אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִהְיות לָהֶם עֲבָדִים וָאֶשְׁבּר מֹטֹת עֻלְּכֶם וָאוֹלֵךְ אֶתְכֶם קוֹמְמִיּוּת - ואשבר מטת עלכם. הוא משל כמו שור שרגיל לישא עול שנוצר לזה. וראשו כפוי למטה כמו שיודע שהעול יהא מונח עליו. ואפילו בשעה שמסירים העול מעליו יודע שאחר שעה מוכן הוא שנית למשאו. עד שמשברים את העול לעיניו הוא בטוח שלא יחרוש עוד. ועדיין הוא בראש נמוך מרוב הרגלו לכך. עד שבא בעליו ומרגילו להגביה ראשו ולילך קוממיות.
I am your God who brought you out of the land of the Egyptians to be their slaves no more, who broke the bonds of your yoke and made you walk upright - the image presented by this verse is one of an ox that is accustomed to wearing the yoke made for it. The ox keeps its head bowed (even when it is not wearing the yoke), as though it knows that the yoke will be placed upon it (at any moment). Even when the yoke is taken off, the ox is ready to accept it again after a short while has passed. [The ox is so accustomed to the yoke that] even if he sees his master break the yoke and understands from this that he will not be required to plow ever again he nevertheless keeps his head bowed from force of habit, until his master comes and trains him to lift up his head and walk upright.] [AJWS translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. In what ways of Jews been consistently walking with our heads bowed? How can we learn to walk upright?
2. Which other groups have been trained to keep their heads low, to expect mistreatment? How can we teach them to walk upright?