Pesach is our annual celebration of freedom and at the Seder we retell our master story: a nation of slaves who are freed through God’s direct intervention. Most nations’ origin stories are steeped in heroism and strength. Ours begins in slavery and ends with the Pharoah humbled and the slaves going free. We move from degradation to liberation and along the way God asserts that human dignity and freedom are more important than the power of an absolute monarch. It is a message that echoes over time as people continue to strive for their freedom in the face of the evil dreams of kings, dictators and demagogues. It is a story that bears repeating, as we do each year, to remind ourselves that freedom is the state God desires for all human beings, despite what despots may wish for. This year especially, let us celebrate the struggle for freedom.
Pesach, Special Torah Reading, Exodus 12:21-51; Numbers 28:16-25 for Saturday, Apr 16, 2022
April 15, 2022 by Dean Kertesz • Drashot
Pesach is our annual celebration of freedom and at the Seder we retell our master story: a nation of slaves who are freed through God’s direct intervention. Most nations’ origin stories are steeped in heroism and strength. Ours begins in slavery and ends with the Pharoah humbled and the slaves going free. We move from degradation to liberation and along the way God asserts that human dignity and freedom are more important than the power of an absolute monarch. It is a message that echoes over time as people continue to strive for their freedom in the face of the evil dreams of kings, dictators and demagogues. It is a story that bears repeating, as we do each year, to remind ourselves that freedom is the state God desires for all human beings, despite what despots may wish for. This year especially, let us celebrate the struggle for freedom.