Our Sages teach us that it is desirable to remember daily six events in the 3300 year history of the Children of Israel. These events are critical to the continuity of the Jewish people in this, her longest exile from the Land of Israel. The Six Remembrances are taken directly from verses found in the Five books of Moses. They are:

1) REMEMBRANCE of the Exodus from Egypt

Deuteronomy 16:3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.

The Exodus: Though the Exodus from Egypt is mentioned twice daily, in the reciting of the Shema during Shacharis and Ma'ariv (Numbers 15:41 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.), our Sages teach us that it is important to remember this historic event yet again. The fact that HaShem redeemed Israel once before from an exile, give us assurance that He will again gather us from this current exile.

2) REMEMBRANCE of Receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai

Deuteronomy 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; 10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

The Torah from Sinai: The singular mission of Israel, the reason that she was redeemed from Egypt, was to receive, learn and keep HaShem's Torah -- His "Instruction Manual" on how this World works, and how Mankind is to function within it. The giving of the Torah at Sinai was a one-time event, never to be repeated in the history of the world, as is stated in the Torah itself: Deuteronomy 30:12 It [the Torah] is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

3) REMEMBRANCE of Amalek's Attack

Deuteronomy 25:17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; 18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. 19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.

The Attack of Amalek: HaShem is Israel's "shield" against her worldly enemies, and her Provider of sustenance thus allowing Israel to fulfill her mission of Torah study and application. Whenever Israel fails to fulfill her part of The Covenant, she leaves herself open to adversarial conditions, which, our Sages tell us, is exactly why Amalek was able to successfully attack. Amalek, and those who emulate him, are reasons enough for Israel to fortify her efforts at Torah study. And, the comandment to destroy Amalek, lets us know that in the end, good will triumph over evil.

4) REMEMBRANCE of the Golden Calf

Deuteronomy 9:7 Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.

The Golden Calf: A mere forty days after receiving the Torah at Sinai, the Children of Israel were busy breaking one of the commandments central to Judaism -- the prohibition against idol worship. When Moses descended to Mountain, and saw what was happening in the camp, he broke the Tablets upon which HaShem had written the Ten Commandments. We must keep in mind the episode of the Golden Calf to remind ourselves that no matter how high our spiritual level, we are never more than one misstep away from sinking to the depths of idolatry.

5) REMEMBRANCE of Miriam

Deuteronomy 24:9 Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt.

Miriam: Miraim was critical of Moses over his marriage to Tzipporah, and because Moses was not living with her. Miriam failed to comprehend that Moses had to keep himself in a state of ritual purity in order to be ready to receive prophecy from HaShem at a moment's notice. And by slandering Moses, Miraim misused one of HaShem's gifts to us -- the ability to speak. She, in turn, was stricken with tzara'as, and was only healed after Moses prayed on her behalf. The lesson we must consistently remember is that misuse of the gift of speech is a great sin.

6) REMEMBRANCE of the Sabbath

Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

The Sabbath: A day a week of rest from "creating" is a sign to all who observe the Jew on his Sabbath that HaShem created the world. By separating the Sabbath from the rest of the week, the Jew testifies that indeed there is a Creator, and that His set of "Instructions", His Torah, is still applicable today.