Thoughts on Parashat Vaera 5785
Prepare for a dry, philosophical thought.
What was the story of the exodus from the Land of Egypt about? Certainly it was about leaving a political entity, an empire with a corrupt political system that was self-serving for its elites. This is the social and political part of the whole process of the liberation of the chosen nation.
But the whole story of Exodus also has its spiritual aspect, not less important than the political one. It was about liberating ourselves from all kinds of habits – moral, psychological, cultural and religious, habits and patterns of behavior that did not allow for a full spiritual and moral development of the Jewish people. We were chosen by God to establish a new political entity in the land of Israel but also a new religious culture and civilization, i.e. Judaism, that would elevate human spiritual condition, necessary to create a just society…
