Ripple in Still Water

As Pesach preparations wind down, I am reminded just how different this night is from all other first night of Pesach. On all other Sedarim, children, grandchildren parents and friends sit together and ask questions, tell the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim, sing and eat too much. This year borders are closed, families who are concerned for the welfare of those at risk remain physically apart. This year, when we say the Eser Makot - the 10 plagues, we now can empathize with what a plague means. This year, we can understand the commandments relating to the last plague. They were told to mark their doorposts and remain inside their homes until the plague passed over. So we will remain sheltered in place, and hopefully, remain safe.  This year when we say: "Next Year in Jerusalem", we can now appreciate the sense of looking forward to a future Pesach that is more complete and I suppose, just "more". So my Bracha for all who are celebrating Pesach and participating in a Se...

          With Pesach preparations in full gear, we are very aware that Pesach this year will be very different. We will be missing our eldest daughter who remains in Boston in her own "shelter in place". This year will be different since there will be no grandparents at the Seder. I have always experienced a certain kind of Joy, as I sat a seder table that was multigenerational, a table where grandparents and sometimes great grandparents would be able to transmit to grandchildren and great-grandchildren their wisdom and their experiences. With its focus on telling a story, with its focus upon those four sons (children); the Seder is geared toward children and the transmission of wisdom, experience, and information to children. The message is clear. Children symbolize the future, they symbolize hope, they symbolize the purity and innocence of the previous generations who have had to compromise, who have, perhaps, grown cynical, or just a little less optimistic a...