Exodus or 'Exit'?
What the Pesach Story Teaches About Justice, Dignity, and Purpose in the Workplace
A Challenge We Face at the Seder Table
We’re told to see ourselves as if we personally left Egypt. But that’s not easy when our daily lives revolve around emails, meetings, and business decisions. The Seder pulls us into an ancient story—one that can feel distant from sleek conference rooms and fully stocked coffee stations.
Can this night speak to our real, working lives? Surprisingly, it can. And the answer lies in a small, often-overlooked detail of the Exodus: the silver and gold the Jews took with them.
Justice: A Fulfilled Promise to Avraham
From the descent into Egypt to the drama of the final plague, the Pesach story is filled with momentous events. But there’s one detail that gets surprisingly little attention: the silver and gold that the Jews took from their Egyptian masters on their way out.
At first glance, it seems minor. But this act is actually central to the original divine promise. In the Brit Bein HaBetarim, God tells Avraham:
“And afterward, they shall leave with great wealth.”
(Genesis 15:14)
Not “afterward they will cross the sea,” or “afterward they will stand at Sinai”—but wealth. Why is this detail featured?
The Torah’s Justice System
Rabeinu Bechaye (Shemos 11:2), based on a Gemara in Sanhedrin, explains that this was an act of Torah justice. A master is required to send a slave off with gifts when the term of service ends:
“When you set him free, do not send him away empty-handed.
Provide him from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress.”
(Devarim 15:13–14)
This wasn’t about spoils—it was a form of severance pay for centuries of unpaid labor. Even though the Israelites’ 210 years of slavery couldn’t truly be compensated, the silver and gold were a powerful symbol of justice.
Avraham and the Way of Justice
Avraham’s legacy, as God Himself says, is to “command his children… to follow the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice” (Genesis 18:19). It makes perfect sense, then, that Hashem would assure him that the redemption from Egypt would be marked by a profound act of justice.
Rabbi Sacks: Letting Go of Hate
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks adds a psychological layer: without closure, trauma can calcify into hatred.
“A people driven by hate are not—cannot be—free...
To be free you have to let go of hate.”
By receiving something tangible—a repayment, a recognition—the Israelites were able to begin releasing the anger. They left Egypt not as victims, but as a dignified people, on the way to nationhood.
Rehabilitation: Reclaiming Self-Worth
The Torah Temimah (Shemos 11:1) points out something fascinating: many Israelites didn’t even want to take the wealth. They were so broken by slavery, they had lost their natural desire for ownership, dignity, and independence.
“Due to the harshness of the enslavement, the Israelites were so broken in spirit
that they lost their natural desire for silver and gold. All they longed for was freedom.”
The Gemara in Berachos (9a) confirms that some were ready to leave empty-handed. But Hashem insisted they take it.
This wasn’t just compensation. It was psychological rehabilitation. Like inmates released after decades in prison, the people needed more than just physical freedom—they needed to reclaim the mindset of independence.
Ownership—even symbolic—was part of that transformation. The silver and gold helped them walk out of Egypt not just physically free, but emotionally and mentally whole.
Money and Mission: The Wealth of Avraham
There’s one more layer, and it takes us back to Avraham.
In elementary school, we learn that Avraham was a tzadik, a man of kindness and faith. But the Torah also repeats another fact: he was wealthy.
“And Avram took… all the possessions they had acquired.”
(Genesis 12:5)
Why is this emphasized? Rav Kook offers a powerful answer.
The Global Mission of the Jewish People
Rav Kook explains that our national mission is to spread the light of God in the world. To have impact on a global scale, a people needs visibility, influence, and resources.
“To influence many nations requires not only spiritual greatness
but also acquisition and possessions—when done ethically—
as a means of spreading God’s light.”
Wealth, when used ethically and with purpose, becomes a tool for holiness. Had the Israelites left as impoverished ex-slaves, they might have spiritually risen—but remained geopolitically irrelevant.
The Exodus wasn’t just about leaving Egypt—it was about launching a mission.
From Egypt to the Office: Bringing These Lessons to Work
These three ideas—justice, rehabilitation, and mission—aren’t just ancient concepts. They’re deeply relevant to our professional lives today.
If you need to fire an employee or leave your job, make sure it’s done with dignity, honoring all contractual obligations through the final day. This allows both sides to move on without bitterness—an act of justice.
If you have the opportunity to help someone find a job or achieve financial independence, seize it. You’re not just helping them pay bills; you’re restoring their self-worth—an act of healing.
And finally, look at your money not just as personal success, but as potential for impact. Make sure your wealth is being used in service of God and the Jewish people—this is our mission.
Conclusion: Where the Story Meets Our Lives
The silver and gold of Egypt were not just reparations or riches—they were a message. A message of justice fulfilled, of psychological repair, and of restored national purpose.
Through these gifts, God wasn’t only repaying centuries of unpaid labor; He was elevating a broken people into a free nation with dignity, self-worth, and a mission in the world.
For us, living in the modern world, this moment offers a powerful bridge.
As we sit at our Seder tables—after long days of meetings, emails, and managing responsibilities—we can connect the Exodus not just to history, but to our own lives. The Torah is showing us that financial reality and spiritual growth are not in conflict. On the contrary, they are deeply intertwined.
As the Jews left Egypt, God sent them out with wealth.
Not for comfort or status—but to show that money, used with purpose, can build justice, restore dignity, and fuel a mission.