This message was emailed to the congregation on April 6, 2020.
Dear Rodeph Sholom family,
Chag Sameach!
We will say these words to each other this Pesach, but it will be mighty tough to feel happy. Many of us look forward to this holiday all year. Typically, our family and friends gather together, and our congregational seder is robust.
The great debate whether the matzoh balls should be sinkers or floaters very well may have to be deferred. Will our family chef even make chicken soup if our seder is virtual? Nothing tastes terribly good over Zoom!
Clearly this will be a very challenging Passover, but it can be a very meaningful one. Let me explain:
Every year we try to taste, smell and feel what it is like to be in Egypt. The Hebrew word for Egypt is mitzrayim from the root tzar, meaning narrow. As hard as we have tried in previous years, we really could not capture the feeling of being in a confined, “Egypt” state of mind because we have usually been totally surrounded by family and blessing.
This year? We may not be in Egypt, but we do feel incredibly hemmed in, afraid to go out, afraid of what may happen to our loved ones, afraid because we are not in control. Reciting the plagues will be no rote exercise as we try to cope with the plague of pandemic.
We know that this festival gets its name because God pasach (passed over) the homes of the Israelite slaves who were spared the decree of death that struck the first-born of the Egyptians. This year we will pray that serious sickness and death will pass over our households and those of family, friends and all those in our sacred community.
Every year we read this powerful Aramaic prayer in the Hagaddah:
“Let all who are hungry come and eat,
Let all who are in want share the hope of Passover.”
We know how many people feel vulnerable, wondering when they will work again, whether they will be able to feed their families. Never before have so many needed the hope of Passover.
When we gather around the seder table, we usually find it impossible to savor our freedom, taking for granted being able to go where we want. So many of our fellow congregants articulate that when tragedies strike like September 11 or the Tree of Life massacre we flock to our sanctuary. There we are comforted by each other, by our incredible clergy team and by God who cannot magically wipe away the painful vicissitudes of life, but can instill courage and assure us that we are not alone in facing our considerable trials.
We need God’s inspiration this year but God needs us too. Torah reminds us that God promises to free the Israelites, but needs Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to accomplish the redemptive act. God needs us now.
We cannot gather together physically, but we are deeply connected. We are talking to each other, learning from each other, giving each other strength. We will continue to provide content and worship every day. We will provide a virtual seder and other resources.
In turn you have offered many kinds of help. Many have told us you appreciate your congregation, clergy, staff and lay leadership more than ever as we journey from bondage to freedom.
This year Dayenu will sound particularly powerful. Surely we will feel:
Dayenu—it will be enough if we find a way to contain this virus so that fewer people will be in peril, so that we can return to our lives which we too often take for granted.
Dayenu—it will be enough if we can be with our families again.
Dayenu—it will be enough if we can return to our beloved Rodeph Sholom.
Dayenu—it will be enough if we count our blessings even this year, particularly this year and do not forget to be a blessing.
This year we may not want to open the door for Elijah. What if he is standing there? Do we let him in? Can we social distance from the prophet? Maybe Elijah will arrive by Zoom. Seriously, no need to worry. He will not be there to announce the coming of messiah. Because as a rabbi you all know once wrote, “There’s no messiah and you’re it!”
We can bring the hope for a better tomorrow. Together we will move many from bondage to freedom. That is what we do, this magnificent Congregation Rodeph Sholom. We are more connected than ever, more loving, more compassionate, just a bunch of messiahs!
My family, our clergy, staff and lay leaders wish you a happy and meaningful Passover!
Chag Sameach,
Rabbi Robert N. Levine
Senior Rabbi
