Reality hits home. The Jews are strolling through the dessert, ensconced in cloud protection, eating manna fallen from the heavens, having crossed the Red Sea in miraculous fashion, free from the oppressive Egyptian regime.
And then, Mount Sinai. Also an impressive spectacle; the dessert mountain covered in beautiful flowers, yet engulfed in flames, thunder and lightning, G-d's booming voice piercing through the air, as millions stood at the foot of the mountain listening to the Big Ten (the 10 commandments that is).
But then the inspirational moment is over. Life in its new format as the Jewish nation begins. And with it, a plethora of new "commandments". Plow your field like this, bake your bread like that, and so many others. This week's Torah portion has 53 out of the 613 Mitzvahs (commandments).
Which begs the question: Why leave Egyptian slavery, just to enter into a new set of restrictions, rules, and limitations? What happened to freedom? Why the need to conform and perform?
So let's think of an iPhone for a second. An elegant, hi-tech device, something one could only dream of just a few years ago.
Now, imagine using this fancy smartphone on your desk as a paperweight to prevent your documents from blowing away from the spring breeze wafting in through the window. While it may be effective, it would not be remotely fulfilling its potential. To take advantage of all its many features, one would need to read and follow the instruction manual, watch a few YouTube clips, and most important, actually use the device. Using it for it's intended use is not restricting, but rather the truest freedom it could experience.
Wouldn't it be awesome if everyone released from prison would look at their freedom as the opportunity to grow, to achieve, to become the someone they can be? Not to remain a paperweight. When we left Egypt, it wasn't just to be free from, it was to be free to. Free to discover, implement and realize our true inner potential. And to do that, we look to our own instructor's manual, that outlines how we can best operate. The Torah gives us guidance into how we can be a better person, a better Jew.
The word Mitzvah is also derived from the Aramaic word Tzavta, meaning connection. The Mitzvahs are ways of connecting. Connecting with each other, and connecting with Hashem. And unlike the rotary phones of ancient times, we have so many different ways to connect!
This week we have 53 featured connection points. Let's try some out, let's discover the power and potential. (Our weekly Torah class always looks to explore one of these connections in a relatable way.)
Happy Shabbos! (the month of Purim, beginning this week, is a month of joy)
Rabbi Dovid Bush
ב"ה