And it turns out, the seeds of their monumental freedom were sown not under the blazing sun, but under the cloak of night. We read in Sifrei Devarim – a collection of early Jewish legal interpretations on the book of Deuteronomy – that the verse says "the L-rd your G-d took you out of Egypt at night." Seems straightforward. Except… didn't they leave in the daytime? The book of Numbers (Bamidbar) is pretty clear: "On the morrow of the Pesach the children of Israel went out, etc." (Numbers 33:3). So, what's going on here? A contradiction? Hardly.
The sages weren't easily stumped. They weren't looking for simple historical accounts, but deeper truths. The Sifrei Devarim offers a beautiful resolution: "We are hereby taught that the redemption began in the evening."
Isn’t that profound? The Exodus, the defining moment of Jewish history, didn't just happen at dawn. Its roots, its initial spark, ignited in the darkness. Think of that last Pesach Seder in Egypt. The fear, the anticipation, the secret preparations… the sense that something momentous was about to unfold. All of that happened at night. It's a reminder that even in our darkest moments, when we feel trapped and hopeless, the seeds of liberation can be taking root. The promise of a new dawn is already there, waiting to bloom.
And speaking of Pesach, the Passover offering, Sifrei Devarim gives us a crucial instruction about that, too. "And you shall slaughter a Pesach." Okay, pretty simple. But here's the kicker: "Its slaughtering must be in the name of Pesach; otherwise, it is unfit." In other words, the intention behind the act matters. You can go through the motions, perform the ritual perfectly, but if you're not doing it with the specific intention – the kavanah – of offering the Passover sacrifice, it's not valid.
What does this tell us? It's a reminder that rituals aren't just empty actions. They're meant to connect us to something deeper, to remind us of the meaning behind the tradition. It's not just about following the rules, but about understanding the "why" behind them. About making a conscious choice to participate in the story of redemption, to remember our history, and to renew our commitment to freedom.
So, next time you're feeling stuck in a dark place, remember the night of the Exodus. Remember that even in the deepest darkness, redemption can begin. And next time you're participating in a ritual, ask yourself: what am I really doing here? What am I hoping to achieve? Because sometimes, the most important part of the journey is the intention we bring to it.