Israel Emulates the Actions of Abraham Translator's Introduction: Earlier, we saw that there are two ways of telling the story of the Exodus: as a political story of liberation from slavery(we were slaves; now we are free); or as a spiritual story of enlightenment (We were idolaters; but God brought us closer to His service). Rabbi Bondi now integrates the two versions of the Exodus story into one. Israel was enslaved because they worshipped idols. But they do not deserve condemnation - Abraham also worshipped idols. Like Abraham, when they discovered the true faith, they were willing to do die as martyrs to maintain their beliefs. This is why they were worthy of redemption. The author of the Haggadah now returns to the four questions. We began answering these questions with, "We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and the Lord freed us from Egypt with a mighty hand" This is a day of contrasts representing slavery and freedom. The author then left the main topic of the Haggadah in order to present the Midrash of the four children, since it relates to the commandment of telling the story of the Exodus. Having completed this explanation, we now return to matters that relate to the symbols of slavery and freedom. We began with matzah, a symbol of slavery, to remember that we were subjugated by the Egyptians. Why were we enslaved? The Haggadah now explains: because we worshipped idols. The Haggadah says, "Long ago our ancestors worshipped idols…" Yet didn’t our ancestors also worship idols in Egypt? Why do we speak of Abraham as a worshipper of idols? The Haggadah continues, "And the Omnipresent brought them close to His service." You might feel that the fact that our ancestors worshipped idols in Egypt is an accusation against them, so the Haggadah quotes the book of Joshua: "And I brought forth your father Abraham…" Even though Abraham worshipped idols with his father, Terah, he was worthy of redemption. When Abraham recognized the unity of God, he willingly risked martyrdom in the fiery furnace. What happened to Abraham was repeated in future generations. When the Israelites in Egypt saw God's signs and wonders, even though they were blemished by idolatry, they cast off their impure garments and became believers who maintained their faith at risk to their lives. They rejected the attributes and deeds of Egypt, tied the Passover lamb to their bed posts so that the Egyptians could see. They circumcised themselves so that the blood of circumcision and the blood of the Passover offering mixed together. Is there any martyrdom greater than this? (They risked their lives in the face of the Egyptians and even shed their own blood.) The Israelites were enslaved to the Egyptians and yet they were willing to cast off the yoke of slavery and risk their lives. Only then did they slaughter the Passover lamb and roast it. In this way the Israelites emulated the actions of Abraham. Because of their acts of faith, they were worthy of being redeemed from Egypt. That is why, "God brought them near."