Scholars have long wondered why Jews who number less than one quarter of one percent of the world – as Milton Himmelfarb memorably put it, "The total population of the Jewish people is less than a statistical error in the annual birth rate of the Chinese people” – have had such a profound influence on almost every field of human endeavor.
What accounts for the remarkable fact that in the 20th century, Jews, more than any other minority, have been recipients of the Nobel Prize, with almost one-fifth of all Nobel laureates being Jewish?
Perhaps it all goes back to the very beginning of the birth of our people and the Passover holiday that we will shortly be celebrating.
Passover conveys five major concepts that became our mantras for how to lead successful and productive lives. They are the five most important things to know about Passover, and to incorporate into every day of the rest of the year. Because we’ve absorbed them into our national psyche for the thousands of years since the Exodus, we’ve been privileged to fulfill in great measure our prophetically mandated role to become a light unto the nations.
They are our greatest contributions to the world and can be summarized in five words: memory, optimism, faith, family, and responsibility.
The Importance of Memory
The Irish Catholic writer Thomas Cahill was so overwhelmed by how the Jewish people literally transformed the world that he authored what proved to become an international bestseller, The Gifts of the Jews. One of the major gifts he credits to Jewish genius is the invention of the idea of history.
"Remember that you were strangers in the land of Egypt." "Remember that the Lord took you out of the bondage of slavery." Remember is a biblical mandate that had never seemed important to anyone else before the Jewish people came on the scene. It was the Passover story that initiated a commitment to memory.
Henry Ford was famous for his belief that "history is bunk." The Ford motor company is also famous for producing the Edsel. And both were probably equally stupid blunders. History is the only way we can learn from the past. History allows us to grow by standing on the shoulders of giants. Make a mistake once, and you’re human. Never learn from what happened before, and you’re brainless. That's why it's so important to heed the famous words of George Santayana that "Those who do not learn from the past are condemned to repeat it."
Memory links our past to our future. It turns history into destiny.
We know how horrible it can be to live without a personal memory of events that preceded. For an individual we have a name for it that fills us with terror: Alzheimer's. It is a disease we fear perhaps even more than death because it leaves us living corpses. Strangely enough, we don't have a similar word for the condition that describes ignorance of our collective past. Knowing what came before is almost as important in an historic sense as it is in a personal one. Only by being aware of our past as a people can our lives become filled with purpose and meaning.
Memory links our past to our future. It turns history into destiny. Learning to treasure it was the first step in our climb up the ladder of greatness.
The Importance of Optimism
To study the Passover story in depth is to recognize that the most difficult task Moses had to perform was not to get the Jews out of Egypt, but to get Egypt out of the Jews. They had become so habituated to their status as slaves, they lost all hope that they could ever improve their lot.
Without hope they would have been lost.
The true miracle of Passover and its relevance for the ages is the message that with God’s help, no difficulty is insurmountable. A tyrant like Pharaoh could be overthrown. A nation as powerful as Egypt could be defeated. Slaves could become freemen. The oppressed could break the shackles of their captivity. Anything is possible, if only we dare to dream the impossible dream.
In the story of America's Great Seal, a particularly relevant chapter is the imagery suggested by Benjamin Franklin in August 1776. He chose the dramatic scene described in Exodus, where people confronted a tyrant in order to gain their freedom.
"Pharaoh sitting in an open Chariot, a Crown on his head and a Sword in his hand, passing through the divided Waters of the Red Sea in Pursuit of the Israelites: Rays from a Pillar of Fire in the Cloud, expressive of the Divine Presence and Command, beaming on Moses who stands on the shore and extending his hand over the Sea causes it to overwhelm Pharaoh."
The motto he suggested, words based on the Passover story, inspired George Washington and the founding fathers of the American colonies to rebel against their British oppressors: “Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God."
It was the biblical record of the Exodus that enabled the spirit of optimism to prevail for the followers of Martin Luther King in their quest for equal rights, because they were stirred by the vision of Moses leading his people to the Promised Land. It was the hope engendered by recalling how God redeemed our ancestors that allowed even Jews incarcerated in Auschwitz to furtively celebrate the Festival of Freedom and believe in the possibility of their own liberation.
That optimistic spirit, based on our own miraculous history, is the second great gift we have given to mankind and defines our identity.
The Importance of Faith
A pessimist, it's been said, is someone who has no invisible means of support.
