The Sermons of

Rabbi Allan Mirvis

Passover
1943-1950

The Sermons of

Rabbi Allan Mirvis

Passover 1943-1950

Table of Contents
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. Qualities of Leadership 1 The Four Steps to Freedom....... 4 The Power of Prayer. 8 The Great Need for Calmness 11 The Four Emissaries.. 14 The Value of Symbols.. 18 The Unending Exodus22 Expressions of Gratitude........... 26 A New Note in the Song of Moses............ 29 The Four Freedoms........... 34 Song of a New Redemption.......... 37 The Dawn of Prejudice.. 41 Go Forward........ 43 Liberty and the Springtime........ 46 Counting of the Omer....49 Passover: A Wedding Anniversary........ 51 The Purpose of Miracles........ 54 Questions and Answers for Pesach........ 57 Passover 1948 60 The Plague of the Frogs..... 63 Passover Message in 1949. 66 Natural History of the Plagues... 69

Page 1

QUaLIIi

02

LLEIJ II
1-1-43

Page 2
econd ook of 1Joses we read gietest leaders in the history of not cli mankind Hoses Let us for mojent review the oirclmstL noes of his birth is noting There reinarahle or smDernntural in the birth itself On the contrary the Thibie says expressly non wn -TSP ttZS fljfl nt.n thre ventaman of the horse of Levi and took wif dm1 Gero1LevianasonJa born to them In other words the birth of oses is not enshrorded in any mystery In other religi ons the founders are represented as of supernatural birth Lot so in Judaism The leader of the peoPle was the same as everyone else in regard to his birth iven ro5e5 is human as to birth as also in regard to death There is no uncertainty as lair as his hut it is the circumstances that oreceded his birth simple origin is concerned Ttfle
about

idrth

oa

this

week

the

the

birth and develonment but of our neople only

first of the of one of the

md

that

se

significant
bR

________

_______________________

nfl i5b Djp king gypt flo Imew not Joseph Lnd he said to his people ehold the children of Isnel are too many and too strong for us He feared lest they multiply and fight against there It apnetrs as though three schemes were esorteC to by the tyrant to Israel for the of 2gypt with regard purpose of decreasing their number and The first two reducing their strength devices comnulsory labor and destroying the Jewish male children at birth throuah the aid of the midwives did not acoomplih the desired end Regarding ti Th$ 1ifl3 first we read tfl the morfl afflicted the more they multiplied and the more they grew in strencth them WI bflD1 bthsa S1 JVTfl 1fl1fl the second we read Regarding
ilow

ent

a.-n

there

arose

new

over

8t

tnVW
tie

hut
but

themlowlvecLearedGd saved the male children

to

and

did

not

as

king

of .gy.p.todJndeft_tIien

Lccording soyers of
toward

our

sages
that of side

Hgypt
the

it was the forecast of the birth of oses caused haroah to enroloy the third method of

the onen

sooth

violence

dream scale iv hi man hold in Egyot with all its riches with all its material strength and resources while on the other side there was only and pulled down his side of the one man and one one man overhflanedl yet that the wise men of iglnt scale this rharoah immediately called Upset by dream the dream to the efcect that arise out of the and man would the interpreted To frustrate children of Israel who would destroy Egypt and save his neonle such an event iharoah issued decree that all male children be thrown into thc

thechildren
On one

Israel
of the

Lharoah

hands

scale

saw in there vcs

ile
de

River
learned

____

________________

__________

in what hapenec after his birth His mother saw that the goodly child gnd she hid him for three months ut when she saw that she cold no longer keep him she glcced the child in box and laid it amid nd haronh tha sea weeds brink of the river me to bathe by the daughter and Lbs saw casket opened it and found the child cruing io attracted did she its Hebrew become to it that although she recognized origin she took it home

all

he

was

to

be

brought

up

in

the

royal

court

of

her

father

nVIhen .loses became great he went out unto his brethren become later ages it must alss he said of many son of Israel who had grea that he went sway from his brethren Lot 5th Moses iie went out of the Palece in the brickfields toiled It was his lvingkindness to his where is brethren that conic impelled him to do so Tull of nity he watched his brethren groani their burdefls What to deserve such wretchedness he beneath he is brought wondered result os strange circumstances lthough as up in the 0f the palace mighty bhcreah himself and from earliest inancy has resnect and and love showered upon him he proves step by step that he is des power riches to become tined qualities of leadership great leader because of certain basic directio In rapid succession certain events that he accuires happen which giMe future work to his life and
In

