When we think of Passover, we focus on the Seder meal and all its intricacies and delights. Our ancestors, on the other hand, focused on one thing and one thing only – the Paschal lamb. This key annual tradition represented not the entirety of the story of the Exodus, but one small part, the first excursion out of Egypt and opportunity to worship our God. Before we crossed the sea, leaving that world for good, we had a smaller gathering, just before the final plague, the Death of the First Born. Pharaoh was still hemming and hawing, not having granted his final word that we could go.
The freedom to worship our own God was the major thing our ancestors were demanding. In the thousands of years, this continues to be one of the major challenges our community faces. As a minority religion, we have rarely had full control over our destiny. Even now, with the State of Israel, October 7 revealed just how vulnerable we still are. How lucky we were to be able to hold our Shir Shalom Seder this year, or to have been able to hold the countless other Seders that occurred throughout our community. The Paschal lamb may be just a small section on the Seder plate, but it’s message of religious freedom continues to resonate with us today.
Happy Passover and Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex