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Dvar Torah for Pesach
Radish Vs. Sushi - R’ Asher Smith
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For many of us Seder night brings along with it one of the following associations:
Matza-balls, family and relatives getting together, horseradish, no Challah, “How
much longer till the food?” guests, singing, brisket.
As beautiful and important as most of the above mentioned things are, Seder night
has so much more meaning and potential to it, but it’s a little bit hard to tell
the forest from the trees.
Seder in Hebrew means order, and that’s basically what it’s all about.
A slave, like our ancestors so many years ago, has no order whatsoever in their
life. The can’t plan in their blackberry/planner/I-phone a meeting with a high school
friend next week, or decide one day to go vegan. A slave is totally subordinate
to their master’s whims, wishes, and desires. One minute the slave might be doing
one thing and the next something totally different that he never saw coming. One
week she might be washing dishes, and the next week washing the Master’s dog. A
slave has no control over their life in terms of decisions, resolutions, and prioritizing,
and consequently cannot have any order whatsoever.
We too are living in a state of total inner chaos, of no order in our lives. One
day we’re slaves to the latest fashion, the next day to the new hottest T.V show,
the next week to our favorite sports team, and of course we
must always make sure
to be politically correct. But what about us? What about our Neshamas? What about
our true inner selves???
So thank G-D we have Seder night, a time to get a grip on ourselves and put some
order in our lives. And we start with Kadesh.
We take the first step and proclaim: KADESH!!! Hashem I want to be holy!!! I’m so
sick of the fake and meaningless life I’ve been living, of running after this and
after that, I want to get my life in order… I yearn so much for some real true sweetness…
I want to find out what I’m all about… what’s the deal with my Neshama??? Could
you help me out G-D and give me a head start? Give me a little taste tonight of
some Kedusha??? Something that will last as least as long as energizer batteries
and keep me going for a while…
Then we have Urchatz: washing, rinsing. I have to try to clean myself and get rid
of all of my previous
principles and priorities, wash away all the “filth” that’s
covering my Neshama, all the worldly grime that’s keeping my inner self from shining
through…
Third in line is Karpas: I first start to think about, consider and internalize
how little things in life can be and should be enjoyable as well. I don’t need to
watch Avatar in 3D in order to enjoy life, I don’t need to only wear clothes from
Banana Republic in order to enjoy life, and I don’t need to eat Nigiri inside-out
yellowtail sushi three times a day in order to enjoy life.
I can enjoy a tiny (and Nebach looking) piece of celery/potato/parsley/radish dipped
in some saltwater, smack my lips, and proclaim, “Wow! Yum! Life is good! Thank you
G-D for all the blessings, and all the small hidden pleasures you have given me…”
And the Seder goes on…
This year, may we all be blessed to not only appreciate the matza-balls and family,
but also to be blessed to make the most of this special night and put some Seder
in our lives.
Happy Pesach!!!
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