Every spring, we gather to retell the story of our ancestors’ liberation from slavery in Egypt.
We are reminded that our ancestors cried out to God in their suffering and were freed through a series of miracles and wonders performed by God through Moses.
We are reminded that our ancestors cried out to God in their suffering and were freed through a series of miracles and wonders performed by God through Moses.
But the story doesn’t end when our seder ends, does it?
Leading up to the sacred time of Pesach, we prepare. We clean our houses of physical chametz — all things that we are commanded not to eat during Pesach.
We also spend time cleaning our souls of spiritual chametz, taking stock of where we are spiritually.
I was liberated from Egypt
As we conduct our various sederim, we are commanded to tell and experience the story as if we ourselves have personally been liberated from Egypt.
Before Pesach, we clean out the spiritual chametz; during Pesach we tell the story as if we have personally been liberated from slavery in Egypt. And after Pesach, we have a sacred opportunity to move forward.
Before Pesach, we clean out the spiritual chametz; during Pesach we tell the story as if we have personally been liberated from slavery in Egypt.
As we move forward in new, intentional ways, we are liberated from all the spiritual and emotional baggage that has been weighing us down.
I pray that this Pesach we can all spend some intentional time taking stock and discovering where we are spiritually and where we want to go as liberated, free, intentional people.
Student Rabbi Matt Derrenbacher will serve UHC Terre Haute during the 2021-22 academic year.