Bnei Yisrael gloriously depart Egypt, expecting a short journey to the Land of Israel. To their surprise, they encounter instead situations of frightening war, terrible hunger, and life-threatening thirst. Are Bnei Yisrael expected not to complain; to passively accept this fate, to wait patiently for God's salvation? Is God simply 'testing' their patience? In order to answer these questions we explore the purpose of the Exodus from Egypt as a process of building trust in God. During the six week period after the Exodus, Bnei Yisrael encounter several traumatic experiences and changes in daily routine which help transform their instinctive physical dependence on Egypt to their instinctive physical dependence on God.

Courtesy of the Virtual Beit Midrash, Yeshivat Har Etzion