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Getting our of Bondage
by: Rabbi Mark Borovitz Spiritual
Leader of Beit T’Shuvah
Rabbi Mark Borovitz T he Bible has many lessons for us all. One of the major lessons is that what we are facing in our lives right now is NOT NEW! Our spiritual and emotional history repeats itself, just as the events of history repeat themselves. One of the most powerful themes of the first five books of the Bible is the Exodus from Slavery.

As a recovering alcoholic, I believe that addiction is every bit as harsh as the slavery of Egypt was for the Jewish people. I believe that addiction is as cruel and inhumane as the slavery endured by Black people in America. I believe that addiction is as insidious as the enslavement of tyranny. All of these other enslavements come from external sources. Addiction is an enslavement of the soul.

Herein lies the difference. Addicts need the assistance of the physician of the soul as well as the physicians of the mind and body. This is also the story that is told in the Bible, from the second book, Exodus, onward. It is much easier to be saved from/redeemed from slavery/bondage than it is to live as free people.
I would like to share with you some thoughts and learnings from my study of the Bible for these last 11+ years of sobriety.

The theme of Exodus is about getting out of bondage and what to do once we get out. This theme is very relevant for us. Once we have gotten out of bondage, the problem becomes what to do with our liberty/freedom.
Just as the Jewish people had problems with how to live as free people so do we. In the Exodus story, we are redeemed from Egypt and receive the 10 Sayings at Mt. Sinai. I like to understand them as the Kotzker Rebbe interpreted them.
These 10 Sayings are the cornerstone for living a life of decency :

  1. I have God-Image in me
  2. Don’t worship a False Image of myself
  3. Don’t take MY OWN Name in vain
  4. Remember to keep a place of Sabbath Peace inside of me.
  5. Honor the Mother and Father in me

 

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June 2001   turn