Jewish optimism is rooted in a contrary notion, a firmly held belief that we are blessed with support from above by a caring God. And that faith in a personal God gives us faith in ourselves, in our future and in our ability to help change the world
The God of Sinai didn't say "I am the Lord your God who created the heavens and the earth." Instead, he announced, "I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage." The God of creation could theoretically have forsaken the world once he completed his task. The God of the Exodus made clear He is constantly involved in our history and has a commitment to our survival.
The Passover story conveys that history is not happenstance. It follows a Divine master plan.
Thomas Cahill credits the Jews not only for monotheism but for this additional groundbreaking idea of a Divine being with Whom we share a personal relationship. This, he points out, is key to Western civilization’s concept of personal accountability, conscience and culpability for ourselves and the rest of the world.
The Passover story conveys that history is not happenstance. It follows a Divine master plan. It has a predestined order. “Order” in Hebrew is “Seder” – and that is why the major ritual of Passover is identified by that name. Coincidence is not a Jewish concept. Coincidence is just God's way of choosing to remain anonymous.
Faith gives us the certainty that whatever our present-day problems, history moves in the direction of the final messianic redemption. That is what has always motivated us to believe in progress and to participate in tikkun olam, efforts to improve the world.
The Importance of Family
Passover taught us yet another major truth: the way to perfect the world is to begin with our own families.
God built his nation by commanding not a collective gathering of hundreds of thousands in a public square but by asking Jews to turn their homes into places of family worship at a Seder devoted primarily to answering the questions of children.
It seems all too obvious. Children are our future. They are the ones who most require our attention. The home is where we first form our identities and discover our values.
More even than the synagogue, it is in our homes that we sow the seeds of the future and ensure our continuity. No wonder then that commentators point out the very first letter of the Torah is a bet, the letter whose meaning is house. All of the Torah follows only after we understand the primacy of family.
The world may mock Jewish parents for their over-protectiveness and their child-centered way of life, but they are the ones chiefly responsible for the extraordinary achievements of their progeny.
At the Seder table, the children are encouraged to be the stars and their questions are treated with respect. And that is the first step to developing Jewish genius.
The Importance of Responsibility to Others
One serious question begs to be asked as we celebrate our Divine deliverance from the slavery of Egypt. We thank God for getting us out, but why did God allow us to become victims of such terrible mistreatment in the first place?
A remarkable answer becomes evident in numerous Torah texts. We were slaves in Egypt – and so we have to have empathy for the downtrodden in every generation. We were slaves in Egypt – and so we have to be concerned with the rights of the strangers, the homeless and the impoverished. We experienced oppression – and so we must understand more than anyone else the pain of the oppressed.
The tragedy of our encounter with injustice was in no small measure meant to prepare us to serve throughout all future generations as spokesman for those with whose pain we can personally identify.
The purpose of our suffering was to turn us into a people committed to righting the wrongs of the world, to become partners with God in making the world worthy of final redemption.
We begin the Seder by inviting the hungry and the homeless to join with us. We conclude the Seder by opening the door for Elijah. It is our acceptance of responsibility to others that is the key to hastening the arrival of Messiah.
From earliest childhood every Jew identifies with these five powerful ideas that are at the heart of Passover and its message. And precisely because memory, optimism, faith, family and responsibility have become such vital characteristics of our people, we have been able to achieve far beyond what anyone might have considered possible.
(28) Catherine, April 11, 2020 12:35 PM
Interesting!
Thank you for this article. I find it so interesting and appreciated it very much. I am a Christian who has read the Bible numerous times so know the Old Testament stories pretty well which helped me gain more meaning from this. I am glad the Jewish people are so positively influential and don’t understand how there can be animosity between Jews and Christians. I see us as “cousins”.
(27) roslyn blumberg, April 9, 2019 3:51 PM
gut gezugt
well said
(26) Anonymous, March 27, 2018 8:08 PM
one small but important change
i enjoyed this commentary. it is really well written. I would like to point out that the only insensitive piece is when the author refers to an alzheimer's patient as a living corpse. While I understand the point that we have a name for someone without memories, and not one for someone without history, the analogy needs to be rethought or at least the declaration that an alzheimer's patient is like a corpse. My late stage alzheimer's father will sit with us at the seder table, he cannot speak and his memories are gone. he wears a diaper, and thankfully still enjoys eating food and being in the company of his family. I don't consider him a corpse. despite all that he has lost, he is very much alive and we honor his life and include him in our lives. So many people have or will have the disease and these people deserve honor, respect and dignity. Where there is life, there is holiness.
