Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L – The Purpose of The Exodus

Rav Avigdor Miller ZT”L, Greatness at the Seder pp 4-5, PESACH 5783

Purpose Of The Exodus

When Moshe Rabbeinu came to Pharaoh the first time, he delivered a

message from Hakadosh Baruch Hu with the most revolutionary principle the

anything else, it would be enough for us to study forever. All the rest of Yetzias

Mitzrayim is just a commentary on these words. The whole spectacle of Yetzias

Mitzrayim, all the makkos and everything else, was staged for one purpose, and

that purpose was to demonstrate that בְּנִי†בְכֹרִי†יִשְׂרָאֵל†; that the Jew, he’s Hashem’s

Chosen Son.

That’s the purpose of Yetzias Mitzrayim, to let the world know – more

importantly to let the Bnei Yisroel know – that “You are my firstborn son, the

son that I chose from all the nations.” It means “I am interested only in you.”

The Most Objectionable Idea

Now, that’s such a difficult thought for us to understand because we

know Hashem is interested in everything in His world. And yet His hashgocho

protis, it means, His sole interest in the universe, is only for Am Yisroel.

Now, that is the most objectionable idea that the umos ha’olam could ever

hear. Even the best of them, who would grant us full equality, but they would

certainly be offended to hear that we claim to be chosen of all the nations in

the world. But whatever the gentiles think, we have to understand that we go

by the statements in the Torah. And in the Chumash it states it as openly as

can be. Hakadosh Baruch Hu said, “You are My son that I chose from all the

nations.”

That’s what Hoshea said (11:1). כִּי†נַעַר†יִשְׂרָאֵל†וָאֹהֲבֵהוּ†– When Yisroel was a

youth, I loved them, ומִּמִּצרְַיםִ†קרָָאתִי†לבִנְיִ†– and from Mitzrayim I summoned my

son; I called out My son. That’s the whole subject of Yetzias Mitzrayim in a

capsule. That’s why Hakadosh Baruch Hu made all the phenomenon of Yetzias

Mitzrayim, all the makkos and the wonders, only to demonstrate this one point,

that the Melech Malchei Hamelachim, the One Who rules over the universe, is

thinking only about us! But not only about us in general – about you and you

and you; about each one of us individually.

And therefore, remembering Yetzias Mitzrayim means remembering that

we were chosen by the Melech Malchei Hamelachim. And remembering that

means that we have to be forever and ever grateful to Him.

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