The experience of our exodus from Egypt gave birth not only to our nation, but to a wide array of Biblical commandments. One significant group of mitzvot emanating from yetziat Mitzrayim are those that are meant to fasten our relationship with God, such as tefillin, mezuzah, tzitzit and Shabbat, to name a few. Another group of mitzvot that emerge are meant to inspire us towards a greater sense of social justice, such as not perverting judgement due to an orphan or not taking the garments of a widow as security for a loan (Devarim 24:17). For each of these commandments and others, the Torah reiterates וזכרת כי עבד היית במצרים, remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt.
At first glance, it would seem to make perfect sense for us to use our experience in Egypt as the rationale for a greater adherence to social justice. Namely, we know very well how it felt to be treated poorly and unfairly by others, so we should strive to never cause that kind of hurt to others. It would similarly make sense as a positive commandment that we should leave over some of our produce on the fields for the stranger, orphan or widow (Devarim 24:21), because we know too well what it felt like to go hungry as a slave in Egypt.
However, Rabbi Norman Lamm, in a sermon in 1968, suggested that if our call to social justice is solely based on our national memory of suffering and servitude, it is at risk of failing before several lines of argument. The first problem with our suffering as slaves being the inspiration for kindness is the “you think you had it rough” argument. Anyone who has ever dared to complain to a member of an older generation about walking a block to shul in the cold knows to buckle up for a harsh response describing the blizzards of the past and the permeable state of shoes in those days. As such, while comfort and compassion should certainly be expressed to the widow and orphan, one can imagine the historical Hebrew slave in Egypt mocking the comparison.
A second reason not to anchor kindness on our slavery could be called the “school of hard knocks” argument. We endured incredibly harsh conditions in Egypt, but perhaps because of those experiences, we are a stronger nation today. Such an argument could lead someone to avoid giving any “freebies” or “handouts” to another person, sure that someday that less fortunate person might even thank them for it.
Instead, Rabbi Lamm suggests an alternate explanation of remembering our experience in Egypt, based on the words of the Ba’al HaTurim, Rabbi Yaakov ben Asher. He suggests, quite remarkably, that the feelings we are meant to recall from our experience in Egypt are not those of persecution, but rather of irrational and unexpected kindness. Specifically, he suggests that the Torah’s mandate to recall our experience in Egypt is referring to the moment when God enhanced the charm of the Israelites within the eyes of the Egyptians, such that the Egyptians lent the Israelites their golden and silver vessels and clothing. We are recalling, therefore, not the overwhelming experience of hundreds of years of servitude, but rather a brief moment of receiving assistance at an unexpected time from an unexpected source. This, suggests the Ba’al HaTurim, is the mindset we should recall when there is an opportunity to be generous or supportive of others. While feelings of hurt or anger may come and go, expressions of gratitude and appreciation should stay within us forever. Indeed, within the “Dayeinu” song that we will sing at our Seder tables, we reference that “If He had given us their (the Egyptians) money, and He had not split for us the Red Sea, that would have been enough.” With the Ba’al HaTurim interpretation in mind, if all we had left Egypt with was an eternal mindset of gratitude, that would, indeed, have been enough. While Pesach 5780 will most certainly be enshrined within our memories and those of our children, if we can connect ourselves and our families to feelings of appreciation and gratitude, we will succeed in making the Pesach of Mitzrayim a Pesach l’dorot, one for the generations.
Rabbi Tavi Koslowe is Judaic Studies principal at The Idea School.
