CARLSBAD, California — This promises to be a Pesach / Passover for the ages! It will be completely different from anything we have previously experienced. It would be fair to ask, “How is this Passover different from Passovers of every other year?”
Pesach equals families and communities coming together to celebrate the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egyptian bondage 3,300+ years ago. We partake of the single most interesting meal of the year when we eat our Seder (or Seders for those of us who live outside of Israel). The flavors of the food taste that much better because of the company we keep during the meal. My Facebook memories came up this morning reminding me of past Pesachs with my family gathered together, and my musings on how joyous that made me feel.
This year that is not to be! Oy! What is G-d’s plan?! Why the enforced isolation? How are we to fulfill the Biblical mandate to ‘Rejoice in your holidays!”?
All of these circumstances are telling us something – something very important, critical even about the reason of our existence and our innate abilities. This year, as we will be sitting together with only those who share our homes, we will have to self-generate the enthusiasm and joyousness that used to come our way by the presence of our guests. Beyond this, and perhaps more importantly, we will have to focus on the presence of G-d in our lives and at our Seder tables.
This is an extraordinarily empowering realization! The Creator, Who chose us to be His nation and Who personally redeemed us from Egyptian servitude, will be celebrating Passover with us. Just Him and us! Maybe this is His way of saying He wants more of our attention? After all, He loves us more than a parent loves her child.
When you are sitting at your Seder and perhaps feeling gloomy and/or lonely, remember that you have the greatest possible Guest with you, and your Guest thinks the world of you. Be grateful for the opportunity to do the Mitzvah of celebrating Passover, eating the Matzah, and enjoying the four cups of wine. Each Mitzvah enhances our connection with G-d.
If this is not a reason to celebrate I don’t know what is!
Wishing you and your family a joyous Passover!
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Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort is Director of Coastal Chabads and Chabad at La Costa. Rabbi Eilfort welcomes readers’ comments and questions and may be reached at RabbiE@ChabadatLaCosta.com.