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Exile and Redemption (131) – Shabbos (before Mattan Torah) and the Manna

Beshalach

Exile and Redemption (131)


Shabbos (before Matan Torah) and the Manna

A very important but often overlooked aspect of Parshas Beshalach is the fact that Yidden received some Mitzvos at Mara, including Shabbos (Para Aduma and Dinim).
The idea of Mitzvos before Mattan Torah is explored here, using the model of “organized religion” vs “personal religion”.
Mattan Torah adds the following two ideas:
1) It adds the אנכי to (an otherwise entirely logical) Torah
2) It organizes Yidden and Yiddishkeit, it mandates that we DO the Mitzvos.
Before it was “Personal” and a choice and is understood in two ways:
A. It is less than the Mitzvos we have, it is only reason and logic (and subject to change).
B. It is more than our Mitzvos, it is the idea of mesiras nefesh.
Example: The Bris Mila we do now we still call להכניסו בבריתו של אברהם אבינו.
In the case of Shabbos, its being given before speaks to the idea that it is above the order of commandments, it goes to our core, זכר למעשה בראשית which (from one point of view) is higher than זכר ליציאת מצרים.
Keeping Shabbos is being a Jew.

Class One Hundred and Thirty, Shabbos (before Mattan Torah) and the Manna.

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