In our Torah portion this week (parashat Bo) we are commanded to retell in the hearing of your son and your grandson how the LORD made a mockery of the Egyptians and performed wonders to deliver us (Exod. 12:2). This commandment is the basis of the Passover haggadah (i.e., הַגָּדָה, telling), the oral tradition of our faith, when we personally retell the story from generation to generation so that the spirit of the message is not lost. We participate in the seder to make it our own story, a part of who we are. Therefore b’khol-dor vador: Every Jew must consider himself to have been personally redeemed from Egypt. Retelling the story of the exodus enables us to know that I am the LORD (Exod. 10:2). We recall the words, bishvili nivra ha’olam – “For my sake was this world created,” while we also recall the words, anokhi afar ve’efer – “I am but dust and ashes.” When we retell the story of the great redemption, we strengthen our faith and better know the LORD. We do the mitzvah to retell our own story of redemption.
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 02:32:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015