Nachal novea; makor chochma -
A flowing river; the source of wisdom (Mish. 18:4)

The precept designating the first born for G-d was the first commandment given to the Jewish people after leaving Egypt.  Why was this particular commandment given at the very moment that the Jews left their 210 year exile in Egypt?  What is the connection between this commandment and the exile from Egypt?
 
The Jews were given the commandment to give each first born man and animal to G-d, as soon as they left Egypt. This commandment is associated with the process of birth.  When the Jews had been released from the Egyptian bondage, it was as if they had just been born. They had just attained nationhood for the very first time.  G-d, by unleashing the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, forced the Egyptians to free their Jewish slaves.  This act robbed the forces of evil (the Egyptians being their agents) of' their power, and their power was then transferred to the Jewish People.

While in Egypt, the Jews increased their numbers at a very rapid rate.  This was all due to the spiritual power of Joseph, as the verse says: "Joseph is a fruitful son" (Genesis 49:22).  When the power of G-d and holiness manifests itself in this world, it manifests itself through the power of "kavod", honor or glory. G-d is referred to as: "G-d, Master of Legions, He is the King of Glory" (Psalms 24:10).  Our association with G-d is through this attribute of glory.  The Talmud tells us that each Jewish Soul originates from G-d's throne of glory. This means that each Jewish Soul is part of G-d's glory. Due to this situation, G-d says of each Jew: "Israel, you [each individual Jew] are in whom I [G-d] will take pride in" (Isaiah 49:3). The only way that the Jews can survive in this world, is to connect themselves to their spiritual roots. The root of each Jew is connected to G-d's glory. Each Jew glorifies G- d's name in this world. This is accomplished by fulfilling G-d's will and by achieving material success.  When this occurs, G-d's name and glory is then enhanced in the eyes of the nations of the world. This causes the respect and honor that is due G-d, to be  returned to its proper place.
 
Therefore, for the Jews to experience an increase in their numbers, they must first connect themselves to G-d's glory, their spiritual origin.  Once a Jewish Soul is accessed on the spiritual level, through the power of glory, that soul could then be brought into the world physically. To do this, the Jews must enhance G-d's reputation and glory in the eyes of the world, through their spiritual and physical success.  It was Joseph's success in becoming second to the king of Egypt, that elevated G-d's prestige and glory in the eyes of the world. When more of G-d's glory was available to the Jews, they were then able to use this power to increase and multiply and bring more Jews down to this world from G-d's throne of glory.  The increase in the Jewish population brought even more glory to G-d.  Eventually, this increased glory gave the Jews enough spiritual power, which brought about their redemption from Egypt.

A first-born is holy, for by his birth he brings about a greater increase to G-d's glory than any other subsequent birth that may follow. Each woman is spiritually connected to G-d's throne of glory in a way that men aren't. This gives each woman the spiritual ability to produce physical children. The throne of glory and each woman is referred to by the verse as "Aim kol chai,” the mother of every living thing (Genesis 3:20).  A first-born's soul takes from his mother, who is connected to G-d's throne of glory, more powerful spiritual garments containing G-d's glory than any other brothers and sisters that are born after him.  All other people who are not a first-born draw G-d's glory
from the first-born, for the first-born comes from a higher spiritual area than anyone else. Therefore, it is fitting that a first-born be given over to the priest.  For the priest (Kohen) is connected to the highest level of G-d's glory, more so than anyone else, including the first-born. One indication of this, is that it was the high priest's [Aaron’s) merit that caused the clouds of glory to protect the Jews while they traveled in the desert.  It is the priests who embody the greatest amount of G-d's glory. The Torah commands us to give a great deal of honor to each priest. The priest is to be given priority in receiving honor in every spiritual matter.

Each first-born is to be given to the priest.  When this is done, the first-born then becomes connected to G-d's glory at its source, which is at its highest level.  Since each Jew receives his life-force  from G-d's glory, it is the priest that sustains the life of each Jew, for each priest is connected to the highest level of G-d's glory. This means that each priest provides each Jew with the vital spiritual nourishment that he needs to continue living. This applies even more so to the first-born. Since the first-born comes from the highest spiritual level, he needs to receive even more spiritual vitality from the priest than anyone else. This is why it is necessary for the first-born to be given to the priest as a gift. It is this ownership by the priest that allows the first-born's soul to become merged with the priest's soul. In this way the first-born is able to receive the maximum life-giving spiritual dosage of G-d's glory from the priest.

