The sifrei mussar say that the kernel of golus
Mitzrayim is found in every generation, and we always
have to uproot it. Spiritually and culturally the same
problems come up generation after generation, and we must
work to overcome them.
Michtav MeEliahu (II, "Hachonos Legolus Mitzrayim," p.
233) explains that a fundamental and essential part of
the golus Mitzrayim was the personal capitulation of
the people in the face of the cultural power of the Egyptian
rulers. "The Egyptians were very proud of their wisdom and
buildings and magic and magicians (chartumim). They
were extremely arrogant and in their heart they used to look
down at every other nation. This was the hardest part of the
exile in Mitzrayim. Even after all their preparations
[Editor: discussed by HaRav Dessler earlier in that essay],
the Jews were degraded down to the 49 gates of tumah.
Why did the Egyptians manage to do so much damage to
them? Because the suffering in exile under an arrogant and
demeaning hand (yad ga'avoh umashpil) causes a self-
negation and wreaks terrible damage. It is because of this
that we have several mitzvos to remember yetzias
Mitzrayim, including a mitzva, "Remember the day you
went out of Mitzrayim . . . " -- so that we should know the
true value of going out of such a terrible darkness. . .
.
"How many strange and counterfeit values are common in our
own streets. Those who subscribe to those values cause a
tremendous degradation and negation of the true values. And
how much they try to influence us! A person should look deep
into himself and see how much these false values have
penetrated his heart -- this is his own golus
Mitzrayim!
"Our generation is the generation leading to Moshiach, the
generation of increased arrogance (chutzpah yasgei),
the generation in which are present the souls of the
eirev rav (who were geirim in Mitzrayim). Even
matan Torah (in which there was a state of ponim
beponim, meaning an absolute clarity) did not help the
eirev rav, and even then they retained their previous
impressions. And again we are in a generation that is under
their influence. What preparations do we make to strengthen
ourselves, to strain to escape this terrible situation with
clean hearts?"
In past years, as the forces of haskalah and Zionism
became stronger and stronger and, seemingly inexorably,
conquered institution after institution -- how hard it was
to stand aside and maintain a different position! Even the
yetzer hora (in outer trappings of kedusha)
suggested that it was better to cooperate with the
prevailing powers, to ride the wave and make our peace with
those enjoying success and to find some way to survive as
best we could. Many succumbed and went along, negating what
they knew in their hearts to be the truth in the face of the
overwhelming social and cultural domination of the other
side.
But our perspective now shows that it was not those who
trumpeted Realpolitik and "flexibility" who were
successful, but those who followed the gedolei Yisroel
in preserving the pure, untainted truth of Torah.
With much effort, self-sacrifice and siyata deShmaya,
we have managed to create enclaves -- both physical in the
form of neighborhoods, and social and cultural in the form
of community institutions and publications such as Yated
Ne'eman -- in which the unbowed kernel of Torah shines
brightly. But we must remain vigilant to guard against
incursions in our own area, and alert to opportunities for
expanding it. Thus, in the words of Michtav MeEliahu,
we "prepare our effort from below to merit a visible
yetzias Mitzrayim even in our own generation, so that
Hashem will hasten to us His Geula sheleimoh soon, in
our days."
