Passover, perhaps the most celebrated of all the Jewish holidays, begins with the first Seder Saturday evening. We will gather with family and friends to retell the events of the exodus from Egypt some 3,000 years ago. For generations, we have read from the Haggadah to learn and remember this story that is so central to Jewish life and history.

At Passover we say, “Let all who are hungry come and eat.” Last week I wrote about potential funding cuts in a variety of areas by the federal government. Rabbi Daniel Isaak, Chair of the Rabbinical Assembly (Conservative movement) Food Justice Committee, pointed out that the current proposal in the Agriculture Bill is to cut SNAP by 20%. Forty-seven million Americans receive SNAP including 20% of all children. A 20% reduction in funding would mean the current allocation of $6.20/person/day would be reduced to $5.00.

Our community made sure 120+ families have food for their Passover Seder. Thank you to our community for raising over $15,000 for Passover4All and to Congregation Kesser Israel and Jewish Family and Child Service for preparing and distributing food boxes and gift cards to those in need. We are delighted everyone in our Jewish community will be able to celebrate the Passover holiday.

The Seder, which means “order,” consists of 14 steps. The first recorded instruction regarding the Passover Seder is found in Mishna, Tractate Pesachim 10, a Rabbinical Jewish text likely composed during the 2nd or 3rd century CE. As part of the Seder we ask the infamous four questions. But did you know that the original four questions are not the same four questions we recite today?

Mishna, Tractate Pesachim 10:4 reads:

The attendants pour the second cup for the leader of the seder, and then the child asks the parent questions about the differences between Passover night and a regular night. And if the child does not have the capacity to initiate the conversation, the parent teaches by prompting the following questions:

What is different about this night from all other nights?

• On all other nights we eat leavened bread and matza; on this night all our bread is matza.

• On all other nights we eat other vegetables; on this night we eat bitter herbs.

• On all other nights we eat either roasted, stewed, or cooked meat, but on this night all the meat is the roasted meat of the paschal lamb.

• On all other nights we dip the vegetables during the meal only once; however, on this night we dip twice.

The first, second, and fourth questions are basically the ones we recite today (but in a different order), each pointing out an unusual feature of the Passover meal. But the third question about eating only roasted meats is different than what we ask today -- “On all other nights, we either sit or recline; why on this night do we only recline?” The reason for the change is because the original question was asked during the time of the Temple. After the fall of the Temple, we no longer eat roasted meat for the Passover sacrifice. Maimonides substituted the question about reclining, which was more relevant to contemporary practice.

Speaking of reclining – do we lean to the left or the right? We lean to the left while drinking wine and eating matzah during the Seder. This custom emerged during Roman rule when free citizens reclined on couches during meals, while slaves ate standing up. By reclining, Jews symbolically celebrate their freedom from Egyptian bondage. The practice specifically calls for leaning to the left to keep the right hand free for eating -- and to avoid choking, because as it turns out, leaning to the right leaves your trachea open.

Finally, maybe this year we should be asking something different than “Why is tonight different from all other nights?” Perhaps the better question we should be asking is "How is this moment different?" Think of the world around us and reflect. Perhaps discuss this at your Seder table?

Foremost in my mind are the 59 hostages still being held in Gaza. Hard to understand they are still there. I recently listened to a podcast with Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh was held hostage and killed in captivity, that in recognition of the hostages she will add to her Seder plate: masking tape with the number of days the hostages have been held (553 on Saturday night), a lemon which is bitter to swallow, and a yellow flower wilting out of water. You can also read the names of each remaining hostage.

Some commentators have noted that the Seder is not just an extended history lesson; it is an immersive experience. An act of collective imagination – simultaneously remembering the past while projecting ourselves into it. One of the most important lines in the Haggadah is, "In every generation, a person is obligated to see oneself as though one had gone forth from Egypt." To me, Passover is a lesson in empathy.



Moreover, as Lisa Kay Solomon of Stanford University writes, “The song Dayenu recounts the multiple miracles and gifts bestowed during the Exodus journey, affirming each one: ‘If God had only done this and nothing more, it would have been enough.’" Dayenu provides clarity on what is truly essential and sets our foundational values.

She continues, “There is a liberation in this approach. When we know what ‘would have been enough,’ we can celebrate each incremental step while maintaining our orientation toward more comprehensive change. It creates space for gratitude alongside aspiration – a combination that builds resilience.” Amen.

Check out all the Passover community happenings by clicking here.

On a reflective note, today would have been my father’s 90^th birthday. With Passover tomorrow night, I want to honor him by sharing (like I did a few years ago) his Hot Gefilte Fish Stew that he always made for the holiday.

Shabbat shalom and Chag Pesach Kasher v'Sameach, a happy and kosher Passover.