|
To the Human Spirit
We don't know how much of the Passover story is based on historical fact. We'd like to imagine that the Jews were slaves in Egypt at the time of the Pharaohs, and that they were freed by a leader called Moses. Yet whether or not we believe that these events actually happened, on some level, we find the Passover story true. We know that our ancestors celebrated Passover for thousands of years, making a special point of passing the story on to their children. They believed themselves to have been descended from slaves who were freed with the help of God. Their faith gave them the hope and strength to endure the hardships and oppression that were their lot throughout much of history. Also, they were not just passive recipients of divine favor. Like Jochabed devising a way to save her infant, young Miriam carrying out the plan, Nachson leading the way cross the Red Sea or Moses joining with Aaron to confront Pharaoh, they employed ingenuity, risk taking, and cooperation, in order to overcome the realities of their times. As we drink the second cup of wine let's celebrate those human qualities which allowed our people to survive the many pharaohs we've encountered throughout the ages. L'Chaim. Baruch atah Adonoy, Elohenu melech haolam, boreh p'ri hagofen.
|
||
|
11 |
||
