Pesach Reflections

Passover is here and Jews around the world gather to reenact the exodus from Egypt and the deliverance from slavery at our holiday table. The Passover Seder meal, through story, song, prayer and symbolic foods, takes us on a spiritual journey from enslavement to freedom. We remember our servitude –Avadim Hayinu—we were slaves. And we remember the plagues that God sent as a sign of strength and might to convince Pharaoh to accede to Moses request—to let the Israelites go.

The haggadah—the book the contains the seder ritual—teaches- b’chol dor v’dor chayav adam l’rot et atzmo k’ilu hu yatzah mi-mitzrayim—in every generation each person is to imagine that he or she is actually leaving Egypt. This story didn’t just happen to some ancestors, thousands of years ago. This is our story. This is our journey. This is our freedom.

This theological idea—that the exodus and deliverance by the outstretched hand (z’roa netuyah) of God to the Promise Land of each Jew in every time and place is a monumental idea. It not only personalized the journey, it helps each Jew to strive for an immediate experience of the Divine acting in the world. Freedom in this case is not some abstract ideal. It is real—you can taste in the matzah broken in half. You can taste in the four cups of wine—each connected to a different verse in Exodus (6:6-7) God makes four promises to Israel- V'hotzeiti - I will bring you out from Egypt; V'hitzalti - I will deliver you from their service; V'ga-alti, I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great judgments; V'lachkati- I will take you to Me for a people. You can taste in the hope and rebirth of the greens (karpas) dipped in the salty tears of slavery.

Each act of the seder (order) meal—brings us a taste of freedom and helps us to imagine that this moment of deliverance is for you and for me immediate and part of our reality.

This year you might ask yourself and those with whom you gather at your holiday celebration—“How has God delivered me to freedom this year?” Name a moment since last Passover when you believe God was acting in your life or speaking clearly to you. Name those things/habits to which you are enslaved. Discuss the opportunities we each have to break the yoke of servitude to those enslavements.

When we imagine the Passover experience as happening to us and when we acknowledge that there are indeed moments of Divine deliverance, we bring our souls closer to God’s Presence. That is how we will experience the true freedom that comes with faith: a security and confidence and yes, hope that true peace will make its home in each of hearts and ultimately in the world.

Happy Passover.

Posted by Lee at April 2, 2004 01:03 PM