Ascent: Means and End

I am God, and I brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God. Therefore, since I am holy, you must (also) remain holy.  Leviticus 11:45   I, God, have brought you up from Egypt on condition that you accept the yoke of mitzvot.                                                                  Torat Kohanim

 

            Sefat Emet explains that the phrase “brought you up from the land of Egypt” conveys a higher level than “took you out of Egypt,” which we find in other verses [Leviticus 22:33; Deuteronomy 13:6]. In essence, the exodus was a means, not an end, and its purpose was to elevate the nation of Israel from the degradation of enslavement in Egypt to the level of freedom, which as our Sages taught, requires acceptance of Torah and mitzvot.

            Maharal of Prague [Gevurot haShem, chap. 45] phrases Sefat Emet’s point somewhat differently: God says: “I have taken you out of Egypt for the purpose of elevating you.”

            Israel’s ascent from Egypt was completed only upon the nation’s entrance into its Land, as we read “We are the ones He brought out of there, to bring us to the Land He promised our fathers, and give it to us.” [Deuteronomy 6:23] There is a progressive process, from exodus to acceptance of Torah at Mount Sinai to entering the Land, which is the ideal place for fulfillment of mitzvot.

            Seen from this perspective, it is not at all surprising that the Holy Tongue refers to coming into the Land as “aliya” (ascent, the root word used in our verse).