Video: Passover & the Jewish Mission

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Published: April 9, 2011

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Visitor Comments: 12

(9) Beverly Kurtin, April 21, 2011 3:35 PM

Nu?

Okay, people say that we're so smart, nu? What have we been told all of our lives? Read the fine print before agreeing to anything! So what did our ancestors do? Hashem said, "I have this Torah with a bunch of commandments." And they said, "Sure, we'll take it." WE DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THE FINE PRINT! For better or for worse, they didn't blink an eye before saying "Yes!" People get bent our of shape because we are called the Chosen People. Who said that? G-d, not us. He blesses those who bless us and curses those who curse us. Why? We're no better or worse than anyone else...but we accepted the Torah without question. So who chose whom? Or is that whom chose who? I'm not an English major, so sue me...you'll get bupkas, but sue me anyway. We Jews did share Torah and many turned it into mush, and others said, "Forget about it." Well, that's what they said in New Jersey. Nowadays we don't too much about Torah to non-Jews. All they have to do is keep seven commandments, the Noahide Laws. We've got a whole lot more but unless you live in the land of Israel or are not a farmer, there are many commandments we don't have to keep. To me the best way to share Torah is to live it in such a way that people will notice that we are different in what we do and how we do it.

(8) Daniel, April 13, 2011 7:55 PM

Thank you!

Wonderful video. I was looking for inspiration for the shiur I'm giving tonight, and I think I found it. SheTiski laMitzves for helping me try to kindle neshamas in countryside Argentina!

(7) Paul ~ Santa Rosa Ca., April 13, 2011 6:43 PM

A wonderful Passover !!

Dear Lori, Wishing you & everyone a wonderful Passover. Thank you Lori for these inspiring videos.

(6) Antonio Perez, April 12, 2011 4:37 PM

Lori, thank you.

That is so true what you said. There are many Jews who over the hundreds and thousands of years have taught the world, society, the values found in the Torah. There are so many examples of the Torah/Jewish influence, the more I see this the more I am amazed. How empty life would be without this influence. We should be a Torah influence in our world today.

(5) Anonymous, April 12, 2011 2:31 PM

But if ....

My question is why would we have to share the Torah if it is, as I have heard it said, not for the Nations ? Why would they need to know something that is not for them ? I really want to understand this so even if you don't post this could you please write to me and help me understand this . Thank You. iris

Daniel, April 13, 2011 7:52 PM

Excellent question!

If I may, the basic idea is the difference of relation between the one the Jews have with the Torah and the one the other nations have with it. The Jewish People has committed itself with 613 commandments, the ethics and moral teachings, the mystical side of reality and so on. There's no end on Torah study. When we say "Light onto the nations", and the responsibility to share, we refer to the 7 commandments and ideally the ethical and moral side of living in this world.

CR, April 26, 2011 10:44 AM

We "share" the Torah by positive example

The study of Torah and living its laws are for Jews, not for the nations of the world. Being a "light unto the nations" does not mean teaching them Torah; it means modeling an ethical life and thereby sanctifying G-d's name, thus inspiring mankind to live an ethical life as per G-d's Will. For nations other than Jews, this means keeping the Seven Noahide laws. If any individual man or woman wants to take upon him/herself the additional responsibility to live a full Jewish life including all 613 mitzvot, he/she can undergo a halachic conversion and become a full-fledged Jew. The Jews were chosen by G-d because they chose to accept this responsibility at the time of the giving of the Torah. Today, Jews by choice undergo the same process individually, not en masse.

(4) smb, April 10, 2011 7:33 PM

Exactly, chosen just means we have a mission to keep the Torah and mitzvos, and by doing so, we spread light and blessing. The nations can also connect to G-d through the noahide laws

