Breaking Free

How can you experience yetzias Mitzrayim today?

Yetzias Mitzrayim was a wonderful event that happened over 3000 years ago. The Yidden were slaves in Egypt, and then they became free. And the effect of that still lasts today because even when we are ruled by other nations in golus, we are still free people and nothing can change that.

But leaving Mitzrayim is more than just an event that had a permanent change on the Jewish people. It’s also an avodah, a way that we serve Hashem every day.

You—yes, you!—can serve Hashem in a “yetzias Mitzrayim” way! The Rebbe tells us how:

THE REBBE SAYS:

How can people serve Hashem in a יְצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם (going out of Mitzrayim) way? It’s when the person’s neshamah goes out of their מִצְרָיִם, the limitations and obstacles of the physical body and this world, to connect and unite with Hashem through Torah and mitzvos.

This is such a basic idea in Torah and Yiddishkeit! That’s why “you should remember the day you left Mitzrayim all the days of your life!”

יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם בְּאַדְיֵיט דִי יְצִיאָה פוּן (דעֶר נֶפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית פוּן) מִצְרָיִם וּגְבוּלִים פוּן דְעם מַאֵסֶר הַגּוּף אוּן עוֹלָם הַזֶה בְּכְלָל, אוּן וְעֶרֶן פַארְבּוּנְדֶן אוּן פַארְאֵיינֵיצְקֶט מִיט דעם אוֹיבֶּערְשְׁטֶן דוּרְך תּוֹרָה וּמְצְוֹת. אוּן וְוֵיבִּאלְד אֶז דָאס אִיז אָן עֲנְיָין קְלָלִי אִין נַאנְץ תּוֹרָה אוּן אִידִישְׁקַייְט, דַעריבֶּער “תִּזְכּוֹר אֶת יוֹם צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ”.

AN INVISIBLE PRISON

When you think of prison, you imagine handcuffs, a hard bench, metal bars and maybe a small window somewhere high up. But there are many types of prisons.

For example, there can be many different things holding you back from doing what’s right. Have you ever had thoughts like these?

(Illustration of birdcages, each labeled with a feeling: “SLEEPY,” “HOLD & MIGHT,” “MEANINGLESS,” “SHY,” “GLOOMY”)

• SLEEPY: I want to daven, but I don’t have the energy.
• HOLD & MIGHT: Mommy told me to apologize to Yossi, but I still think I’m right and he’s wrong.
• MEANINGLESS: I should really join the dancing at Cousin Esty’s wedding, but I’m afraid everyone is going to stare at me.
• SHY: Great-Aunt Bella would love if I came over and said hello, but I’m too nervous to ring her bell.
• GLOOMY: I need to study for a test, but there’s so much material I don’t know, so what’s the point in trying?

These are all invisible walls stopping you from moving forward. Can you think of where they come from? The sly yetzer hora! But you don’t have to let him get the best of you.

Picture Hashem standing over you, watching closely to see if you will win the fight. Of course you’ll do the right thing!

So pull up your sleeves, muster all of your strength, and break free—and your great aunt will be so happy to see you.

How can you serve Hashem in a “yetzias Mitzrayim” way?

A. Tell over the story of yetzias Mitzrayim to as many Yidden as possible.
B. Never enter a prison building.
C. Say the posuk of “B’chol” every single day.
D. Break free of anything stopping you from doing the right thing.