Passover's Essential Message

Thank you, Rabbi Salomon, once again for giving us positive reinforcement for our Pesach seders. Chag kosher V'Sameach!

I understand what you are saying Rabbi, you may have freak some people out with it, if they didn't understand. Moses was a servant of G-d. G-d empowered him to not be subjected to Pharoah, to be able to let G-d work through him, and instrument, so the Hebrew people could get out of bondage and set free. He learned this when he was in the wilderness all those years. He received this from G-d. Then he was able to come back to Egypt doing G-d's will, as G-d's servant. After they all left Egypt, Moses continued to be G-d's servant and G-d's mouth piece to the people. We do have free will, so slave can give an image that we do not have a choice. "Come let us reason together" So it can be a two-way conversation. It is just that G-d's plan is much better. Sometimes we are a little slow in seeing it G-d's way. So did Moses, he made excuses, reasoning with G-d that he wasn't gifted in speech to do what G-d had said. Was Moses trying to get out of it? No, he just couldn't see himself doing what G-d was asking him to do, they reasoned together, till Moses was convince G-d was going to be with him, and help him. G-d set them free, to make covenant with them and all the Hebrew people in the future. The saying you can't please everyone so just please yourself. Change the yourself to G-d. That is what it means to not be subject to man, but to be subject to G-d.

The word "Freedom" has been ingrained within those of us who live in the "free world" as a right to make our own choices. Prominent among these is Freedom of Religion. How do we as Jews reconcile freedom and servitude? Most of the Jews I know express their religious freedom by not keeping kosher, by not regularly attending services, by not dressing modestly. They would disagree with you message because of the disruption, inconvenience and expense this servitude would entail. I hope that when we all sit at our Passover seder meals, eat the traditional foods, drink the wine and enjoy this Festival, that we remember the how blessed we are to be Jews and how important it is to carry Judaism into future generations. I cannot imagine that all Jews will heed your message that we are now free to be servants of Hashem. I can only pray that it will be so.