I just celebrated the beginning of Pesach- the 7 or 8 day holiday you may know as Passover. The first night or two (depends on where you live and your customs) is a communal meal of study and discussion, called the Seder. The words of the title form the primary statement said at the very beginning of the Seder. The fourth (of 15) part of this event is called ‘Yachatz’, where the leader breaks the middle matza of three on the Seder table into two, unequal pieces. (Matza is the unleavened bread that carries conflicting interpretations – it’s both the bread of affliction and the bread of freedom.)
This post is from the notes I wrote to voice my thoughts to my friends and family, who were joining us for this wonderful event…
As we divide the matza into two uneven pieces, we are reminded that life is not always fair, that life sometimes gives us the short end of the stick, but sometimes we get more than we deserve.
Tears flow into and from the cracks in the matza. As we divide the matza into two uneven pieces, we remember our afflictions. Not only when we were avadim bmitzrayim- slaves in Egypt- but the times when the Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jews were afflicted by the Catholic powers in Germany, Poland, and England, and for when we, Sfardi (Spanish), Jews were subjected to the Inquisition. Where the “liberal” Calvinists repressed the Sfardim in Holland. And, then all of European Jewry was devastated by the Holocaust. With a smattering (not to those afflicted) of Islamic and Radical Christian terrorists thrown in for good measure, today.
There used to be a few old ladies at the catering hall I ran, who didn’t eat much of the meal that we offered them, but who requested us to provide “just a little something” for them to take home. We found out they were Holocaust survivors, who learned that if you come across a piece of bread, you don’t eat it all at once. No – you could partake of a little bit, but you save most of it for later.
Yet, this matza is also the bread of our freedom.
Most of us- here and in Israel- have power. We have our own homes and we generally have plenty. So, our tears of affliction have dried up. We don’t see the affliction in others- those who have not had a job in the past two years, those who have come home from serving our country in Iraq or Afghanistan and no longer have jobs, those “others” afflicted by those who carry guns and claim self defense when confronting “the other”….
As we break this matza, we need to remember that, while we may not be like Mitt Romney or Warren Buffett, we are generally well off. We need to eat our bread like a free person would. And, share that bread – and our time and experience- with those that cannot.
The pshat (direct,simple explanation) of yachatz is the breaking of this matza to share it among our family and friends at this table. We divide the matza and eat only what we need (and we don’t forget the need for prunes, either).
But, let us also remember the drash (the hidden meaning) of yachatz- that we must separate ourselves from our complacency – and help those that need help, those that are too ashamed or fearful to ask, those that have given up asking- and only then can we hasten the arrival of E-liy-ahu HaNavi [Elija the Prophet, the harbinger of the Mashiach’s coming].
May this holiday season remind us of what we can do to make this world a better place.
Roy this post brought tears to my eyes with it’s eloquence and beauty. I wish I could have experienced this with you, truly. Rituals are a wonderful focus for our hearts, spirits, and minds…you description, well, it leaves me speechless and that isn’t easy. I’d like to tell you about a lot of things right now, but suffice it to say I hope your Pesach left you focused and refreshed. Shalom <3
Thanks for the visit, Lisa, and your kind comments.
May your Pesach holiday help you traverse the narrow bridge…
Roy
Enjoyed reading your post and feel more thankful for what I have!
Patricia O’Flynn recently posted..The Road to Natural Bridges
Thanks for reading the post, Trish- and for letting me know the message got passed along…
Roy
What a beautiful post. I think you are describing how all of us should live.
Shawn recently posted..I Have A Jewel
And, so we shall, Shawn- one day soon-hopefully, very soon!
Love this part, Roy — “We need to eat our bread like a free person would.” Oh my oh my oh my — LOVE IT!
Jennifer Boykin recently posted..Last Week Chaos Reigned Supreme
There’s nothing I could add to that enthusiastic reading, Jennifer!
Roy, this was powerful – thanks for sharing it! I especially liked the sentence, “Tears flow into and through the cracks…” so profound. At the same time, I’m shamed by the persecution of the Jews over the centuries – particularly at the hands of “Christians,” that has always struck me as the ultimate betrayal.
Tor Constantino recently posted..Clownish Celebrity Parenting
Tor, thanks for the visit and comment.
Maybe this year, the matza can soak all up all the tears in the world, so that when Pesach is over, there will be no more…
Roy
Beautifully written, Roy. Thanks for sharing your beliefs and a message for a better tomorrow.
Cathy Miller recently posted..Solid Business Writing Lessons From Ice Road Truckers
Thanks for visiting, Cathy.
May we each reach that better tomorrow- tomorrow!
Roy
great thoughts
thanks so much for sharing
helen recently posted..What do Blog Readers love?
Thanks for reading them, Helen.
Glad you liked them.
It is so easy to become complacent when all around us seem to be doing well. Here is a scripture I use to remind myself not to be at ease since most of the world is not:
21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.–2Nephi 28.21
Thank you for remembering those who are not well in Zion.
Ann recently posted..Learning to Link In
Ann- and for remembering we all are denizens of Zion…
Roy
While I do not hold any religion or religious beliefs, I find beauty in the messages and ceremony behind many of them. This certainly serves to remind us to appreciate what we have for others (in time or place) will not always get the bigger piece.
Nicole Bandes recently posted..Who Moved My… Trashcan? – 7 Benefits of Change
Love that last sentence, Nicole.
That is and was, indeed, the essence of the message.
Thanks for making it clear.
Roy
Thanks for your article and sharing your special occasion with us here. I love the reminder for us all to be grateful as well as avoid complacency.
Ruth Crone recently posted..Facebook: not simply something to just think about in your business.
Thanks for visiting and commenting, Ruth. I appreciate your comments immensely.
I love how religions incorporate wisdom for life in their symbolism.
Eleni Poulakou recently posted..Zeus, Poseidon, Prehistoric Sea Men & Gods in Greece
Thanks for reading and leaving that comment, Eleni.
And, yes, the symbols help us recall – and act upon- the concepts.
Roy
Wonderful post, very well written. So full of symbolism and significance. I agree with Jennifer: “We need to eat our bread like a free person would” is a very inspired and inspiring phrase.
Gustavo| Frugal Science recently posted..Do you have a wrong perception of what is real?
Gustavo,
Thank you for your comments. I am thrilled you liked the verbiage.
I try to make the rituals timely AND moving- otherwise, there is no value in their exercise.
Roy
I enjoyed reading this and learning more about Passover. I grew up in NJ and had several Jewish friends and learned a little about Jewish culture there. I remember boxes of matza being for sale in the grocery stores (visable, not just on a specialty aisle). I am not a religious person myself but have great respect for tradition and remembering that which hopefully improves our humanity.
Carolina HeartStrings recently posted..AVGOLEMONO – A TASTE OF GREECE
Ah, matza…Or, is that ah, prunes, Alessa.
Thanks for the visit AND the comments. A lot.