Category: Moments, Thoughts, Life

A large part of Passover is remembering the bitterness, What’s so great about the bitterness? Why do we want to remember that?

Actually, our bitterness in Egypt was/is the key to our redemption. We never got used to Egypt. We never felt we belonged there. We never said, “They are the masters and we are the slaves and that’s the way it is.” It always remained something we felt bitter about, something that was unjust and needed to change.

If it hadn’t been that way, we probably would never have left. In fact, tradition tells us that 80% of the Jews said, “This is our land. How can we leave it?” And they stayed and died there.

But as for the rest of us, when Moses came and told us we were going to leave, we believed him. It was our bitterness that had preserved our faith. Everyone has his Egypt. You’ve got to know who you are and what your limitations are. But heaven forbids making peace with them. The soul within you knows no limits.

This is the sweetness we apply to the bitter herb: Bitterness alone, without any direction, is self destructive. Inject some life and optimism into it, and it becomes the springboard to freedom.    

Excerpts from www.chabad.org

The Seder Plate is another very important element of the tradition. Seder Plates come in all shapes and sizes as well as price ranges. Actually any plate will do. There are six areas marked on the Seder Plate which help us identify six elements of Passover.

1) “Zeroa” – a roasted chicken or lamb bone with most of the meat removed. This will represent the Passover offering. It will not be eaten.

2) “Beitzah” – a hard-boiled egg, representing the festival offering.

3) “Maror” – grated horseradish and/or romaine lettuce, for use as the “bitter herbs” representing suffering.

4) “Charoset” – made of apples, pears, nuts and wine, representing the mortar the Israelites used.  Charoset quickly becomes a favorite of the children, we always make a double recipe.

5) “Karpas” – a bit of vegetable, such an onion or potato, which is dipped in saltwater.

6) “Chazeret” — more bitter herbs, for use in the matzah-maror sandwich.

Also needed are wine cups or goblets for each participant and plenty of wine and grape juice for the kids (four cups each). Wine is a vital part of the Seder. Not being a big wine drinker, I personally have my bottle of sparkling something or other. Throughout the meal, blessings are recited in unison. As the evening progresses and the wine consumed, these blessing become more and more energized. As the final blessing is recited there is a noticeable change. Laughter, loud voices, glasses are raised, and of course a bit less unison.

Passover is all about the Haggadah or the telling. It’s a requirement that each year families celebrate Passover to remember the Israelites exodus out of Egypt. Traditions are only created because someone remembers to tell a story or celebrate an event year after year.  The exodus out of Egypt happened 3300 plus years ago and the tradition continues.

The story of the exodus from Egypt started a journey of the Israelite people. The beginning of all journeys is separation. You’ve got to leave somewhere to go somewhere else. It is also the first step towards freedom: You ignore the voice of Pharaoh inside that mocks you, saying, “Who are you to begin such a journey?” You just get up and walk out.

This is the first meaning of the word, “Kadesh” (the beginning of the Seder) — to transcend the mundane world. Then comes the second meaning: Once you’ve set yourself free from your material worries, you can return and sanctify them. That is when true spiritual freedom begins, when you introduce a higher purpose into all those things you do.        

Translation…those times that we feel as if we are wandering around in the dessert, there is a higher purpose.

One of my favorite resources:  www.chabad.org>jewishholiday>passover

For several years we have celebrated Passover. It started just shortly after Jeff began to trace his family history and found many Jewish roots. I too have them, however most of my ancestors claimed to be German, but there’s a lot of Jew there.

Each year this tradition of Passover evolves. We’ve included friends who are now carrying on the tradition even though we are apart. We still laugh the year the youngest male (an essential character in the evening) grew about three feet that year; he may have been the youngest but he was most definitely the tallest.

This year we will be making our way to Colorado to celebrate Passover with our kids and their kids. There will be almost as many children at the table as adults. Since this tradition can take several hours, we are looking for ways to make it a bit more manageable for wee ones.  Finger puppets representing the ten plagues have been ordered and a rewriting of the Haggadah (the telling of the story) has been updated.

As this tradition evolves, so do I. Each year I am touch by new discoveries. It is those old and new realizations that I want to share during this week of Passover.

MATZAH   There’s a lots of Matzah at Passover.  Matzah is unleavened bread. It’s made from flour and water only — absolutely nothing else — that are swiftly combined, kneaded and baked before the dough has a chance to ferment and begin to rise. It looks something like a large, round flat cracker. It tastes simply delicious.

Why Matzah? Matzah took little time to prepare. The Israelites didn’t have time to wait. They had to be ready when G-d said “Go!” As they “went”, they had to travel lightly. It’s become a goal of mine to live my life this way; willing to “GO” and able to travel lightly…because I’ve left all the crap behind!

Last year my cholesterol level decided to go in the wrong direction. After being asked if anyone in my family had died from a heart attack or stroke at the age of 50, the doctor said we would take 6 months of a healthy diet and exercise.

Thrilled that I didn’t walk out of the office with a prescription, I was determined to do turn it around. I got on line, read all I could about a high fiber diet, made a list of all the foods that would give me 25–30 grams of daily fiber and I headed to my grocery store. The foods on my list were foods I have always had difficulty digesting, but indigestion and bloating seemed better than heart attack and stroke.

Seven months later I was sitting in the doctor’s office, confident that I had nailed this. The doctor started comparing all of cholesterol numbers…all had increased except for the one, which was already at a very safe level. I explained the diet I had been following. She then pointed out that in seven month of this strict diet I hadn’t lost a pound.

She gave me new plan. Get off the high fiber and focus only on weight loss with a healthy diet. She gave me 2 months to lose 10 pounds before doing another blood test. Thrilled for the excuse to give up the high fiber food, I once again left determined to make it happen; I’ll do anything to avoid taking medication. I pulled out my “6 Week Body Make Over” box and began re-familiarizing myself with it, (yes, I had followed this before). I then dusted off my file on Candida (again, I had done this before), put the two together and headed off to the grocery store to restock. In the first week I dropped 6 pounds. I’m guessing it was 6 pounds of fiber, beans, and grains that had set up camp in my belly.  By week 3 I had hit the 10 pound mark.

Being on a diet where weight loss is a benefit instead of the goal is odd. The goal here is lower cholesterol. It actually took a bit to get used to. We cut ourselves a lot of slack when we are dieting. We hit certain goals and reward ourselves with foods that got us fat in the first place. It sounds a bit crazy to think of rewarding myself with foods that increase the risk of heart problems.

What’s crazier?…  the fact that I already had the tools needed. I had used them in the past and with proven results. So when did I decide I didn’t need to follow the rules anymore? Oh, I remember…it was back when I was skinning, had perfect blood pressure and low cholesterol.

My husband introduced me to the group Over the Rhine last year and I fell in love. Most of all, I love their lyrics. The other night as we sat on the porch watching the sunset, it’s what we do, we were listing to their latest release, The Long Surrender. The song Oh Yeah by the Way came on. Half way through I looked at Jeff and said, “Isn’t this a great song for parents of teen and adult children?” We began the song over and laughed as we listened to the words…

Oh yeah by the way

Oh yeah by the way

The thought of you it shook my head

Just today

Oh yeah by the way

Oh yeah by the way

What a waste that I still love you

After the mess you’ve made

What a waste that I’m not jaded

Once in awhile I even smile

What a waste you’re just a stranger

To me now

Oh yeah by the way

Oh yeah by the way

There are still so many things

I wonder if should say, like

What a waste that I still love you

But I can’t erase one scar

All your self-inflicted wounds

Have made you what you are

So goodbye yesterday

Goodbye yesterday

I probably should have guessed that it could

End this way

What if I’m as good as you at

Walkin’ away

Oh yeah by the way

I still love you.