Now we can understand why the Torah connected the Exodus from Egypt to law of the first-born. As we mentioned above, the spiritual power that the Jews obtained from G-d's glory enabled them to leave Egypt. It is the very same extra amount of G-d's glory that enabled the Jews to leave Egypt that each first-born possesses. Now we can see that these two items are really one in the same.

The Jews were only able to leave Egypt through the death of all of the Egyptian first-born. G-d had to kill the Egyptian first-born in order to return G-d's glory that had fallen into the forces of evil (the Egyptians), to its proper place, in the hands of the Jewish first-born. G-d's fallen glory was taken away from the Egyptians and was given to the Jews. The moment this occurred the Egyptians lost their physical control over the Jews. The only time that one person is able to control or dominate another, is when he possesses the power of G-d's glory. When the Jews sin, this power falls into the hands of others. The Jews then can become subjugated by the ones who have taken their power away from them. This is true even on a individual level as well.  The proper place of G-,d's power is in the hands of the Jews, when they are doing G-d's will. Within the Jewish People themselves, this power belongs mainly in the hands of the true tzaddikim and sages. Those wealthy and powerful Jews, who are unfit to be leaders and undeservedly usurp power from the sages and true tzaddikim, are misusing G-d's power and cause great spiritual harm.

The very same thing happened when Adam had sinned by eating from the forbidden fruit. By violating G-d's command, Adam caused G-d's glory to fall into the realm of the forces of evil. The aspect of G-d's glory that had fallen into the realm of evil was G-d's ability to provide all the physical needs of a person without having to work for it. Now that the forces of evil have control of this aspect of G-d's glory, everyone must suffer and work very hard to provide themselves with all of their physical needs. We must honor the Sabbath by not doing any creative work on the Sabbath. We also honor the Sabbath by eating and drinking lavishly. By honoring the Sabbath we are in effect giving honor to G-d, for this is G-d's day, that He had commanded us to honor. When we give honor to G-d, and particularly by observing the Sabbath day, we return the power of G-d's honor back to the side of holiness. By honoring the Sabbath, we return part of G-d's fallen glory to the realm of holiness. When the Messiah will come, he will use all of the honor that we had given to the Sabbath and use our refraining from any creative work and our eating and drinking to nullify all the forces of evil associated with the 39 different aspects of hard labor which we do to obtain our food And other necessities. Therefore, we see that by keeping the Sabbath, we not only give honor to G-d, but we ease to some degree the suffering associated with earning a living. (Lekutai Halachot: Chosen Mishpat: Hilchot Hachovel Bichavayrow 3:18,19)

The following true story we can see how a man who was particular in giving honor to G-d and His holy Sabbath was able to use the power of G-d that he had obtained from observing the Torah and the Sabbath to save all of the Jews of Jerusalem from disaster.

In Elijah the Prophet's synagogue in Jerusalem, the following great miracle happened.  On the Friday before the Festival of Passover, a Christian priest hid the body of a Christian child in the Ark of the Law. His intention was to bring disaster upon the Jews by this blood libel.

On the next day, Sabbath morning, before the prayers had begun, a large mob of Christians headed by many priests, burst into the Synagogue with terrifying cries. They claimed that the Jews had murdered a Christian child and had shed innocent blood; it was their desire to avenge his death.

At that moment the Rabbi, Rabbi Klonymus entered the synagogue and when he saw the rioting mob in front of the Ark he realized the gravity of the danger that hovered over the heads of the Jews of Jerusalem. At once he took a piece of paper and wrote the Four-Lettered Divine Name on it. He went up to the murdered child and stuck the piece of paper on his forehead. Immediately the murdered child stood up on his feet, alive.   The mob became terrified. Rabbi Klonymus then asked the child: "Who murdered  you and hid you in this place?" The child opened his mouth and said: "This priest who stands before me, he stabbed me and killed me and placed me here."

