Perceptions

"וגר לא תלחץ ואתם ידעתם את נפש הגר כי גרים הייתם בארץ מצרים"

[ [ספר שמות כג:ט

 "And you shall not oppress a stranger for you know the feelings of a stranger for you were strangers in the land of Egypt"

[Shemos 23:9]

 Do we need a reason or justification to observe Hashem's mitzvos ? Even more so, is it thinkable that we wouldn't e commanded in this mitzvah if we wouldn't have the negative experience of the Egyptian exile in our national past ?!

 This passuk actually comes on the heels of the warning against accepting bribes. The reason that a bribe is assur is that it will alter your perception and render you unable to distinguish wrong from right.

 The mitzvah of consideration of the ger is similar in that it makes a difference what your perception is. One who has never been a ger wouldn't necessarily feel the acute pain of the forbidden oppression. With the proper perspective however, we can feel the appropriate empathy.

 We can also use this idea to help us get through difficult times. Perhaps the reason that Hashem is sending these trials our way is so we can empathize with our fellow man when he is struck with nisayon. 

Hatzlacha !!