The Biblical account of the Jewish Exodus from Egypt has been one of the most inspiring stories for the oppressed, enslaved and downtrodden through out history. From the American Revolution to the slaves of the American South, to Martin Luther King’s “Let Freedom Ring,” the narrative of the Exodus provided countless peoples with the courage to hope for a better future and to act on the dream.

Moses’s first visit to Pharaoh demanding liberty for his people only brought more misery to the Hebrew slaves; the Egyptian monarch increased their torture. The Hebrews would not listen any longer to the promise of redemption. Now, let us pay heed to this strange verse in Exodus, in the Torah portion Vaeira:

So G-d spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and He commanded them to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh the king of Egypt, to let the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

G-d is charging Moses with two directives: Command the people of Israel and then command Pharaoh the king. However, the verse is ambiguous: What did G-d command Moses to instruct the people? The message for Pharaoh is clear: Let the children of Israel out of Egypt. But what is it that Moses is supposed to command the people themselves?

The Jerusalem Talmud says something profoundly enigmatic:

G-d instructed Moses to command to the Jewish people the laws of freeing slaves.

The Talmud is referring to a law recorded later in Exodus: If a Jew sells himself as a slave, the owner must let him go after six years. He is forbidden to hold on to the slave for longer. This was the law Moses was to share with the Israelites while they were in Egyptian bondage.

Who is free?

The answer to this question is profoundly simple and moving, and is vital to the understanding of liberty in the Biblical imagination.

Before Pharaoh can liberate the Jewish slaves, they must be ready to become free. You can take a man out of slavery, but it may prove more challenging to take slavery out of a man. Externally, you may be free; internally you may still be enslaved.

What is the first and foremost symptom of bring free? That you learn to confer freedom on others.

The dictator, the control freak, or the abusive spouse or parent, does not know how give others freedom. He (or she) feels compelled to force others into the mold that he has created for them. Uncomfortable in his own skin, he is afraid that someone will overshadow him, expose his weaknesses, usurp his position or make him feel extra in this world. Outwardly, he attempts to appear powerful, but, inwardly, his power is a symptom of inner misery and confinement.

Only when one learns to embrace others, not for whom he would like them to be, but for whom they are, then can he begin to embrace himself, not for whom he wishes he was, but for whom he is. When we free those around us, we are freeing ourselves. By accepting them, we learn to accept ourselves.

Who is powerful? He who empowers. Who is free? He who can free others. Who is a leader? He who creates other leaders.

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power,” Abraham Lincoln said. Ask yourself, do you know how to celebrate the soaring success of your loved ones and constituents? Do you encourage them to spread their wings and maximize their potential? Can you allow others to shine?

Pharaoh may set you free physically. But former slaves can become present tyrants. People who were abused often become abusers themselves. It is what they know about life; it is the paradigm they were raised with. They grew up in abuse and slavery, so they continue the cycle with others. The first Mitzvah the Jews had to hear from Moses, before even he can go the Pharaoh to let them go free was: One day you will be free. Remember that freedom is a gift; use it to free others.

Celebrate Passover – The Holiday of Freedom – with Chabad. We have a place for you at our Seder. To reserve, call Rabbi Tzvi at 347-410-1106

Rabbi Tzvi Dechter is the Director of Chabad of North Broward Beaches. New location soon. For all upcoming events please visit www.JewishLHP.com.

A group of dignitaries gathered atop the new Dixie Flyover bridge Tuesday morning, April 10, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony before the flyover opened to the public around 11 a.m. As Deerfield Beach Mayor Peggy Noland said, “It’s been over 25 years that this bridge has been talked about. I’m glad I lived to see the day!” State Rep. Gywndolen Clarke-Reed called this “a momentous occasion. I was on the city commission when the idea first came to fruition. To be in Tallahassee now, bringing home the dollars…” Clarke-Reed said she was very pleased that the bridge does not disconnect the community — that District 2 was especially concerned about this. She commended Deerfield Planning & Growth Management Director Jerry Ferguson for the design. “He worked very hard on this,” she said. The bridge structure gives multi-lane access to connect Deerfield Beach with Boca Raton. There are two lanes and a bicycle/pedestrian walkway southbound. Two more lanes and a bicycle/pedestrian walkway go northbound. Below that is a secondary, smaller bridge over the canal that will ultimately only be open to southbound traffic, according to FDOT Public Information Officer Miranda Iglesias. It will remain closed during brick paving installation at NE 2 Street and NE 2 Avenue.  *For more information about the Dixie Flyover Project, visit the FDOT project website, www.dixie-flyover.com, or call FDOT at 954-777-4090. The Dixie Highway Project Field Office is located at 81 NE 3 Avenue in Deerfield Beach.* See video Of Ceremony and full speed ride over Flyover on ObserverTV.*

DOT Officials plan to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the span at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday Apr 10. By 11 a.m. Cars should be cruising across the bridge. it is going to be a little tricky with the speed limits. Here is the deal: When you are heading  into Broward southbound the speed is 40, then somewhere on the bridge just before you hit the lights at Hillsboro it changes to 35. Northound into Palm Beach it will be 40 all the way.  Pay attention.

The $39.5 million, four-lane bridge carries Dixie over the Florida East Coast Railway, several Deerfield Beach streets and the Hillsboro Canal.

Broward and Palm Beach counties received federal economic stimulus money to pay for the construction.

Officials say they pushed for the span to eliminate a bottleneck where Dixie narrowed to two lanes through Deerfield Beach and crossed the tracks. They say it will ease travel between the two counties and serve as a hurricane evacuation route.

A smaller bridge was built to carry Northeast Second Avenue over the canal. That bridge, which has been carrying two-way traffic, will become one-way southbound after the flyover opens and serve as a ramp for southbound Dixie drivers coming from Boca who want to go to downtown Deerfield Beach or Pioneer Park.

Although the flyover is finished, the entire project won’t be completed until June.

Workers still have to install street lights, signs and landscaping, paint the bridge and put down permanent lane striping and a final layer of asphalt.

After the flyover opens, the intersection of Northeast Second Avenue and Second Street will close for about four weeks while it is rebuilt with brick pavers.

Observer TV will be the first video at full speed crossing the bridge.