Will you be from the 20%?

Did you know that 3,300 years ago, in the first Exodus from Egypt, only 20% of the Jews left Egypt? 80% of Jews died during the 8th plague of darkness. Why? The Midrash teaches that they didn't want to leave, so G-d caused them to die while the Egyptians wouldn't see so they could be buried before the Exodus.
80%!? How could it be that after 210 years of bitter slavery and 8 plagues, where the hand of G-d is obvious, 80% of the Jews would rather stay in Egypt?
After learning that every person has their own Egypt in their personal life, it all made sense to me though. Some people are stuck in addictions, some in bad relationships, some with mental health & some in physical health issues.
The sad truth is that it's easier to die than to change. Ask all the addicts out there why they don't just stop and change their ways. It's really hard. This also explains why so many of the Jews didn't leave Europe even though they knew the holocaust was coming. Change is really hard. And that's what Pesach and specifically the seder gives us the power to do. We can change ourselves! We might need to ask for help from G-d (He took us out of Egypt after all) but He will happily take us out of our personal Egypt.
May Hashem bless us with the courage to accept His generous offer and actually be from the 20% that actually leave!

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