1. As we have mentioned many times previously, every single detail that is mentioned in the Torah, contains eternal lessons that are relevant to every person. Interestingly, this does not only apply to the commandments found within the Torah, but also to every single story and detail which is cited in the Torah. Although it may seem that a certain aspect is connected to a specific situation that may no longer be relevant, there are still lessons to be learned.
2. This is especially applicable regarding Yetzias Mitzrayim. The Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya that the Mitzvah of remembering the Exodus from Egypt every day, refers to the spiritual Avodah of leaving one’s own spiritual limitations. Everything that the Torah tells us about Yetzias Mitzrayim, is a direct lesson as to how we are meant to succeed in surpassing our self imposed boundaries. Yetzias Mitzrayim was initiated by the ten plagues, through which the pride of Mitzrayim was shattered. We will now explain the spiritual significance of the first two plagues, blood and frogs, and their relevance in a Jew's personal Avodah.
The First Plague: Blood
3. During the first plague, the water of the Nile River was transformed into blood. Water, in its natural state, is cold. Coldness represents the opposite of holiness, being that holiness is always connected to life which brings warmth together with it. This is a clear indication that the first step in a person’s journey out of his own “Mitzrayim” is to remove any traces of “coldness” (i.e., apathy) towards holiness. If a person is void of passion for kedusha, it will lead him to all other sorts of klipah associated with Mitzrayim.
4. The Torah tells us that the plague of blood was targeted at the water of the Nile River. Regarding indifference, there are two ways that it may occur. The first one is when a person feels no excitement towards worldly and mundane matters; this feeling stems from kedusha. The second one is when a person feels no excitement towards matters of holiness; this feeling stems from klipah. Similarly, there are two types of water; water that descends from above. This represents the holy coldness. And, water that arises from below, which represents the unholy type of indifference. The Nile was comprised of water that arose from below. This indicates that it represents coldness to holy and G-dly matters, which is the source for all other matters of klipah. For this reason, the first step in destroying Mitzrayim was removing all feelings of “coldness” towards kedusha.
Transformation and the Second Plague: Frogs
5. Not only was the feeling of coldness removed, but it was completely transformed into blood which represents life, warmth and excitement towards kedusha. This is why the Torah makes a point to inform us that this transformation also occurred “on dry land”. Dry land is a step further down than water, being that it lacks even the moisture that exists in cold water. Moisture represents the ability to connect with other substances i.e. holiness. During the plague of blood, even cold and dry matter was transformed into excitement and warmth.
6. The second plague, frogs, was there to create the very opposite effect: to bring about coldness into Egypt. Frogs are cold-blooded animals that live in the cold water. Hashem plagued Mitzrayim with frogs in order to “cool down” their excitement and passion for worldly and physical matters. This is why the Torah tells us that the frogs entered into the Egyptians' ovens, being that the ovens represent the heat and excitement the Egyptians had. Although generally klipah is associated with coldness, there is also an element of excitement within Klipa that must be destroyed.
7. The lesson to be learned from all of the above, is that if a person is attempting to leave his own Mitzrayim, as is demanded of him, then he must make every effort to infuse his Avoda with warmth, passion and excitement. Additionally, he must remove any trace of indifference. A person may think; so long as I am not doing anything wrong, who cares if I am not excited about serving Hashem? A person must recognize that if he is not excited about Holy matters, then he will eventually end up being involved and excited in matters of klipah. This is why the Yetzer Hara places a special emphasis on trying to convince a Jew that he should not become excited regarding G-dly matters, even miracles. The Yetzer Hara tries convincing a Jew that if it is true that Hashem is indeed Infinite, then any miracle that He does, is nothing to get excited about. The intention of the Yetzer Hara, is to dampen the flames of excitement a person usually experiences regarding G-dly matters. If the Yetzer Hara is successful in his endeavours, this will lead the person to become involved in many other undesirable matters. This is why a person must recognize that he must always make a conscious effort to prevent himself from becoming “cold” and unexcited about his Avoda. And, just like he must maintain a “warm” feeling towards matters of holiness, he must also make an effort to remain “cold” to mundane matters.
Avoda: Warmth and Coldness in Service
8. The Avoda of a person to be “warm” and excited regarding kedusha, is within the realm of aseh tov - proactive good. And, the Avodah of removing all excitement from worldly matters, is within the realm of sur mera - turning away from evil. Although generally the order is that first one must remove all bad from within and then he can begin to bring good into himself, in this case, such a principle would not apply. When a person is using the power within himself, he must first remove the dirt in order to bring about the holiness. But, being that the plagues came from Hashem, the holiness within them contained the power to automatically remove the evil, and therefore it was not necessary to first experience the sur mera before the aseh tov. Hence, the plague of blood preceded that of frogs.
9. We learn from this order of the plagues, that a person must sometimes begin with doing good, even before he feels he has fully removed any undesirable trait within himself. Through a person’s positive actions, he will draw down a tremendous amount of light, which will automatically push away any darkness that may exist within him.
Summary of the Two Motions
The intention of the Yetzer Hara is to cool him off from an excitement in G-dliness and cause in him a coldness to holiness. (Which) This is a source for the impurity of Mitzrayim. Therefore, one must recognize that the first thing which one must do in order to free himself from “Mitzrayim” (klipah) is “blood” - begin to strongly involve himself with warmth and “live” in the areas of holiness.
And just like he must affect within himself the warmth in holiness - “blood”, so too he must also affect within himself the coldness to matters of the world - “frogs”. (Which) These are also the two motions of removing himself from evil - “frogs”, and proactively doing good - “blood”. And through these two motions and their branches he goes out from Mitzrayim.
