Leaving our Personal Egypt

B"H

Egypt. Man... That place really sucked.
Egypt, as many of you know, is called in Hebrew "Mitzrayim." Funny
enough, there is another word in Hebrew
with the exact same spelling: "Maytzarim", meaning limitations or constraints.

When the Jewish People left Mitrayim, they left it not only
physically, but spiritually. They left the limited outllook on life
they had in Egypt, and embraced an entirely new appreciation for G-d
and free life afterword.
Every Jewish Holiday is a time frame, whether a day or 8 days, in
which a certain spiritual energy from what occurred in that time is
present now.
Passover is that time of the yr. in which we have a special ability to
leave our own personal limitations, our Mitzrayim. For some of us its
jealousy or greed; there's laziness or depression, anger, addiction,
arrogance, ego. There's the feeling of having to always please others.
So how do we break through these "limitations" that seem to be so a
part of us?

First of all, we have to Identify that we have a problem to begin
with. Now, a very essential way of breaking out of our limitations is
by using our MINDS, and not our hearts. I see a rich person driving a
Ferrari and FEEL jealous? THINK about the life of this person you
don't end up seeing-perhaps his life isn't so great once he parks his
car at home. I feel angry and impatient b/c someone's driving slowly
in front of me? I THINK "if this were the last day of my life, how
important would this be." Or I THINK about 'how everything's Divine
Providence, controlled by G-d, even this. I'll end up at my
destination when I'm meant to.' Or the one I like most; to think: 'By
practicing my being patient NOW Even when I don't feel like it, I
improve my ability to be patient with those I love later on. I also
become a more truly patient person through this practice.'
In every situation, each of us has the ability to overcome our natural
impulses. We also have the obligation to. Our Rabbis tell us that "in
every generation, and every day, A Jew must recall the leaving of
Egypt." In various situations throughout our day, we have the ability
to win. To think, feel, and act what's right. To show that we have
some control over ourselves. We're not just like animals who are
limited to their natures and impulses. We are human beings, and Jews,
who have a G-dly Soul and a mind which can check that impulse and
feeling. What's deeper, is that most likely- our feeling is Wrong, and
our thought out conclusion is really right. Chassidus explains that
our soul resides primarily in our brain. Almost everything, that we feel
right away is "for sure true" ["that she hates me" or "he's full of
himself" or "everyone's out to get me today"] -is false. When we use our minds and truly exert ourselves to think from someone ELSE's
perspective, to put ourselves in their shoes-why he might be acting
this way, or why I'm really feeling this way about it, we can realize
the truth.
By learning more Torah and about character improvement, and by trying
to act right and not just how we want to act, we can fulfill our
missions here on earth.

Even though we're supposed to break out of our limitations every day
of the yr., we have the special ability to do so at this time of yr.
(Passover begins this Sat. Night and continues for 8 days). This
Passover, let's make the firm decision to change ourselves, to break
through our personal limitations, our personal Mitzrayims.
Good luck and Happy Passover!

-Daniel
P.S. if anybody needs a place for the seders, contact me or visit
Chabad.org for the location of the seder near you.