NOTES FROM THE CANTOR...
We have enjoyed the fun and joy of Purim and, now, we turn our minds to Passover. In the "Ma-gid" or "Story" section of the Haggadah for the Passover Seder, our festival meal, we say:
B'cho Dor VaDor ha-yav a-dam lir'ot et atz-mo ke-ilu hu ya-tza mi-mitzrayim;
In every generation we see ourselves as if we had come out of Egypt.This statement is the essence of the Passover Seder, yet this beautiful phrase does not come from the Torah. Each year we are supposed to remember that we were slaves in the land of Egypt. We are all so very fortunate that this has been a mere "statement" for many modern decades and, in the United States, for centuries. Granted, persecution and anti-semitism, unfortunately, continue to be part of our lives, but "slavery" not so much.
We choose "to see ourselves as if we had come out of Egypt" so that we are reminded where we come from. That being said, we are asked to think about those that still live with and in "slavery" and we attempt the work of releasing them from this terrible aspect of life.
If you haven't thought of this concept in the past, I would ask that you think of those types of modern "slavery" that still exist in the world and be thankful that, for most of us, "slavery" is not part of our experience.
Wishing all of you a Chag Sameach, a Happy Holiday.
Cantor Jill~
SERVING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF EASTON SINCE 1839