
Why is Yetziat Mitzrayim such a central bitter exile, the people of Israel
motif in our lives? And what does it so they not be forgotten; and that continued to believe and hoped that
mean to us? there be no opening for the heretic to redemption would come. This belief
speak and reject faith in G-d. was based on the historical memory
The Exodus was the first stage in of the Exodus from Egypt. And on a
Am Yisrael's formation. For the first … And from the great public miracles, personal level, when we are in trouble
time, the Israelites became more than a person can acknowledge the hidden and feel that the situation is hopeless,
just a family; they became a nation, miracles, which constitute the we too can remember the Exodus, and
and received their freedom. Indeed, foundation of the entire Torah. As have faith that even in the darkest and
Pesach was the Jewish people's first a person does not have a share in the most difficult situations, G-d will save
“Independence Day.” Torah of Moshe, our teacher, until we us and deliver us from hardship and
believe that everything, every incident pain.
However, the Exodus is not only that happens in our lives is all a miracle
a stage in the physical-existential [and] there is no nature or ‘that’s how
formation of Am Yisrael, but also an the world is,’… whether with regard Rabbanit Sharon Rimon teaches Tanach
important stage in the connection to the many or to the individual. and is Content Editor for the Tanach
between the chosen people of Israel But rather, if one observes the website: www.hatanakh.com/en

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