Are you free yet?

Each year the Passover Seder brings new insights and inspiration. (One of the perks of leading a communal or group Seder :-)).

This year I heard a beautiful insight that really resonated with me.

At the point in the Seder when we make the blessing on the Matzah we hold the top of the three Matzahs and the broken middle Matzah. The Matzah we eat at this point in the Seder is the Matzah of liberation; for there wasn’t enough time for the dough to rise when our ancestor left Egypt. (As opposed to the Matzah we mention earlier in the Seder which commemorate “the bread of affliction” which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt.

At this point in the Seder we have concluded telling the story, we are ready to leave Egypt and we are not ready to experience Liberation. It is at this point that we must take the brokenness within each of us and incorporate that into our liberation. If we try to break free of the things that hold us back from living our true selves but we discard the brokenness within we are not truly free. Freedom requires an embrace of our unique brokenness because it is truly who we are. To be liberated without our brokenness is to deny a part of ourselves. Without that part of ourselves we have not been liberated.

Does this resonate with you?

The fascinating part is that this is a function of exile. TRUE liberation incorporates full healing from our brokenness. However this is a function of the Messianic Era, not something we are capable of at this time.

I’d like to invite you to join me on the last day of Pesach at 7:00 for Moshiach Seudah to learn more about the depth of the journey out of Egypt.

Have a great Shabbos!

Enjoying what
you've read?

Here's more.

May 5, 2020

The Upside of Corona

Rabbi Schusterman

My father in law tells the tale of two children, one who is placed in a room filled with toys the other...

September 12, 2019

Be The Change You Want To See

Rabbi Schusterman

Rape, pillage, murder, these are the things of war.  Men acting badly in the pursuit of their passions.  ...

October 13, 2021

“AND” Thinking

Rabbi Schusterman

One of the challenges of our time is “either or” thinking.  It shows up in people’s...