In this week’s Parasha we read The Ten Commandments.
The first is:
                    “I AM G-d YOUR LORD, WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF EGYPT, FROM THE PLACE OF SLAVERY”   (Exodus 20/2)

This does not sound like a commandment. It is a statement! So, where is the commandment?
The Ramba”m in his book “Sefer Hamitzvot” says that this is the commandment to believe in G-d! However, The Ramba”n (Rabbi Moshe Ben Nahman), in his commentary on the book “sefer Hamitzvot” argues and states that belief in G-d is too basic to be considered a commandment.
The second question is: Why is it first to all commandments?

The Truth is that this is the commandment of all commandments. It means that in every other commandment, you must include the first. It is indeed a commandment: that with every Mitzva, you must include The “Emuna” (belief) that Hashem is G-d and that HE
Brought us from Egypt.
For example:   “Honor your Father and Mother” – a most important commandment!
But The Jew does not fulfill it as a natural obligation, which is the case in other nations.
_ I mean, everyone knows that it is only natural to honor one’s parents; truly, do we need a special commandment for it? Our instinct is evident clearly in this matter!
But Am Yisrael were commanded to honor their parents BECAUSE G-d IS OUR LORD WHO BROUGHT US OF EGYPT – not because it is a natural and logical even instinctive obligation.  Otherwise we do not need a Torah for that.
The Talmud in Tractate “Kiddushin” tells us about a famous GOY (gentile), DAMA ben NETINA who was rewarded by The Almighty for observing This Mitzva in an exceptional manner – here is the story:
One day, The Sages of Israel went looking for a missing precious stone needed to complete the twelve stones on The “Choshen” (The breastplate carried by The High-Priest). They were willing to pay any amount for it. They were told that they can find it by Dama Ben Netina, a non-Jew. The Sages prepared a large amount of money and sailed
to the country of Dama.  The man gave them honor and showed them in, willing to make the deal with them. The Rabbis, anxious to purchase the stone and return home, displayed the money, a small fortune. Dama went to get the key of his coffer, but then realized that his father is asleep and the key is under his pillow. Dama returned to The Sages, saying:
“I am sorry, but I cannot awaken my father!” The Rabbis were willing to pay more, but nothing doing. No money on earth could convince Dama to wake his father.
The Rabbis returned empty handed.  The Almighty, pleased that Dama gave up a fortune
rather than causing discomfort to his father, Rewarded him by giving him an opportunity
to make even more money. A RED COW was born to one of his cows, at a time when The Sages of Israel were searching for a Red Cow – an exceptional rarity – and willing to pay any amount of money for it. Thus, Dama became a millionaire. !
That’s the story! But truly,  is it fair that The Talmud is telling us the praises of a Goy, when it can teach us  about some of the great Sages who excelled greatly in the observance of This Mitzva. To mention a few: Rabbi Tarfon is known for his extraordinary observance in honoring his mother. Rabbi Yishmael Ben Elisha too, and many more. We do respect Dama, but come on, do we really need his story to learn how to observe the Mitzva of honoring one’s parents?
The answer  is that Dama Ben Netina, a champion of this Mitzva, is an example of how one can fulfill this Mitzva, without having to receive The Torah; The natural, the instinctive way. But we, members of Am Yisrael, are commanded to honor one’s parents,
on a level that is higher than nature. It has to be observed BECAUSE HASHEM IS COMMANDING US TO DO SO!
If the father of Dama became senile and sick and embarrassing would Dama show the same respect? I don’t know, perhaps not! But, if the reason is because of G-d’s Command, then, there is no need for a reason and, let the condition of the parents be the worst and the most complicated, their honor will always be kept with integrity.
The same logic applies to every commandment.
Let me bring just one more example:  The sixth commandment: “LO TIRTSACH” – Do not commit murder! I was never able to understand why is this commandment stated so prominently amongst The Ten commandments. How many people are capable of killing?
The Jew does not kill easily. It takes a special nature to kill! So, this Law does not talk to me or you. Some people are willing to die rather than kill. So, while I agree that this is a necessary fact of life and it is primordial for any human being to respect life, yet, it does not have to be stated in the Ten Commandments, it can be included among the other 613
Precepts!!!!
It goes without saying that life is sacred. Those Religions who kill and maim in the name of G-d, have no G-d to begin with, no religion that can be respected. Jews do not kill BECAUSE G-d COMMANDED NOT TO COMMIT MURDER, not because it is ugly to do so only, not only because it is cruel and inhumane , but because G-d Forbade us to do so. Thus, even Jews who would never commit murder because it is not compatible with their nature, still, they will be rewarded for not murdering. Think about it.
Since The Redemption from Egypt is instrumental to our “EMUNA” (belief in G-d),as well as the basis for expounding the obligation of being grateful,  therefore The first commandment requires from us to believe in Hashem and to be grateful. Our Sages understand that if one is not grateful, his own belief is doubtful.

