(יג) וַיַּעֲבִ֧דוּ מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃ (יד) וַיְמָרְר֨וּ אֶת־חַיֵּיהֶ֜ם בַּעֲבֹדָ֣ה קָשָׁ֗ה בְּחֹ֙מֶר֙ וּבִלְבֵנִ֔ים וּבְכָל־עֲבֹדָ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־עָבְד֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃
First we will try to translate :)
(ו) כָּל עֶבֶד עִבְרִי אָסוּר לַעֲבֹד בּוֹ בְּפָרֶךְ. וְאֵיזוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדַת פָּרֶךְ זוֹ עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ קִצְבָה וַעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לָהּ אֶלָּא תִּהְיֶה מַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ לְהַעֲבִידוֹ בִּלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יִבָּטֵל.
(6) It is forbidden to work a Hebrew slave ruthlessly. What is meant by ruthless work? It is work that has no definite time or limit, or needless work designed only to keep the slave working and occupied.
This is one of the tactics of the ‘evil inclination’ to preoccupy the minds of people so that they cannot contemplate the way in which they are leading their lives…This was similar to the plan of Pharaoh who said: ‘Make heavy the work on the people’ so as not to give them a respite in which to entertain any possibilities of rebelling for the sake of freedom.
When we can't see beyond the task that is currently before us- we are slaves to circumstance; bound by the moment. We are distracted from developing our own lives and growing beyond our current circumstances.
(א) אלו דברים שיוצאים בהם ידי חובת מצה בחטים ובשעורים ובכוסמין ובשבולת שועל ובשיפון
(1) These are the things through which one fulfills the obligation of [eating] matza: wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye
(א) אֵין אָסוּר מִשּׁוּם חָמֵץ בְּפֶסַח אֶלָּא חֲמֵשֶׁת מִינֵי דָּגָן בִּלְבַד. וְהֵם שְׁנֵי מִינֵי חִטִּים שֶׁהֵן הַחִטָּה וְהַכֻּסֶּמֶת. וּשְׁלֹשָׁה מִינֵי הַשְּׂעוֹרִים שֶׁהֵן הַשְּׂעוֹרָה וְשִׁבּלֶת שׁוּעָל וְהַשִּׁפּוֹן.
(1) There is no prohibition on account of chamets on Passover except [from] the five species of grain alone; and they are the two species of wheat - being wheat and spelt; and the three species of barley - being barley, oats, and rye.
If the dough is left without being worked for the time [it takes to walk the distance] of amil, it becomes hamets. A mil is one quarter (15 minutes) and one twentieth of an hour (3 minutes) (18 minutes total).