I was occupied for most of the day, but managed to fill my exercise quota between cleaning and doing push ups and stuff till I satisfied myself that it was about a legit half hour. I also sat down to learn after marriv mostly, but a bit in the morning too while I was on the go. Tonight I did some more hagaddah and I came across an interesting piece in the Chinuch - It's quite famous actually, but it was much more impactful to just happen upon it rather than hearing someone reference it in a shmooze or somthing. Look it up if you're interested. It was Mitzvah 20, or the mitzvah of not breaking a bone of the Korban Pesach. I also signed off GYE last night sometime between 11:59:59 and 12:00:59, approximately
![](https://guardyoureyes.com/components/com_kunena/template/default/images/emoticons/new/smirk.png)
. I guess I will do the same tonight, which means in about 28 minutes
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I wanted to share an idea quickly: We say that if Hashem had not taken us out then we would still be slaves to Pharaoh. Question is, do we really mean this? Is it conceivable that Egypt would still be a world powerhouse and that the Jewish nation would still be in slavery there after all these year? Many nations and empires have after all risen and fallen since then (Greeks, Romans, Germans, Turks, (British), Canada ; )
So here are a couple of thoughts/answers I saw:
- No. We are using this point to imagine ourselves as slaves in Mitzrayim, as if we were personally taken out by Hashem. It doesn't matter that historically, this statement might not have technically played out this way (with Hashem's Hashgacha of course). The whole point is to feel as if it happened to us.
- Yes. History has always had the same guiding hand as the One that took us out of Mitrayim all those years ago. So actually maybe we do mean that if Hashem had not taken us out then, and He would not have taken us out later either (we would have been spiritually lost or unworthy maybe), maybe we would still be slaves to Paraoh in Mitzrayim. Maybe the Greeks, Romans, etc. would never have risen to power and fallen at all if Hashem had not allowed history to progress this way.
- Sort of. The story we tell about leaving Mitrayim doesn't end as soon as we crossed the Yam Suf. It continues through Kabalos Hatorah, spending 40 years in the Midbar eating from Hashem's hand, directly, literally and figuratively. And entering E"Y and forming a nation and eventually a Malchus and a Beis Hamikdash. So, if Hashem had not taken us out of Mitrayim when He did, then this whole chain would have been interrupted. So, while we might not actually be slaves today to Paraaoh in Mitrayim, where would we be... (paraphrased from R' Sacks)
- Not exactly. When Hashem took us out how and when He did, He did so in a way that allowed us to break our shackles to Paraoh, both physically and spiritually, and to instead devote ourselves to Hashem. Kay'adua, there are many forms of "slavery" - fear, desire, pride, fame, fortune, "saving-face", etc. If we would have been freed at some later point by "history", we would be technically free, but still slaves to other worldly things (Meshubadim Leparaoh). Only because Hashem took us out when He did, showed us the truth, and gave us the Torah are we able to serve Him as our own selves and as free men. (paraphrased from R' Soloveitchik hagadah)
didn't mean for this to be quite so long. thanks for reading