Remembering the Exodus plays a prominent role in both the liturgy and practice of Judaism. Often times when retelling the story of the Exodus we focus on the wondrous plagues and the miraculous splitting of the sea. A closer look at the events that took place in Parshat Bo – after the plagues but before the Jewish people embarked on their journey to receive the Torah to become the Jewish nation - will reveal timeless lessons about what it means to be a member of Klal Yisrael.
Before he could lead the Jews out of Egypt, Moshe introduced several commandments (which would be kept for generations to come), including Rosh Chodesh, Korban Pesach, and Brit Milah. Given that the Jews were soon to receive the Torah in its entirety with all its mitzvot, Chazal question why these mitzvot were given at this time, before all the other mitzvot? The Mechilta, among others, suggests that the positive mitzvot were given in order to give the Jewish people the merit by which they would be taken out of Egypt.
The Kli Yakar notes, however, that Chazal tell us that the Jews merited the redemption for other reasons - because they did not change their language or names, commit adultery, or speak loshon hara. If this is so, then why was there a need for these additional commandments to be given to make them worthy of redemption.
In grappling with the question, Shprintza Herskovits points out that the initial three merits of not changing their language, not committing adultery, and not speaking slander are all things that the Jews avoided doing. While these actions were praiseworthy given the conditions in which the Jews found themselves in, it was, evidently, not enough to merit the redemption.
By not transgressing negative commandments (sur mera), the Jewish people were indeed able to maintain some semblance of their spiritual status in the corrupt land of Egypt. However, it was only the bare minimum of spirituality that the Jews held on to, as we know that they were on the lowest level of impurity at the time they were redeemed. In order for the redemption to come, therefore, the Jews also had to demonstrate their commitment to Hashem through positive action (aseh tov).
Ms. Herskovitz suggests further that the three positive mitzvot mentioned in our parsha correspond directly to the three negative commandments that the Jews upheld in Egypt. The positive mitzvot served as a way for the Jews to both channel and develop the spiritual energy they maintained by keeping the three negative prohibitions.
Just as not changing their language served to preserve their identify, so to the establishment of the Jewish calendar would ensure that the Jews remain distinct from all others – in whatever land the Jews might find themselves in the coming generations
Likewise, the command to bring the Korban Pesach corresponds to the negative commandment to not speak loshon hara. The Talmud (Bava Meziah 59a) tells us that causing someone shame or embarrassment is likened to murder - with the slaughter of the Korban Pesach we channel that energy towards the fulfillment of a positive command.
Finally, the mitzvah of circumcision corresponds to the negative prohibition of adultery. The bris mila signifies the unique approach of the Jewish people not to dismiss physical pleasures or to indulge in them, but instead to find the balance to channel physical desires in a spiritually guided fashion. The positive commands serve as vehicles for the Jewish people to channel both physical and spiritual energies towards a positive purpose and in a meaningful way.
In any relationship, not doing anything to upset or distance the other person is crucial. And yet, it is through actions that display one’s feelings towards the other that the bond can truly be strengthened. And so it is in our relationship with Hashem. While it is essential to remain distinct from other nations by not becoming consumed by the values or tempted by practices that contradict Torah values, in order to truly live and evolve as a Jewish people, we must also focus on doing and performing positive deeds.
The duality and importance of both the sur mera (avoiding evil) and channeling the energy positively with the aseh tov (doing good) is exemplified in the custom of Pesach when we commemorate the Exodus. On this holiday we are commanded both to eat matzah and not to eat chametz. Rav Milston points to many commentaries that question the significance of both of these mitzvot, both of which serve as reminders that we were freed from bondage. Perhaps we learn from these two related, but different customs of the holiday that the optimal way to serve Hashem is both the sur mera, by avoiding chametz, and aseh tov, which is done by eating matzah.
An insight of Rabbi Cordoza highlights why the focus on action is so crucial to the practice of Judaism: as much as our thoughts shape our actions, our deeds inform our mentality. For this reason, Judaism is a religion of both faith and practice. Often times it feels that as long as we have strong Jewish identity and we avoid the don’ts of Judaism, we could feel content in our religious and spiritual status. But we must remember that it is only by going through the motions that we can both demonstrate and strengthen our faith and essentially raise ourselves up to greater spiritual heights.
This is perhaps why the Torah is comprised of both the negative prohibitions and the positive commandments – it is only with the unison of sur mera and aseh tov that we are able to optimize the spiritual energy and potential inside each of us. At different stages of our lives and in different realms of our lives it is likely that one of these presents itself as more challenging than the other. May we all find the strength to be able to find value and meaning in both the dos and the don’ts of Judaism in order that we are constantly developing ourselves as well as our relationship with Hashem and others.
Shabbat Shalom, Taly
