Rabbi's Weekly Message
April 2, 2012Parshat: Pesach
Dear friends,
Each Spring, here in Bozeman, we gather for the community seder on the second night of Passover. This year, that will take place on Saturday, April 7 at 5:00 p.m., at the Riverside Country Club. Please bring with you an item that you can put on the seder plate and which symbolizes increased freedom in your life during the past year. If you have not already done so, I hope you will take a few minutes and RSVP here before Wednesday so that you might participate in this ritual which lies at the core of Judaism. On the first night of Passover, we celebrate in one another’s homes, so I encourage you to consider making your own seder this year and invite your friends.
Also coming up is Torah study this Saturday morning, April 7, at 9:30, with matzah and coffee and great discussion, as usual. We will learn about some aspect of Passover. No prior experience required.
Sad news comes out of Buffalo, NY, this week, as I announce the passing of Philip Charles Gorfien, father of Marilyn King, who died this past Sunday evening with Marilyn and her family at his side. Zichrono livracha, may his memory be for a blessing.
On Wednesday, April 4 at 11:30, the monthly Interfaith Panel will meet at the Temple, consisting of me, Father Leo, Rev. Jody, Dr. Amin and perhaps others, for a discussion on how our various faith traditions treat the subject of wealth and poverty. It is always a fascinating discussion for 30 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of question and answer.
Our Torah portion this week is, as you might expect, about Passover, and there are many connections between Passover and the subject of wealth and poverty. At the seder, we recite: “This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all those who are hungry come and eat with us. Let all who are in want share the hope of Passover.” (Haggadah, “Ha Lachma Anya”). “Ha Lachma Anya” reminds us of a time when our diets were once restricted to matzah, considered the “bread of affliction.” Due to our hasty retreat from Egypt, we were limited to the food carried on our backs – the unleavened bread that we were unable to thoroughly prepare. Our experience with hardship following the exodus from Egypt inspires us to consider those who eat the metaphorical “bread of affliction” in present times, and to let all those who are now hungry join us at our Passover tables.
About Passover, the Talmud teaches: “Even the poorest person in Israel may not eat until he reclines, and they must not give him less than four cups of wine.” The Talmud reminds us that it is imperative for us to take care of all in our community, even the poorest person, during Passover and throughout the year. The requirement that even the poor be provided with ample wine, and with all the ritual foods and courses for the one night of the Seder, leads to the expectation that we should help the poor and the hungry year-round.
The seder ends with the words “This year we are slaves. Next year, may we all be free” As we are commanded, we place ourselves directly into the story, remembering what it was like for us, the Children of Israel, to be slaves in the land of Egypt. This personal experience of slavery motivates us to examine the current international situation and wrestle with cases of injustice, oppression, and slavery today. Sadly, slavery did not end at that time, but persists even to this day. Pesach is an opportunity for us to raise awareness of contemporary examples of slavery and oppression throughout the world.
My practice, each Passover, is to contribute money to Mazon, a Jewish group which seeks to wipe out hunger. How might you celebrate Passover’s social justice message this year?
Hoping to see you at the seder,
Rabbi Ed