Shabbat Nugget, Plague At Midnight!

In this week’s Torah portion, we read about the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt.

The final plague which caused Pharoh to chase the Jewish people out of Egypt was the plague of the death of all the firstborn Egyptian.

The Torah tells us that this plague began precisely at midnight.  What is the significance of the plague of the first born beginning at midnight?

Chassidic philosophy teaches that the Exodus from Egypt is an ongoing part of the life of a Jew.  Within each of us lies a G-dly spark that is  covered and stifled to a large degree by our passions for worldly desires.

Our mission in life is to allow for this spark to manifest itself in our daily lives.

This is the reason that the plague which was the catalyst for the redemption was precisely at midnight, which is the darkest moment of the night.

A person can sometimes feel that he has reached such a dark space in life that he is hopeless and it’s not in his ability to change anymore.  Therefore the Torah teaches us that the Exodus from Egypt began at Midnight, when the Egyptian exile reached it’s darkest moment, since the power of goodness can always overcome darkness.

About Rabbi Pesach Scheiner

Rabbi Pesach Scheiner is the Rabbi of Boulder County Center for Judaism. In addition, he teaches extensively throughout Boulder County and is the author of "Finding the Joy in Everyday Living," a book of short chapters explaining the ways to access happiness through appreciation, gratitude, and a sense of purpose.

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