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How long did the slavery in Egypt actually last?
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The Pesach Hagadah
The Pesach Hagadah
Mi'Techilah, Ovedei Avodah Zarah
מִתְּחִלָּה עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָיוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וְעַכְשָׁיו קֵרְבָנוּ הַמָּקוֹם לַעֲבדָתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹאמֶר יְהוֹשֻעַ אֶל כָּל הָעָם, כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱ-לֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר יָשְׁבוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם מֵעוֹלָם, תֶּרַח אֲבִי אַבְרָהָם וַאֲבִי נָחוֹר, וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֱ-לֹקִים אֲחֵרִים. וָאֶקַּח אֶת אֲבִיכֶם אֶת אַבְרָהָם מֵעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר וָאוֹלֵךְ אוֹתוֹ בְּכָל אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן, וָאַרְבֶּה אֶת זַרְעוֹ וָאֶתֵּן לוֹ אֶת יִצְחָק. וָאֶתֵּן לְיִצְחָק אֶת יַעֲקֹב וְאֶת עֵשָׂו, וָאֶתֵּן לְעֵשָׂו אֶת הַר שֵּׂעִיר לָרֶשֶׁת אתוֹ, וְיַעֲקֹב וּבָנָיו יָרְדוּ מִצְרָיִם.
At the beginning, our ancestors were idol worshipers; but now, the Omnipresent has brought us close to His worship; as it is stated (Joshua 24:2-4), "Yehoshua said to the whole people, so said Hashem, G-d of Israel, Across the river did your ancestors dwell from always, Terach the father of Avraham and the father of Nachor, and they worshiped other gods. And I took your father, Avraham, from across the river, and I made him walk in all the land of Canaan, and I increased his seed and I gave him Yitzchak. And I gave to Yitzchak, Yaakov and Esav; I gave to Esav, Mount Seir [in order that he] inherit it; whereas Yaakov and his sons went down to Egypt.'"
