From April 4, Jews around the world start celebrating Pesach. In addition to historical aspects and tribute to our ancestors, Passover is also important for every Jew.. After all, he personifies the way out of slavery, not only in the literal sense, but also portable – getting rid of old habits, liberation of the mind and consciousness. This is said in traditional seders.. Let's remember history together and think about the future.
Passover - step through the abyss
Passover reminds us not only of the past, but also about the future.
Easter evening unites Jewish families around the festive table from time immemorial. A meal “prescribed” down to the smallest detail, but alien to formalism, and in her leisurely “ceremonial” the exodus from Egyptian slavery is revived.
But if we left Egypt, why do we repeat it every time: “this year - slaves, next year - free people”?
Our sources say, that behind the well-known events and twists and turns lies another layer of information - not so much about history, how much about relationships between people. Or rather, about unity and mutual understanding, reached by the Jewish people, and which are so necessary not only for Jews, but to all mankind, especially today.
Brothers in spirit
The basis of the Jewish people is not an ethnic community, but the ideological relationship.
You have to start from afar. A long time ago, when mankind was concentrated in Ancient Babylon, people lived simply, but together. However, time went by, and friction began: yesterday's good neighbors began to look askance at each other and gradually turned into strangers.
Imagine this situation in the prism of our time: the neighbor's grass seems greener to me, he has a luxurious Cadillac, he has a brand new washing machine, and yesterday I saw, how to bring in a new refrigerator. His wife is an eyesore to mine, changing dresses every day, his kids are behaving provocatively, and he also had two terribly thoroughbred dogs, who look at mine with frank contempt ...
In short, selfishness grew in ancient Babylon, and people no longer feel like a single people. They seemed to be speaking different languages..
It was then that Abraham declared himself - the sage, who revealed the inner essence of what is happening and the true solution to the conflict. To keep warm, friendly relations, it was necessary to overcome this increased selfishness.
However, the majority did not agree with this approach., and the matter ended in a general disunity - the tribes and peoples were scattered throughout the Earth.
Only a few followed Abraham. It was they who laid the foundation of the Jewish people - they created a society, which, despite ever-increasing selfishness, maintained a sense of closeness to each other, warm, family relationships.
Under the power of division
The good Pharaoh always gives way to the tyrant.
Abraham's group migrated to Canaan. Generations have changed, ego grows in every person, and the main thing was to maintain a common connection, spiritual brotherhood.
And then the conflicts intensified to such an extent, that even the brothers - the sons of Jacob - could not overcome them. The Torah describes this process as the onset of famine.. Brothers sell Yosef into slavery in Egypt (Egypt) - what does it mean “center of evil” (miz ra). Falling from the step of brotherly love, they were in the grip of selfishness - Pharaoh.
At first this power was kind: Pharaoh exalted Yosef, life abounded with various blessings. But then things changed, and people felt, that material goods are not everything in this life. They began to miss the spiritual connection, against which the Pharaoh opposed. Now all efforts seem to go into the sand, were given to selfishness and did not allow even a grain of inner unity to be preserved.
It seemed, no exit. However, it is despair that breeds strength., leading to unity, - Moshe. He was brought up in the house of the Pharaoh-selfishness, and therefore ready to resist the king of Egypt. This spark lives in each of us, preserving the essence of the Jewish soul, universal view of the world, in which there is no room for separation.
night of exodus
True unity is forged in the fight against selfishness.
The maturation of the property of Moshe in man and in the people leads to direct confrontation with the Pharaoh. The Torah describes these states as “ten Egyptian plagues”, ten blows on selfishness with a demand “Let my people go”. They unfold against a background of impotence and at the same time a desperate need to be free..
That's about this inner “nights” and narrates the Passover Haggadah: “How is this night different from all other nights?..” In Egypt, we need to get out of the quagmire of selfishness, and we're heading up, not yet having the strength for unity, but having the strength to escape. Together, in mutual guarantee, we try to get away from persecution, from internal strife - and the farther we find ourselves from Egypt, until we come to Mount Sinai, to finish what you started.
So Pharaoh, selfishness, pushes us to a new stage of love. Ultimately, all mankind must climb it, but we do it first. Egypt - the forge of the Jewish people, essential step in its development..
Step through the abyss
There is always one way out - in unity between us.
This is what Pesach tells us - a holiday, symbolizing the birth of the people of Israel from unity in spite of rejection. As long as there is discord between us, we are not a people, we are in exile. And only good unity creates from us that community, which is rightfully called “Israel”.
Getting ready for this climb, we clean the house - we clean ourselves of discord between us. The Passover Seder Means the Order of Renewal of Our Disrupted Relationships. Getting rid of this selfish “sourdough starter”, we eat matzah for seven days - as a symbol of ascent to the level of mutual bestowal, which in Egypt seemed to us “fresh”. Slaves of disunity, slaves of our own nature, we begin this path, and finish it with free people, united people.
And it's not at all surprising, that every time you need to re-renounce the worship of those values, that tear us apart, wherever we live. Each such impulse becomes a stage in the exit from Egypt - after all, “Pesach” means, what are we going through (Passover) through strife to the stage of love.
An example for everyone
The world won't leave us alone, until we make it.
We have the means, able to help the whole world. United, people will come out “of Egypt”, out of mutual enmity, and see, that genuine human connection solves all problems. This discovery will change everyone.
And therefore the method of Abraham is required everywhere today.. She is the call of the times. If we, people of Israel, we will not realize and we will not offer it to humanity, the pressure on us will increase. After all, subconsciously the world feels, that we hide from him the keys to happiness.
And vice versa, if we do our part and set a good example, the world will receive him with gratitude and respect. In fact, This is exactly what he expects from us..
Happy unification holiday, friends!
Media project editorial “Open channel” opentv.tv