The chief priest then begged forgiveness from the saintly Rabbi and from all the innocent members of the synagogue. He ordered all the Christians to go away and commanded that the guilty priest be put in prison.

All that Sabbath the Jews gave praise and thanks to G-d for saving them. Only Rabbi Klonymus was greatly distressed that the wicked priest had compelled him to desecrate the Sabbath by writing, for he was very careful to observe the Sabbath in all its details.

Before Rabbi Klonymus passed away he commanded his disciples not to bury him on the Mount of olives, and that instead of a gravestone, they should place a mound of stones on his grave. In this way G-d might forgive his infraction on account of his desecration of the Sabbath carried out on account of the blood libel. (Note: What Rabbi Klonymus did was not a violation of the law of the Sabbath. It is required him to desecrate the Sabbath in order to save a life. However, he felt that his high spiritual level required to purify himself from even doing this). (Agadot Eretz Yisroel)
The only purpose of the entire creation is to reveal G-d's glory in this world. The revelation of G-d's glory is totally dependent on the actions of man. When a new honor comes to a person, he must be scrupulous about taking any of this honor for himself. He must make sure that he gives all of his honor to G-d. In this way he builds and sustains the world, because this world only exists for G-d's glory. (Likutei Etzot: Kavod 30)

In our times there is no one whose motives for seeking power is purely for the sake of Heaven. In earlier generations there were such people. Today no one should seek out positions of power. All honor and authority should be avoided. (Likutei Etzot: Kavod 33)

The less intelligence a person has the more particular he is about any affronts to his dignity. (1 Likutei Moharan: 202)

A person who wants honor is a fool. (I Lekutai Moharan: 194)

The greatest revelation of G-d's honor comes when those who were farthest of all from Him draw closer. It is the duty for everyone to make efforts to draw people closer to G-d. No one should say, "How can I come closer to G-d seeing that I am so far from Him because of my sins." On the contrary, the further away a person, the more G-d's glory is exalted through him when he makes an effort to return and draw closer. (I Lekutai Moharan: 14:2)
 
When people give respect to the righteous, the honor of G-d is elevated to its source. One should be very careful to do this. This rectifies any flaw in one's fear of G-d and in the end he will attain peace. (1 Lekutai Moharan: 6)

Those leaders of governments which show love and respect for the wise, have chosen the firmest possible basis for their power. Love of the wise gives stability to leaders and governments. When a leader displays signs of hatred for the wise, it is a sign that Heaven has decreed that the leader should be brought down, for the world can not endure without wisdom. (Likutei Etzot: Kavod 7)

When rabbis lacking in integrity are ordained and given positions of power, it weakens the influence and power of the Holy Writings of the Jews, and the writings of the nations become invested with power instead. This also causes the Jews to become exiled from where they have lived for a long time. (The places where Jews have lived for a long time becomes sanctified with the holiness of the land of Israel). This makes it impossible for holy souls to be brought into the world, for there is not enough of G-d's glory to bring them into this world. Because of this, the secret of astronomical calculation is taken away from us and is given to the hands of the nations instead. (Likutei Etzot: Kavod 11)

When a sage of true integrity is ordained and receives the title Rabbi, our Torah is again vested with radiance and strength. Even the nations of the world submit to the authority of the writings of the Jews.  Then the environment and air is sanctified with the holiness of the air of the land of Israel. Relief comes from the troubles which are brought about through the ordination of unworthy rabbis. (Likutei Etzot: Kavod 12)

There are those rabbis who are leaders and are unable to control their own desires. Despite this they still desire to seek greatness and seek to lead, correct and guide the entire world. You should be very careful not to add in any way to their authority and power by according them any recognition whatsoever. They themselves could be forgiven for what they do. They are the victims of their own strong lust for power. It is the people who empower them by giving them the title of rabbi and respect, that will have a heavy penalty to pay, should they recognize a rabbi's corruption, and continue to respect and obey him as if he were not corrupt. (Likutei Etzot: Kavod 10)

Through giving honor to true Torah Scholars, this empowers them  with the strength to reveal more fully the Torah that is hidden within them. This also strengthens all of the spiritual forces. (Likutei Etzot: Kavod 9)