Passover reminds us of the light of freedom

Rabbi Sandra Bellush.

Courtesy Temple Em Achad

A good story is hard to resist. A good story entertains us, teaches us and moves us to action. A good story, no matter how old, remains relevant to our lives today and bears telling over and over again. Perhaps these are some of the reasons why Passover is the Jewish holiday most observed by American Jews.
Each year Jews gather at the Seder with family and friends to pray, sing and retell the ancient story of the great miracles God wrought to convince Pharaoh to free the Israelites from the oppression of slavery in Egypt. The biblical Book of Exodus tells the story, and describes the 10 plagues that afflicted the Egyptias: the Nile River turning to blood; invasions of frogs, lice and wild beasts; blight; boils; hail; locusts; darkness; and, the most terrible plague of all, the death of every first-born child.
Although each Passover we celebrate our liberation, we are also taught that our joy is diminished by the suffering of others. To symbolize this message, Jews spill a drop of wine from their glasses as they recite the 10 plagues.
After the recitation of the plagues, some discuss the plagues that face us today. This year we might offer war, the teaching of hate, the proliferation of senseless violence, racial injustice, and the neglect of human needs as examples of modern-day plagues. In addition to naming these societal ills, we might spend some time during the Seder discussing how we each have a responsibility to fight against these plagues to make our world a better place.
As it takes us from bondage to freedom, the Passover story moves us from agony to joy, from mourning to celebration, and from the darkness of oppression to the freedom of light. In doing so, we are moved to think of those in our world who are not yet free and to think of what role we might play in bringing them into the light of freedom.