11. In parashas Shemos, Pharaoh decreed (5:7) לעם תבן לתת תאספון לא, "You shall not continue to give stubble to the people to make the bricks." There is an extra ף"אל in תאספון. Rebbe Dovid'l Lelover zt'l explains that תאספון לא means that Pharaoh forbade them from gathering. The Midrashim say that the Jewish nation would gather every Shabbos to strengthen their emunah and belief that Hashem would redeem them. Probably, at these gatherings, they also reminded themselves that they are a holy nation, descendants of the holy Avos and Imahos. And they probably set guidelines, so they don't become like the goyim by clinging to their native language, clothes, names, etc. Pharaoh was frightened by these gatherings, so he commanded תאספון לא, "No more gatherings!"
12. People asked a tightrope walker, "Which part of your stunt is the hardest to perform?" He replied that reaching the end of the rope was the hardest because there he had to turn around. Turning around is always tricky.
One year, before starting the Seder, the Yismach Yisrael of Alexander zt'l announced, "If one doesn’t believe that he has the potential tonight to change from being a rasha to being a tzaddik, he is the rasha of the Haggadah."
An egg can change and become a chicken, or it can remain the same and be cooked and eaten as an egg.
Changing One's Ways
It states (12:2) לכם הזה החודש, which the Beis Avraham zt'l explains that Hashem gave us the ability to renew ourselves and become new people. These words were told to the Jewish nation when they were in Mitzrayim, at the 49th gate of impurity. Even from that lowly place, Hashem told them, לכם הזה החודש, that they could start anew.
The Gemara (Brachos 29) says, "Don’t believe in yourself until your final day. Think about what happened to Yochanan Kohen Gadol. He was Kohen Gadol for eighty years, and at the end of his life, he became a tzeduki (heretic)." The Rebbe of Kotzk zy"a said that just as a tzaddik can change and become a rasha (as this happened to Yochanan Kohen Gadol), a rasha can also change his ways and become a tzaddik. The opportunity for change is always in our hands.
It states in this week's parashah that the korban Pesach in Mitzrayim should be eaten (12:11) ברגליכם נעליכם, "Your shoes in your feet." This is an unusual expression. It seems it should have been written as בנעליכם רגליכם, "Your feet in your shoes"! Therefore, the Sar Shalom of Belz zt'l explains that ברגליכם נעליכם means we should place a lock (נעל) on our routine (רגילות). If you are accustomed to a specific behavior that isn't good, place a lock on it and change your ways. It is possible to do so. הזה החודש לכם, a person has the ability to change. The Torah says, ברגליכם נעליכם, put a lock on your bad habits, and train yourself with better habits.
Rebbe Leibele Eigar zy"a said that we place an egg on the seder plate to indicate that it is a night when one can change completely, or he can remain the same after the night passes. It's up to us.
