Parsashas Va'eschanan (72)

Rashi shows the connection between the Sabbath and the redemption from Egypt.

Deut. 5:15

And you shall remember the that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Hashem, your G-d, took you out from there with a strong hand and an outstreched arm . Therefor has Hashem, your G-d, commanded you to make the Sabbath.

RASHI

And you shall remember that you were a slave, etc. Rashi: On this condition He redeemed you, that you shall be His servant and you shall keep His commandments.

Questioning Rashi

A Question: Why does Rashi comment here at? The verse seems understandable without any commentary. What is bothering him?

Your Answer

What Is Bothering Rashi ?

An Answer: The verse connects the keeping of the Sabbath with the redemption from Egypt. But there does not appear to be any cogent connection between the two. Rashi searches for a connection.

How does his comment makes the connection?

Your Answer:

Understanding Rashi

An Answer: Rashi's comment is meant to offer a coherent connection between the commandment to keep the Sabbath and the redemption from Egypt. The connection: The redemption of Israel from Egyptian bondage was solely for the purpose of obligating the people to keep their Redeemer's commandments. It is similar to the case where a person redeems a slave and takes him as his own slave. The new owner can rightfully claim that the only reason he freed the slave from his former master's control was so that he (the new master) could take the redeemed man as his own slave. So too, G-d freed Israel and thus has first claim on their service .

The Divrei Dovid, a commentary on Rashi, highlights the logic behind the relationship between keeping the Sabbath and the redemption from Egypt.

"Why was the redemption from Egypt especially tied to our becoming G-d's servants? Why is the Sabbath different from other mitzvahs? It seems to me that this is to show how different Hashem is from human masters. A person who frees a servant from his master, certainly does so in order that the redeemed servant will work for him and will be his indentured servant, to do his work.

But the Holy One , blessed be He, redeemed Israel from Egypt where they had performed harsh labor and He made them His servant with no obligation to work, or more to the point, Just the opposite, they were to cease all work on the Sabbath and that cessation from work, that rest, would be the sign that they were His servants!"

Shabbat Shalom
Avigdor Bonchek

"What's Bothering Rashi?" is produced by the Institute for the Study of Rashi and Early Commentaries. The five volume set of "What's Bothering Rashi?" is available at all Judaica bookstores. Also available is a Hebrew book on Rashi called 'l'omko shel Rashi".

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