“Remember this Day in which You Went Out From Egypt”
Question: What is the meaning of the instruction “Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt” in a person’s inner spiritual work?
Answer: It is written in The Zohar (Parashat Bo, §121) that “the Exodus from Egypt is mentioned 50 times in the Torah.” Moreover, it is said that every day a person must see themselves as if they are leaving Egypt, because all of our spiritual work revolves around Egypt.
A person’s spiritual work in correcting their egoistic nature begins with the state of Abraham—the initial spark of the quality of bestowal. But how can this quality be developed?
This is why the question of Abraham to the Creator arises: “How shall my descendants inherit the great land?” (Parashat Lech Lecha). Meaning, how can I develop within myself (my descendants—my future states) a great desire for bestowal and love so that I may receive all of Your light?
The answer (from the Creator to Abraham) follows: “Know that your descendants will be in exile for 400 years.”
These 400 years represent the four levels of egoism. In other words, the Creator tells a person that they will completely immerse themselves in egoism and thus acquire a desire equal to the light of infinity.
At first, you will be filled with the desire to absorb everything for yourself, but then you will recognize that it is corrupt and wish to break free from it. And upon leaving it, you will begin to correct it—from egoism to bestowal. This is what it means to leave Egypt and enter the Holy Land.
Thus, by gradually correcting the acquired egoism, a person ascends 125 spiritual degrees until reaching complete correction (Gmar Tikkun).
In this way, our entire spiritual journey consists of three stages.
- From the starting point (Abraham aspiring to reveal the Creator) to the entrance Egypt.
- In Egypt, the development of striving for the Creator, which leads to the growth of egoism, the recognition of it as evil, and the desire to break free from it.
- The correction of this egoistic desire until it is completely transformed.
Everything revolves around Egypt: part of our path is before it, and part is after. Egypt is the central point.
Therefore, every day a person must feel that they are leaving Egypt; meaning, every day they take a part of their egoistic desire, correct it, and receive new light within it. This is what is called a new day.
And so the process continues through all the spiritual levels.
Fifty times is the exodus from Egypt mentioned in the Torah.
[40540]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/13/11, The Zohar Chapter 121 “Bo”
Related Material:
Egypt Is Between Us
“Remember The Day When We Came Out Of Egypt”
The Exodus From Egypt Experienced In The Heart
Discussion | Share Feedback | Ask a question