Page 43 - HaMizrachi Pesach 5783 USA

Lani Rabbi Hillel Raizi
Eshel Van-Leeuwen Chechik

or me, the most meaningful part of the ubilant spirits were in the air. All were personally connect deeply to the four sons,
Pesach Seder has always been Nirtzah. I dressed beautifully, groomed to the finding particular resonance in a reflection of
have so many powerful memories from max for the chag. The spacious shul Rabbi Joseph Isaac Schneerson on the order
my childhood Sedarim. It was the part of was packed, the inspirational prayers of these sons in the Haggadah. They do not
Fthe Seder that everyone was most enthusi- Junifying and heartwarming. The Ifollow a hierarchy of righteousness, nor are
astic about, and our song sheets of silly English chazzan’s booming voice emanated as he they in a progression of dialogue with each
Pesach songs were passed down from year to added zest to the final words of the Amidah: other. Instead, the Rebbe views the four sons
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year, just like our haggadot. םוֹל ָשּ ַבּ ל ֵא ָר ְשׂ ִי וֹמּ ַע ת ֶא ךְ ֵר ָב ְמ ַה, “Who blesses His through the lens of Jewish history, as a meta-
As I’ve grown older, my appreciation of nation Israel with peace,” and the entire congre- phoric retelling of the story of the Jew arriving
Nirtzah has deepened. Nirtzah is the last part gation answered as one: Amen! in exile, and particularly the story of the Jew
of the Seder; by this point, most families have And then, the Hallel began. Hearts were arriving on American soil.
been sitting at the table for hours, the younger overcome with emotional gratitude, the singing The first generation, the chacham, arrives in
children have fallen asleep, everyone has finally intensified, building up to the much-anticipated the new world deeply committed to the traditions
eaten and, by and large, our halachic obligations crescendo when the gabbai, without warning, of Torah and mitzvot. His child, the rasha, force-
have been fulfilled. But Nirtzah reminds us that abruptly stopped the tefillah in its tracks. The fully rejects the foreign customs of his immigrant
although we may have eaten enough matzah, stunned community was promptly instructed father, aiming to integrate into his new country.
said “Pesach, Matzah and Maror,” there is still to go home, eat their yom tov meal, then return The grandchild parallels the tam, who has fond
more to be done. We must not stop with the to shul to complete the Hallel. memories of his beloved grandparent’s traditions
berachot or with Hallel, but we must continue Sounds crazy? We do this at the Seder! and customs. But the great-grandchild, raised
to express our joy over the incredible miracles Towards the end of Maggid, we finally reach without a Jewish education, becomes she’eino
performed by HaKadosh Baruch Hu. We step out Hallel – the epitome of our national thanksgiving yode’a lish’ol, the cycle of assimilation complete.
of bounds of traditional tefillot and sing silly, to Hashem. But we abruptly stop after its first Several years ago, after an exhaustive search,
informal songs. 2 chapters. We recite Birkat HaGeulah, drink the I located my great-grandfather’s grave. A deeply
And finally, with Nirtzah we conclude our second cup, wash our hands, eat an entire meal, religious immigrant, he lived through the pain
Seder with the most important message of all: recite Birkat HaMazon – and then complete the of watching his children leave the path of
ה ָיוּנ ְבּ ַה ם ִי ַל ָשׁוּרי ִבּ ה ָא ָבּ ַה ה ָנ ָשׁ ְל, “Next year in final 4 chapters of the Hallel. How can we stop observance he held so dear. None of his Ameri-
the rebuilt Jerusalem!” – reminding us of the this holy tefillah in order to eat? can-born grandchildren were raised in observant
privilege we have to be part of the building of The message is powerful (and delicious!): our homes. Statistically, my cousins and I should
our holy city, and also of the journey that still living Torah wasn’t given to angels, but rather to have tragically been she’eino yode’a lish’ol.
lies ahead. humans! Jews should serve Hashem as human But because there were rabbis and laypeople
beings – celebrating with our hearts, souls and in our beautiful community who were committed
stomachs too, commemorating both the physical to Jewish education and cared enough to reach
and spiritual freedom that we were gifted on out to others, my great-grandfather now has
Pesach. This is the basis of the Temple service, dozens of descendants who are learning, living,
where food and drink complemented the deeply and teaching Torah. Each year when I read the
spiritual aspects of the avodah. On Seder night, story of the arba banim, I recall with gratitude,
through the exalted Hallel and the lavish Shul- and obligation, our capacity to do the same.
chan Orech, we serve Hashem with body and soul!
Raizi Chechik, Community Scholar at the Jewish
Rabbi Hillel Van-Leeuwen was born in Chicago Center of Manhattan, is a veteran day school leader
Lani Eshel is currently on shlichut in Manchester and raised in Israel, and heads World Mizrachi's and serves as a mentor to new Principals and Heads
with Mizrachi UK and Bnei Akiva UK. leadership programs, as well as its Shlichut Center. of School.

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