Chapter 1

בכל דור ודור חייב אדם לראות את עצמו כאילו הוא יצא ממצרים

“In each and every generation a person is obliged to regard himself as if he had come out of Egypt.”1

This means to say that in every generation at all times, and under all circumstances, all Jews (without regard to gender, age or status) are to feel as if they personally left Egypt.

We must understand the meaning of this obligation. If all that is meant is that every Jew is to feel as if he personally departed from Egypt, then this sentence is superfluous. For right afterwards we are told: “Not only were our forefathers redeemed from Egyptian bondage, but we as well.”

What then is the meaning of “In each and every generation…”?

The word “generation” implies not only a quantity of time, but a quality;2 the simplest person as well as the most illustrious Torah scholar are equally obliged to regard themselves as having left Egypt. For the exodus was not only physical but also spiritual. The spiritual liberation from Egypt should be found within each individual, in all aspects of his life and conduct.

This is what’s meant by the statement: “In each and every generation….” For every soul which G‑d places within a body is thereby subject to the spiritual equivalent of the Egyptian exile, and our service consists of spiritually liberating ourselves from Egypt. Although it is true that freedom from bondage came as a result of Divine benevolence “the supreme King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, revealed Himself to them and redeemed them,”3 it occurred only after we “cried out to the L-rd, the G‑d of our fathers,”4 at which time, “the L-rd heard our voice and saw our suffering, our labor and our oppression.”

Our prayers to G‑d are not always answered, though they are always heard. During the exile in Egypt, however, G‑d did accept our prayerful cries, and observed our afflictions, toil and oppression. The same holds true regarding spiritual redemption. When we cry out to G‑d [about our spiritual afflictions], He hears us. We are then liberated from [spiritual] Egypt.

In summary: The word “generation” refers to a measure of man as well as a measure of time. The greatest Torah geniuses, like the most simple folk, are obligated to feel that they personally departed from Egypt. Liberation from Egypt came after “we cried out to the L-rd, the G‑d of our fathers.”

Chapter 2

The Jewish holidays and festivals which we have been graciously granted by G‑d are not limited to a particular timeframe. Though each seventh day is Shabbos, the first day of Tishrei is Rosh HaShanah, the fifteenth day of Nissan is Pesach, and so on, every festival mirrors the spiritual life of each and every Jew. The spiritual life of a Jew is his true life. It was for this purpose that G‑d sent our divine souls to animate our physical bodies and fulfill the intent of creation.

Exile in and liberation from Egypt are constantly recurring, as are all other spiritual matters, in man’s spiritual service. The descent of a soul into a body, with the G‑dly soul clothing itself in the rational-natural soul and the animal soul, is termed “exile in Egypt.” The root of the word mitzrayim, the Hebrew name for Egypt, is meitzar, meaning strait or limitation.

When the G‑dly soul descends into the body and natural soul, its spirituality is severely constrained. There can be no comparison between what the soul now feels and understands of G‑dliness and what it felt and understood prior to its descent. The process of incorporation takes a heavy toll on the soul’s spiritual state. However, this “exile in Egypt” serves a purpose, that being the spiritual liberation from Egypt.

Spiritually, mitzrayim is [composed of the two Hebrew words] meitzar mi5 “ straits of who.” It is written:6 “Lift up your eyes heavenwards and see mi [the Hebrew word for who] created all this.” The verse is telling us to use discernment so that we may comprehend G‑dliness and realize who created everything. It is necessary to study Torah and Chassidus. Then one gains an understanding of creation; that only the blessed G‑d created it.

Understanding and meditating on these matters leads a person to a closer and clearer comprehension of G‑d’s greatness.

Profound understanding of G‑dliness inevitably leads to an arousal of love and awe. It is written:7 “Man [in Hebrew ish] is commended according to his intelligence.” The word ish alludes to the emotional attributes, as the verse states:8 “As is an ish, so is his strength.” Each person’s emotional attributes are in accordance with his comprehension, for intellectual understanding gives rise to the emotions. This is the meaning of “mi created all this” [in Hebrew “all this” is translated as eileh]. Mi refers to the comprehension of binah9 [the second of the three intellectual attributes], which is responsible for eileh the emotional attributes. The emotional attributes constitute a heartfelt desire and longing. They are a product of contemplation and comprehension.

In summary: All festivals and holidays are mirrored in a Jew’s spiritual life. The descent of the G‑dly soul into the body and natural rational intellect is spiritual exile, since the soul’s comprehension and feelings are severely constrained compared to is prior state. Emotional attributes are a product of comprehension.

Chapter 3

This is what is meant by the phrase: “and see who created eileh.” It refers to the emotional attributes, which are called eileh.10 Every emotional attribute from that of chesed (kindness) to yesod (foundation) encompasses all six emotional attributes. Six times six makes 36, the numerical equivalent of the word eileh.

The “mother” that gives birth to these attributes is binah or comprehension, as the verse says:11 “For binah shall be called a mother.” Thus “mi created eileh” [binah gives birth to the emotional attributes]. Since each attribute is a product of the intellectual concept which fashioned it, it is readily apparent that each has its own intellectual source.

For example: There is a distinct intellectual source for love and a distinct intellectual source for awe. Love and awe have different properties. Love involves drawing closer the lover drawing closer to the object of his affection, just as parents draw near to their child. This arouses a deep emotional response within the child, who in turn devotes himself to his parents. The same holds true of a student whose master teaches him Torah and good character traits. Through this interchange, the disciple becomes close to his teacher.

The same closeness results when a person meditates upon the fact that “You give life to all.”12 When one meditates deeply upon G‑d’s greatness, on how He animates all created beings, and on the fact that the Jews are “the people close to Him,”13 this awakens a great love of G‑d within the heart. The person will then devote himself to the study of Torah and the performance of practical mitzvos with great fervor.

Awe, however, implies distance. An example would be the sense of awe that comes over a person when he beholds a great scholar, or one who is known for his exemplary character traits, or a mighty ruler. This feeling of trepidation causes a person to draw back.

The same is true of a person who contemplates the infinite greatness of G‑d. Realizing that everything G‑d created is truly as nothing when compared to Him, and that all creation is so utterly insignificant that it is as if it did not even exist, a person will feel a terrible fear of G‑d, a sense of utter humility before the One “who fills the whole earth with His glory.”14 This emotion will lead a person to study Torah and perform mitzvos with a dutiful acceptance of the Heavenly Yoke.

To be in spiritual exile15 means that although a person studies and fully understands a point of G‑dly wisdom for instance, that “the whole earth is full of His glory,” or that “You give life to all” the emotional attributes that should result as a matter of course simply fail to appear. The person feels neither love nor awe of G‑d.

If this is the case, it is necessary to cry out to the L-rd that He liberate us from our lowly state. When we do this, then G‑d will see our impoverished comprehension of G‑dliness and our spiritual “labor and oppression,” which cause us to serve only out of a sense of duty. There then comes about a “liberation from Egypt,” so that we again study Torah and perform mitzvos with profound spiritual satisfaction.

In summary: Eileh refers to the emotional attributes created by binah. Each attribute has a distinct intellectual source. Love and awe have different properties, love implying a drawing close, while awe involves a drawing back. Love causes one to serve with vitality, while awe results in the performance of Torah and mitzvos with deep-felt acceptance of the Divine Yoke. By “shouting to G‑d,” we merit redemption from Egypt.