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Jewish Times Asia March 2013
Passover
T
Skipping over regular order of things
h e H e b re w n a m e for the festival o f P a s s o v e r, Pesach, comes from the Hebrew root ‘PSH’ which means to skip over, to pass over. This name appears in the Torah in the context of the Ten Plagues, in which God skipped over the homes of the Israelites while the rest of Egypt suffered. However, on a deeper, more fundamental level, the entire festival of Passover is based on this idea of passing or skipping over the regular order of things.
The redemption of the Israelites from Egypt was not a gradual, evolutionary process but rather a leap from one state of things to another, seemingly unconnected, state. It was a transition, not just from slavery to freedom in the practical, political sphere. Mainly it was a spiritual transition, from external and internal oppression to redemption. Thus the redemption from Egypt was a leap over an extended, orderly and consistent historical course into a new, different
and better state of things, into a much higher level of existence. Beyond the forced labor that the Israelites were required to do for the Egyptian rulers, this oppression had a much deeper and significant effect on their lives: they were also slaves in their personality and worldview. Furthermore, the sons of Jacob and their families surely had a spiritual and religious tradition of their own, but it was not organised in any kind of religious structure. During the years of oppression the tradition was forgotten. Possibly, the Israelites in Egypt did retain some elements of their past, but on the whole they became more and more assimilated into the Egyptian atmosphere and culture. Therefore the exodus from Egypt required a very profound change of the entire human and social makeup of the Jewish people. For a person born into slavery whose entire life was spent obeying other people’s orders, the transition into a state of freedom called for a thoroughgoing personality change. So
During the 8-days of Pesach we eat symbolic food such as Matzah, which is unleavened bread, made simply from flour and water and cooked very quickly. This is the bread that the Jews made for their flight from Egypt.
much more so for an entire nation that identified with the lowest levels of Egyptian culture, and had to detach itself completely from that culture, while acquiring a new set of totally foreign concepts that required an infinitely higher degree of abstraction. All of the Israelites’ blunders and failures during their wanderings in the desert are therefore totally understandable. The greatest wonder is that despite these personal, social and cultural impediments, this broken, naked nation succeeded in transforming into a new na-
tional entity and in taking a new path. The prophet Ezekiel expresses this in his poetic style, as follows (Ezekiel 16:6-7): “I passed by you, and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said unto you: In your blood, live; yea, I said unto you: In your blood, live … yet you were naked and bare.” Over and above all the miracles of the Exodus that occurred in the sky, on earth and in the water, the most profound miracle of all is the fact that Jewish people could indeed come out of Egypt and become a nation.
Today we, too, expect miracles to happen to us, as it says (Micah 7:15): “As in the days of your coming forth out of the land of Egypt will I show unto him marvelous things.” But beyond the expectations, pleas and prayers there is a great lesson here for every individual in every generation: everyone can “pass over,” make a leap. Not only slow, painful and indecisive changes are possible; we all also have an inborn ability to make quantum jumps. People can decide to make transitions that are not gradual but rather revolutionary, into a different kind of existence. This message of Passover not only teaches us that such a jump is possible, but also stimulates us to make that jump, and promises us that we will indeed, in actual fact, be able to leap over the multitude of small and big obstacles on our path and reach a better, more perfect state of things, both physically and spiritually. With best Wishes for a Happy and Kosher Pesach 5773 Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz
Maccabi World Union (HK Chapter) Ltd. Hong Kong – Macau - China
Hon. Chairman
Hon. Judge Michael Hartmann
Chairman
Rafael Aharoni
Vice-chairman & Treasurer Jeremy Levy
Vice-chairman Yariv Yaakobi
Secretary
Dr. Naomi Rodrig
Board of Directors Rafael Aharoni Yair Berrebi Gil Inbar Kobi Itzchaki Yaron Gil Lamy Jeremy Levy Dr. Naomi Rodrig Erez Weiss Yariv Yaakobi
Supporters
Dr. Judith Diestel Edwin Epstein Rabbi Shimon Freundlich - Beijing Yaron Geiger Dan Hoffmann Michel Jospe Moty Kafry Isaac Kamhin Eitan Livne Mark C. Michelson Daniel Moldovan Robert L. Meyer Avraham Nagar Elan Oved – Shanghai Bernie Pomeranc - Shengzhen Caterina Rajchenberg Shay Razon Andre Rofe Joe Teichmann
Two years ago, we celebrated the 18th World Maccabiah Games *World’s 3rd Largest International Sports Event* The Maccabi spirit is working wonders all over the Jewish world. MWU has enjoyed a year of excellent mass events infused with Jewish and Zionist motivation, all working towards the Maccabi answer to the difficult times that we live in. Six years ago, the 17th Maccabiah Games took place on 11th July 2005 in Israel was absolute success, especially when China, Hong Kong and Macedonia participated in the games for the first time since 1932. We, Hong Kong brought some medals back. With 8,500 athletes competing, including 5,000 from abroad, the Maccabiah Games was a celebration of sports and Zionism. Competitors from 55 countries gathered to celebrate solidarity between our people. Today, we are looking forward to the 19th Maccabiah Games in 2013. With the larger team from Hong Kong, Macau, China which will participate in the games. Hope you can all join in July 2013. Please start saving your money for the trip to Israel. I promise you will have the best time of your life. On behalf of the Macabi World Union, Macabi Hong Kong – the Board of Directors and myself, I wish you all a splendid evening. Enjoy yourself and God Bless! Yours truly
Rafael Aharoni Chairman Macabi Hong Kong Thank you. We couldn’t have come this far without you.
Room 712 East Ocean Centre, 98 Granville Road, TST East, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Tel. (852) 23121111 E-mail : rafaelco@netvigator.com Fax. (852) 23116999