Tonight |

Tonight begins the holiday of Passover (Pesach). 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.

And, given that it’s a Friday, that means it’s both Shabat (Sabbath) and Pesach. Which makes preparations for the second night even more difficult. Because of the prohibition against cooking new items on the Sabbath.

But, this holiday, as I’ve said, is celebrated by many Jews- even those that don’t keep kosher. It’s a time for families and friends to coalesce and re-tell the story of our release from Egypt.

The English name of the holiday, PassOver, 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. The lamb was one of the deities of the Egyptians. So, slaying the lamb and using its 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. (Yes, non-believing Jews died during the Plagues of Darkness and the Death of the First Born.)

(The use of blood as a marker for Jewish homes to be passed over is the reason for the mezuza that exists on many a doorpost in Jewish homes. It serves as a reminder that we are willing to be counted, to be purposely identified as Jews to the world, to ask Hashem to protect us from the vagaries of life.)

Regarding the history of Passover, it should be obvious to even casual readers of the Tora (Bible) that the Pharoah was a murderer. Obviously, he must have killed his older brother to take control of the kingdom. Because he was not among those killed the night of the plague, the Killing of the First Born. (The power of this – and almost every other- kingdom is a practice where the first-born are the designated leaders.)

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, Israel, 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 where we build anew.