Top Priority
Whenever we succeed in extricating one Jew from the state of alienation from G-d, and bring him closer to Judaism, we have, in effect, liberated an entire world. Our sages tell us that “one who saves but one person is as if he had saved an entire universe.”
Why not Send an Angel
“I” and not an angel, “I” and not a messenger, but the Holy One, Blessed is He,” was the one to bring the tenth plague and liberate the Jews from Egypt.
These words, taken from the Haggadah, describe the unique nature of G-d’s involvement in the Tenth Plague and in the subsequent Exodus from Egypt.
The emphasis on G-d’s exclusive role in the Exodus I so pronounced that there some commentaries who suggest that this is the reason for Moses’ name/role not highlighted in the Passover Haggadah. The absence of Moses underscores the theme of G-d as the exclusive force in the Exodus.
Every detail of the Torah was recorded not to simply inform us about events of the past. The Torah is not a history book, but a Divine blueprint for our lives. Every detail and nuance recorded in the Torah must serve as a lesson for us in our daily lives.
What, we may ask, is the lesson we are to derive from G-d’s direct involvement in the exodus from Egypt?
In truth, the emphasis on G-d doing it directly also needs clarification. Why was it so crucial that He did not delegate the task of liberating the Jews to an angel?
If G-d had chosen to liberate the Jews from Egypt through one of his angels, would that have diminished the significance of the Exodus? After all, an angel is no more than G-d’s messenger and instrument to carry out His will. Even if G-d had chosen to liberate them by way of an angel, the Exodus would still have been attributed to G-d as the one who sent the angel to do the job. Why begrudge the angle its role as the instrument of G-d?
Emulating G-d
One of the principles of Judaism is the need to emulate G-d, imitatio dei. Whatever the Torah tells us about G-d is actually a challenge for us to implement G-d’s behavior in our own lives. “G-d visited the sick, so we have an obligation to visit the sick,” says the Talmud. By emulating G-d, we become G-dly and are able to express our own G-dly nature.
But, G-d is also a Creator. How do we create a universe? Isn’t creation something that only an omnipotent G-d can do?
The answer, provided by our Sages, is that G-d has given us the opportunity to be His partner in creation. By working six days a week to change the world and then rest on the Shabbos and proclaim that G-d is the Creator, “we become partners to G-d in the act of Creation.”
How do we become Liberators
But, isn’t G-d also a liberator? How do we liberate the Jewish people from exile? How do we bring about Redemption for the entire world? Isn’t that something only an omnipotent G-d can do? How can we be asked to emulate G-d and become liberators?
The answer is that whenever we succeed in extricating one Jew from the state of alienation from G-d, and bring him closer to Judaism, we have, in effect, liberated an entire world. Our sages tell us that “one who saves but one person is as if he had saved an entire universe.”
Two Attitudes in the Process of Liberation
However, there can be two approaches to the effort at liberating the individual. One can put aside other interests and projects—as important as they be help “liberate” another Jew from his state of spiritual alienation.
However, there are those who will invest their strongest efforts and best talents for the attainment of self-perfection through Torah study and the observance of Mitzvos. Liberating others, some might feel, can take a back seat to their efforts in the realm of personal development. Much less talent, energy and time could suffice in the pursuit of liberating others. A person with this mindset would readily delegate this responsibility to others so that they can be free to pursue the path of self-development.
To dispel this notion that somehow the process of liberation is less important than one’s self-development, the Torah tells us that G-d was directly involved in the process of the exodus from Egypt. He did not “delegate” the responsibility to angels, because, G-d considers the liberation of the Jewish people from spiritual and physical confinement as His highest priority. It was too important to put it in the hands of even His most trusted servants—the angels.
We too, must emulate G-d and invest our best and most in reaching “in” to every Jew to uncover their G-dly spirit. This process of liberation cannot be delegated to others and cannot be relegated to a lower level of priority.
Indeed, the liberation of the individual is an integral part of the process of the liberation of the entire Jewish people and the entire world. What can be more important than liberating the whole world? And while it is true that every Mitzvah we perform gets us closer to the Redemption—the direct approach towards this goal, however, is to endeavor to help another experience a personal liberation.
G-d rewards us measure for measure. G-d will certainly hasten the ultimate liberation of all the Jewish people—and the entire world—from this exile, with the imminent coming of Moshiach!
From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Bo by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
