Passover Greetings
by Rabbi Boaz D. Heilman
April 3, 2015
Passover, as we all know, is the Festival of Freedom. At least for one night, we eat like kings,
reclining on pillows, dipping in sauces and spices, with story telling and
singing as our entertainment the entire evening.
What is different about Passover from all other
holidays? That it is more family
oriented than all other holidays. In ancient days, when the Temple yet stood,
Passover was one of the three pilgrimages, and Jerusalem was filled with Judaeans
bringing their families and clans for the celebration. Today, we gather around our own mini-altars;
wherever we dwell, our homes become our Tabernacle. Yet, even as we still observe the ancient
traditions and the basic laws of Passover, so we add our own family traditions. We interweave the story of the Exodus with
stories of our own folk—where we came from and how we got to where we are
today.
Our history is not like the history of other peoples. Alone among other nations, we Jews recognize
the Hand of God in our history. As we
recount the many harrowing escapes of our people—in ancient as well as in
modern days—we realize how many miracles it took for us to be able to gather
around the festive table, our families and friends around us, our tables
overflowing with food and our cups with wine.
Passover, in addition to being a family, national and
religious holiday, is also known as the Festival of Spring: Chag
ha-aviv. For all of us, whether Jews
or people of other faiths, this season brings to us all renewal of faith. As the winter cold begins to dissipate and
the first few sprigs of green appear, so do we begin to emerge from the long
slumber that winter imposes on us. We
feel rejuvenated and restored. Our
spring festivals help us celebrate this new beginning that we see outside us
and which we also sense within us.
Not all our stories are happy. There are losses along the way, and for many
of us, there are vacant chairs around the tables where once loved ones used to
sit. Yet tonight all our loved ones are
gathered together, even if through the blessing of memory. Tonight, our past and present intermingle,
with future at the doorway.
This year, as we open the door for the Prophet Elijah, may
we all be filled with the spirit of hope.
May we look to the future as through the eyes of the youngest children
at our tables, who look at the proceedings with both wonder and amazement; who
do not know enough to question life, but who keep seeking meaning in a story
that goes back thousands of years.
A sweet, happy and delicious Passover to all of us; and to
those of our family and kin who celebrate Easter—may the blessings of this
season bring renewal and assurance, happiness and fulfillment to us all.
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