We all start life with the needs of our body. From there we become Bat/Bar Mitzvah at respectively the ages of 12/13 and from then on we evolve into maturity. At this stage, responsibilities start in earnest and the accomplishments of life have the potential to express themselves. How is this all related to Passover and the Exodus?
We are commanded to see ourselves as going out of Egypt, everyday! More than any other event, the Bible repeats the going out of Egypt 50 times! We know how careful the Bible is with every letter, and here the Bible, G-ds word to the world, repeats the narrative fifty times!
First, the Israelites came down from Israel to Egypt and eventually became enslaved by King Pharaoh. The decree was for all children to be thrown into the river Nile. Not one person ever managed to escape Egypt. All seemed hopeless. Moses shows up and tells the Israelites he represents the G-d of their ancestors, Abraham Isaac and Jacob and he is going to liberate them.
Until Moses showed up on the screen, the possibility for freedom didn’t look plausible. Once the leader Moses inserted the possibility, new options opened up for them, even though it still seemed at a very far distance.
Although many of them found it difficult to believe that is was possible after all those years to be free and in control of their own destinies , and for a while life got even tougher, they cried out to G-d in complete faith and trust, for help. They realized it was humanly impossible to do all on their own and opened their hearts to receive a higher power, the source behind everything, G-d, into their lives.
Once they made the vessel to receive G-d through prayer, G-d responded with assistance by plaguing the force of evil, which culminated with the great revelation of G-d on the night of Passover. G-d passed over, and allowed to remain alive, all those who demonstrated their faith and loyalty to Him, and killed all the forces of evil who were acting wrongly against the Israelites.
This great revelation of G-d, chased darkness away, and led to the freedom of the Israelites the very next day.
Although they were no longer in Egypt, the fear of the Egyptians was still very much there, in their hearts. After so many years, it was not possible to wipe out the dread and horror in one moment. The final great big event that put the past behind them, so they would begin their trek in the wilderness towards their own land, was the going through of the red sea.
Seven days after leaving Egypt, after Nachshon jumped into the water following the command of Moses to “keep on going”, the sea miraculously opened up before them, and after they went through and saw the Egyptians dead before their very eyes, they were released from their past and started to look forward to receiving the Ten Commandments 50 days later.
What first started out as a deep and powerful concealment of spirituality in great physical hardships, ended with the greatest of blessings between them and G-d. All three million of them, personally witnessed the giving of the Torah – G-ds wisdom for the world.
Passover is prime time to draw inspiration and real strength in the journey of life. The story of our ancestors is implanted in each one of us and is indeed the journey each one of us must go through if we are to reach the purpose we were put here to begin with.
G-ds covenant with Abraham already mapped out the difficulties in Egypt. It was necessarily the slavery and hardships that led to “and afterwards they will exit with great possessions.”
A baby, is a soul that descended from on high into a fleshly existence. The first years of a person are self-absorbed and self-centered, very much body oriented. At some point we become aware of the possibility of a higher existence a deeper and more meaningful reality. At this point, with all the habits and routines it’s not always easy to positively change and liberate ourselves.
Turning to G-d though prayer and humility, opens us up for greater strengths. In the end, we see how everything we encountered made us stronger and wiser. With lots of patience and faith, in the end, we become more than what we were.
By observing the 15 steps of the Seder, the numerical value of G-ds name, this year on Friday and Saturday nights April 3, & 4, we attach our physical bodies with the energy and spark for the personal freedom we yearn and are given the strength to realize.
No comments:
Post a Comment