(3) TMay, April 10, 2011 6:53 PM

Lies

What does one do. One is the older brother and shows the world how to do things, how to build an economy, how to make inventions and breakthroughs, how to sell things that people want and need and are not built on a pipe dream and then subsidized by big govt and laws forcing citizens to buy products. Does Israel pass laws saying that people have to buy cell phones. No. They built cell phones and people wanted them and bought them, and Israel could not pass laws in the US and the rest of the world forcing people to buy their products and inventions. They show how to devote ones life to positive things like medical cures, how to save lives, not destroy them, how to grow crops, not destroy them, how to deal with a shortage of water, how to run security, how to protect the population from terrorist acts, and then the younger brothers lie about them. The younger brother comes up with new theories applicable only to the good guys and not applicable to the bad guys, like proportionate force in war. Israel has received 45,000 missiles from Gaza, the land they gave back for peace. What is proportl force for 45,000 missiles. Perhaps the only reaction is the answer to the 4 questions. The answer to the evil son is to say This is what God did for me and not for you.. and then go about ones business. The thing about the marking of the doorways in Egypt was that people had to make an in or out decision, to be in the group or out of the group. Similarly when Moses led the people out of Egypt, the people had to make a decision, Go or stay. To sit on the fence in Egypt and try to have it both ways would not have worked in Egypt. As Golda said To be or not to be is not a question of compromise. Either you be or you dont be. A decision has to be made. And it applies to the larger world as well. The good guys are separating themselves from Pharoh and his ilk. In or out. Now is the time to show positive support for Israel and the US. Enough of the downward spiral.

(2) TMay, April 10, 2011 6:42 PM

each yr

Each yr something happens to make Passover meaningful. This yr the Arab world is on fire as people in those countries show how unhappy they are living under tyrants. We could be living under a tyrant, only we got liberated at Passover and started a trip to Israel which got delayed and then we got there and then we lost it and then we regained it and then we lost it and then we regained it. Imagine having Qadafi as leader who is willing to shoot live ammunition at its citizens and use tanks planes and bombs; who when he heard there would be bombing sent crowds of civilians to the targets for maximum casualties, knowing that the West hates civilian casualties. And Syria too. And there is wonderful Israel, and the world maligns it, does not see nor wants to see it. Its enemies appear to be gaining power. The Federations are using our money to have univ students meet terrorists. BDS is hate. Our enemies are willing to lie. We might lose Israel and the Leftist Jews don't even know what they have to lose and only after hurting Israel like Goldstone did and after acting like useful idiots will they grudgingly admit that their perspective was skewed and they left out important facts like the aggression of the other sides and like the fact that Israel does not purposefully try to kill civilians. Israel is the canary in the mine warning the world and America of the approaching danger, and it is like the 1930s with the global response being "don't bother me and I do not want to think about war and I do not want to remember 9 11 when we were going about our business and other people and their hatred caught up with us", and they don't want to hear about the Holocaust either, as if it has no message for them. Israel is the Little Satan to our common enemies, and the US is the Big Satan, and the people of the US realize it, even if Pres Neville Obama does not ITM Greens hurt the economy and play distraction with Global Warming.

Richard, April 12, 2011 4:40 PM

Passover 2011 -

Wonderful article.

(1) Phyllis, April 10, 2011 4:23 PM

Light unto the nations

We have already given Hashem to the nations. Because of the Jews, the Christians have their religion, and the Muslims have theirs.How they interpret what we gave them is beyond our control, no?

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About the Author

Mrs. Lori Palatnik

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Lori Palatnik is a writer and Jewish educator who has appeared on television and radio, and is the author of "Friday Night and Beyond: The Shabbat Experience Step-By-Step," "Remember My Soul - What to do in Memory of a Loved One," and co-author of "Gossip: 10 Pathways to Eliminate It From Your Life and Transform Your Soul." She is a much sought-after international speaker, having lectured in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Central America, South America, South Africa and Israel, including featured talks at Yale, Brown and Penn. She lives in the Washington D.C. area, with her husband, Rabbi Yaakov Palatnik. Lori is the Founder of The Jewish Women's Renaissance Project, an international initiative that brings over 1,000 women to Israel each year from ten different countries on highly subsidized programs to inspire them with the beauty and wisdom of their heritage. She is the busy mother of five children, ages 24 to 14; and her son, Zev, just finished serving as a sharpshooter in the IDF. Her weekly video blog, "Lori Almost Live" is a popular feature on aish.com, viewed by over 50,000 people each month.

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Passover & the Jewish Mission

This Seder recommit to the Jewish People's unique mission.

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