ma

fl9

hasxL1

Page 3

nd
unto
in

it

came

to

his

brethren

in those pass and looked

days
on

when

i.ioSes

was and

grown
he

up

that

he

went

out

their

burdens

of gypt 110w slaves many others had either failed to notice this injustice or become no hardened to the daily master smiting ITot sight of slave so jose He is tremendously shocked $ar fro ignoring it and going on to his own wursuits by this glaring injustice he immediately Dut he is yet to receive determines to right this grievous wrong another greater shock and he went out ont.e_second behold two day and men of the Tebreisweie fihtin to ether md the wrong dhereIoresmitest thou thy fellow In sense this is even greater shQck to for here is not master striking him slave not one class an upper class nitted lower both against class but actually two oppressea individuals both held in contempt yet instead of fortifying each other in their hounded hour of comnon distress they find tme to strive each other 2.ga.in he against and misunderstanding protests aainstviolence themselves among the persecuted ind for championing the right and the cause of the downtrodden he is banished from his native soil

of his one brethren ho this young Hebrew idleness hunting or pleasure making he is people live especially his ovrn brethren the

an igyptian smiting nrince is not spending his days more interested in observing how

saw

nesidtothadid

He

flees

too his riest of

herds
their

nidian hut there too play is outraged by the JLidian had seveh daughters and they and them away but noses stood came drove flock lthough an alien in new land
for his life to sense of fair laws of

he

encounters injustice there gow the incident following

and drew water0 And came the shep un and helped them and watered this future leader recognizes and must be the same should in to speak the language of iidian

that

the

morality

of

ri

i1 wrong

lherei1ore unable every country in every age with his usual courage he pits hinself against the powerful but unjust and the downtrodden who are innocently of help being put upon Lor is his sense some time later the rabbis fairelay CPF mercy limited only to humn beings in law the of old relate while loses vas flock of his father tending Jethro little hid left flock and ran distnce noses followed the kid great it and found that the kid was eagerly until he overtook lanping un water fro Idid not know that you were thirsty thirely brook .ci.led with nity he said he ulaced the kid upon Lnd with inainite tenderness now you must be exhausteds to the flock ihen the holy One hlesse he He his shollacr and brought it back beheld this He remarked bince you haveroved yourself with the flock of children at Israel become the shepherd of ny the shalt humabeingou
In thin

manner
and the

people

derness his selflesness Therefore

terms terms of

noses orove himself of greatest amancipator passionate championinc of

all

did

eminently
all the

fit

to

become

the

leader

of

his ten

times

nrocl

imed

the

true
our

ceak glorious

His inainite patience and and and his utter operessed

leader

religion describes its leader not in to shouting commands hut rather An and love onpressed lecause men realize oa kindness mercy of goodness that those v/ho are motivated acts can inspire others to live only by lives that are noble and good only they are fit to he leaders and their peoples character and remain eternal teachings only 8n mold
it is no mere chance military arrogance of thEt one giving of the weak

These
that their

the

were the world

oualities that of today would

based on these

ruler

in leader in days gone scught by have taken thin lesson and would have chosen different today witness qualities we would

were
but

or

world

Page 4

El

94

F-i

Page 5
tow
was the Same the of it time
the

that

four end day out

hundred

nc

four

went
This one exodus of

came to from the land of

children of Israel dwelt in Egypt thirty years ind it came to at Lindres and thirtr years even the self 11 the hosts of the lord pass Uhat
the

ss

of

Egypt

Exodus
of

xii

44l
is

the
be

ohuldren
our the

Israel

importat
men

events

entire

form the lana history 3lavery is

Egypt

one

of

the

most
That

terrible

institution

of another that his possession body nay his life and be to us now inconnrehensibl soul should under the domination of another seems inhuman Lnd yet the children or Israel br two hundred and ten years had dwelt in EgTt CE slaves subjected to social and political physical cruelty denied to practice their religion in secret life hd become well rights comrjellec9 Por the barest means of stbsisterce thexr had toiled the centur nigh unbarahle ic through To look forward to escane from cr.son end to life of neace in thE to their souls unsuerk Lie Troraised fl nd must have bro7hL joy ho ctin in ny ortrL the been theirs Le caos tie feelings which must have Red cc-r and faced life of rroedon Only one who has himself gone through similar experience can possibly rnderstand it should

wi
This

story

means

more

chan

merely
The

the

passage

brom

slavery

to

Ireectom

It

has

genenation ever in the nerson should reard himdelf Us though he nersonelly had narticiested xodus from Er..pit Each of us might well imagine himself as one of those who of exceriences of that historic out and so journeyed try to relive the event Thus insuired to seek liberty for all men we are

