Dear Friends,
As we move from Genesis into Exodus in the Torah Readings, the Torah itself changes tone. We move from the stories of great individuals to the story of a people. That shift isn’t just literary—it’s philosophical. It introduces one of Judaism’s core lenses for understanding life: exile and redemption.
Rabbi Adin Even-Yisrael Steinsaltz explains that exile in Judaism is not simply about geography. It is a state of dissonance—a sense that something is fundamentally not where it belongs. A person can live comfortably in exile, even successfully. One can adapt, advance, and make peace with the situation. But, as Rav Steinsaltz teaches, one who relates to exile only as a personal inconvenience will never leave Egypt.
And that word Egypt is telling. In Hebrew, Mitzrayim is related to meitzarim—constraints and limitations. Egypt is not only a place on the map; it represents the limiting situations, assumptions, and frameworks we find ourselves stuck within. Leaving Egypt means breaking free from what constrains our growth and sense of purpose.
Redemption, therefore, is not a lifestyle upgrade. It is a revolution. Judaism refuses to settle for better conditions; it calls for a reordered reality—one rooted in belonging and meaning.
In his letters and personal counsel, the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson often emphasized that real change doesn’t come from learning how to live more comfortably within a problem, but from stepping back and asking whether the entire framework needs to be rethought. Sometimes discomfort itself is the message.
A Pew study found that about 70% of Jews celebrate a Passover Seder. In a fractured Jewish world, that’s extraordinary. The Seder remains one of the most binding Jewish practices—even in 2026.
At its core, the Seder fulfills the Torah’s commandment:
“You shall tell your child on that day: This is because of what G-d did for me when I left Egypt.” (Exodus 13:8)
But many are surprised to learn that the Exodus was never meant to be remembered only one night a year.
The Torah commands us:
“So that you shall remember the day you left Egypt all the days of your life.” (Deuteronomy 16:3)
That line is why the Exodus appears in our daily prayers. Judaism insists that freedom is not just history—it is about reorienting our daily consciousness.
Which brings us full circle: remembering the Exodus each day is meant to keep us from growing comfortable in Mitzrayim—in our limitations. The goal is not to manage Egypt better, but to leave it.
Questions to Ponder:
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Where in my life have I adapted to an “Egypt” instead of challenging it?
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What might redemption look like—not as comfort, but as real transformation?
If these questions stirred something for you, I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to reply.
Good Shabbos/Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yitzi Hein