The Talmud teaches that 30 days before Passover, we should learn about theholiday and its meaning. In that spirit, I humbly offer "30 Days of Liberation." For each of the 30 days prior to Passover, I offer a brief messagedrawn from the wisdom Pass
The Talmud teaches that 30 days before Passover, we should learn about theholiday and its meaning. In that spirit, I humbly offer "30 Days of Liberation." For each of the 30 days prior to Passover, I offer a brief messagedrawn from the wisdom Pass
a message fromRabbi Knopf
The Talmud teaches that 30 days before Passover, we should learn about the holiday and its meaning. In that spirit, I humbly offer "30 Days of Liberation." For each of the 30 days prior to Passover, I offer a brief message drawn from the wisdom Passover imparts. I hope you find these messages meaningful and inspiring. Feel free to share/forward.
30 Days ofLiberation: Day 27 - "How different this night is from all other nights!" That's how we begin to tell our story at the Seder. Of course, this exclamation isn't only true of Seder night. Indeed, every night is different from every other night, if we are sensitive enough to notice. Maybe the Haggadah is teaching us a secret of liberation: To the one enslaved to the finite and material, every day is "unvaried, iterative, homogeneous" (Heschel). All hours are alike. But to the one attached to the infinite, "there are no two hours alike. Every hour is unique and the only one given at the moment, exclusive and endlessly precious."
30 Days of Liberation: Day 28 - After telling the story of the Exodus, we sing a song of joy, "Dayyenu." Literally, "it would have been enough for us," as in, "If you had only taken us out of Egypt and not executed justice on the Egyptians, it would have been enough for us..." What an incredible sentiment! How many of us perpetually want more and more, never satisfied with what we have? How many of us focus on all the things we haven't achieved, never appreciating all we've actually accomplished. How many of us fixate on our flaws, and never celebrate our strengths? Dissatisfaction has its place, but liberation also requires appreciation.
