(link to original page)

Rabbi Yossi HaGalilli said: From where do we learn that on the Passover in Egypt the prohibition on hametz was in effect for only one day? It is written: "Hametz shall not be eaten" and immediately following: "This day you are leaving. . ."

On the Pesach in Egypt the hametz prohibition lasted only one day. The Sages further taught us that the first Pesach was not considered a Yom Tov (no commandment to rejoice, as on other festival days). In my opinion, the reason for giving – at that time — other mitzvot valid for generations to come, is to teach the perfection of His commandments. In all other nations, a day of victory over enemies is celebrated as a Victory Day. Such is not the case with Israel; they do not rejoice at the fall their enemies, and they will not joyfully commemorate these events, as is written, "If your enemy falls, do not exult . . . lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and avert His wrath from him." A person of character does not rejoice in his enemy's fall, because such joy is displeasing in God's eyes, and we are obligated to detest that which is displeasing in God's eyes. Therefore, on Pesach, we do not commemorate Chag Hamatzot as the occasion of God's punishing Egpt, but in rememberance of the deliverance of the Children of Israel for the Land of Egypt. Israel has no festival or Yom Tov in celebraation of an enemy's downfall.

*********************************************************************

The Exodus from Egypt is mentioned in the Torah more than 150 times, and every Jew recalls the event a few times daily (including in the "Kadesh Li" and "Vehaya ki yeviacha" which appear in our parasha, and which we recite prior to putting on tephillin).

Yetsiat Mitsrayim is the Israelite nation's Declaration of Independence. In every generation we are commanded to remember and to remind others of our exit from the house of bondage, and to recall the daily need to expunge 'Egypt-ness' from ourselves.

Egypt is the embodiment of the doctrine of fatalism. Man's destiny is predetermined; the slave will be slave forever, and master will always be master. The "horse and his rider" system freezes man's position for life; he is forever chained in the class hierarchy. Man is not free to choose, to repent, to determine his destiny.

Tephillin are the Jew's daily cry of protest (primarily to remind himself) – his hand and intelligence are capable of choosing the good. The focus of his control is internal, not dependent on such external factors such as government, environment, the other, and fortune.

* * * *

This is the first mitzvah with which the Children of Israel were commanded. It is the code which makes possible observance of all the commandments.

Just as the month is reborn each moon, so is man, – who determines the moadim (lit. 'set-times', commonly 'festivals) according his moon sightings – renewed daily, as the Holy One "in his goodness renews daily, perpetually, the works of creation."

Upon exiting Egypt, the Children of Israel are transformed from serfs to the People of Choice. The chosen – and those who choose. Not only are they chosen by God; they embody man's freedom to choose and to fashion his future.

The slave has no time of his own. (Therefore he is exempt from mitzvot asey shehaz'man graman – positive, time-determined commandments). But utilization of time is the foundation of freedom. Time is given to you, you are not given to it. (Tanchuma Yashan).

The determination of the Hebrew Calendar and the ordering of the times of the year are set by the Jewish people and its leadership.

The year and the Shabbat are divinely decreed. But the arrangement of the year into months and set-times — and the subsequent determination of New Moons and all the festivals – are given over to the Sanhedrin, who base their decisions upon testimony of witnesses. The Beit Din has the authority to sanctify New-Moons and to intercalate years. Intercalation of years and sanctification of New-Moons are the province of the Beit Din.

Beth Din has exclusive authority – within the framework of Halakhic rules – to weigh all considerations relevant to determination of months and years.

Even Rosh Hashanah – Day of Judgement for all the universe – depends upon the determination of Beit Din. Even should the Beit Din err, its ruling stands, with implications for all the festivals.

The midrash relates that the ministering angels ask the Holy One: When is the Day of Judgement? His reply: Come, you and I, and we will ask the Beit Din below.

There is good reason for our reciting " . . . who sanctifies Israel and the festive seasons."

Rambam, in his Sefer Hamitzvot, terms the Jewish festivals "The signs of the nation", and asserts that God promised never to erase "the signs of the people."

We are reminded of the passage in Psalms 135: "He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, man and beast alike; He sent signs and portents against Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants."

Perhaps this may explain the puzzling insertion of the parshia containing the mitzvah of sanctification of the New-Moon, interrupting the story of the ten plagues.

It is as though to say that the Jewish nation, which determines the signs of the nation, is the antithesis of all Egypt. "A season is set for everything, a time for every experience . . ." – Man determines his schedule; schedules do not dictate to Man.

We can make time work to our benefit. "Servants of time are servants of servants; the servant of God alone is free." (Rabbi Yehuda Halevi).

This was a revolutionary concept: Man controls Time — Time does not control Man. The nation determines for itself the seasons – basing its rulings on eye witness and in compliance with social rules, such as majority rule, and 'we do not heed a 'bat kol' (a voice originating in Heaven, as per the Talmudic description of the controversy over determination of the day on which Yom Kippur was to fall).

Rav Ovadya of Sforno discerned in the above passage and mitzvah the great declaration of Israel's independent status among the nations. He relates to the future of the Jewish departing Egypt:

A reality in which you decide upon your way of life – this is your Independence Day.

Determination of time by Man is not only a privilege; it is a great responsibility.

It is incorrect to say that a slave has no time, whereas the free man has free time. On the contrary, there may be situations wherein the slave has more leisure time. The difference between the two is that the slave does not have his own time, whereas the free man is master of his time. Therefore the free man may be busier, he has no time to waste – every second is precious. Not so the slave – by nature he tends to waste time because his servitude is forced upon him.

