Tonight is both Shabat and the first night of Pesach (Passover).  Other than Rosh Hashana and Yom Kipur, this is the one holiday that most Jews celebrate.  Oh, Chanuka comes close, but most folks still don’t light the menora.

And, this will be the first year since the Pandemic that my family will be celebrating with me- in person! During the pandemic, my family elected to have a full blown Seder using Zoom-with  a specially prepared hagada (the roster of prayers and songs of the holiday) to use, besides.

Now, even those Jews that don’t keep kosher will probably gather together this year, with the attenuation of the  Pandemic.     They will gather with their families and friends to re-tell the story of our release from Egypt.  The English name for this holiday reminds one that the Supreme Being passed over the houses of those that had the courage to place the blood of the paschal lamb on their doorpost.  (This is the reason that Jewish homes have a mezuza on their doors- to remind us that we are willing to be counted, to ask Hashem to protect us from the vagaries of life.)

The lamb was one of the deities of the Egyptians.  So, slaying the lamb and using it’s blood as a marker on the door clearly defied the common beliefs.  Only those that were willing to do so were protected from the death of their first born.

It also should be obvious that the Pharoah must have killed his older brother to take control of the kingdom.  Because he was not among those killed that night.  (The power of the kingdom always transferred to the first-born, should they still be living.)

And, because of this tenth plague, the Egyptians allowed the Jews to leave, ostensibly on their three day holiday to praise Hashem.  But, the Jews knew they would never return- instead returning to their land, the land of milk and honey…

And, as all of us will say tonight as we sing, pray, and learn (some of us until the crow reminds it is already the next morning)…

Next year in Jerusalem…

May you all celebrate this holiday of Spring, this holiday of Freedom, this holiday that we build anew…

And, to those of you who so celebrate- a Happy Easter.

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