EXODUS | 12:46 break — EXOD168 Do not break any bone of the Pesach offer...
EXOD168 Do not break any bone of the Pesach offering. Like many of the other commandments listed above, this one signifies that at the time of the Exodus, we became like royalty. Dogs break bones and suck on them, and so do starving and impoverished people, but such behavior is inappropriate for royalty. At the time of the Exodus, Hashem chose us from all of the other peoples of the world. He selected us to become a nation of priests and a holy people. Every year on the night of the 15th of Nisan it is fitting for us to behave in ways that recall that on this night we received this special, elevated status. Due to our actions, this idea becomes permanently imprinted upon our hearts. It should not puzzle you that Hashem gave us so many commandments to remind us of the miracles that we experienced in Egypt. One such reminder is not enough, because people are influenced by their actions. Always, whatever deed a person does, his thoughts and emotions are drawn into it, whether the deed is good or bad. If a nasty, malicious person learns Torah studiously and does mitzvos on a steady basis, his personality will improve, even if initially his learning and good deeds are not performed for the sake of Heaven. In the same way, if a great tzaddik is forced to regularly do evil, he will abandon his honorable ways and will become totally wicked. Due to this principle of human behavior, Hashem gave us a vast Torah containing a great number of mitzvos. He wants us to be constantly involved in Torah and mitzvos, so that our hearts and thoughts always are occupied in acts of virtue. Performance of mitzvos will influence us to steadily become better people and earn for ourselves eternal life in the World to Come. The events of the Exodus from Egypt are the basis for many fundamental principles of Judaism. The One Above intentionally gave us many commandments that remind us of this key episode in world history. He deliberately makes these mitzvos a mainstay of our Torah, because frequent involvement in performing these mitzvos make a deep and important impression upon us. It greatly helps us to think and behave in line with the fundamental principles of the Jewish faith, at all times.
Source Key | CHINUCH |
Verse | 12:46 |
Keyword(s) | break |
Source Page(s) | 15-6 |