Seven weeks ago, Jews around the world sat down together to celebrate the Exodus—our liberation from slavery in Egypt. Whether at a 3,000-person seder in Ko Samui, Thailand, or an intimate family gathering in Brooklyn, everyone followed the same 15 steps recounting our journey from slavery to freedom.
But what is freedom, really?
When the Israelites passed through the gates of Egypt, Moses didn’t stop and declare, “That’s all, folks! The ride ends here. Now go live however your heart desires. Be free!” Instead, he led them into the desert, with a clear destination: Sinai. Nationhood. Torah.
G-d didn’t just free the Jews for the sake of freedom itself. He redeemed them with the purpose of giving them the Torah—a divine framework of 613 commandments that would bind them to Him. So again, we ask: What kind of freedom is it if it comes with strings attached?
Fast-forward to the 21st century: life today is unrecognizably different from that of our ancestors. Who would trade modern comfort for the past? We enjoy preserved food, instant global communication, air travel—luxuries unimaginable even a century ago. And yet, many of us feel stuck. Depression and anxiety are rising, and young people especially often feel lost, fearful, and unable to make decisions.
How can that be, when for the first time in history, the entire world lies open before us? When we are free to become anything, go anywhere, do whatever we please?
Paradoxically, it may be that too much freedom is the problem.
Studies have shown that an overabundance of choices can actually lead to stress, anxiety, and indecision—a phenomenon known as “choice overload,” first coined by Alvin Toffler in 1970. When overwhelmed by options, we often become paralyzed, unable to make meaningful choices at all. In such cases, limitations can bring clarity. But doesn’t that contradict the very idea of freedom? Isn’t saying “no” the ultimate restriction?
Actually—no. Every parent understands that healthy boundaries are what allow children to grow, explore, and flourish. Boundaries aren’t a denial of freedom—they’re its foundation. Children trust that their parents have their best interests at heart. So too, in our relationship with G-d.
At Sinai, the Israelites prepared for three days, anticipating their commitment to G-d. They understood that through binding themselves to His will—through commandments and covenant—they would access a truer, deeper freedom: the freedom for their essential self to emerge. We, bodies and souls, stood at the mountain. And in that moment of potential, we said, “Na’aseh V’Nishma”—we will do and we will hear. We trust in the relationship and so understand that anything asked of us is for our own good.
So this Shavuot, as you hear the Ten Commandments and enjoy your cheesecake, ask yourself:
What is one mitzvah I don’t yet do that I could take on to help unleash the potential of my soul?