" True honor comes from actuallizing one's innermost strengths".
The Yom Tov of Pesach is a time when the inner beauty of each individual is revealed, and a time when we are to work on our individual spiritual strengths. In our counting Sefira, Kabbalah plays a very important role as we reflect upon the lower Sefirot as we count each day. Each week a different Sefira is perfected and refined. This first week of Sefirat Haomer reflects upon the attribute of Chesed, wherein love predominates.
With this thought in mind I begin to reflect on how our Seder experience, with all it's beauty and inspiration, will continue to influence our behavior in the coming months.
I sense our answer is forthcoming from our celebration of the last two days of the Yom Tov.
On the Seventh day of Pesach we will read from our Torah the episode of the parting of the Red Sea permitting the Jewish People to escape the wrath of the onslaught of the Egyptian army that were in hot pursuit .
I am always in awe of that great miracle that took place at ים סוף permitting the Jewish People to walk through on dry land to safety while the Egyptians were catapulted into oblivion.
As the Jews realized the great miracle that was performed for them, they uttered the following words
עזי וזמרת קה ויהי לישועה ,"The Lord is my strength and He is my salvation"
זה קלי ואנוהו אלוקי אבי וארוממנהו "
"He is my G-D and I will glorify Him, my father's G-D and I will exalt Him".
As I revisit this great episode in Jewish history, though it is a historical event to be remembered always in our hearts and minds, I am beginning to realize, more and more, that it has become an existential experience which seems to always happen in the life of a Jew. It can be summed up in these words, הלכו ביבשה בתוך הים, the Jew always seems to walk in the midst of torrential seas. So many are watching and waiting for our demise in these waters of hate and it is at these times that we need to walk through these waters of destruction with all the energetic force we can muster for our survival.
It is at these times of crisis that I hear, once again, the words of Hashem to Moshe at the Red Sea as he crys out to Hashem in desperation. G-D says to Moshe,
מה תצעק אלי, " Why are you crying out to me , why do you stand so inactive, tell the people, יסעו, "Tell them to go forward".
In life one has to take the initiative. One has to move forward. Standing and doing nothing will not solve our problems and surely will not bring upon our salvation.
The Medrash stresses this point even more so when it relates, אמר הקבה לא עת עתה להאריך בתפלה כשישראל נתונין בצרה"Hashem says to Moshe, "This is not the time for lengthy prayer when Israel is in trouble, now is a time for action".
No one is denying the importance of Prayer. Indeed our Betachon evidences it's efficacy, but we must begin to realize that life demands our action and our efforts to achieve our goals in life. If we stand on the sidelines, rather than jump into the fray of life we will not achieve our life sustaining forces. We must remember , יסעו, to travel the roads of life and with our actions and our deep abiding faith we will reach our Promised Land.
As the holiday of Pesach concludes, we take the memories of this beautiful and inspiring Chag with us on our journey towards Sinai.
We pray that Almighty G-D'S Chesed will always be showered upon us and we will all declare, together,
זה קלי ואנוהו ,
"This is our G-D and we shall glorify Him".
" We may not be able to control the wind , but we can adjust the sails"
חג שמח
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