Understanding the egg of life

Have you ever wondered why we have an egg on the Passover Seder plate?
Exactly one year ago in the midst of the pandemic, I was giving a virtual model seder to our community.

I was about to give the common explanation that the egg is traditionally the food for mourners upon returning from a funeral and on Passover we remember the suffering and destruction of our people.

And this reason really hit me as I literally just got home from officiating at two Covid-related funerals.

But I decided to focus on the deeper meaning that the egg really represents rebirth, a new life – the new chick will emerge from the egg. Exactly as our forefathers experienced a new life on their exodus from slavery. We pray to God that the night of Passover will be a night of new beginnings.

This past year, we faced challenges, suffering and mourning. But we always tried to learn the lesson from the egg – always look for the new beginning, the new life.  Focus on the positive and what could be done to keep life moving forward.

Our community did a great job and should all be proud that we were able to keep life moving forward, pray together, and celebrate together safely! Just to name a few ways we came together: the holiday packages to every home, the drive-in Purim event, the mobile holiday celebrations, the services in the park and open parking lot and so many other ideas. We stayed together no matter what – to keep life moving and even to emerge from it better and stronger proving that: “Where there is a will there’s a way!”

When you are at your Seder, look at the egg and remember not only the traditional meaning of mourning but also the message of looking forward toward a new life.
As we (let’s hope) are emerging from these dark times, we have to focus now more than ever on coming back to life!

If you boil an egg too long, it gets harder and stronger. It’s our job now to go back to life better than before. It’s time for us to get back to life and to celebrate our traditions, stronger and happier than ever before!

Happy and kosher Passover!
L’chaim! – To life!

Rabbi Nochem Tenenboim leads Chabad of Hewlett.