Passover is known as the festival of freedom. But it might also be known as the holiday of love.
What was the most depressing condition of Egyptian slavery in the Torah? According to the Belzer Rebbe, the Israelites suffered most deeply not from slavery itself but from their acceptance of slavery. It crushed their spirits. They did not think themselves deserving of something greater. Part of the depredation was to steal self-esteem from the oppressed. Moses had to convince the Israelites that they were in the image of God. They were worthy of self-love. His task was to raise the self-regard of those who had been kept down for so long, and assure them they merited redemption. The phenomenon of oppression creating self-loathing is well known in human history and certainly in Jewish history. We have suffered a great deal throughout the ages from self-hating Jews. Perhaps, inspired by the lesson of Passover, renewal can come in part through Jewish self-love.
Building on self-love is love of one other. It is no coincidence that on Passover we read "The Song of Songs." This explicit and erotic love poem demonstrates the passion at the center of Judaism. Part of that passion is romantic love. Judaism does not belittle the body; sexuality can be sacred as well as immensely powerful. Human touch is a Divine gift. Pesach is a time of hearts attuned to other hearts. The beauty of Song of Songs reminds us that passion is not antithetical to faith, but integral to it. A glance at the great works of Jewish mysticism teaches that erotic images speak about that which is highest and best in us. Devekut, clinging, which is used to speak of the great relation one can have to God, is first used in the Bible to describe the relation of a man and woman.
On the Sabbath before Passover we read the prophet Malachi. The passage ends with a promise that one day the hearts of parents will turn to children and children to parents. Gathered round the Seder table these words take on a special meaning. Peach is the quintessential celebration of the family. That "home" love too is vital to the Passover festival. All forms of human love: self-love, romantic love and familial love find their expression in the story of the Israelite people and the celebration that recalls our story.
Finally undergirding all is love of God. Moses says to Pharaoah, "I shall not see your face again," for Pharaoh's is the face of hatred. At the end of the Torah we learn that Moses saw God face to face. God's is the countenance of love. The Exodus is the story of going to Sinai, which our sages compared to a huppah, a wedding canopy, and the Torah is the ketubah, the marriage covenant. Passover reminds us that at the heart of Judaism is the deep yearning of God and human beings for one another.
Passover celebrates love. It is not the love of candy and cards, but a love where souls are obligated and ennobled. It is love deep, passionate, purposeful and true. Passing through the waters of the sea are a prelude to rebirth. Passover is a spring festival, and the blossoming renewal of the world can also mean a reawakening of the human heart. Here is wishing you all the many varieties of love on this festival of freedom -- for deep love comes only from the heart set free.
Assuming of course you've painted your door with blood & the Angel of Death isn't hunting for your first born child.
-Anne Lamott
Yet other parts of the bible refer to the Jews as God's chosen people. I don't get it. Can someone explain this glaring contradiction?
God was so furious with the people he told Moses He will kill them all and continue His search for a people who would accept all of His laws, Torah, and not just some of them, as many before have. I am so glad God changed His mind and punished the guilty generation in different ways. By the way, The Ten Commandants comes from Torah and is only a part of it, although being an important part but that is another issue.
What I might surmise from this is that we Jews were not necessarily the “chosen people” but maybe the first to choose and accept all of God's Laws, Torah. This is just something I consider when I think about the Golden Calf story. It may not be the contradiction you assume but this is just my thoughts.
What's your definition of love?
Do you have children?
Do you love your children?
Should I call child protective services?
Religion is a Nice Supporter of that Freedom, but was not the Cause of Freedom..
Walk Softly,but Carry a Big Stick
Support your Military in the USA.. and Be Thankfull others serve, so you and or your children Didn't and Don't have to, so you can Practice your Religion and Freedom..
That's why most really mean when they Want to Thank those who served for them..
Thank You for Serving for us, so we and our Kids don't have too..
Do Jews think they're more special than anyone? I've never thought that. Are Jews God's Chosen People? I've never believed that. We're all equal in my eyes.
Is Passover the Holiday of Love? All I can remember of Cedars is recalling our Exodus and the hardship we went through.
I don't know how true some of the stories are with the background of Passover. It was an enjoyable holiday(except for eating brisket which I loath) of a once a year get together. It didn't carry at least the way we observed it with the family, any connotation of love, hate, politics. It's a remembering type deal of what Pharoh supposedly put us through.
For once, people should learn what Passover really is and stop injecting modern politics for a holiday non Jews don't really know, or care, about.
You are right, we are all equal; we are all God's chosen people because he loves us all. Yes, Passover really is about God's love for His people, both then and what it means now. Christians believe Jesus was the Passover Lamb; but that is something each one decides for themselves according to their own conviction. It can never be forced as wicked people once did claiming to be God's people--but he never knew them.
Wow, if Passover is really about God's love, it's nice to know. I wish I knew then what was behind the Cedars as being more about our freedom.
I never understood why we were considered God's people as like you said, we all are.It was a pleasure reading your post.
I remember the youngest, usually me, would always ask the question "Why is this night different from any other night". I guess it was to remember our hardship. I'm not sure because it was so long ago and I haven't been to a Cedar in so long.
Prayers would be read in English since my family didn't speak or read Hebrew. Then we'd have a regular meal of *ugh* brisket, matzo ball soup and after the meal a big piece of matzo was hidden and if you found it, which I never did, you'd get 50 cents. I don't know if that's standard, but that's what we did. It was a nice game.