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In their exile, the Israelites had sunk to the forty-ninth gate of spiritual impurity; there was very little difference between them and the Egyptians. Accordingly, G-d gave them two commandments, the blood of the Paschal lamb and the blood of circumcision, in order that they merit redemption by fulfilling them.

When the Israelites left Egypt, a "Mixed Multitude" of non-Jews accompanied them, sparks of the souls produced by the wasted seed of Adam during the 130 years after his sin in the Garden of Eden, during which time he separated from Eve. Moses intended to convert these non-Jews and rectify the lost souls that had been produced in consequence of Adam's sins.

The Shelah teaches that whereas the gentile nations arrange their calendar according to the orbit of the sun, the Jewish people count according to the orbit of the moon.

When G-d told the moon to diminish itself, the moon was not placated until told that Israel would use it for its calendar calculations and also promised that the righteous would bear its name.

The frogs voluntarily went into the glowing hot ovens even though they were not commanded concerning the sanctification of G-d's name, nor were they promised any reward for being the agents of the plague. All the more so we, who this mitzvah is incumbent on us, are required to go to any necessary length to ensure the sanctification of G-d's name in the world.

The brain is the place of thought which plans how to bring into action those desires which come from the heart. When one works for physical, material needs, one's will and thought are egotistically derived and he has become enslaved to the needs of his body.

Therefore, immediately after the children of Israel were delivered out of the land of Egypt, they were commanded the Mitzvah of tefilin which corresponds to the heart and brain. This is true redemption from slavery.

During the earlier plagues, Pharaoh had free choice to release the Jewish people. Since he acted defiantly against G-d, his free choice was taken away and he was not assisted to repent. Nevertheless, if evil Pharaoh had truly fought it, even he was still capable of returning to G-d and to have saved himself and his people from the remaining plagues.