(25) Rebecca, August 20, 2017 4:43 PM
Brilliant ?
(24) Graciela Marth, April 13, 2017 10:11 PM
Delighted to have connected with Aish.
(23) Dorothy, April 9, 2017 5:26 AM
Our education in 2017
Surely we do have a similar word for the condition that describes ignorance of our collective past - it is called the present day education system.
(22) Stephen, April 7, 2017 7:35 PM
Uplifting and. Refreshed my memory!
Grateful. Thank you
(21) Anonymous, April 1, 2017 12:23 AM
This is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
(20) vicki jo kirschweng, December 6, 2015 1:38 PM
memory optimism faith family responsibility
This was a very good read with good information.
Not Meshugena, April 12, 2017 5:54 PM
Help the downtrodden, but be sensible
I agree that it is of much importance to liberate, to give freedom to as many as possible. But I do not believe possible terrorists ought to be allowed into this country, and I do not believe perverse people, who commit unnatural acts, and who refer to married people who have children as "breeders," should be given the freedom to destroy the nuclear family.
(19) Doranqua Girebit, July 17, 2015 8:14 AM
good
too helpful
(18) Orli Corey, March 19, 2015 3:02 AM
Wandering Jew
Fourteen years ago I learned I was a Jew. Oh, how I would have loved to be nurtured in an observant Jewish family. What a delight to have known the delight of Shabbat and the Holy Days and to have shared them with my five children when they were young. If you know these things, be thankful and enjoy every moment!
(17) Anonymous, March 17, 2015 1:20 PM
Great article. So proud to be a Jew! Thanks for posting this!
(16) Francis Edem, March 21, 2013 11:40 AM
Great inspiring lecture
May God bless you richly.
(15) Gabriel Obioma Ejiogu, February 6, 2013 7:12 AM
Insightful Teaching
An inspiring lesson indeed! It calls for a sober reflection. Hope I'm free to plagerize?
(14) Chaya, April 10, 2012 12:15 PM
Thank you Rabbi Blech
There is always something to be learned and Rabbi Blech's comments were not only insightful but exciting. The reason the Almighty chose the words "I...brought you out of Egypt" as compared with what He might well have claimed "...who created heaven and earth" have left my head spinning as I resort my thinking--something I hope to be doing for a very long time. Also, the idea that giving our children such an important part of the Seder and encouraging them to ask questions seemed no more than "just the way it is done". It never occurred to me that this might play a significant part in their developing into such outstanding men and women. Now I know why that so often repeated saying "Children should be seen an not heard" always made me so uncomfortable.
(13) MARY SPITSNOGLE, April 6, 2012 9:58 PM
Thank you
I embraced these thoughts and used as meditation to prepare for Seder. I am not Jewish but treasure the meaning and foundation of Passover
Zareena, March 9, 2015 6:53 PM
It's ok!!!
There is a lot to learn
(12) Ella, April 5, 2012 5:56 PM
Wonderful piece for our children to know
Rabbi Blech writes a wonderful piece for us to include in our traditional Seder.
(11) Mama Bunny, April 5, 2012 2:21 PM
Jew and gentile ... We need one another
Having been to Israel 16 times each visit reminds me of the Miracle of The Jewish People's Existence in 2012. You have taught us much and forever grateful we must be. As one who believes I know G_d has a remarkable surprise in response to this looming stand-off with Iran and we as Gentiles/Americans MUST choose to stand with you and not be silent. May we who believe arise and say why we mystery stand with you ... THE JEWISH PEOPLE AROUND THUS EARTH ... Forever no natter our own circumstances. May G_d see us faithful to you forever. Amen!!!
(10) Anonymous, April 5, 2012 7:53 AM
wonderfull!
i am not jewish but i love reading your articles. so uplifting! thank you!
(9) Kathy Morton, April 4, 2012 4:58 PM
appreciate you sharing your knowledge
I'm not Jewish, but love this teaching. Am going to share it at our ladies' prayer meeting. This was like water to my parched soul. It has really given me some much needed understanding of what I'm going through-reminded me that God is with me, renewed my hope that God will intervene, validated my feelings for my children & grandchildren & then ultimately put into perspective my burden for oppressed. Thank you-Bless you! I really needed this today.-
(8) Maria, April 3, 2012 8:34 PM
I disagree
You wrote about Altzheimer decease that it makes people living corpses. I find that a very insulting and hurtful expression. My dear mother lives in a nursery home with other Altzheimer patients and I could never call these people corpses . They are in different levels of the decease but they are living people with feelings, senses, sorrows and joys.
