Hachodesh hazeh lachem rosh chodashim…… God calls the month of Nisan (the month which includes Passover) the first month of the year for the Jewish People. Now most of you are saying, “Wait, I thought Rosh Hashanah was the start of the Jewish year. Well, Rosh Hashanah actually occurs on the 15th day of the 7th month. I know, complicated and confusing, but that’s just because of the name. When you think about it historically, the story of Passover is the origin story of the Jewish People. Under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites quickly evolved from a large, mostly related but very disorganized group of former slaves into a nation with a societal structure and a new religion. The Exodus was the first event in the 40-year process of transformation from an enslaved band of tribes to an organized nation under God’s law. No wonder God designated this month as our starting point!
Passover and the story of the Exodus are seared into our collective memory. It embodies so many concepts that are essential to Judaism – the value of liberty and freedom, the importance of God’s law and salvation, the ideals of social action which became part of being Jewish because we knew what it was like to be downtrodden and oppressed. This is why, even if we all were experts on every aspect of Jewish history and law, it would still be incumbent upon us to re-tell the story. We need to feel that we personally experienced the miracle of the Exodus, and we need to transmit that feeling to our children from generation to generation.
Passover is not just ancient history – the stories, songs, rituals and even the food of the Seder help us both physically and mentally experience the holiday. Certainly, there is a “labor-intensive” aspect to Passover that overwhelms many of us, and a week of Passover food does take its toll. But, like everything in life, a positive approach to the holiday will pay back exponentially. Actually prepare for your seder; don’t just read through it that night. Do research, bring in some new appropriate readings, learn a new song, decorate your table in a creative way to help tell the story. There is so much you can do to enhance your seder. Don’t feel obligated to absolutely follow the format. It’s there to help guide you, but a personal touch is very much in the spirit of the holiday. The more effort you put into preparing for the seder, the more you and your family will get out of it.
I’ve posted musical samples of the Hagaddah on this website which I hope will help you prepare. Here’s another great website to help spark your creativity. http://www.aish.com/h/pes/f/g/48967161.html Use these suggestions to get started, but exploring on your own is highly encouraged. You’ll be fulfilling the verse from the beginning of the hagaddah:
“Even if we were all wise, all people of understanding, all well-versed in Torah, we would still be commanded to tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt.”
Cantor
