Pesach: The Power to Change

Each time of year in Judaism has a specific essence associated with it, related to the holiday.  Pesach is a time with a heightened atmosphere for elevating ourselves to a greater existence.

The Jews left Egypt destitute – physically, spiritually, mentally – exhausted!  We were nothing in Egypt.  Until the prophetess Miriam came along, we had sunk to such a low level of existence that we had even forsaken one of our highest callings, to bring life into the world.  All the Jews had vowed not to have children to avoid Pharaoh’s decree to kill every firstborn male Jew.  But the story of Pesach is a story of resurrection from the depths we experienced in Egypt.  We were nothing, but we became something.  Our ancestors changed themselves, transformed themselves.  And we did not just become something – we became the Jewish people!  Our ancestors rose up from the depths of Egypt to recognize the ultimate purpose of man, that which – even when we don’t feel it – our soul is constantly yearning for: oneness with God, our Creator.  They showed the ultimate power to change – and that is the essence of this time of year, the essence of Passover: the ability to change.  Each one of us has the ability to change, to become someone new.  Each year when we sit at our Pesach Seder we are different than we were the previous year, drastically different than we were even longer ago.  And with this recognition we must also recognize that the same people sitting around our table are also different.  They too have the power to transform themselves.  As we sit at the Seder table, we must look at the positive way in which others too have changed for the better.  We must not judge them based on where they came – on who their parents or family are, on what school they went to, on what mistakes they made in previous times.  Each and every one of us has the power to grow, to improve our selves, to become closer to God both physically and spiritually…and when we make these positive steps forward, we all deserve to be honored for this change, not demonized for our past.  This Pesach, may we all recognize and applaud all the changes that we, and those around us, have made for the better this past year.

Chag Kasher v’Sameach

(Thanks to Rabbi Katz/Rav Leuchter for inspiring this year's take home message on Pesach.)