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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua

פורסם בראשון, 22 נובמבר 2020 16:23

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כניסות: 379

How many converted to Judaism and left Egypt with the Israelites

BLESSINGS FOR SHABBOS AND FOR THE REST OF PASSOVER (especially the 7th night - the night when we Israelites CROSSED THE RED SEA!) 

How may people stand at the edge of their personal "red sea" and are afraid to cross? 

Yesterday I was at the Carlebach Moshav Festival - for music arts and to meditate among throngs of sweet people and some old friends
(one said "I haven't seen you in 50 years - and it was TRUE - but he recognized me from the BRONX!) 

Many of these people left everything to embrace Judaism and to embrace Israel and fulfill Jewish dreams and live here! 

I missed one old friend - but another miracle - I got an email this morning from him that he was coming just as I was leaving - just didn't have a chance to say hello! He moved here from Manhattan with his family. 

So here's a thought for this Shabbat of friendship welcoming freedom and to help us cross our own personal "red seas". 

From my friend Zev. 

Why we do not say the Full Halel (THANKS) prayer on the last day of Passover- after the many Egyptian soldiers chasing us drowned in the red sea? 

He quotes a Medrash he learned from a Rabbi Kroll: 

When the Assyrians - a thousand years later - besieged Jerusalem - they all died suddenly. 

How? The medrash said "their ears were opened by G-d - to hear the "songs of the angels" - and they died because they were not on the level to hear holiness! 

The Medrash said "G-d didn't let the angels' song defeat the Egyptians - because they were the worst - they were used to drowning Jews. 

So G-d Himself drowned the Egyptians in the Red Sea. 

But Hashem doesn't want us to sing the WHOLE Halel (songs of joyous praise) - 

because THAT IS NOT THE WAY G-D WANTS TO MANAGE THE WORLD! 

The OMER offering and counting the Omer- 

The Minchas Chinuch wrote - we bring the offering of BARLEY flour each year on the 2nd day of Passover to thank G-d for his mercy - each year giving us sustenance anew. 

THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF our prayers and sacrifices - and G-D'S WORLD - TO BE THANKFUL AND TO MIMIC G-D'S MERCY.

And from Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach: 

And you know my darling friends; it's a holy law, holy tradition, holy custom, that from Pesach till Shavuot you count the days (Counting of the Omer). Because a slave does not count his days, (only) a free person learns to count (his days). 

A holy person counts his days, (which are) his blessings to (all) people. 

SO COUNT THE OMER UNTIL SHAVUOTE! 

We know many Egyptians joined the Jewish quest of freedom when they left Egypt. 

We are not sure how many made it across the Red Sea. 

But our version of freedom and passover are for the world - 
to help everyone make GREAT changes -
may the world wake up and start to fulfill G-d's vision for all peoples. 

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Rest of Passover 

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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