Tonight begins the holiday of Passover.  Other than Rosh Hashana and Yom Kipur, this is the one holiday that most Jews celebrate.  Oh, Chanuka comes close, but most don’t light the menora.

Even those Jews that don’t keep kosher, all gather with their families and friends to re-tell the story of our release from Egypt.  The English name reminds one that the Supreme Being passed over the houses of those that had the courage to place the blood of the paschal lamb on their doorpost.  (This is the reason that Jewish homes have a mezuza on the door- to remind us that we are willing to be counted, to ask Hashem to protect us from the vagaries of life.)

The lamb was one of the deities of the Egyptians.  So, slaying the lamb and using it’s blood as a marker on the door clearly defied the common beliefs.  Only those that were willing to do so were protected from the death of the first born.

It should be obvious that the Pharoah must have killed his older brother to take control of the kingdom.  Because he was not among those killed that night.  (The power of the kingdom always transferred to the first-born.)

And, because of this tenth plague, the Egyptians allowed the Jews to leave, ostensibly on their three day holiday to praise Hashem.  But, the Jews knew they would never return- instead returning to their land, the land of milk and honey…

And, as all of us will say tonight as we sing, pray, and learn (some of us until the crow reminds it is already the next morning)…

Next year in Jerusalem…

May you all celebrate this holiday of Spring, this holiday of Freedom, this holiday that we build anew…

Share this: