Malaika and welcome to Shark Tank, the podcast about the
challenges and opportunities being a bentura in the
workforce. This is a pre pesa bonus
episode. Lately we've been posting
written de Ray Torre from Wilkin de Torre on our website,
sharktank.org. We've talked many times on this
podcast about the power of writing and this is an exciting
extension of that idea. These pieces clutch on topics
like climb management, PESA, stress, and more, all written by
listeners and former guests of Shark Tank.
Just yesterday, I posted an article about what you'd see
aspiring can teach us about life as professionals.
Now, if you're anything like me, you probably don't have time to
sit down and read an article in the middle of all the pizza
preparation. But if you're scrubbing your
kitchen or running errands, you can definitely put on a podcast
or a share. So here's the audio version of
that essay. It's called Exodus or Exit.
What the Pesach story teaches about justice, dignity and
purpose in the workplace. 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 sleep, 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.
From the descent into Egypt to the drama of the final plate.
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 seems minor, but
this act is actually central to the original divine promise.
In the Brisbane. I'm Tarim, God tells Avram.
And afterwards they shall leave with Great Moth, Akreita, Yeatsu
and Lushka doll. Not afterwards they will cross
the sea. Or afterwards they will stand at
arsenite. But wealth?
Why is this detail featured? Romano Bachaye, based on a gomar
in Sanhedrin, explains that this was an act of Torah justice.
The master is required to send a slave off with gifts when the
terms of service ends. This is called hamaka.
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.
Avram's legacy, as God Himself says, is to teach his children
to follow the ways of Hashem, Lasot Tsakao Mchpat, to do
righteousness and justice. It therefore makes perfect sense
that Hashem would assure him that the redemption from Egypt
would be marked by a profound act of justice.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks adds a psychological layer to this
idea. Without closure, drama can
calcify. To hatred Quote 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 dignified people on away the Nationhood.
The Tarah Tanima points out another fascinating idea.
Many Israelites didn't even want to take the money.
They were so broken by slavery. They had lost their natural
desire for ownership, dignity and independence.
The Gamar and Brachos and Dartesdalev confirms that some
were ready to leave empty handed, but Hashem insisted that
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 home.
There's one more layer, and it takes us back to Avram.
In elementary school, we learned that Avram was at Sade a man of
kindness and faith. And this is all true.
But the Torah also repeats another fact.
He was very wealthy. Why is this emphasized?
Rivkuk in Anaya Brahos Daftas offers a powerful answer.
He explains that our national mission is to spread the light
of God in the world. To have impact on a global
scale, people needs visibility, influence and resources.
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 Axis wasn't just about leaving Egypt, it was about
launching mission. These three ideas, justice,
rehabilitation and mission, aren't just ancient concepts,
they're deeply relevant in 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 and 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 the bills, you're restoring
their self worth, an act of healing.
And finally, look at your money not just as personal success,
but its potential for impact. Make sure your wealth is being
used in service of God and the Jewish people.
This is our mission. 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 a
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 the mission. I would like to wish you and
your families Sag Kashir Vasamyas.