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Why was the first mitzvah (מצוה) given to the Jewish slaves in Egypt the command to free their own slaves—a law with no immediate relevance? The shiur develops the idea that this mitzvah taught perspective: you won't always be a victim; you'll be a master. This broader view of life's phases—keeping all experiences in mind simultaneously—is the Torah (תורה)'s formula for avoiding depression and not being overwhelmed by painful moments.
Rabbi Zweig addresses how the Torah (תורה) teaches us to avoid depression, distinguishing this from how to deal with depression once it has set in. The framework for this discussion comes from Parshas Vaeira, where according to the Yerushalmi (Rosh Hashanah, Chapter 3), the first mitzvah (מצוה) given to the Jewish people was to free their slaves—a commandment that had no practical application at the time, since they themselves were slaves in Egypt, and the laws of Jewish servitude wouldn't apply until they settled in the Land of Israel. This puzzling first mitzvah becomes the key to understanding a fundamental Torah approach to mental health. Rabbi Zweig explains that the message was twofold: first, "you will not always be slaves; you will be masters," giving them perspective that their current suffering was temporary and not life-defining. Second, "learn from this experience of pain so you don't inflict it on others," transforming victimhood into growth rather than perpetuating a cycle of abuse.
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Shemos 6:13 (Parshas Vaeira)
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