Walking the Walk, Not Just Talking the Talk

Jacqueline Lehrer
University of Ontario

The roller coaster continues. Some months, the KOACH on Campus theme leaves me so many possibilities. Other months it does not. I remember being at the KOACH Kallah and telling people how excited I was for this month. "My Favorite Jewish Ritual" leaves me with the happy challenge of deciding which ritual I would like to explore. The problem is just narrowing the focus.

This task is surprisingly difficult, especially since I have been observant my entire life. As a night person, I think back on the hagim (holidays) with an all night activity component. Only a few years ago did I find the appropriate sleeping bag and pajama combination to sleep all night in the sukkah.

Let me explain: I am from Montreal and have seen snow in my sukkah. Only once did I understand the view of Ibn Ezra who believed the timing of Sukkot is due to the fact that summer is too hot for camping. This view is contrasted by Rashi, coming from France, who explained that faith is exuded when the weather is colder.

Finally, this month we have Pesah. Although I have been attending sedarim my whole life, it was not until recently that my family has made it an all night activity. At February’s KOACH Kallah, KOACH Director Rich Moline’s session on the haggadah explained the importance of leaving the narrowness of Egypt. He pointed out that the word tzar (narrow) found in the phrase kol haolam kulo, gesher tzar m’od (The whole world is a very narrow bridge.) is also found in the Hebrew word for Egypt, Mitzrayim.

Although the seder is a ritual in itself, for this d’var Torah I’d like to briefly tell you of one of the minhagim (customs) that make my family’s seder a little bit longer. Maybe you’ll want to add it to your seder as well. (Or, better yet, come to mine in Montreal.) When Shfokh Hamatkha is said, people normally get up and open the door for Elijah the Prophet. In most houses, people then return to their seats and continue on with the seder. In my house, at this point we go on a little walk. The reasoning is that one should not sit idly by waiting for things of this magnitude to happen. Rather one should actively search for the Messiah. Why then must we wait for the month of Nisan?

The last Torah portion we read before Passover is Kedoshim. It has been my favorite for a very long time. I will share just two answers with you.

Part of the holiness discussed in this parashah relates to the parallels between this Kedoshim and the Ten Commandments.

"Your mother and father shall you revere and My Sabbaths shall you observe—I am the Lord, your God." (Leviticus 19:3)

There is a belief that the Messiah will come once all Jews observe two consecutive Shabbatot. Many commentaries rationalize the three components of this verse as being interrelated. Although you must revere your parents, if they tell you to break the Shabbat you are supposed to ignore them. If you have doubts, the final clause of I am the Lord your God, is the reassurance that keeping Shabbat is the right thing.

Another component in this parashah is "v’ahavta l’re’ekha kamokha" (love your neighbour/ friend as yourself). The fact that the last Temple was destroyed because of sinat hinam (baseless hatred) is proof that this law is an important one. There is a story told of someone wanting to quickly convert to Judaism; the only condition was to be taught the Torah on one foot. The sage Shammai kicked the man out. Hillel, being both a learned man and a man of the people, quoted the above phrase to him and explained that the rest was only commentary, which this man should go home and study.

The Talmud equates one person with the entire world. The quest for holiness is an ongoing responsibility on everyone’s shoulders. Parashat Kedoshim and the Pesah seder, each in their own way, just bring this into focus. With everyone’s help may we merit seeing the Messiah come speedily in our day.

[Posted 4/7/05]