As is known from mystical sources, the Torah is not simply a history book, nor is it a mere compendium of Jewish law. It is a prophetic text that addresses every individual, in every generation, from the beginning of time to the end. This means to say that the Torah defines the very basis of reality. Thus, the stories of the Torah are not one time events, but eternal patterns that reoccur in the life of every individual. Finding these patterns and integrating their lessons in our lives is what the study of Torah is all about.
Exile means being out of one's place, one's homeland.
It is the sense of not belonging, of being distant from one's true goals and inner nature. In other words, personal exile is the individual's inability to realize his or her potential, that leaves one's deepest strengths and inclinations unfulfilled. This is especially prevalent in our generation, which is considered one of the very last before the final redemption. Personal alienation is perhaps the great psychological affliction of our time, resulting in an unprecedented degree of depression worldwide. Media and advertising add to this depression by offering a set of values and ideals that promise to satisfy man's basic longings, but which do not even begin to address the individual's inner spiritual resources.