At the Seder we celebrate the birth of the Jewish nation. It was with an outstretched hand that Gd took us out of Egypt. At that moment the Jewish journey started.
Here we are 3300+ years later. We’ve had a rich history. We’ve had a challenging history. We’ve had good times and we’ve had bad times. Persecution, success, peace of mind, angst, boom, bust — we’ve had it all.
Yet the Seder, as much as we speak of our history which contains the challenges too — the absolute focus is on the “Exodus”. The good times. The hand of Gd as it reveals itself to the Jewish people.
It’s a pinpoint message to everyone sitting at the table.
Exodus.
Here’s what it take to understand this concept. It was bad. It was back breaking literally and figuratively. It was hopeless and it was existentially challenging. BUT…
Exodus.
What message will our children take away from the Seder? If anti semitism, angst and worry is too present in the theme of the night — that can hardly be the purpose of the Seder yet if it’s not there, how can one truly build up and present the concept of Exodus. The miracle of the Jew here’s Mark Twains short essay wondering about the Jew so artfully presented)
Sitting with Bar / Bat Mitzvah kids in the lead up to their big day, I always ask, are you proud to be Jewish? Unanimously, the response comes back so positive and so resolutely in ways that despite my decades of doing this — inspires me beyond.
The Seder is an evening where we, as the adults, are instructed to “share the message of Jewish pride and miraculous existence”. The lead up to the Seder is a time to be used to pump ourselves up with inspiration in order to be able to deliver the most powerful message to our children with confidence, pride & joy!!
Good luck & much blessing — Dor L’dor!
