The Jewish holiday of Passover, which we observe this year beginning at sundown April 22, celebrates the Exodus of the ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
How many years the Israelites lived as slaves depends on how you interpret various biblical passages. Yet, in my opinion, the number of years of slavery is not what is important. What matters is that we were once slaves and now we are not. God took the Jewish people out of Egypt, and we became a free people. The Jewish people received the Torah, became a nation, and after 40 long years of wandering in the Sinai desert finally reached the Promised Land.
The highlight of the Passover holiday is the Passover seder, the festive holiday meal during which we retell the story of the Exodus. We read from the Haggadah, a special book that tells the story of the Exodus from Egypt and includes blessings, prayers, and songs. The Haggadah tells us that in every generation we should see ourselves as if we personally escaped from Egypt. We focus on teaching the story to children so that they will understand and identify with our history and traditions and pass on the story to the next generation. With songs and stories, and often games and drama as well, children learn the meaning of this holiday that is so central to our identity as Jews.
Passover in a Time of War
What is freedom? It can be defined as the state of being free from servitude or constraint, or at liberty rather than in confinement. As Passover gets closer, I think about what it really means for us as Jews during these times of conflict. I wonder what exactly those in captivity and constraint are experiencing and feeling after six long months of war, and how we can celebrate Passover in the shadow of the present reality. Because, for those living in constraint, there is no freedom.
Sometimes I feel like we are living in biblical times, and one day a theological book will be written about the present events and studied by scholars a thousand years from now. What will we learn from this story? Will a prophet or new leader appear to guide us along the way? What will God’s purposes be in all of this? Most of all, what will happen next?
We are living in the middle of it now. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or next week, or next month. But in the meantime, we remember God’s faithfulness to us now, just as he was faithful to the Israelites when he led them out of Egypt back then.
A Song — and a Prayer
Passover is the holiday of freedom. One of the classic songs sung during the seder says, “We were slaves to Pharoah in Egypt, and now we are free people.” This year, despite everything, I know I will sing it — not only as a statement, but as a prayer that tells the story of our past and celebrates the idea of freedom. May this prayer give us strength to during this present moment, and to remind us of God’s faithfulness to us in every trial and challenge.
Miriam Lock, a Fellowship staff member at an affiliate office, reflects on the meaning of freedom especially in a time of war.
April 2024
