An Empty Chair
In the early seventies, the Jewish Federation of North America decided to launch a campaign. They sought to institute that at every seder table there should be an empty chair to bring into the Jewish consciousness the awareness that - if not for the holocaust and the loss of our 6 million - there would have been another Jew sitting in that seat.
Recognizing the power of the Chabad movement worldwide, the leaders of the federation came to see the Rebbe in Brooklyn with a request. They asked him to please have his emissaries around the world spread the idea of the empty chair, so that this custom will become established the world over.
The Rebbe’s answer stunned the leaders of the federation: "Your idea of adding a chair is very important, and I’m ready to join the call. But, there is one condition…the extra chair should not be empty, but filled."
The Nazis endeavored to have fewer Jews at the seder table. The antidote to the Nazis will be to launch a call to the Jewish people today to add a chair to their table and to fill it with a Jew, who - if not for this invitation - would not have celebrated the Seder night.
Today is the Rebbe’s 109th birthday (born on this day in 1902). The Rebbe dedicated his life to "filling seder tables with Jews". He would often talk about the infamous "four sons" who join us on the seder night and would point out all four – even the wicked one – shows up at the seder. Today, we have a fifth son. The child who doesn’t show up at the seder. And it is our mission to spend the next few days reaching out to our Jewish friends, neighbors, and co-workers, and inviting them to join us and celebrate being Jewish.
As we prepare to enter this preparatory Shabbat, leading us towards the liberation of Passover, I want to wish you a most meaningful and joyous holiday. May we merit to be liberated from our inner Egypts - our bad habits and misplaced desires. And may we tap into our G‑dly spark that seeks to soar free and express itself through the Torah and mitzvahs.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Raleigh Resnick
PS Our seder table is open to all. Please let us know if you or someone you know would like to join us.