                                                  Shabbat Shalom
                                          Rabbi Abraham Benhaim

In this week's Parasha, we read about the culminating stage in The
Redemption of The people of Israel from Egypt; that is of course
"Kri-at Yam Suf" - The splitting of The sea - and the utter
destruction of Paraoh and his great army.

Moshe Said to The People:
"Do not be afraid! Stand firm
and you will see what Hashem Will do to rescue you today. You might be
seeing The Egyptians
today, but you will never see them again"! G-d Will fight for you, but
you must remain silent."(Exodus 14/13).

"You will never see them again" is regarded by The Sages of Halacha,
not only as a fact in this great phase in the redemption of Israel,
but also as a negative commandment:
- Not to return to Egypt! -
I would like to discuss this issue in a Halachic framework!
Is this commandment pertaining to today? Are we allowed to go and live in Cairo, Egypt, today, or is it forbidden for a Jew to settle there or perhaps even to visit?
We know that throughout the generations, Jews lived there since the destruction of the first Temple. There is a Gemara
in Tractate "Succah" that describes services in a huge Synagogue in Alexandria of Egypt. Obviously, there was a huge Jewish community there. Later on, we know that The Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon) lived in Egypt and served The Sultan Salah-a-Din as his Doctor. (Although we are aware of the fact that he blamed himself for that in
some of his writings). Later on, we know that The great "Radba"z" (Rabbi David Ben Zimra) lived in Egypt and served as The Chief Rabbi of  The Jewish community, 400 years ago. About 60 years ago, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the
Sephardic "Posek Hador" and Rishon L'Zion Chief Rabbi of Israel, was invited to live in Egypt as an "Av Bet Din' (despite his young age). So, there was a definitely sizable Jewish Community in Egypt. In fact,
even a Moroccan Jewish Community lived in Cairo for generations. A fact that proves that Egypt was a center of Torah for many generations, not forgetting Rabbi Saadia Gaon in The Geonic Era, who was from Egypt. And so forth.

So, if forbidden, how come Jews still lived there?

This question has been asked before by several "Rishonim" (Sages of the last millenium, up to 500 years ago - such as The Rambam, Rashi, Ramban, Rashba, etc...) and here are some answers:
   

1) The "Ritb'a (Rabbi Yom Tov Ben Avraham) on Talmud
Yoma 38 writes that this prohibition pertains only to the time when
Jews were established in Erets Yisrael before the exil. But now that
Jews are scattered over the world, any country outside The land of
Israel is considered one country. Thus, Egypt is not different and we
are allowed to visit or even live there.
   

 2)According to "Sefer Yere-im" (A rishon too), the prohibition
stands only with Jews who would leave Israel to go and live in Egypt.
But Jews from other countries would be allowed to do so.
   

3) The Radba"z in his commentary on The Rambam, Hilchot
"Melachim" states that The Ramban was "Anus" -
forced to live in Egypt by the Law of The King. Otherwise, he wouldn't.
Of course, we have a problem understanding The Radba'z's opinion:  It
appears that he does recognize the prohibition except under pressure
or coersion. If so, why did he himself live in Egypt. Was he under
great pressure to serve The Egyptian Community then? Perhaps! But it still does not answer the question!

I suggest that The Radbaz regards this prohibition as a "Chumra" - strictness by perfection - but not anymore
a Negative commandment of The Torah. Rather, it would still pertain to Jews "Ba'alei Nefesh Yafa" - Jews, who, by pure personal objection stemming from a good and perfect Soul, would refuse to live in Egypt, since it was the enslaver of our ancestors in Biblical times. Based on that, a Rabbi would be allowed to live there to help his Jewish
brothers maintain their religious needs, or when they are requested by
a king to serve him.
As a result, I assume that choosing to go and live in Spain (when you have the choice to live elsewhere), one should hesitate to do so, since Spain  expelled its Jewish citizen in 1492 and caused the death of tens of thousands of Jews who refused to accept Christianity. We can say the same about Germany after The Holocaust! Anyway, according to Ritb'a (see above), this prohibition is not
relevant anymore.

What about today? Baruch Hashem, Jews are returning to Israel. The establishment of Israel is a fact recognized by most countries of the world. Should we say that now, we are forbidden to go to Egypt, just as The Torah states?
We can answer that as long as the majority of The Jewish people are not in Erets Yisrael, we do not have the same status of The Jew of ancient times when all Jews (or most) lived there. Therefore the prohibition is not standing. (except for
the perfect souls, as explained above).
By the way, we can take in consideration the fact that the Egyptian in the time of The Pharaohs is not the egyptian of today. Arabs are not from ancient Egypt. So, perhaps The Torah refers only to Egypt of ancient times, when the dynasty of The Pharaohs existed. Perhaps.
                         Shabbat Shalom
                   Rabbi Abraham Benhaim