By Kobi Bordoley

This Parsha and Dvar Torah contains some of the most recognizable episodes in Judaism, among both Jews and gentiles. Here we find Moses's meetings with Pharaoh and ominous plagues, ending with a stunning Pyrrhic victory for the Israelites: Freedom, but at the cost of many firstborn lives. Here we witness the unleavened bread, quick departure from Egypt, and sanctification of Passover, which, in my opinion, is the MVP of Jewish חגים, as it encapsulates some of the most relevant aspects of Judaism—ideas of otherness, forgiveness, collective memory, family, freedom from bondage. The roots of these incredibly important attributes of Judaism find their seed in this portion of the Torah, and each one could be discussed here at length, but I find myself looking for something different, or at least a broader image or idea. (fun details and full text here.)

I think the idea of “separateness” and the many separations that permeate this portion are worth mediating over. There are many instances of separation here, including the most explicit ones found in the text, mainly the separation of the Israelites from Egypt, Moses from Pharoah, and פסח from other days in the calendar. There are other more subtle separations, including the fact that the death of the firstborn—itself a separation between life and death for those involved—happens at a “dividing point” in the night (probably midnight) and the separation between ways of living for the Israelites, who up until this point have known little more than what the life of bondage provided them. Of course, we find some more technical/liturgical separations, too, including what to do and what not to do before passover, who celebrates and who doesn't, etc etc. All this can be found above in the link. But what exactly does this mean to us as movement members? Why should we care about separation, especially when we cherish communal life. Aren't ideas of togetherness are the cornerstones of our movement?

I would say that finding time to “separate” is integral for the kinds of lives for which we strive in HD. We want to demand social justice for others, peace from the world, respect for each other, and much more. We want this so badly that sometimes it becomes our singular purpose and becomes very confusing and frustrating. In my opinion, we need to make sure we set aside time to, instead of looking forward at our goals and vision of our future, look around at our partners in messima, our family, and the smaller moments in life that just make us laugh and grateful to be alive at this moment in history. In my mind, our lives as movement members exist as constant, often bitter and often blissful, dialogs between what our aspirations and our realities, our hopes and limitations. To navigate this conversation, we need moments of separation, as it provides some much needed time to recharge our motivation and find our centers.

Think back to the exodus from Egypt, and what could have happened if Passover wasn't sanctified and created. How would Judaism's values be different if the Israelites did not separate that moment from others, and the lessons learned from the exodus were not remembered throughout history? Indeed, the ebb and flow of separations and congregations were necessary for the genesis of Judaism, and are just as necessary for us as movement members today.