The free man works for himself, and therefore he has motivation not to waste opportunities.

The Jewish people brought the message of freedom – the meaning of which is self-control and the utilization of every moment for Torah, mitzvot, and gooddeeds. The ability to exchange passing time for studying and doing transforms them into eternal values.

Chametz is the sign of servitude; chametz is the wasted moment, the delay, the idleness. It is the opposite of matzo, sign of haste and alacrity. This holds true not only for Pesach, but throughout the year. "And you shall keep the matzoth" — the mitzvot" — "If a mitzvah comes your way – don't let it go sour," (al tachmitzenah).

The phrases "a strong hand" and "by strength of hand" appear a number of times in the exodus narrative as well as in our prayerbook.

I personally am enamoured of the astounding midrash on the closing passages of the Torah:

According to this midrash: The "strong hand" is that of Moshe. After Moshe held the Tablets of the Covenant, his hand 'overcame' that of the Holy One, for from the moment that Torah was given to Moshe – "It is no longer in heaven." By virtue of this acquisition, Moshe was permitted to break the first tablets, and the Holy One told him "More power to you!"

It was the hand of Pharaoh's daughter, who was Bat-Ya – daughter of God – which drew Moshe from the water. With his hand, holding the staff, Moshe performed all the signs ("Extend your hand over the heavens", "Extend your hand over the sea, etc"). With his hand he struck the rock. It is Man who determines his place; The place does not determine the man (as per Rashi in Tractate Beitza). It is within our hands (the hands which connect the intelligence with the heart) to determine and to mold our place. We pray that God ('HaMakkom") bless the actions of our hands.

Yisrael Zakkai is an editor, psychologist, and journalist. He may be contacted at izakai@zahav.net.il

"Throughout your generations, as a law for the ages you are to celebrate it" –In Parashat Emor it is written "A law for the ages, into your generations." [Translator's note: The author of Meshekh Hokhma is alluding to two questions. Why is the order of "generations" and "ages" reversed? Why the reiteration of "you are to celebrate it" at the end of the Shmot passage?] It is clear that when there is a joy so great as that of leaving Egypt and tribulation, when marked slaves became a nation distinguished by its kings and priests – it is inherently proper to celebrate this day. This is obvious regarding the experiencing generation; it is not so obvious for later generations which did not witness that great event, which did not participate in their travail. It is, however, a Torah law like any other, "Throughout your generations, a law for the ages." But for that generation leaving Egypt, it is not a law and decree –it is a natural reaction.

BETWEEN HOLINESS AND NATIONAL HISTORICAL TIES

The foundations of sanctified sites are not delineated in the divine teachings, but derive from the nation and its roots. Har Hamoriah, for example – there was the point of man's creation, there Avraham sacrificed Yitzhak; later it was chosen by the word of a prophet. The Torah states only "the place which God will choose". The site of the Torah is Mount Sinai. Once the Divine Presence departed, — let sheep and cattle go up! . . Forbid that sentiments mislead us any visualization of the religion. But Yerushalayim, all Eretz Yisrael, and Har Hamoriah are constructions of their relation to our fathers. They, the fathers, are the roots of the nation; the nation must be one with its roots. All sentiments should be directed toward the unification of the nation.

When it developed that redemption was delayed for the twelve months of Egypt's trial, and that from the pestilence on they deepened their association . . . and yet more, during the affliction of darkness, when no one was able to go out for three days, and everyone suffered for three days, but the Children of Israel, who had light in their settlements, supplied them with food and all necessities, did not rejoice in their adversity and did not take revenge. Thereby they found great favor in their eyes.

"GOD WILL PASS OVER THE ENTRANCE, AND WILL NOT GIVE THE BRINGER-OF-RUIN (LEAVE) TO COME INTO YOUR HOUSES TO DEAL-THE-BLOW."

We were commanded in Egypt to slaughter the paschal lamb and to sprinkle its blood on the outside of the entrances in order to cleanse ourselves of those beliefs and to publicize their opposite, and to internalize the view that that the very act which you consider to be a destructive act is what actually saves from destruction.

The Mehkilta explains "Even Moshe and Aharon" – the additional point made here is that they did not permit themselves special privleges; they themselves led a paschal lamb and slaughtered.

"YOU WENT OUT OF EGYPT, FROM A HOUSE OF SERFS"

'House' means 'family'. The meaning is a spiritual exodus, from the state of deserving and being capable of slavery. This implies greatness of the soul, the opposite of being a servant to servants. I want to be king over you; it is not to My honor that you be serfs to flesh and blood.

"YADCHA" – YAD CAYHAH ("YOUR HAND" – THE DIM HAND) : BETWEEN INTELLIGENCE AND STRENGTH

Thus it is with the two hands of man, for the left hand is the weaker, and it is dim in comparison with the heart in which wisdom resides, for the site of intelligence which is in the heart causes the hand to be dim, for the hand is engaged in material endeavor. But the right hand is near the liver, for in it resides the power of desire, and it is not in conflict with the hand, for there resides its principal strength. But where the intelligence resides, the hand is dim. When the Torah says here "and it shall be for a sign upon your hand" it is as if it said that it shall be for a sign upon your heart, for the heart is the cause of the arm's dimness. The purpose of tephillin is to serve as a reminder at the location where intelligence resides — in the brain and the heart.