P.R.I.D.E.

Passover has taken the world by storm. Every retailer is getting into the business. Costco and others now sell Shmura Matzah (the handmade round matzah guarded from the time of harvesting from possible moisture – in short the best most kosher Matzah)!

Jews now observe Passover more than any other holiday on the Jewish calendar.

But it wasn’t always that way. The comfort threshold for this Jewish observance has been moved or possibly re-moved. But it isn’t that way necessarily with other Mitzvos and observances. And for good reason.

Doing Jewish in the public space, being comfortable with identifying as being an observant (even if it doesn’t mean all observances) still sets us apart. Telling your boss you need to leave early on Friday to get ready for Shabbos, or telling your business prospect that you have to meet at Starbucks because you do kosher and can’t eat the local restaurant is a statement that we are not necessarily comfortable making.

Indeed this is the greatest dimension of the self sacrifice of our times; to not be bashful, to not be intimidated by those that would scorn and to be proud and public about who we are.

“And the man Moses was the most humble of all men upon the face of the earth”. The Midrash tells us that Moshe was humbled before the self sacrifice of those later generations and their fortitude in the face of the pressure from around them.

Look in the mirror; those later generations is US!

Think about it, Moshe saw you and I and was humbled because he saw us standing proud with our Judaism and Jewishness!

As Pesach approaches, it’s a good time to renew our commitment and relationship with G-d and the Torah, to rise up above those that make it uncomfortable and to realize that Moses is watching and inspired by your actions!

Good Shabbos!