From Slavery to...Freedom?

Tonight, April 6th, the 15th of Nissan, Jews worldwide will be celebrating Pesach (Passover). 3 Matzahs, 4 cups of wine, bitter herbs and sweet charoset, we will recall the events that led to the leaving of Egypt by our people years ago. But for what purpose did G-d take us out all those years ago? And He (G-d) said (to Moshe),
"For I will be with you, and this is the sign for you that it was I Who sent you. When you take the people out of Egypt, you will worship G-d on this mountain." (Exodus 3:12)

The ultimate purpose of leaving the shackles of Egyptian slavery, was to receive the Torah from G-d at Mount Sinai, accepting upon ourselves the various laws and instructions - the Mitzvot - contained inside. An obvious question arises: How come we make such a big deal over our freedom from Egypt and our servitude there, if we were only freed in order to become slaves to another master!? With all of these rules & regulations, where's our freedom!? And if so, what are we even celebrating? The answer to this is a profound one - touching on the essence of who we are and what it means to truly feel free.

Who are we? Judaism teaches that we are lofty souls, that have descended & been clothed into coarse bodies that are constantly distracted by any and every lust & desire that passes before our eyes. Especially today in 2012, with the dominant role electronic devices play in our lives - with its constant barrage of messages and visuals, as well as the rise in our standard of living, much time has been devoted to our bodies, while less and less time & opportunity has been afforded our souls.

In the books of Jewish Mysticism, it is often described how painful for the soul it is to have to descend from its lofty home in the spiritual worlds to an earth full of lies and falsehood. Where the outer shell is emphasized as truth and the inner dimension invisible. And that's where Torah & Mitzvot come in. Far from limiting us, when one learns Torah or performs a Mitzvah, one's soul is able to finally express itself - to free itself from the shackles of shallowness, shining through the coarseness of physicality.

By way of example, let's take a look at the mitzvah of observing Shabbat. We know that a major theme of Shabbat is that it's a day of rest. But so much we do that day seems to be the opposite of rest! From walking to synagogue to avoiding computers & television to exerting ourselves in prayer and learning, Shabbat seems to be more strenuous than restful! But that's if one is looking at the resting of the body. Avoiding the numerous every day distractions of life, for one day, opens up a door for one's soul to express itself. Prayer, learning, a time for contemplation and reflection, gives a person a chance to express his true essence. And that is the true "rest" the soul desires all week long.

May this Passover, and its continuation to the holiday of Shavuot, inspire us to get more in touch with our souls, through connecting with our Torah & Mitzvot.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel