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Rabbi Mendy Herson's Blog

Thoughts from, and conversations with, Rabbi Herson

The Search For Freedom

What makes us ‘tick’?

The question is about what goal we are chasing. What are we REALLY searching for?

Let's consider [fictional] ‘Jim’:

He is pounding the pavement looking for a job. The search is consuming him, so that's what drives him at the moment. Or is it?

After all, is ‘work’ his deepest desire? 

Actually, it's not a job he's after, but…..a paycheck.

Jim needs a job in order to generate money. His primary need is funding; not a job, per se.

So Jim needs money. But why? Does he want money for money's sake?

No. Jim actually wants comfort, security etc.

And for that, Jim needs money.

And for that, Jim needs a job.

Jim might have honestly answered our original question with "a job ". But it's obviously much deeper. His deepest need may actually be self-preservation, self-respect, familial-validation, etc.

But he’ll only find that when he pierces through his ‘layers’.

In many ways, we are Jim, as we struggle for inner freedom, and ‘Jim’s process’ is actually an important step in our Passover ‘journey to freedom’.

Step one is to identify our personal Egypts - the external distractions, pleasures, fears etc. that trap and control us. Freedom comes through transcending our ‘Egypts’ to freely live our lives according to our soul’s deeper vision. But leaving Egypt isn't really possible until we know where we want to go. I can’t freely live as Myself until I’ve identified Myself.

So I need to ask myself: What is my ‘Deeper Vision'?

Historically, the Jews’ ultimate disengagement from Egypt came through crossing the Sea.

G-d’s ‘splitting the sea’ symbolizes exposing our inner ‘dry land’ by pushing aside the layers of personality that obscure our deepest selves as the waters cover the sea.

By identifying our deepest selves, through our own efforts and through the power of Pesach, we can find – and perhaps reconfigure – our own deepest principles.

Crossing our personal sea puts us on the path to true freedom: A meaningful life.

Pesach is just over a week away.

It’s a time to remember how G-d loved and supported our ancestors 3300+ years ago. It’s a time to recognize that G-d loves and supports us today.

Let’s embrace the power of Pesach, work to identify our personal Egypts and allow G-d to help us find freedom.

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