Shabbat Hol Ha’Moed Pesah- Torah Portion for 4/3
The holiday of Passover has four names in Hebrew: Hag ha Pesach (the holiday of the Passover sacrifice), Hag ha Herut (the holiday of freedom), Hag ha matzot (the holiday of matzos), and Hag ha Aviv (the holiday of spring). The Shabbat during the intermediate days of Pesach (hol ha’moed) emphasizes the theme of spring with its liturgical readings on the theme of rebirth. The Song of Songs with its themes of love and spring is read before the Torah service. Song of Songs with its erotic love poetry and erotic description of the natural world was an extremely controversial book in rabbinic times and the last to be included in the Hebrew Bible. Tradition has it that only after Rabbi Akiva showed that it was an allegory of Israel’s love affair with God was it canonized. I think the jury is still out on that one, and Song of Songs remains a beautiful example of the redemptive power of romantic love and connection to nature. The Haftorah reading is Ezekial’s vision of the valley of dry bones, where God resurrects the bones of the exiled Jewish people. In response to their cry, “Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone; we are doomed.” (Ezekiel 37:11) God responds, “I will put my breath into you and you shall live again, and I will set you upon your own soil.” (Ezekiel 37:14). The Shabbat of Pesach reminds us that in every moment, liberation, change, and renewal is possible, as long as we can sustain our hope, faith, and love.
~Rabbi Dean
