Before Beneh Yisrael left Egypt, Hashem spoke to Moshe and gave him a series of instructions that Beneh Yisrael were to follow in preparation for the great moment of Yetziat Mitzrayim. They were all to prepare an animal as a sacrifice, and then slaughter it, place blood on the doorposts, and eat the meat in their homes as Hashem passed through Egypt killing the Egyptian firstborns. Hashem would see the blood on the doorposts and pass by their homes, so that the plague would befall only the Egyptians.
There is a slight but important difference between the way Hashem presented this command to Moshe, and the way Moshe presented this command to the people.
When Hashem spoke to Moshe, He said that the people should prepare a sacrifice מן הכבשים ומן העיזים – from either sheep or goats. The people were given the choice of whether to sacrifice a sheep or a goat. Moshe, however, told the people, קחו לכם צאן – to take a sheep. He did not give them the option. Why?
The Egyptians practiced an ancient form of paganism whereby sheep were considered sacred. Taking sheep, earmarking them as a sacrifice, and then slaughtering them in full view of the Egyptians was a very bold and daring step for Beneh Yisrael. They were lowly slaves, oppressed by the Egyptians. Sacrificing a sheep would mean doing something that would anger their masters.
And this is PRECISELY why Moshe told the people to sacrifice a sheep.
G-d gave the people two options – an easier option and a more difficult option – and Moshe wanted the people to choose the more difficult option. He wanted them to have this opportunity to step up and do something difficult – because THIS IS HOW THEY WOULD GROW.
Beneh Yisrael were being taken out of Egypt in order to become a great nation. AND THE WAY WE BECOME GREAT IS BY EMBRACING CHALLENGES, NOT BY RUNNING AWAY FROM THEM. Moshe told the people to take the more difficult route – because this is the route to greatness.
All the great figures in Tanach became great after confronting very challenging situations:
· Avraham was thrown into a furnace.
· Yitzhak was nearly slaughtered as a sacrifice.
· Yaakov needed to disguise as his brother, and then live far away from home for 20 years.
· Yosef was sold as a slave as a teenager, and then thrown into jail for a crime he did not commit.
· Moshe Rabbenu put his life on the line to rescue a fellow Jew in distress, and then had to flee to distant country to escape from Pharaoh.
· David had to fight Golyat, a powerful, armed warrior, with just a slingshot.
There are many other examples, as well.
This is not coincidental. People become great when they face challenges and work hard to overcome them.
It occasionally happens that some area of life suddenly becomes very challenging. It could be a problem in marriage. It could be a problem at work. It could be a child who suddenly has an issue that requires a great deal of time and causes a great deal of stress. It could be a medical condition that demands attention.
When such challenges arise, we should embrace them. We should not be upset by them. Challenges are opportunities to grow, to find strength and capabilities that we would otherwise never realize we had.
So the next time we face a challenging situation, instead of feeling anxious and frustrated, let’s rejoice, and enthusiastically embrace the precious opportunity we have been given to rise to the next level, and become the truly great people that we are capable of being.