The night just prior to Bnei Yisrael's exodus from Mitzrayim is referred to as Leil Shimurim (Shemos 12:42). Rashi translates this appellation as "A night of anticipation." Hashem was waiting and looking forward to the time that He would be able to fulfill His promise to redeem Bnei Yisrael from bondage.
If Hashem anticipated the redemption to such a great degree, why didn't He redeem Bnei Yisrael sooner? What was the Ribbono Shel Olam waiting for? Rav Wolbe explains that Hashem was ready for the redemption for many years; He was waiting for Bnei Yisrael to be ready.
When asked how things are going, it is common for people to respond, "I need siyata d'shmaya - Heavenly assistance." This response implies that the person feels that he has already invested tremendous effort and done everything in his ability to achieve the desired results and the only thing lacking is Hashem's helping hand. The truth is, Hashem waits and looks forward to offer His assistance, but before fulfilling His desire He needs us to properly be prepared to receive His gracious aid. After Bnei Yisrael poured out their hearts in prayer they were properly prepared for the redemption, the salvation was immediate in coming.
Hashem is waiting to help all of us. It's up to us whether that desire will come to fruition. Why push off till tomorrow a salvation that could come today?
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Rashi mentions (Shemos 13:14) that the Torah discusses how to transmit what transpired during Yetzias Mitzrayim to four different types of sons: The simple son, the wicked son, the son who doesn't know how to ask and the wise son. Rav Wolbe notes that although one of the sons is dubbed a rasha, the Torah does not write him off. Even the questions of a wicked Jew deserve an answer, and one must make an effort to hand tailor an answer that can influence him to mend his wayward ways.
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Rav Wolbe gleans another important lesson from the rasha. Regarding the korban pesach the rasha asks, "What is this service for you?" He asks a simple question and we immediately pin on him the title of a rasha - what was wrong with his question? The problem wasn't the question itself, rather how he asked the question. He didn't ask, "What is this service for us?" He asked, "What is this service for you?" thereby disconnecting himself from the rest of Bnei Yisrael. One who ignores miraculous, life-altering occurrences and doesn't relate them to himself, is termed a rasha. Likewise, we find that the Meraglim are referred to as reshaim because they witnessed what happened to Miriam when she spoke derogatorily about Moshe and they failed to internalize what they perceived. When Hashem speaks - He is speaking to you.
The pasuk in this week's parsha instructs us to tell our children, "Hashem acted on my behalf when I left Egypt" (ibid. 23:8). Every person must feel as if he was redeemed from Mitzrayim. In a similar vein, the Ramban (ibid. 20:2) points out that the Aseres HaDibros were said in the singular so that every person should feel as if Hashem was speaking specifically to them. Additionally, the Mishna in Sanhedrin states that each person should say, "It was for my sake that the world was created." It's all about me.
The Mesillas Yesharim tells us that the very first step on a person's journey to self perfection is for him "to clarify and verify his obligation in his world." Every person has to feel that the world was hand tailored to his specific situation. The realization that the world was created for you, the redemption from Egypt was orchestrated with you in mind and the Torah was given specifically to you, should help you refrain from looking over your shoulder and rather focus on accomplishing your obligation in your world.
Important Numbers
