Mishpatim: Freedom Can Be Lost in a Generation

The import of freedom is showcased through yetzias Mitzrayim – the formative event in Klal Yisroel’s development. Freedom is precious but also precarious; it is so easy to abdicate one’s dignity as a Jew and ח''ו assume a demeaned position. This tragedy is brought to life in the narrative of the eved Ivri (Hebrew slave). Woven together as a cohesive tapestry, the story of the eved Ivri can be seen as a multi-faceted regression in which the slave allows himself to be pulled back to the lowly pit of galus Mitzrayim.