Pesach - The Value of Freedom

In the days of ancient Israel, the Passover (or the feast of unleavened bread) was created on one of the most significant nights in the history of the Israelites. It was the same night that the tenth of the ten plagues visited the land of Egypt, and the night that sparked the freedom of God’s people.

The origin story of Pesach is one that starts with God’s instructions on how the Israelites are to avoid the tenth plague. Before then, the Lord had decided to kill every first-born in the land of Egypt. However, to protect His people, God instructed the Israelites to smear the doors of their homes with the blood of the first lamb offered to God as a sacrifice. In addition, the Israelites were told to feast that night on unleavened bread, and thus was born the feast of unleavened bread. This feast was only made a holy day during one of the teachings at Mount Sinai.

Going back to the story, the night of the tenth plague, the angel sent to kill every first-born passes over the door of every Israelite who followed God’s instructions. After the death of Pharaoh’s firstborn and that of many other Egyptians, he finally lets the Israelites leave. It’s a story that signifies the value of freedom as well as God’s protection. From being saved from death to their release, God continues to look after the Israelites. At the red sea, after Pharaoh decides to pursue the Israelites, God once again intervenes and creates a safe path for them to walk on across the sea. Then, the Israelites watch as Pharaoh and his army are destroyed once God commands Moses to strike his rod and close the seas.

Pesach is essentially a remembrance of God’s intervention in the lives of Israelites. It’s a feast where only unleavened meal is included in the Seder, and it’s also a feast where holy readings, songs, and psalms are taken to  help the Jews reflect deeply on the true meaning of the celebration. But most importantly, Pesach is the time to celebrate the freedom of the Israelites and the history that sustained the existence of the Jewish community. The feast of unleavened bread also serves as a history lesson to understand God and divine morality.

Pesach and the story of the Passover is used to symbolize the journey from slavery to freedom, physically or mentally. Regardless of the time and individual, Christians have at some point found themselves slaves to various vices and situations. Those situations seem dire and hard to come out of, but God’s intervention is truly the only way to overcome those chains. In essence, Pesach emphasizes the value of freedom, but it also signifies how that freedom is unattainable without the help of God.

Pesach is a time of festivities. A time of limited work and increased communal relations. It’s a time for families to gather together, dine together, and reflect on their spirituality together. The story of the Passover shows that the Jewish community can only grow when they act together under the guide of the Almighty, as the Israelites did in Egypt. In the end, Pesach is a tale of freedom, community, and God’s guidance. In the days of ancient Israel, the Passover (or the feast of unleavened bread) was created on one of the most significant nights in the history of the Israelites. It was the same night that the tenth of the ten plagues visited the land of Egypt, and the night that sparked the freedom of God’s people.

The origin story of Pesach is one that starts with God’s instructions on how the Israelites are to avoid the tenth plague. Before then, the Lord had decided to kill every first-born in the land of Egypt. However, to protect His people, God instructed the Israelites to smear the doors of their homes with the blood of the first lamb offered to God as a sacrifice. In addition, the Israelites were told to feast that night on unleavened bread, and thus was born the feast of unleavened bread. This feast was only made a holy day during one of the teachings at Mount Sinai.

Going back to the story, the night of the tenth plague, the angel sent to kill every first-born passes over the door of every Israelite who followed God’s instructions. After the death of Pharaoh’s firstborn and that of many other Egyptians, he finally lets the Israelites leave. It’s a story that signifies the value of freedom as well as God’s protection. From being saved from death to their release, God continues to look after the Israelites. At the red sea, after Pharaoh decides to pursue the Israelites, God once again intervenes and creates a safe path for them to walk on across the sea. Then, the Israelites watch as Pharaoh and his army are destroyed once God commands Moses to strike his rod and close the seas.

Pesach is essentially a remembrance of God’s intervention in the lives of Israelites. It’s a feast where only unleavened meal is included in the Seder, and it’s also a feast where holy readings, songs, and psalms are taken to  help the Jews reflect deeply on the true meaning of the celebration. But most importantly, Pesach is the time to celebrate the freedom of the Israelites and the history that sustained the existence of the Jewish community. The feast of unleavened bread also serves as a history lesson to understand God and divine morality.

Pesach and the story of the Passover is used to symbolize the journey from slavery to freedom, physically or mentally. Regardless of the time and individual, Christians have at some point found themselves slaves to various vices and situations. Those situations seem dire and hard to come out of, but God’s intervention is truly the only way to overcome those chains. In essence, Pesach emphasizes the value of freedom, but it also signifies how that freedom is unattainable without the help of God.

Pesach is a time of festivities. A time of limited work and increased communal relations. It’s a time for families to gather together, dine together, and reflect on their spirituality together. The story of the Passover shows that the Jewish community can only grow when they act together under the guide of the Almighty, as the Israelites did in Egypt. In the end, Pesach is a tale of freedom, community, and God’s guidance. 

Wishing you a wonderful and sacred day!

See you in the next update,

Tohar Liani