Rabbi Leonard Cohen: Z’man Herutenu – Our Time of Freedom

By Rabbi Leonard Cohen

(Calgary) – According to our Sages, we are obliged to commemorate two things every Shabbat: G-d’s creation of the Heaven and the Earth; and Yetziat Mitzrayim, the Exodus from Egypt. What is the connection between escaping Egypt and Shabbat? And what makes Yetziat Mitzrayim so significant that it stands as the parallel of Creation?

The Aseret Hadibrot (a.k.a. Ten Commandments) are found in two separate versions in the Torah, one in the book of Shemot/Exodus and one in the book of Devarim/Deuteronomy.  Shemot 20:8-11 explains the law of observing Shabbat as follows: Remember the Sabbath day… for in six days the Lord made the heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day.

Devarim 5:12-15 contains a different rationale for Shabbat: Observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy…  Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your G-d freed you from there with a mighty hand and outstretched arm. Therefore, God, your God, commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

These two different versions of the fourth Commandment are the source of the mitzvah of commemorating both Creation and the Exodus, which we do in the Friday night Kiddush (in the phrases “Zecher lema’aseh beresheet” & “zecher liyetziat mitzrayim”).

According to R. Yechezkel Tzvi Taub, in his Kol Meheichal, the Exodus reminds us not only of G-d’s creative power but our own. As he states, “The core of remembering the Exodus is the meditation that every Jew must perform twice each day, to reflect on the wondrous powers with which the Redeemer of Israel raised and uplifted us, and upon the powerful strengths found in each one of us which we received from Our Creator at the time of the Exodus. This reflection obligates us to examine ourselves and determine whether we are properly using the privilege of these marvelous powers.”

Just as Hashem created the World using unlimited powers, Hashem also created a treasured people, the Jews, with a Divine mission to improve and perfect this World. In experiencing the Exodus, and witnessing G-d’s miraculous powers, the Jewish people not only achieved liberation, but the power and responsibility to use this freedom to serve Hashem and bring about greatness. We are constantly receiving the Torah. The work of Creation is not done without our input., nor is the challenge of freedom achieved through Yetziat Mitzrayim alone.

Creation culminates in the seventh day of rest, Shabbat. And Shabbat is preparation for the Olam Haba (the World-to-Come), a perpetual Shabbat of holiness. We are charged as Jews with bringing Hashem’s divine light into this world through performance of mitzvot, and developing harmony between our world as it is and a world of true righteousness and justice. In that manner, we align Hashem’s Creation with the ideals and inspiration of Yetziat Mitzrayim.

May this coming Pesach provide us the opportunity to appreciate anew our liberation from slavery, to experience the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim with all our five senses, and reflect on how to bring greater G-dliness in the world of Hashem’s Creation.

Chag sameach!

Rabbi Leonard Cohen is Rabbi at Kehilat Shalom in Calgary.