The Jews were in Egypt for a total of 210 years.

Pharaoh did not immediately enslave the Jews upon their arrival.

He and his people could not bring themselves to as long as Joseph and his brothers were alive.

When they died, He put together a plan. He would say that Egypt needed able bodied workers to help the country.

Pharaoh, the King, himself went out one day and started doing manual labor in the fields.

The Israelites, being idealistic, saw this and were greatly motivated to help.

Little did they know his evil plan.

At first they worked for a wage and voluntarily. The Egyptians slowly changed this to mandatory work without wages – in essence they had tricked the Jews into slavery.

Pharaoh’s plan is the same plan of one’s “evil-inclination.” – the penchant inside a person to do bad. It does not usually tell a person to transgress a serious prohibition immediately. It first tells a person do something that is permitted or a little off or even something that seems like a Mitzvah.

The boss starts talking nicely with his secretary. He tries to help her out with her work.

It’s all for helping her.

Then, he starts talking about her personal life and helping her in that regard. Then he makes personal comments that are slyly disguised as compliments – to draw her closer.

In the end, if it is not stopped the “nice boss” can become a predator.

Unfortunately many marriages were broken this way. Many people fell into the hands of marrying an insincere, wicked person because of their nice words. They marry a snake with a smooth tongue.

A Solution : talk to a competent Torah authority to get the Torah point of view, before making an ethical or life decision.

Just one example.

Example abound.

The Jews had to get out of Egypt before the expected time because they were in danger of becoming eternal slaves. G-d saved the Jews from physical and mental bondage.

Slavery can be physical or mental. The Jews were in danger of becoming ingrained with a slave mentality, thus the rush for G-d to take them out with a “Strong Hand and an Outstretched Arm.”

So what is Freedom.

Freedom is the ability to choose what to do when one is before an ethical dilemma.

Freedom is the ability to do what is right.

Freedom is doing the right thing even though the waves of society are rushing in the opposite direction.

Torah – the Key to Freedom

Torah awakens a person to see what is right and wrong. Now one can choose the proper path – this is freedom of choice.

Part of being free is being able to look at life through examination, analysis and thought. Not just following the flow or keeping up with the Jones. Life is to accomplish good – through exercising one’s freedom of choice. The Torah gives a person the proper perspective to choose properly.

One reason for the great importance of regular Torah learning – Freedom.