Eli Singer, April 4, 2012 8:16 PM
Don't take it litertally
I'm certain that Rabbi Blech did not mean it literally. He was just using the term, albeit an extreme term, to illustrate a valid and important point. Overall, an excellent and masterfully written article. Yasher Koach - Chag Samayach!
laurie, April 4, 2012 8:53 PM
altzhdeimers
I can understand your sensitivity to the phrase "living corpses"...however....poetic license has this phrase bring home the complete erasure of memory - which is the end result of this devastating illness. At the point where an individual doesn't recognize loved ones, cannot recall how to converse, is unable to remember AD, and most action is without forethought ... realistically - there are any number of people who fear being in this condition and do refer to it as a living death, as a living corpse, and other tags that suggests the devastating affects are simply too devastating to even have a desirable tag. I am saddened to learn of your mother's condition - and wish you both great strength and peace.
Sharon, April 5, 2012 7:09 AM
it's often an apt description
My own mother who has suffered from Alzheimers for several years has recently deteriorated and suffers great emotional pain from her extreme disorientation. It is a very cruel disease and at its advanced stages it is surely worse than death. I have also witnessed my father's Alzheimer's and while he did not express emotional distress, I saw him turned into a skeleton of his former self and I would say that a living corpse aptly described him toward his end, may his memory be blessed.
(7) Larry Levin, April 3, 2012 3:41 AM
A wonderful interpretive essay.
Rabbi, this is by far the best expressed (simple, concise but comprehensive and SO POWERFUL...EVERYDAY.
Elisheva, April 3, 2012 4:05 PM
Toda Rabbi! Hope you are all ready for Passover :)
(6) Jennifer, April 2, 2012 6:37 PM
Profound and Enlightening.
Thank You! Yom Tov
(5) Dov D'Israel, April 2, 2012 3:47 AM
Dear Reb Blech, deepest thanks for this essay, The interpretation of Seder - "order" has for me, placed a lot of queries in perspective. Yom Tov to all
(4) ruth housman, April 2, 2012 12:12 AM
the cosmic dimensions of suffering
In French the word soufrir has the echo of ofrir within, which is, to offer. As in despoir, despair, there is this sense of espoir, within or hope. And we do know that HOPE was at the bottom of the miseries that emerged from the story of Pandora's Box. We live in a world filled with suffering, and the Buddhists say, "Get used to it. Suffering is part of life." As for the Jewish take on suffering, certainly we have suffered, and we can go down the long years of be longing for something more, to read about the pogroms, the Inquisition, the Holocaust and beyond, and it would be a very "hollow cost" to think all of this, for no reason other than it was, it simply was, and we, a peoples survived, against all odds. But there is "OD" too, in the word GOD, and I do deeply believe we were all written into a profound cosmic story that will become emergent, and that everything to do with words, and having words, and everything to do with the "letters", the sacred alphabets of the world, and I "BET" this knowledge will become extant, and open, like the slow unfolding of the rose, because this is about ascent, up a ladder of tikkun, in the healing of the broken parts, the repair of the world, and this is where we find meaning. Without suffering we would have no healing, and no phoenix arising from the ashes. We have learned to need each other and to "knead" each other, and as Challah is our gold braid, so it is, a profound weave, and there is a story that will go around the world, so that we can all hold hands together and work for peace. A lasting, universal peace. For we are, at the "core", ONE, and we are re creating the sacred fire though dialogue and conflict, that must resolve, in LOVE itself.
(3) Felicia, April 1, 2012 10:14 PM
I am so excited I am learning, I can inhale and exhale so much better. Thank You :)
(2) drbill, April 1, 2012 9:25 PM
There is a word
Rabbi Blech wrote that we don't have a word for the condition that describes ignorance of our collective past. Yes we do. There are two words: Rootlessness and anomie. Both describe the very disconnection that is among the paramount of his concerns.
(1) Raphaelle Do Lern Hwei, April 1, 2012 3:36 PM
True Freedom
It is true that it is harder to get Egypt out of a person. Slavery to self-centredness, possessions instead of principles can be dangerous.