THOUGHTS:
Freedom To Not Freedom From (cont...)
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However, the Torah's view of chairus is much
more than political. It is not freedom from but
rather freedom to. The purpose of our
liberation was to
be able to live a life of Torah and mitzvos.
This point is emphasized by the Torah when it states
(Shemos Perek:3 Posuk:12) "When you take
this nation out of Egypt they will serve Hashem on
this
mountain," i.e.,
by accepting the Torah.
Even those who experienced redemption from Egypt
did not appreciate the subtlety of this distinction.
We read that the people said (Banidbar Perek:11
Posuk:5) "We
remember the delicacies we ate in Egypt for free." Rashi
then comments: "Free means
free from mitzvos," meaning that people
viewed their emancipation as an opportunity to indulge
their
desires and do as they see fit. Simply stated, freedom from.
Judaism, however, maintains that a person who lives
a life of unbridled indulgence in effect
becomes
a slave to their passions.
We are blessed to have been given not just a purpose
of human existence but the tools with which to achieve
that purpose, namely the system of Torah and mitzvos.
The halachos, although at times appearing
difficult to fulfill, are opportunities to raise ourselves
to
a higher level. Each mitzvah has a
message and it is
incumbent upon us to not just do the mitzvah but
to internalize the message.
Too often, the emphasis is purely on the fulfillment
of the halachik requirement while the hashkafah of
the mitzvah is overlooked. The haggadah depicts
the rasha - evil son – not as one who
performs evil deeds – murder, embezzling, etc. – but
as one who has an improper hashkafic outlook.
He seems to be a tolerant individual, perhaps even
interested
in the Torah Way of Life, but only as an observer and
not as a participant; in short, denying the veracity
and the truth of the system of Torah. To him there
is no objective Truth.
Such an attitude pervades many college campuses. The "everything
goes" mantra tolerates all – giving all
opinions equal weight. A Holocaust denier is given
the same credence as a Holocaust survivor "who
may have made up the story to exploit the good will
of the non-Jewish world."
The Torah demands that we not only act properly, i.e.,
perform the mitzvos, but think properly
and disavow the philosophy of the rasha. Man faces
many challenges
that put us to the test throughout our lives. In times
of crisis, life-threatening physical illnesses being
just one example, it is very easy and tempting to look
for cures and remedies that the Torah would not approve
of. Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik, Zt"l, once refused
some "holy water" sent to him during his
illness stating that such practices were inconsistent
with the Torah philosophy.
Thus, the theme of Pesach should remind us of the
purpose of our liberation from the servitude and values
of Egypt. It is only by embracing the Torah and its
values can we find true freedom and live in accordance
with the purpose of mankind. As our sages say: "There
is no free person but for the one who involves himself
in Torah."
Best wishes for a chag kasher v'sameach.
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