Bo

The final three plagues lead into the beginning of the freedom: locusts, darkness, and the killing of the Egyptian firstborn. The first Mitzvah, the first formal connection between G-d and the people, is given: to observe the rebirth of the moon, bless the months, and establish a calendar. The first Passover ever: mark your doorposts so that the angel may pass you over, roast your lamb and eat it together with matzo and bitter herb. Pharaoh hard heart is finally broken, as are the chains of slavery; the people leave Egypt rich in spirit and rich in matter. Everywhere since, tell the story to your children, celebrate the freedom, don the Tefilin as a sign on your arm and statement between your eyes – here stands a free people.