Sunday, March 25, 2007

Passover Today... and Tomorrow

- JewishAnswers.org

I understand that the story of Pesach (Passover) is a story of redemption. It is also the ultimate demonstration of HaShem’s (G-d’s) commitment to the patriarchs and their descendants. Please explain the future significance of the Commandment to “keep the feast” from year to year and what it may portend for the future messianic kingdom?

Through celebrating Pesach, we recognize Hashem’s absolute Divine Providence—that He is willing to intervene in history, altering the course of natural events, to save his people. We also reconnect to that special spiritual energy of ‘freedom’—the potential to break free from our bad habits or thoughts or grudges or tunnel vision. The rejuvenation of spring.

As far as the “future significance”, the Talmud does say that the miracles that will surround the coming of Moshiach and the ingathering of Jews to Israel will overshadow even the miracles of our Exodus from Egypt. So perhaps in those days Pesach will include the appreciation of the final redemption as well. About this point I’m not so sure (in what way the final redemption will be commemorated and if that will affect Pesach), since we don’t know the exact details of what life will be like at the end of days. We only know the general concepts.

May Hashem show us those ‘exact details’ soon!

Have a great Pesach,
Shlomo Shulman

JAAM CT

Waterbury, CT