If you have wonderful, spiritual or funny Pesach (Passover) stories, share them here with a comment! If you are new to Passover observance, share the challenges and questions you face. Then, bring your reflections to our “Passover is Coming! Preparing the Haggadah and the Kitchen” conversation with Rabbi Bill Kuhn on Sunday, April 10 and 10:30am.
Kneel Down to Open Something New: A Pesach Teaching
by Rabbi Jill Maderer
Tired of eating matza yet? And why are we still eating it anyway? The seder is over; we have celebrated the redemption of our people and our journey to freedom. So why, now in the middle of the week of Pesach, are we still eating the bread of affliction? Our daily ritual of avoiding chametz and eating matza keeps the messages of Pesach close to our hearts (and our guts). For the week of Pesach, matza is our daily reminder of affliction, and of transformation yet to be.
Professor Julius Lester is a retired African American Jewish scholar and activist. In a modern midrash (creative commentary), he asks the question: “Why did God give the responsibility for Moses’ rearing to an Egyptian woman and the daughter of Pharaoh?” Continue reading
Pesach: The Miracle of Telling the Tale
by Rabbi Jill Maderer
What is the true miracle of Pesach? Study the first half of the Book of Exodus or watch the film “The Ten Commandments” and it is clear: When the people of Israel, enslaved for generations, flees the Pharaoh’s horse-driven armies and escapes through the parted Sea of Reeds, the miracle is liberation! And we will celebrate this liberation at our RS Second Night Seder!
Of course, there are always at least two answers to every Jewish question. So yes, the miracle of Pesach is redemption. And yet, embedded in our Haggadah, we find another miracle. In rabbis of antiquity framed the biblical Exodus narrative with their own symbolism and messages. Their focus highlights a second miracle that we celebrate even today.Continue reading
Passover Traditions
By Rabbi Bill Kuhn
Passover and Yom Kippur are the same holiday. Well, maybe there is a little difference, but they share many of the same themes. It’s all about renewal, rebirth, starting over and second chances. Passover takes place in the spring of the year for a reason. All of nature appears to die in the winter, although we know it is only in a dormant state, and the gentle spring rains and sunshine will cause the earth to reawaken. Trees blossom, flowers bloom, grass reappears and the natural world seems to come back to life. All is reborn.Continue reading
Haggadah Recommendations for the Passover Seder
by Rabbi Jill Maderer
Pesach is around the corner and the time has come to make plans for Seder, and to prepare to tell the story of the Israelites’ redemption from slavery to freedom! In the last week, I have received many emails with Pesach questions.
Q: Does Rodeph Shalom have a congregation seder I can attend? A: Yes! Please rsvp to our RS Multi-generational Second Night Seder!
Q: What Haggadah should I use at my own seder at home? A: Although no one Haggadah is right for every table, what follows are 5 Haggadot I can suggest for different needs. Remember: never feel like you need to recite the whole Haggadah! If you are the seder leader, flip through ahead of time and mark your book with post-its or notes—it’s all about pre-selection! Continue reading
Tot Seder Spirit
by Rabbi Jill L. Maderer
Why was Thursday night different from all other nights? Matzah ball soup on the table cloths, jumping singing frogs in every family, and Elijah the prophet in costume! Tots, parents and grandparents sang with spirit and Miles found the afikomen at RS’ first ever Tot Seder for the second night of Passover. Hope everyone is having a sweet Pesach! See you for Tot Shabbat Saturday, April 18, 9:30am.
Passover Haggadot
By Rabbi William Kuhn
The Seder is filled with many questions, but one of the most asked questions is, “Which is the correct Haggadah to use?” Is there a real, official Passover Haggadah? Well, the answer is the same as the answer to so many Jewish questions, “Yes and No.” There is no specific, single, official Passover Haggadah, but there is a basic structure that the book should follow.
Is your soul ready for Pesach?
By Rabbi Jill Maderer
The Four Special Torah Portions Prepare Us for Pesach
On what day of the week do we start to wish our friends a “Shabbat shalom”? On Wednesday!
When does the process of High Holy Day repentance begin-Yom Kippur? Rosh Hashanah? No! The High Holy Days actually begin an entire month before the High Holy Days begin-the Hebrew month of Elul is our introduction to the introspection of the Days of Awe.
