Wait until dark…

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Today is a very special day.  Believe it or not, this day is celebrated by more Jews than those who celebrate Rosh Hashana (almost 3:1).  Yes, even those who consider themselves “Secular” Jews.

This is the celebration of our release from Egypt.  Freedom.  One where the key element is to explain the event to little children.  (Yes, you can call this brainwashing the young- but, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, when it comes to teaching about freedom, responsibility, and love.)

We try to imagine what Pharaoh thought.  “My slaves want to leave to pray to the Supreme Being? What? I’m god.  They can worship me any time!”  It didn’t help that Moshe and Aharon (Moses and Aaron) conveyed their messages to him at the shores of the Nile, early in the morning when he slinked out to relieve himself, so that no one would know he actually had bodily needs.

It took 10 plagues to get him to recognize that this would not be a very blessed event for him.  One that made it clear to his subjects (the normal Egyptians) that he probably killed his older brother to take the throne.  (What?  You never figured out that’s why Pharaoh didn’t die during the killing of the first born?)

On that self-same night, we were commanded to put the blood of the lamb (another Egyptian god) on our doorposts (a Pesach, the Hebrew name for the festival).  So, that the Supreme Being would Passover (yes, it’s two words, but I was making it obvious where the English name for the festival arose) the houses of the believing Jews.

And, then, the Supreme Being got his/her wish.  The liberation of the Jews.  So that they could help spread the light to all the peoples of the world.  Kind of like the next bite from the Tree of Knowledge.

So, tonight at dark, Jews around the world will sit down together.  And, whether they do as we do- which is to read the Hagadda (the “Telling”), as it has existed for some 1500 years from start to finish, singing songs, discussing additional background materials, trying to decipher another nugget of information, till the wee hours of the morning- or spend 15 minutes or so recounting the basic story and sharing love among family members and friends at the dinner table, it’s an evening to remember and relish.

And, as the first prayer of the Hagadda says- “Let all who are hungry come and eat; Let all who need come and partake”.  For sure, our doors are opened!

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14 thoughts on “Wait until dark…”

  1. I hope that you had a nice Pesach! I am a Catholic and we have been told the same story. I like the fact that there are so many similarities between religions.
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