From slavery to freedom

Found 13 Search results

Divine Therapy at the Red Sea
Rabbi Elchanan Samet
The Splitting of the Sea has a dual purpose: the explicit purpose involves the Egyptians, and the implicit purpose involves Am Yisrael. This conclusion stems from a literary analysis of the episode, which includes two parallel parts.
How to Save Israel
Rabbi Ezra Bick
Why is Moshe so reluctant to speak to the Jewish people while they were enslaved in Egypt, and begin the process of the exodus? Moshe understands that his task entails more than merely informing the Jewish people that they are about to leave Egypt, but rather he must free the Jewish people from the psychological state of enslavement and dependency that they have sunk to. By closely examining the text as a whole, we can understand how every part of the exodus is meant to encourage that inner process of spiritual liberation within the Jewish nation.
Parashat Vaera - Moshe the Liberator
Rabbi Ezra Bick | 30 minutes
Parashat Vaera is notorious for the confusion at the beginning - there is blatant repetition of the command to tell Pharaoh the message, and Moshe's complaint. We compare our parasha to the previous Parasha- Parashat Shemot, to look at Moshe's two missions. Moshe appears to believe he has two missions: one to Pharaoh and one to the Jews. What are these different missions? Is God only concerned with the mission to Pharaoh?

Moshe wishes to uplift the spirit of Bnei Yisrael, but is mistaken in his approach: Moshe's mission to Bnei Yisrael will be completed through his mission to Pharaoh. Rather than by oratory, Bnei Yisrael will be liberated by God as the collapse of Egypt and the breaking of their yoke of slavery occurs before their eyes, in a way that is drawn-out enough to transform the way they see themselves.
Vision and Details
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Parshat Mishpatim takes us through a bewildering transition. Until now in Shemot we have been carried along by the sweep and drama of the narrative: the Israelites’ enslavement, their hope for freedom, the plagues, Pharaoh’s obstinacy, their escape into the desert, the crossing of the Red Sea, the journey to Mount Sinai and the great covenant with God.

Suddenly, now, we find ourselves faced with a different kind of literature altogether: a law code covering a bewildering variety of topics, from responsibility for damages to protection of property, to laws of justice, to Shabbat and the festivals. Why here? Why not continue the story, leading up to the next great drama, the sin of the golden calf? Why interrupt the flow? And what does this have to do with leadership?

Through an examination of some of the laws in Parshat Mishpatim, we understand the necessity of both law and historical narrative. Neither historical events nor abstract ideals – not even the broad principles of the Ten Commandments – are sufficient to sustain a society in the long run. Hence the remarkable project of the Torah: to translate historical experience into detailed legislation, so that the Israelites would live what they had learned on a daily basis, weaving it into the very texture of their social life. In the parsha of Mishpatim, vision becomes detail, and narrative becomes law.

This lecture is part of the Covenant & Conversation series.

To read more from Rabbi Sacks or to subscribe to his mailing list, please visit http://www.rabbisacks.org/. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Vision and Details (Audio)
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks | 8 minutes
Parshat Mishpatim takes us through a bewildering transition. Until now in Shemot we have been carried along by the sweep and drama of the narrative: the Israelites’ enslavement, their hope for freedom, the plagues, Pharaoh’s obstinacy, their escape into the desert, the crossing of the Red Sea, the journey to Mount Sinai and the great covenant with God.

Suddenly, now, we find ourselves faced with a different kind of literature altogether: a law code covering a bewildering variety of topics, from responsibility for damages to protection of property, to laws of justice, to Shabbat and the festivals. Why here? Why not continue the story, leading up to the next great drama, the sin of the golden calf? Why interrupt the flow? And what does this have to do with leadership?

Through an examination of some of the laws in Parshat Mishpatim, we understand the necessity of both law and historical narrative. Neither historical events nor abstract ideals – not even the broad principles of the Ten Commandments – are sufficient to sustain a society in the long run. Hence the remarkable project of the Torah: to translate historical experience into detailed legislation, so that the Israelites would live what they had learned on a daily basis, weaving it into the very texture of their social life. In the parsha of Mishpatim, vision becomes detail, and narrative becomes law.

This lecture is part of the Covenant & Conversation series.

To read more from Rabbi Sacks or to subscribe to his mailing list, please visit http://www.rabbisacks.org/. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
A Quick Look at Vaeira - Moshe's Announcement and Bnei Yisrael's Responses
Rabbi Ezra Bick | 7 minutes
The parsha begins with Bnei Yisrael not listening to Moshe. What happened? Bnei Yisrael were first excited, and then, after Moshe speaks to Pharaoh again, they do not listen out of “shortness of spirit.” What does this mean? What accounts for this change?
Pesach vs. Sukkot - The Freedom of Matzot
Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 20 minutes
When we compare Pesach to Sukkot, we find an interesting phenomenon: they both seem to be holidays lasting seven days, but whereas Sukkot involves actively dwelling in the Sukka for seven days, Pesach is different. There is one packed night of Pesach, followed by seven days of passively avoiding leavened bread. There seems to be no specific requirement of activity. Is this really the way the "festival of freedom" is meant to be? How does the concept of "cheirut" (freedom) fit in, and must we have a second look at the instructions surrounding Pesach?
A Psalm for Independence Day
Rabbi Dr. Yoel Bin Nun
The first Chief Rabbis of the State of Israel, Rav Herzog and Rav Uziel, along with several other important rabbinical figures, selected chapter 107 of Tehillim for recitation on Yom Ha-atzmaut (Israel Independence Day). This prophetic psalm is composed with a view towards the future (“God’s redeemed shall declare…”); it is indeed well suited to the day, as it speaks of the ingathering of the exiles, to which we are witness in our generation and of which Yom Ha-atzmaut is the principal symbol.

We examine this exciting psalm in detail.

Translated by Kaeren Fish
Ramban on Bo: HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem - This Month is for You
Rabbi Ezra Bick | 36 minutes
Parashat Bo features the first mitzvah given to the Nation of Israel: that of sanctifying the months. Ramban explains that the Torah is teaching us that the Jewish people should count the months from this month of redemption in order to remember God’s miracles for us, and that the Torah purposely does not use names for months or days – so that as we count, we remember God’s wonders. Why, then, do we use the Babylonian month names for the “Jewish calendar” today?

Ramban points us to a verse from Yirmiahu, which seems to suggest that the redemption from Babylonia will surpass that of the Exodus from Egypt. Is that really a justification for changing the calendar? And how can we say that anything erases the Exodus?

The exodus from the Babylonian exile does not negate the Exodus from Egypt – it extends it with the amazing realization that God, after exiling Israel, is willing to redeem us again.
Re'eh: The Strange Laws Of Jewish Slavery
Rabbi David Fohrman |
In this week's parsha, we are given the commandments relating to a Jew having a Jewish slave. The laws here seem strange: we give gifts to the slave? If he wants to stay, we must pierce his ear? Rabbi Fohrman goes through these oddities to show us that the Torah is reminding us of our own national slavery in Egypt.

If you enjoyed this video, please visit AlephBeta.org to watch more.
Vayetze: Yaakov - Lavan's Hebrew Slave?
Elisheva Brauner
Sefer Shemot: Overview and Meaning
Nachliel Selavan | 50 minutes
Sefer Study Shemot: Overview and Meaning - Dr. Yael Ziegler

This the second episode of Tanach study's five episode course studying of an overview and the meaning of the five books of Torah (Pentateuch). In this episode Dr. Yael Ziegler uncovers the main themes of Sefer Shemot and demonstrates how it ties the book together.
Sefer Shemot: Archaeology
Nachliel Selavan | 38 minutes
This is an analysis of the Archaeology of the Sefer Shemot by Nachliel Selavan.

Archaeology Snapshot is a discussion on the location, timeline, main characters and highlights from history and archaeology, for each Sefer in Tanach.