Will the Passover High Last?
So the high of Passover is over, now what?
Now it’s time to get to work (as if Passover cleaning & cooking was a breeze!).
When our ancestors left Egypt you would think that after 210 years of harsh oppression, they should now be allowed to relax a bit before taking on their next challenge. Yet we see that virtually the day after they left Egypt they began to count the days, prepare themselves, and refine their character – to prepare to receive the Torah of Mount Sinai.
This timing teaches us a profound and vital lesson: Even when we are celebrating freedom, we never take our blessings for granted. Every transcendent experience can just as quickly dissipate. As soon as we experience a revelation, an inspiration, an epiphany, we ought to channel it into personal growth and refinement. It is very easy for us to fall into the trap of relying on the crutch of religion when experiencing something special. The most important thing we must always remember – even, or especially, when we are on a high – is that we must integrate the freedom into our personal lives. And that requires hard work.
It’s one thing to be lifted on the Divine “wings of eagles” and be carried by G‑d out of bondage. It’s quite another matter maintaining that freedom in our everyday routines.
So before we land from the Passover high, we – mirroring our ancestors journey - begin to count 49 days (only 39 left now!); focusing our energy on refining ourselves and readying ourselves for the BIG day – the day when we’ll receive the Torah and become one with the divine.
To glean more of an appreciation for this counting and to understand how to properly fulfill this mitzvah, CLICK HERE.
May we make each day count and continue to grow – one mitzvah at a time!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Raleigh Resnick
