Being in Egypt

B"H

At the moment, we are reading the "Book of Exodus - Sefer Shemot" in the Synagogues on Shabbat. We study and hear about the Israelites being slaves in Egypt. After Yosef died, life went down the drain and happiness and freedom turned into depression and slavery. There was no hope but one family represented the opposite. The family of Yocheved and Amram and their three children Miriam, Aharon and Moshe. They belonged to the few people who never gave up hope.

When we read all this today, it seems like nice stories. Something romantic and many times even tragic. But we may ask ourselves: "What does this all have to do with me ? Okay, the Jews were in Egypt, then got out, became real Jews through the Torah and walked around in a desert. But am I in a desert ? Isn't this rather old stuff although I don't deny the Torah fact ?

As we already know, the Torah was given from G - d to the Jews forever. The Torah is valid eternally and it is forbidden to make any changes. Until this day, the Torah is, besides the general concepts, teaching each of us something personal as well. And when we look deeper into the matter and try to understand "Egypt", we come to the conclusion that "Egypt" can be a whole concept. Of course, I am not physically there but what about my own personal Egypt ? Am I really that free in any kind of sense ?

Each of us has his or her own personal Egypt. The physical Egypt by being caught in the material world. All our dependencies, habits and addictions. Furthermore, the even much worse "spiritual" Egypt. When you have lost all hope, don't care anymore and when you are locked up into your own thoughts which don't let you any freedom and escape.

This is today's Egypt and we can learn this from "Sefer Shemot". This is the message the Torah is giving us now ! Next week, Parashat Beshlach, is telling us about the Exodus and maybe we should use the time preparing our own Exodus from OUR individual Egypt !