So what is your favorite part of the story we tell about leaving Egypt (as slaves)

 

and entering Israel (Canaan) as a free and ENLIGHTENED (mostly) people?

 

This week's portion tells of the last few plagues (of the 10) in Egypt.

 

It Gives us the Mitzva of BLESSING (sanctifying) the New Moon (why?)

 

AND suggests PREPARATIONS 

 

(bbq  AND FAMILY GET TOGETHER) FOR THE exodus FROM EGYPT

 

I love the Seders - but lets go back 3000 years - and think what it must have felt like

 

You're all nervous because you are not sure what the Egyptians are planning

 

(they were pretty nasty before Moses came back from Midian)

 

And Moses says

 

"The Almighty wants you to PAINT the DOORPOSTS with the blood from the BBQ animal"

 

Huh?

 

And then after midnight you will hear a lot of screaming - so go to your neighbors and borrow a lot of jewelry

 

Huh? The neighbors who kept us as slaves? And beat us? 

 

So the Almighty says - get into the mood - paint the town RED (literally)

 

but as a SYMBOL of GETTING OUT OF THERE 

 

(because after tomorrow YOU WON'T LIVE THERE ANY MORE!)

 

and LOOK TO THE MOON as it RENEWS ITSELF!

 

That's who you can BE if you 

 

remember how happy - even if a little worried -

 

everyone was when we left Egypt (even the Egyptians - who said Good Riddance)

 

So - that's the renewed Jewish people leaving Egypt?

 

Leaving our self-imposed restrictions?

 

That's how we should all feel reading this portion.

 

And at the seders - in a ferw months.