When we think of the name Passover, we are reminded of the Jewish people’s final moments in Egyptian slavery. G-d killed the firstborns of Egypt, but spared the Jewish firstborns, skipping over the Jewish homes as he smote their foes. We are grateful that we were skipped. Better to be anonymous on such a night of tragic and widespread death and destruction.
For many of us, this is the central theme of Passover – and a recurring theme in Jewish history. Jews are targeted again and again the world over. Luckily, we are still here to tell the tale – at least those of us who were passed over during the pogroms, Inquisition, burning of the Torahs, Holocaust and October 7 massacre.
So, we gather again to pay homage to our survival.
Of course, we are Jews. That means we do everything with food and that means that we’re complicated. So, we have a complicated evening full of rituals and drama – and lots of food.
Next year, we will again bemoan the troubles of the past and celebrate that we survived sufficiently unscathed to tell the tale. And, we’ll male promises that we will never allow it to happen again on our watch - to ourselves or others.
While the above may sound familiar, it really misses the point. And, that’s because it’s not a very accurate translation. To translate the Hebrew פסח (Pesach) as Passover supposes that G-d was preoccupied with destruction and revenge. And, that we Jews were perfectly satisfied to go unnoticed on that scary night. We stayed out of the limelight and minded our own business.
And, the analogue is that we Jews would be perfectly happy if the rest of the world would just forget about us. If we could simply be Jewish but no one hated us for it, we would label that success. If the anti-Semites stopped targeting us, we are satisfied.
But, that’s not really what Pesach means. And, it’s not what we Jews are all about.
Pesach means to skip, as in leap. G-d did not merely pass over the Jewish homes. G-d leapt with joy every time He came to a Jewish home. The Angel of Death was out on a destructive mission. Almighty G-d was on a high, leaping from Jewish home to Jewish home to save the Apple of His Eye. Hashem lifted us up, springing higher and higher.
G-d took the Jews out of Egypt not because they were a nebach. He rescued us because He wanted to date and marry us. He wanted a loving and intimate relationship with us. He wanted to give us His most prized possession, the Holy Torah. And, He wanted us to lead the way in infusing the world with sanctity.
So, this year at Pesach, stop the kvetching and stop the sighing. Stop the tropes of Jewish survival and start reciprocating to a G-d Who deeply loves us. Who carries us through the generations because He wants us to connect with Him.
Let’s return the favor and jump for joy. Let’s soar above the world and celebrate with a spring in our step and a weightless heart.
This Pesach let’s reclaim the meaning of Passover. Literally.