The Torah relates how Hashem commanded the Bnei Yisroel not to act similarly to those who lived in Mitzrayim. Mitzrayim is called “ervas haaretz- a most indecent place”. The Rambam comments that Mitzrayim was an immoral place. When Avraham descended to Mitzrayim he was legitimately concerned for Sarah’s welfare due to the people’s lack of morals and values. They did not safeguard marital morality. There was a complete breakdown in what we consider social norms. When makos bechoros struck, all the Mitrzriyim feared. This was because the fact that one woman, through immoral relationships had many fathers to her children. While in a regular home there is usually one first born, in Egyptian homes there were multiple bechoros, one for each father.
The entire decay of their society had one thematic underpinning. It was “lo yadati es Hashem- they did not recognize Hashem”. As long as their perspective precludes a recognition of Hashem the norm becomes to do whatever feels good in that moment.
In America and in the western culture we have become accustomed to seeing a decay of morals and ethics that has eerie similarity to those that plagued the culture of Mitzrayim.
Laws and policies override considerations of morals and ethics over and over again in order to insure people’s inalienable rights to do what feels good to them regardless to the adverse effect on society as a whole. The educational system in America had eradicated mention of Hashem. The government has overturned the military policy of ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ to allow individuals who marry within their own gender to be public about their choices. The whole discussion is ridiculous. What place do these things have within the military establishment whose job it is to protect the country?
In the court system we see an inversion of morals and ethics as well. Why is killing at times treated more lieniently than embezzling? Someone who commits murder might serve a sentence of fifteen or ten years, then it gets reduced to seven before being commuted to less, and the crime of embezzlement gets at times a life sentence! Has money become more important than life itself?
Hashem commanded the Bnei Yisroel not to act as the Egyptians. The greatness of the Jewish people is that they kept their way of life in Mitzrayim. Their merit was that they did not change their style of dress, their use of language or their names. They emerged from Mitzrayim with their family life intact.
The Torah relates by makos bechoros; “Avarti b’eEretz Mitzrayim-Hashem said that He passed through the land of Mitzrayim, and as it states in the Haggadah “Lo al yedei Malach- not with an Angel…” The Rebbe asked why Hashem needed to do it Himself and why did He not send a Malach. The Rebbe explained that the purpose was to save Klal Yisroel. Every Jew was told to stay at home and eat the Korban Pesach. They were told that the Mitzvah would protect them. What if the Jew happened to be in the house of a Mitzri? He would be saved. What if a Mitzri was in the house of a Jew? He would not be saved. The reason for this is because the plague worked according to the person, not the location per se. Hashem needed to protect the person who did not care to be careful to be in a Jewish home. A Malach can only follow directions, and skip a Jewish home with blood on the doorpost. A Jew who did not listen to Moshe and left and visited a non Jewish home, put himself in danger. Therefore Hashem had to personally protect him “v’avarti- and I will pass”.
What is a Mitzri doing in the house of a Jew on Pesach? What is he doing there? He doesn’t belong there! The reason he’s there is because he was invited by the Jew. Because this Mitzri was an elite firstborn, this Jew could resist the temptation to be honored by his presence and invited him in. Hashem passed by and took care of him.
The lesson here is twofold. First, we should not say that it is not our job to go after renegade Jews. Hashem came down to ervas haaretz to save such a Jew, so should we. Secondly, we should not loose ourselves in our environment and end up with the Mitzri within our own home. We have to be proud that we are Yidden and not loose ourselves or be intimidated by their influence.
We need to recapture our Jewish sensitivity and sensibility that we are proud that to be Yidden and Chassidim that live in the light of the Torah. Hashem gave us morals and ethics. Instead of desiring the empty and vain examples of glamour from the galus culture, we receive our answers and gain inner strength that come from closeness to Hashem. L’kol Bnei Yisroel haya ohr b’moshvosam- for all the Jewish people there was light in their dwellings. It is with that light that we will go to greet Moshiach now!