Rabbi’s Message Pesach 5771

In the moving portion of the Hagaddah called “V’Hi She’Amdah”, we raise our wine cups and recite “Ela Shebchol Dor Vador, Omdim Aleinu L’Chaloseinu.” “In every generation there are those who rise up to destroy us.” We usually sing this paragraph to a rather upbeat tune. (Perhaps this is because we sense we are getting closer to eating).

I have often wondered why we sing almost triumphantly about our persecution. Is this something we should raise our glasses to? Would it not be better to perhaps recite this quietly in an undertone?

Furthermore, there are those who write that the reason we use red wine specifically at the Seder is to commemorate Jewish blood that was spilled by Pharaoh in Egypt! If so, then raising our glasses of “Blood” to cheer anti-Semitism would be downright creepy!

In actuality, we can never be too comfortable and secure in our alleged peaceful surroundings, for in reality, there exists in every generation those who seek to destroy us. If you think this is untrue, then you should ask the twelve year old Tamar Fogel what kind of Pesach she will have this year now that she is the oldest surviving member of her family after her parents and siblings were brutally murdered and slaughtered after a lovely Shabbos meal a few weeks ago. All they did was celebrate being Jewish on the holy Shabbos in our Holy Land teaching our Holy Torah to fellow Jews! If you think we are impervious to anti-Semitism then you need a wake-up call!

This alarm rings on the eve of the Seder. We raise our glasses and remember all the Jewish blood that has been spilled since Egypt, Europe, Israel and every other place we have been. We sing triumphantly not at the horror or the persecution, but at the fact that even so, despite all the horror and persecution, we still commit to observe the commandments and Mitzvot of Hashem. We dare never ever forget those who have paid the utmost price for being Jewish, yet we also celebrate the fact that we have the privilege of being able to live our lives as Jews in a proud and open fashion.

“Vehakadosh Baruch Hu Matzileinu Miyadam!”

Sarah, Rachelli, Eliana, Gila, Yocheved and Adina join me in wishing you all a Chag kasher V’Sameach. May we all merit to have the privilege of living as proud Jews.

Rabbi Klibanoff