Two Minute Torah Podcast

Bo 5769 by Joel Baker

The final plagues
The first pesach
The beginning of the exodus

We read in exodus 12:39 that the israelites baked unleavened cakes because their bread was not leavened and that they had not prepared any provisions for themselves.

Strange. They could tell something big was coming, they knew it would be their leavetaking and yet—they did not prepare to go.

Why?

The etz chaim humash offers three explanations.

1. They lacked confidence in god. They did not have a vision that god would lead them to freedom.

2. Their slave mentality did not allow for future thinking.

Or 3. Their faith in god was so strong that they believed god would provide for them.

I would suggest that the second reason—slave thinking—prevails. Don’t plan, don’t hope, just live for the moment.

But the parsha is there to teach us something positive. What exactly?

I think of my father. An immigrant from a small shtetl in belaruss. A product of 100’s of years of jewry living in the wind and bitterness of russian life. My father’s nature was to endure life. His favorite expression was “man tracht und got lached” man plans and god laughs. He seldom took a chance, generally settling for what life offered him.

And yet, once in his life he thought differently. He got up and left russia. Left a known life for an uncertain future. He broke the chains that bound him for something he thought would be better.

So? What constrains you? What blocks you from identifying and pursuing opportunities. Are you unprepared for something better because you are enslaved by the mental boxes you have built? Have those boxes prevented you from having a vision of something better?

The israelites weren’t prepared to leave egypt but they found their way. My father spent most of his life fearful and submissive, but at one point he found his way.

Are your stuck or are you finding your way? Are you on a path to something better? Like the israelites you might not be prepared for tomorrow, but take the leap of faith and go.