It is known that the redemption from Egypt is compared to the light of a candle, and the future redemption is compared to the light of the sun. The light of a candle is limited and can be extinguished, and therefore after the Exodus, other exiles could occur. However, the light of the sun is unlimited and cannot be extinguished. Therefore, the future redemption will be complete, all-encompassing, and eternal.
The Beginning of the Journey
Yet, Chassidus explains that although the future redemption is immeasurably higher than the redemption from Egypt, there is still an advantage to the redemption of Egypt, because it opened the channel for all future redemptions. In a sense, it is the beginning and the start of all redemptions, including the future redemption. The Exodus from Egypt gave the power to free oneself from the limitations of the physical world and to progress toward true freedom, which will be perfected in the future redemption.
The essential difference between the two lies in the way these two redemptions occur. The redemption from Egypt came in haste – "For the people fled" (Exodus 14:5), whereas the future redemption will come calmly and peacefully – "You shall not go out in haste" (Isaiah 52:12). The Alter Rebbe explains in the Tanya that the flight from Egypt actually mirrored the fleeing from spiritual evil. They had to "flee" because they were still connected to evil – "the evil in the souls of the Jewish people was still powerful." However, in the future redemption, there will no longer be evil, as it is written, "And I will remove the spirit of impurity from the land" (Zechariah 13:2), and there will be no reason to flee from anything.
Transforming Evil into Good
In the language of Chassidus, there are two ways of dealing with evil – subjugation and transformation. The first way is the subjugation of evil, a constant battle against it. Evil exists in full force, trying to disturb and pull the person in its direction, while the person overcomes the evil—the good prevails over the bad. The second way is transforming evil into good. The person overcomes the evil so much that it changes its very essence into good and there is no longer any battle against the evil.
The Exodus from Egypt was a victory of the first way – goodness overcame evil, defeating it until the evil had to surrender. Evil remained evil, but it was defeated. That is why the Jews had to flee, to avoid falling again into the arms of evil. But the future redemption represents the victory of the second way – the transformation of evil into good. Then, the world will be rectified, all evil will disappear, and only pure goodness will remain. There will be no need to fight evil or deal with it anymore, and thus there will no longer be any need for fleeing or haste.
adapted from the writings of Rabbi Menachem Brod, Sichat HaShevuah
