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In Hebrew, the word for Egypt,
Mitzrayim, means "limitations." "Going out of Egypt" does not only refer to the redemption
of the Jews from their slavery in Egypt. It also means that each person, Jew or Gentile, can overcome those things
in his life which he sees as limitations on his ability to properly serve G-d according to His Will, i.e., according
to the Torah which in its essence is higher than intellect.
Self-imposed limitations are caused by the limited or incorrect perspectives in a person's own intellect and emotions.
One should strive to go out from the unfounded limitations he has submitted himself to. A first step in this process
is to realize that if he tries properly he WILL be able to perceive Divine Providence in his life. This will strengthen
his faith that creation really is altogether subject to G-d's Will, so no outside influence really has the power
to stand in the way of a Gentile's observance of his Seven Mitzvos (Divine Precepts).
He can obtain the strength for this by "going out of Egypt" (his self-imposed limitations), by taking
a lesson from the symbolism of matzah (unleavened bread, the dough of which does not have time to rise),
maror (bitter herbs), and wine.
Matzah represents humility, and maror represents bitterness. When a person thinks about G-d and he reminds himself
of G-d's miracles, he should visualize them in his mind's eye (for example, G-d's splitting of the sea for the
Jewish people during their exodus from slavery in Egypt/Mitzrayim). This will bring him to humility and awe before G-d. He sees that
everything in the world and within himself is from G-d's power, not from his own or any other power. This immediately
leads to a feeling of bitterness due to his spiritual shortcomings which he honestly realizes. This extends to
a bitterness over the exile of the Shechinah in the concealment (of the klipos, the "outer shells"
surrounding the reality of G'dliness and spirituality) that is still dominating the world until Moshiach comes.
When a person internalizes these two things (the humility and the bitterness), then he becomes a cleansed vessel
to be able to wholeheartedly receive G-d's word from the Torah, without personal agendas or prejudice. He then
realizes that following G-d's Will (i.e. what G-d commands one to do - the Seven Noahide Commandments for all Gentiles)
is the very best thing that a person can do for himself and his family, and he makes a commitment to do this with
a joyful heart. This internal joy is symbolized by and expressed through the concept of wine, the fruit of the
vine, which symbolizes rejoicing. The fact that a libation of wine accompanied the offerings in the Holy Temple
reminds us that our experience of joy can be redirected from joy in mundane pleasures, to joy in serving G-d.
May the humility, awe, bitterness and joy experienced in directing our personal lives to G-d bring us to eagerly
anticipate the imminent arrival of Elijah the prophet, whose mission is to "turn the hearts of the fathers
to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers" [Malachi], and to prepare the world for the
true and complete redemption through Moshiach (the Messiah, descended from the royal house of David). Therefore
Rambam summarizes the essence
of Elijah's mission as "he will come solely to establish peace" (Laws of Kings, chapter 12).
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