s1rlt1cl

lgnnlcsnce

also

HaLo1st

cvices

Ia ever

gyt
that

Our
it

bares
is

tell

us out

there ore say

were
unto

four the

redemetions

written
briny you

dhere
and

3hldren

of

will
of

from under the burdens of the you outstretched will redeem you with arm and with greal and will be to you nd will take rcr poule judgm-nts you unto ile would do well to scrutinize this statement and to understand what is attempt meant by four redeantions from gypti slavery Then we may learn what is thE been conceived ci free osi as it has meaning by Jude is-ri
their

rom Egntinns slav er Lord Israel am the and wil rid Egyntiens

as and

bondage

Gd

lit

the

outset

we

are

i.nressed
about
it

by

the

cact Treed
arid

olutionary It came of struggle period

to
are

imDly taush-

four that

stages

came of redemption

degrees gr dual
or

liberation va that Israel resulLt ow was won only a-s

not of

rev

long

slowly

movements

pressed

ness
glow
Lnd

these four all stages were in the Talmud The redemption of little by first the comes redemption
it

The four reemptioxE referred toward freedom Moreover we essentvl This lesson is found cx

Israel
little

slowly
and

breaks
as

forth
it

in

hrirht
to

then

continues

sir cads

wider

and

wider

with as the first phase the- were so we given their bodies to pproach inC will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egvntians they chose those hujge he longer with bent backs and bleeding hands must they build pyramida of the stand which as mute evidence tyraimv of Egyntian kings hO dole must the to construct the tresure cities for the Phvroehs nor labor in the build toil hem so of their roads Tree were they now from the bonds which had held ing t1ir hands round their hands and feet had been broken The shackels tightly their feet free to go where they would were free to do what the chose behind the teatming plains of the tile they carried with them some outlook unon life of the people among whom they harm been ctwellind them the had struggled ana from them sought release evrtheles True against and ideas 01 neces it hc cpresse environnent scent in the 2ynticn earS will rid you irom thea And ut J---d had said to rub out behaviors difficult eniorced labor Preedom now neant for them more than the release irom bondage lb roreign L0 to be The and to do left they thing of the
.s
it i-iclied

also

the

right

to

think

-r

Page 6
Pa SEtjd ihen G.- care Loses t1 Ten Comrnr ndmants ni the Lord who 1jroipht thee out the lan out the horse of honda out of the land of Eggut nell the nhrasing hot only Uid Gcl bring Israel even more he freed them from the house of iondage This house oi iondag it was the efro-ot more than physical slaveru won them of tradlition aliei

left thi Lote

Gd

behizici

but
was
to The

their

own

of the children of Israel was then symbolic of their escpe free they slavery and from spiritual bond aye were ho longer the classed with the hosts of slaves and downtrodden in king ridden die countr And yet they were not wholly free Their going out Was tint of of from time organized group driven by the necessity seeking way to escape Devoid sense of discipline such tyrant and his restraining bonds group into an incoherent mob The Jblioal account amy easily degenerate clearly mire roTs this real danger Under such conditions freedom cannot nrevail for free dora implies it does rot mean indulging ones own whims resonsibility

from were

going out ohrsioal

recklessly Israels
redeem
is redc-n-otion exhibits third uhase in growth toward freedom Lnd arm and with great The free man you with an outstretched judgments he who lives without laws but rather he who accepts the laws and

wil

not

its reasonableness understanding To Sonic peoule these restraints wish to break through and he if they
ni

End have

its come They

necessity
to

adjusts
and life that

his

life

to

it

free

he

irksome

thmagine

burdensome they would be far hapnie

ht

do

as us

they

please

is not the absence then tUft freedom of restraint as found of the rather the acceptance fact that the highest kind of savage to live to these freedom in that vhorein one chooses according lofty ethical that ais individual liberty or the opportu principlrs rnany regard ity to do merel Cs ane pleases is like the liberty of flobinson Crusoe on his desert island Then appeared Crusoe no longer could do vviat he would without takin.r him into consideration it is with neamS every one of us Treedon the ability to ad just ourselves to of lEws and restrictions others by macaws

Judaism
in the

teaches

but

rdr

nd
of take feel

t-r the

final phase in the children of Tsrael

story
is

of

freedom
in the

as

it

is

developed

in

the

found

last part

to me for and will be to you Israel had you peonle begun to their singleness their unitedness their oneness became bound to They to It implies et more elevated and serve coin gether for one cur 05c nation b.edicated to plete redemption for Israel was not merely nation but

Gd

of

the

verse

cud

history will

@d

the of Lnd further obligation to live service the worshim of Gd imnlies to its teachings It meant in cocordance with the highest idea life according fact tht the highest good for our fellowman must ever and of the recognition it must the chief function of religion to be the of our effort And object idea set men free and create world wherein people can live fearlessly This is beautifull verse expressed in time following Is true freedom but to break Fettere for our own dear sake nd with leathern hearts forget That debt we mankind we

