Daily Wisdom 25 Tevet
January 18, 2023 - Leaving or Transforming Egypt
Leaving Egypt
Exodus from Egypt means leaving restrictions and boundaries. Egypt is the land of oppression, the land which does not let you be your true self. This can be many different things, fears, addictions, bad habits. It concerns everything that prevents you from developing your true potential.
Leaving Egypt is good for a person and allows a person to grow and develop, however, there is a problem. If you leave something, you can also return to it. And how often does that happen to us that we resolve not to allow a certain behavior or habit to occur again and suddenly we see ourselves doing exactly what we don't want to do.
It is a good start to leave Egypt, but it is even better to learn how to transform Egypt. How to use certain behaviors and habits for good. The world in itself is in reality good, because HaShem created the world and what He does is good. So even certain character traits that we have - and perhaps misuse - are good and can be used for good.
Transforming Egypt
No character trait is purely negative. They all have negative uses, but even those that seem purely bad can be channeled into positive actions. What matters is not what character traits you have, but how you use them.
One character trait that is negative is anger. It makes you lose yourself and have thoughts and use words that are not good. In fact, anger is so severe that it falls under idolatry. For anger arises when you do not accept that a situation is as HaShem has given it.
Yet HaShem has given someone such a warm-blooded character; it is in someone's nature. The trick is to learn to use it for good. For example, you can use the energy of anger to accomplish something good. Injustice you see want to change, persevere to improve a situation where others would stop.
Your character - Egypt - often does not work - but learning to use your Egypt for good can be learned by any person.
Sources: HaYom Yom of 25 Tevet 5783
Angelique Sijbolts is one of the main writers for the NoahideAcademy.org website. She contributes for the admin of the website in English and Dutch. She teaches Hebrew to beginners and intermediate students at the Academy.
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