The Hebrew for Egypt is ‘Mitzrayim,” whose root is “tzar,” or narrow.   The essence of slavery, says Judaism, is being stuck in narrow/superficial thinking.

For example, you’re sitting in a park when suddenly a grown man falls squarely on you.  Ouch!  Anger!

Then you notice him reaching for a walking stick: he’s blind.  Compassion.

Our thoughts create our experience of life.  But, they’re often not worthy of paying attention to!

The Jewish people leave Egypt in this week’s portion and forever we are meant to rediscover what it means to be free by seeing ourselves leaving our own personal Egypt.  How?

“I don’t have a job/partner/savings/personality (insert your thing here), and I’m stuck!”

How can one stop narrow thoughts?  Well, you can’t – directly.  But you can see them for what they are:  just insecure thoughts, often out of tune with reality.  True, they feel real because we give them “playing time,” but they’re not.  When we set our sights on what we really value – giving unconditionally, judging favorably, etc. – we can walk on by.