Moses, the Charismatic Leader
Apr 15, 2006 By Marc Wolf | Commentary | Pesah
It would have been sufficient. The refrain of dayenu that reverberated through seders around the world still rings in my ears.
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How Do We Experience the Season of Freedom?
Apr 14, 2007 By David Hoffman | Commentary | Pesah
Freedom in biblical and rabbinic Judaism is a highly complex idea.
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Sacrifices Seen Through Love and Law
Mar 31, 2012 By David Levy | Commentary | Text Study | Pesah
Every year, the weeks during which the Torah portions of Leviticus are read, many Jews complain about the challenge of finding interest or meaning in such esoteric material. I, myself, also struggle to engage deeply with these texts when I forget that even our ancient Sages felt the need to bolster the relevance of these laws, which largely became defunct after the Second Temple was destroyed.
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Swallowed in the Ground
Apr 7, 2012 By Abigail Treu | Commentary | Text Study | Pesah
Swallowed in the ground,
Saved from forces stronger than ourselves,
Hooves over our heads.
A miracle occurred.
Freedom As Process
Apr 14, 2012 By Charlie Schwartz | Commentary | Text Study | Pesah
The last days of Passover take on a relaxed feel for me. With the cleaning done, the four cups of wine, Hillel sandwiches, and bitter herbs a distant memory, I tend to focus on the remaining festival days and the visions of fully leavened bread that are inclined to pop into my head. The midrash above, based on the Torah reading for the seventh day of Passover, creates a sharp contrast to this feeling of relaxation and matzah saturation.
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The Meaning of the Shmurah Matzah
Apr 18, 2014 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Pesah
One of the centerpieces of seder night is the eating of matzah, the unleavened bread.
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The Laws of Passover
Feb 11, 2013 By Isaac Klein | Pesah
From: A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice
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The Origins of a Nation
Apr 23, 2011 By Marc Wolf | Commentary | Pesah
As we set our tables and prepare for our seders, we cannot help but hear the echoes of our journey from persecution to freedom amplified in the headlines. Our holiday of Hodesh Ha’aviv—the “Month of the Spring”—comes at a time when the ripple effects of what has been dubbed the Arab Spring are just beginning to be felt.
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