The Torah refers to Passover as the holiday of Matzot. The reason is to teach us that leaving Egypt was the first step to becoming a nation. We had to learn what it means to be free.
Category: Citizenship
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Being Nice is Not Enough
When Moses saw the Egyptian taskmaster beating the Jew, he looked around and did not see another man. This is to teach us to do the right thing even if it isn’t the nice thing.
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Listen To Your Elders
The reason that the tribe of Levi was not enslaved was that Levi was still alive when Pharaoh succeeded in fooling the Jews. Levi, though saw through Pharaoh’s plot and told his descendants not to be fooled.
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Limiting the Power of the King
While recognizing that a leader was needed, the Torah limits the power of the king. It is interesting to note that this passage was the basis for the constitutional limits on the president of the US.
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Moses’s Last Speech
The Book of Deuteronomy is all about how to set up society once the Jews reach the Land of Israel. Moses’s main concern was that the Jews not copy the ways of the Egyptians or their society.
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We Have to Earn It
The reason that Moses was commanded to send the scouts to scout out the Land was because we have a partnership with God. God will help us but He wants us to also have a part in the process. We have to earn the miracle.
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Duties & Obligations
The Torah takes a census of men of military age. This, in case the nation has to go to war. Considering that the main job of the Jews at the time was learning shows that we are obligated to do our duty to the nation.
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We All Have To Serve
When taking a census of the Jews in the wilderness the Tribe of Levi is not counted with the rest. The reason is that they are singled out for a special mission. They are to be the spiritual leaders of the people. That is why they were spread out among the people.
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We Get the Leaders We Deserve
The Torah warns us that if we do not have a moral society we will suffer as a nation. We will get leaders who are unjust and corrupt. Morality comes from the bottom up.
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Bring Responsible
The reason for a Jew to become a slave is that he is not able to pay his debts. But the Torah demands that he be set free in the 7th year. If he chooses to remain a slave he is punished because the Torah wants us to be free.