The Talmud teaches that 30 days before Passover, we should start learning about the holiday and its meaning. In that spirit, I humbly offer "30 Days of Liberation." For each of the next 30 days, I will offer a brief message drawn from the wisdom of Passover. I hope you find these messages meaningful and inspiring. Feel free to share/forward.
30 Days of Liberation: Day 26 Biblical scholar Richard Elliott Friedman argues that the Exodus was indeed a real historical event, but it did not happen the way the Bible ultimately presents it. According to Friedman, only the Levites were freed from Egypt. The rest of the Israelite tribes never sojourned in Egypt, and during the time of the Exodus, they were already settled and living in Canaan. More striking than this is Friedman’s claim that virtually all of what we now call biblical religion - including the ineffable Divine name - was brought to Israel from Egypt. The Levites’ beliefs were evidently so powerful and convincing that the indigenous Israelites were persuaded to adopt them. This theory reflects something deep. Often, an outside perspective is required to identify and reveal truths that would otherwise have been obscured from us. We can have difficulty seeing beyond our limited perspective, understanding, and awareness. When we permit an outsider to look in, they can show us things we wouldn’t have been able to see or know on our own, insights that might change the course of our lives, even history, if we let them.
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