Meditations for Your Seder Egypt Judaism is obsessed with the Exodus. We commemorate the Exodus every Passover, every holiday, every Shabbat, and every morning and evening. Were we merely commemorating the past, it would seem excessive, but in truth, we are re-experiencing the ongoing, daily Exodus. The etymology of the Hebrew word for Egypt, Mitzrayim, is straits and limitations. Every day we seek to break free of the limits we reached yesterday. Every day we strive to grow on our journey toward inner freedom. Ask yourself: is my inner Egypt holding me back from being the person I want to be? What is my first step to take in order to break out of my inner Egypt? Matzah - Humility If Egypt represents limitation, then the figurative oppressing "Pharaoh" is the inflated ego, represented by inflated leavened bread. Often, what keeps a person from growth is the fear of failure, the fear of rejection, and the fear of admitting one's weakness and vulnerability. Other times, it's the arrogant refusal to take responsibility. The antidote to the inner Pharoah is the flat humble Matzah. Humility allows one to acknowledge his or her own fault and accept responsibility, which is the prerequisite to break free of a negative habit or perspective. Bitter Herbs The bitter herbs represent bitterness. Chassidic philosophy distinguishes between "sadness", defined as the absence of energy, which is antithetical to freedom, and "bitterness", the pain and bitterness infused with energy that motivates one to change their current circumstance. When we eat the bitter herbs, we focus on the pain we experience because of our distance from our true selves, G-d, and the people we love. The pain; the bitterness, becomes the fuel and energy to rebound and become ever closer. Ask yourself: what painful experience can I channel to be fuel for growth? Four Cups of Wine The sages instituted that we drink four cups of wine on Passover night, to commemorate the four expressions of redemption that G-d communicated to Moses to convey to the Jewish people. When we examine the verses, we will notice that there are only three expressions that describe the redemption from slavery ("take you out", "save", and "redeem"). The fourth expression ("I will take you") has nothing to do with the redemption from Egypt; rather, it refers to the giving of the Torah at Sinai when G-d takes us as his people. Why, then, do the sages say that there are four expressions of redemption, and therefore four cups of wine at the Passover Seder, when, in fact, it seems that there are only three? The four cups of wine teach us that freeing the body is not enough. To enjoy true freedom, we must experience not merely the first three expressions of redemption, describing the freedom from Egyptian bondage; but rather we must also experience the fourth expression of redemption, allowing the soul to express its bond with G-d, thus experiencing ultimate freedom. Freedom means freeing not only our body but also our soul. Redemption means drinking all four cups of wine. Tell The Story The Torah mandates that we verbally relate the story of Passover. According to the Kabbalists, the word Pesach (Passover) consists of two words: Peh Sach, a speaking mouth. Passover, the holiday of freedom, is the holiday of speech. Our soul is a reservoir of untold potential, a never-ending fountain of love, kindness, ideas, and creativity. Yet, often, our soul is in confinement. We feel empty, stone-like, irritated, or angry. The Kabbalah teaches that the way to free the soul's potential is through speech. Regardless of our feelings, we can choose to speak words of kindness, love, and compassion. Words are liberating. The spoken word will draw the soul from concealment to revelation, from bondage to liberation. Next time you feel confined, next time you feel trapped, free yourself through speech. Take control of the narrative of your life. Speak words of gratitude, joy, and love. You will discover that words unlock the feelings trapped within your soul.
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