Jewish time involves anticipation and process. We savor the meaning of our holidays by looking ahead and preparing for the next sacred occasion. Now, the Hebrew month of Nisan is here and the festival of Pesach, around the corner.
Technically, our Pesach preparation began, not last week when we made our grocery lists for seder, but more than a month ago, when our calendar started to prepare us for redemption.
In the six weeks before Pesach, we observe four special Sabbaths each with a special Torah reading; the four weeks are knowm as “arbah parshiot” meaning, “four portions” for these special portions from the Torah. In addition, on the Sabbath immediately preceding Pesach (this coming Shabbat!), we celebrate Shabbat Hagadol, “the Great Sabbath.” Legend says it was called “Shabbat Hagadol because the rabbis sermon, concerning household preparations for Pesach, was so very long!
What is Our Half-Shekel?
In ancient Israel, every adult male Israelite was obligated to contribute a half-shekel each year, to the maintenance of the Temple in Jerusalem. The deadline for these dues was the first day of the Hebrew month of Nisan. So six weeks before Pesach, is Shabbat Shekalim. In addition to the regular Torah portion of the week, tradition prescribes that Exodus 30:11-16 should be read. This portion’s description of the first proclamation of the half-shekel might have served as a reminder in ancient times.
Today, the weeks before Pesach are a wonderful time to look inward and consider our relationship with our community and our obligation to maintain it. We ask ourselves: What gifts do I have, that I may bring as my half-shekel? Do I have talents to offer? Compassion to express?
How Can We Be Commanded to Remember to Forget?
The second special portion that leads up to Pesach is Shabbat Zachor, meaning, Shabbat of Remembrance. This Shabbat lands right before Purim in our calendar. The special Torah portion for Shabbat Zachor, Deuteronomy 25:17-19, tells of the Israelites’ battle with Amalek during the wanderings in the wilderness. Amalek, an Agagite and therefore related to Haman, symbolizes evil and hatred toward the Jewish people.
The Torah commands us to always remember to blot out the name of Amalek. Of course, it’s a strange commandment. If the goal is to blot out evil, why are we to remember? Why isn’t the obligation, just to forget? Perhaps evil, in the world and in our own hearts, can never totally be blotted out. We are, after all, human. And so, we must remember to control it. During this time before Pesach, we look inward to consider our personal downfalls. We ask ourselves: How is it that I bring cruelty or hurt into this world? What is the Amalek within myself, that I need to try to control?
How Can Our Spiritual Preparation Be Unique?
The Third of the four special Sabbaths is Shabbat Parah. In addition to the normal Torah portion of the week, tradition prescribes that we read Numbers 19:1-22, which describes the laws of the red heifer. The ritual involving the red heifer was meant as a spiritual purification for ancient Israel. Biblical life included a variety of ways to purify oneself, but the ritual of the red heifer was unique. So, without the red heifer option today, perhaps our purpose is to seek out a spiritual preparation for redemption that is unique-only for this time of year.
During these weeks before Pesach, we might try to identify a specific spiritual goal that we don’t get to in other times of the year. We ask ourselves: in what way is my spiritual life lacking? How can this time of year serve as a unique time of focus for my spiritual life and relationship with God?
What is Our Next Liberation?
The fourth and final special Sabbath, Shabbat HaHodesh, includes the reading of Exodus 12:1-20. This Shabbat celebrates the arrival of the month of Nisan, the month of the liberation of the children of Israel. With celebration in our hearts and liberation in our souls, it is time to consider any liberation that has yet to be completed.
Sometimes, it takes a celebration to highlight any parts of our lives that lack completion. We ask ourselves: what global or personal freedom is yet to be realized?
Prepare Today
In this last week before Pesach, we still have time for a crash course of preparation. In addition to the important practical tasks involved in bringing together friends and family for seder, take this time for spiritual contemplation. Consider: What gifts can I bring to my community? How can I bring less hurt into this world? In what way is my spiritual life lacking? What freedom is yet to be realized?
May our spiritual reflection prepare our soul for an inspired Pesach celebration!
