On Passover, we are meant to ask many questions (at least four). Why is this night different from all other nights? What is this stuff on the seder plate? How much do I get if I find the afikomen? When do we eat? We also often ask questions about freedom: How does this story of liberation orient us toward the oppressed? Or what are we free from in our contemporary lives? These questions are indeed meaningful, but I think this year calls us to reframe our perspective.
The story of the Exodus is often presented as a freedom “from”… freedom from Egyptian bondage, from idolatry, and from a strange land. This is not an inaccurate representation of the outcome; however, it reduces our identity to one based on what we do not and what we are not. Rather, we must think of the Exodus as a freedom “to.” With this mindset, our identity transforms into one based on what we do and what we are.
So what are we free to do? What are we free to be?
When our ancient ancestors went free from Egypt, they were free to worship our One God. They were free to learn Torah. They were free to live as tribes united in one peoplehood. They were free to challenge their leaders and question their lived experience. They were free to journey to the Promised Land. They were free to flourish and become the nation to which each of us belongs!
We have these same freedoms… and it’s past time for us to seize them! We are free to be Jews in the world, to pray and to act and to remember and to guard. We are free to take the lessons of past generations and teach them to future generations. We are free to determine our own destiny.
On this Passover, let us take hold of our freedom and own our past and future. Even in the challenging world of today, we can emulate our ancestors and march forward as one nation. There are so many questions on Passover. Let us start with freedom. What will you do with yours?