Gd

ho
All

True
the

reed.omn

is

to hand

share

chains

nd

with heart Earnest to mafle

our and

brothers

wear

tar-be

others

free

Page 7
Passover holidays which commemorate of the this approach the exodus of the event children of Israel form the land of Egypt every Jewish heart is roused with hopes of the coming of bette become inspired with the trust and confidence that bondage days A1 will end that darkness will cease and that light and freedom will rn ce again become the lot of all mankind And with historic
the

Page 8
More

tsrrib1 even

then

the

sufferinc

fL

0c

Pcc5cc

Page 9
the LorQ terrible even thrn the suffering inflicted by slavery upon thedegrading effect it gradually ha upon his personality lot only slaveTs whsical mouements circumscribed hut in by the master time slave are the
is

the Slave

spiritual and intellectual freedoms and expressions Gd tells 1.lOses rvLnd moreover huve heard the of the children of Israel groanong whom the gyntians keep in bondage and have remembered ny covenant.. And will bring you in unto the land lifted hand concerning which to it unto to it to give and will give kbraharn Isaac and to Jacob you for cm the Lord ndiioses Snoke of Israel heritage so unto tIe children even surrenders
his
flTfl-nj
flfl

-fljn

nn

Sg

ut
110w

ther

harkened

not

unto

1oees

because

of

broken

suirit and

cruel

bondage

sadLy our peonle had Once the descend changed glorious and free oecple ants of deathless Lbrahu Is ac and Ja cob viho ever turned to Gd in time of distress and in time of joy they had how become so broken in snirit and that thei turned deaf ear to the promise of This condition understanding to that of child fran its father and now criticall mighU be likened estranged ill who is totally unmoved by the news that its father is on his way with to the child1 life Yes our ancestors were estranged specialist save grer children who had lost contact with their father in express hoes not the Talmud fl their condition in dgy state that that the Hebrews Lnd no that were idol worshinpers as well as the iigyptic2ns G_.d has sent oses to bring them back to their previous to restore high lovel them to normal health they turned deaf ear to statements nation

Gd

hct

had

for
et

otten

ho

to

pray
oa

One

have
conies

of deaied

dest
31

shortcomings
the
rr5

our

genera

the mnelves
Oh

insnir
ire

te
rn

tion is coura ye
ieo

the and

act
the
li

ti

aY1Taeopl
thu TCi5

hanniness
mid era

ohaei
the

few

reall
in

pray
tir-

th
words
.aryrer 0L

true
tie is

seilse

word

reciti the devout

Ck
riding

peraon

poet

desire the souls sincere Uttered or unexpressed hidden ire The notion of That trembles in tir ureast
of tle human soul imiulse with means of conversing prarer is long to It is not petition higher our gather merey a- so many peonle think the beina for wealth social sthatus or 11k gimrr roads to ht.pniness iuch ien the plagues wore visited upon view of rh roah who him implored toses for me he once and naron hntreat passed lso but the moment the danger ht of prayer Lord do not mean the give me kind rdened his heart again Gd as some the kind of prayer thu conceives this ive me that rue or give mean ied glori bellhop who expected to do the slightest hidding of man the the closest comnunion between man apr the highest Prayer that represents
ior

that to

is

eactly
into

what

come

corivnl.nion

wrayer witi

the

natur

dd

nd

irayer
and is of
rati

arovidos

focusing

our
the we

emulate

hi

to

er

thu

for the means of offering gratitude to blessings vie enjoy that is Gd anC striving to attention upon tIe nerfection our prayers It best oa Our abilities Lot tht Od needs and heart uhrn we snend tine in earnest in moral stature grow
.1

felt pra uTer It has the power of enaobling our lives and nurifying our souls that we become wotthy of is loving so of His blessings and more deserving and It is this that vie ouselves bout care bring as protection iJiprovement the result of Contrast th selfish rayer that is truly important r0jer of

hharoah comfort

that

the our

locust
so

he

removrd
of
to

utterer

many near

us
to

from him or that with the ollov.ing

fear Tha name Thou lovest

Unite hatest
for

hearts
Ta

brinm us
name

what

nersonal gain and insniring prayer us far from what Thou keep and deal mercifully with u.s
for

Thy

sake

Page 10
is POvTeiflll ot in th sense that vie can exploit it to extract favors from but nither in that it can invigorate us VIith new It is prayer that new faith and new courageenables us to look hope to the dan-n of new day with new opPorti nit beyond the present disappointments It is that believe the relerence to when he Says poet has Lore thins are Wrouaht I. mrs er Thn this world dreams of into victorids Yes more defeats have been turned core frustrations have been conveated into determinations failures into suciess lJT means of prayer than vie normally imagine and Through prayers we hr in to the fore neal courage hope that heretofore were not -present in us an uhich enable us to carry on in ci how dark the picture apears spite

-Truly

irarer

personal

nd
of

was

great all truly emancdnator .ueen rc fsther or Joan great in their humility turnea to Gd in prayer for guidance and understanding Lnd result of thei as the received neal coun gc that enabled them to face their di ficulties praers with renewed strength and vigor nd the mote recent story of the almost mir OlIlOltS bcVl 01 tho lne Os Camain dc ie iclmrnbcci or ho a- found oriftin in the great ocean after many weeKs tthat inn the courage and hopelessly gave the faith to carry on and alive in spite of his seeming honeless situation keep In his it was the that he offered that own words invigorated him with prayers detornintion that help would soon come who ia addition to hems the reatest Jewish philosouher .rsinonides in the middle ages wa- also celebrated physician In so skillwas he in the art of healing that -cording to legend Richard the Lion Fleatted of ngland attempted to his court prevail upon him to become
fhe and

forth his hands unto the spread hut of every groat person thiH world ..hraham the father of the Jewish people
ifoses

Lord
has

osec

br

his ver

is

descriptive

not

onl4s it

uroduced ham Lincoln the

ihether

arat

codifier

act

illustrious doctor afeir prescriuin to the pationt to would humbl have prescribed to the best of Jr7 day medical knovilede now let let us lioth crta to Gd that lie from whom all know ledge ficueth ma an nt ou recovery from four suf eriny ust picture to 0irsel yes the tremendous effect such ata tenent wo ld hve upon the us tient
this the best his

physician

ivei

ability

The

eftrst

eole

today

commented Lands are to bestow Let oth-rs

here
tcda

ra yer is the var evistence of our biAs took note thir iact viben oa they iljlical verse Thc voice is the voice of but the on the the hands of Dsau the statement uttered by Isaac when he vias shout his bessing his son Jacob he rabbis interpret this by sa uccn
to

t-stinon
110w

the

nower

wisely

our

ancient

acoh

rely on ti arm of flesh Jaruel we non is Truly we are not ecal.se 01 riies alight navies or vies non ruenals not have succeeded in overcomingby physical force vie numerous enemies .1saneople we ye resorted to bi-t one weapon nra-er In all our trials and sorrows vie dire sted our eyes and hea rts to thereha reined the v41it to continuE to Rim to we carry on In oar hour of deliverance gratefully turned Trustingly we relied unon bin at all times

raver r-

Gd

Sam
the

Jth
that that

tLese

thouhts
as the

in

mind
is

we the

cL

areas
.bhl51U

next
tn

sta

tement .1J
of

ti
Sijnj
iisau

ra olijs

lon

voice

voice

of

Jacob

hands

cannot

prevail

Page 11

The

Great

eed

2cr

Calmness

-tt-43

Page 12

2om an
tary

we are to be cairn ehen news from the mili being urged today be cairn In the event of an air raid be distressing cairn In the face of any emergency that may rise in tJis var he calm Once before It was the people of Israelat the shores of the people heard such advise Red looked from behind and saw the Egyptians in close nursait efore They the mighty waters them stretched All about them was menacing md untractable vast wilderness the Listen to aloses cautioning perfect setting for panic them tand still and behold the salv tion of the Lord Transposed into our own be calm Let us at ome recog language it would be dont get eanicky nize an obvious truth CaLirness is the result of command And mood not of Joses said unto the people of Israel is the way the Fible nuts it Fe diii not order it Fe did not bellow it Pe himself was personification of composure Loud warnings tie radio bold letters on the front nages of newspapers over often has th very opposite effect Cu3ttivate persistent urging to be calm mood of calmness and see ho ra-i0ly its contagion conununity sereads through sides
is

front

ea

Experience

further fact Our enemies desire most to ciisti.rb our calmness them that their most effective confus weanons are panic ion and hysteric feveral states on the European continent bear tragic witness to that fact Country after country fell not because of the enemies blitzkrie hut because of its own citizens hysteria and confusion Oh how badly they needed foses to say to them in their hour of veed atand still and behold th salvation of the Lord Another observation suggests itself Calmness can be One ca take sedative and be lulled into calmness Du artificially generated and hzsterL the resilt is not calmness but unconsciousness Confusion panic internalmuladies cannot be cure are by external methods .esides arti nroducea calmness is dngerous as dangerous as re ficiall.r drug Leoole false security They fly awL from reality They become capable lulled into Let
us

consider
has

taught

he

of the

happen here Oh how some of us must words tho milestones ent the trier renresent along the road re Jut calmness that is generated froni within awakens consciousiless and of trgedj t1e mental faculties and stiumlates alertness It lubricates dispels confusion of uereon It causes of reason to flood doubt the free flow ever crevise dee one does mutdy pool does not reflect hemuty Onl ality
of

nressions other side

like

these

The

enemy

is

three

thousand

milcE

ocean It huge In retroseect

cant

away

Fe

is

on

vi

can ho emo without calamess there cc nrot he reason Thcro In sta\i emotional excitation great judgment activity is tion possible Thit it is the activity of an elated psrcmonath might waterfell silent mountain stream It nlunges and eclurges may he more impressive then from tremendous heights It shoots and drops up ed fascinating snry thet glis Then it tens in the sun hut to he useaul it must he harnessed and controlled releases novjer

For one

tIiing

then

but

not

Reason ispower the din and roar

an.d

to

release
in

it

onc

needs

cuietude

eace

and

comocure

In

nd how easy it excitement oi conflict fury is to all reL son .en become consumed in lose The forget that even by hate to obey bthbt there are laws that nationu are epected Cathedrals and librtr4 ies ore deliberately destroyed huseums and hornitals are willfully bombed of innocent are Thousands civilians for whom international law decrees safety to ever cruelty and indecency exposed Oh hot hysteria and panic can banish

of

battle

the

all art
Itit

reason
fled
to

and

make the words of the poet gruesomely brutish beasts and men have lost their

true

iudment
f1

Thou

reson

It isnt in the midst of conflict can an atlantic Charter produce of death all that surrounded by lurking enemies in constant threat strane should chart the from the skies of from the waves two rophets of Democracy to come of these course of humanity for generations prophets the

calmness
at

tt5ne

super

ee
his
end

champion of Democracy .monipan4trill

ih nve

is

our oun beloved It prompts an

fresident

approaching shower unon

birthday that the him his choicest

hlesinds

almighty

of added prayer on the occasion and health ma Prrne Thank Gfi for resident Roosevelt

frht

Page 13

Iiltjjemjdst of salvation
If

of chaos and the Lord

confusion

he

on

still stand

still and

behold

the

calmness is essential to reason it is inisuensable to religion Of course is emotionalism and spiritual exhilaration in religioTi mt to experience its deeply mood of comnosure is necessary Consider charity as an example of religious ex erience That too renuires calmness and consideration Of the course there is charity tNt spring forth from emotionalism casual the compulsary and the exhibitionistic kind of charity hit that kind of charity blesceth neither him that giveth nor him that takes The charity which accord to the salrnist unliftetha cairn consideration of iiig nation results from the obligations society to the individual and the resnonsibility of the individual to society ideal Says iaimonides the charity is when the giver not Irnow the receiver th- receiver does not know the does and giver rch on the run Yoy have to stand still to behold the charity you cannot give got oi the salvation Lord Iithout calmness you cannot discover
there

Gd

spiritually found wanting Our genius is suent u-non We have fast and conveniences learned to travel to live even we are solving another scientific puzzle and daily vie are preparing another scientific miracles Yet spiritually our age has yet to evolve on enduring philosophy and has yet to give birth to towering saintly character There is too much din excitement tumult and confusion ie are nervous generation Look at us and the pernetual mess that we get ourselves ston into Oh for loses who would say to us living on the run In name sttnd still and behold the salvation of thc Lord
Eo our

wonder

generation

is

machines

instruments faster Daily

and

Gds

add that without calmness there can camera lens criust remain still Other candid wise the imag.e is blurred Calmness will.enable us to take snapshot of our present situation ihat are we fighting for Is it because ye seek Is it because retribution or because vie desire to inflictnunishrnent we cannot forget kearl harbor Oh my friends ho much more there is to see hat of is trampled underfoot What of the dignity of man that is the liberty that of the oomFllexion crushed What of Gd who is being crowded out of life What of the world Will it be world or jungle Will it be inhabited by men or devils playground To beasts ill it represent kingdom on earth or recuires calmness see all of that in the nroper perspective

Our be

thought

would

hot Vbe life

comnlete
move

unlesthe

we

no

persnective

may

but

dds

cannot live through hectic like tese without an inner calm you days you soul You cannot envis cannot reach out ior Ctd and iind i1imn save with serene of today without cbm ion the world of tomorrow amidst tr- hac ows and chaos btand behold iL- salvation of the Lord still an posure

Do

United

Nations
To of

with the importance in impressng the largest number of people to win the team work among the allied nations not only continued and lasting peace just war but also to insure
aid

eek

Page 14

THE

POUR

EMISSARIES

Th-oth
advont
-of

of -Nisan the .great--fes-t-ival

hopes for -the coming--c-f and confidence that bondage will for all- mankind will become-thelot

Tp
eM

Page 15

his-

bbath

in-

heraldin

the

of-Israela.-l-irberat-ionbetter days it br-ighte-r-and darluiess will

rouses in-- every animates us all

cease

and

Jewish heart with trust and freedom light

Pour emrnissaries four special Sabbaths prepare us for the reception of our ex our minds become pected guest the Feast of Passover Through the to aright attuned of the of Passover to full realiza conception significance tion of its import for all generations of Israel But they have also an import ance of their own Each of them conveys an idea each teaches alesson and The which we read on this Sabbath us brings WtDfl-Ufl aquaints message of the with the ordinance sacrifice of the Pascallamb while on the Sabbath tflb ewa we were taught that contact with anything which is before in the 1t 113W we were reminded dead is source of contamination and defilement on burb we read the law that of the hostility of Amalek and on equalized all classes in Israel by the imposition upon all the people equally of the contribution of the half shekel towards the erection of the Sanctuary These four lessons are the necessary introduction into the new life which Without these ideas brought about the events commemorated by the Passover taking not root in the hearts and minds of the people the liberation from Egypt could have exercized the lasting influence which it was destined to do The principles in these four lessons are the pillars upon which Judaism is based propounded of the continuance of the Jewish race and the Jewish they are the preservatives covenant has be-en borne spirit They are the rings by which the Ark of by our people throughout the lands of the earth they form the foundation upon which our existence as nation is based the conditions upon which our contin as moral force in the worlds history has uance depended nd the purpose of these four lessons their connection vith and relation to the festival that Israel among the historic nations will endeavor to elucidate in placed brief remarks based upon an ancient Midrashic legend

J9$

Gds

reflection and contemplation meditating on great almost insoluble stoo Moses on the eve of Israels redemption from Egypt Waves of and profound conflicting thought stirred his agitated-mind tossing and shaldng him to the very depths of his being At the moment of accomplishing his greatest difficulties mission he realized the tremendous and overwhelmirg broken the chains of slavery that had He had enthralled his people for so many He had at last made them free men them Would years great destiny awaited to withstand the onslaghts of time and circumaitances they be able however Were they provided with the necessary equipment that should fortify them against the attacks which What was the life were bound to meet on their journey they be inoculated that giving elixir with which they should they might be enabled to resist the pressure to repel the influence of their surroundings
in

Lost

problem

thiflk

og Gd callixg to him conflicting thoughts Moses heard the voice the- congregation of Israel that they shall take to them every man to the house of their fathers lamb for every lamb according The lamb should be should unit family sacrifice 1.11 the members of the-house of this rite edly partake of it under the same roof Through the observation the children of Israel should be taught that the house the home the family was the foundation their preservation as free and upon which would depend liberated people In the unity and purity of their family life should lie thur strength Unity in the home loyalty and faithfulness between husband nad wife love and resDect for parents affection cooperation among all members of the familythese were tJ-e guadian angels thatshould ftect and preserve them Erm the destruction Though destroying angel of time should smit and wipe out nations from off the face of the earth tlfl many Israel alone should remain forever The lamb the living monument family sacri

Amidst

such
to

Speak

all

man

an

On

Page 16

eaten in haste4 with loins girded withfeetshodandwith theztaff symbol that wherever theythey might driven the home should sacred the family circ-i- should- be- the sanctuary whither to flee in the time of 4ruble there they should seek and find consola and And to us too this lesson is annually con.L tiostrenght encouragement and free veyed Though we are out ogbondage emancipated the home1 our family life must be kept pure and sacred This is our safeguard protecting nd shield from being swallowed up by the waves if materialism ing us from destruction and assirhilation that threatens our existence as separate poeple should
in be
be

handa

Months had passed and again Moses wtood wrapped in reflection The people for whom he gave his life whom he was to train as bearers of light to all natiaas as the guardians of mankinds noblest treasure the people who were to be had tkingdom of priests and holy nation rejapsed into the worship the of Egypts -deity With his eyes golden calf on the tablets image of stbne at the foot of Mount lying shattered Sinai where he had so recently heard the commandment Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image the man of Gd stood perplexed How should the people be freed from the Fetters of Egyptian superstition -How were they to be completely liberated fromthe from the cult of graves and dead religion of death objects

yng

And

him saying Speak unto the children of Israel say But uncleanlinss-aid body shall be unclean of the red Eeifer mixed with living could be purged by the ashes fln1 tnb pmr The ordinance of the red heff er should water It should counteract the influence of the golden calf bring to their minds the That which was dead dancer of the contact with things that were dead Gd was revealed only could have no godliness and was not to be worshipped livin through through that which was living moved and aflimated by spirit And though the rite of the red heiEr exists no more the lesson it teaches is of eternal value It is this idea that has given Judaism its extra ordinary vitality that has enabled it to survive all its vicissitude It teaches that true religion lives and has xercizes living interest for ar Judaism has therefore never been stagnant living influence over mankind but constantly advancing and progressing closely bound up with life
the of G-d came to

word

ingWhosoever

touches

dead

deW1sM

j4

more we behold the dm1 future with should mock and deride G-ds law He heard the that would be speeches would endeavor to live
ed the

father all prophets musing and thinking Th penetrat He saw days when the nations prophetic coming eye to him for his faithfulness Israel hate and persecute insolent remarks the insulting words and offending made against h-is people who true to their mission their own lives in accordance with their own aws and traditions He saw the numerous graves enshrining the precious remains of tit countless marjyrs who had preferred death to life of falsehood and deceit Alas would the peoDle havo tha strengtb to bear the terrible tribulation for them Would survive it lay in store they
his

Once

tt

more did Gd speak -to him saying Remember whatAmk did unto bflDi Remeber the causes that made an amalek possible It was in when Israel became lax in observing the commands of G-d that nrnalek had the Sm when Israel strove and tempted it was in power to assail them WtI Is the Lord in our midst or not the nlmighty asking that the enemycould the bonds of unityand prevail against him Breaking Israel became prey to Amalek And ths is the leson to be losing faith in remembered In unity lies Israels strength When Jews of all lands consider themselves united ann bound bond of one people together by the unbreskahle malek is powerless against them When all look up to the law brotherhood the One and giver Moses who with uplifted hand points to only Saviour nntr 1Lfl Israel must prevail and outlive his most formidable enemy And
once

thee

1Ir

Gd

Page 17

Aointh

afl
that be

of Isrel a.rery Oondition however was necessary for the preservation traelite must be conscious of his own personal moral strength conscious that and that he could not on others to his salvation fly ill his own hand depend it out for him the Israelites had come out of work country where different iation into castes and classes was part of its religion where people were to adore and worship humans men like themselves To counteract the taught baneful influence of so degrading cult Moses received the commandment that for the foundation of the sanctuary the symbol of unity and qquality of the people of Israel everyone should bring an equal contribution the tioh shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half shekel.tt In Israel there is not and cannot be any distinction between man and man As part of the Jewish people everyone must work flccording to his strength andability

tan
effortL Israels
sanctuary

so

of all individual by the concentration safely reared and preserved forever ideas that the

should

These

four

Sabbaths

bring

to

our

mindswhon
in the

ab-ett-te---o-te-brste

Thea
career

e-r-saw-e-f---or--ntt-i-one-flea-t-i-o-4

impregnated

themselves

wt3-s-ac-i-a-i_-cm.aa-e-ter-i-stsssuffering and persecution The

of our historica our national upon character thet-hav-e__-be-c-eine they have preserved us throughout centuries of revival othese ideas among us today.wifl say course

have

us

from annihilation

and

assimilation

.1LLo\cLt

tt

r- \WL

Page 18

THE

VALUE

OF

SYMBOLS

I-43

Page 19

central message the underlying thought of the Passover festival is as indicated in our liturgy freedom Pesach is Zman Oherusenu Tthe season of our liberation There are two distinct this idea is brought to ways in which our attention It is done he means of the Seder service and nostively the and negatively strictest prohibition of all that is leavened Matzoths by the In the of the sophisticated the effort put to by us into the execution eyes of this purpose may seem needlessly Is it realljr necessary to exaggerated go rites as those that we perform on rassover night in through such elaborate order to appreciate the value of freedom and And in what way does liberty the of pots and pans and taken against the precautions the intrusion scrubbing into our food or dishes of the tiniest speck of Ohometz the idea of impress frredom more strongly on our minds These are questions that are constantly to whom the practical being asked by those aspects of Judaism seem unduly burdensome They find the same fault not only with the ritual laws of Passover but with all the ceremonial regulations of the Jewish religion Of what benefit is this service to asks the wicked son in the Hagadah What end does this punctilious observance of every iota of the Law serve
The

you

The answer Almighty-

given

by

Jewish

tradition

is

that

htl

these

are

the

Ditlfl

mt

decrees aij

of

Gd

nrns

and the Lord commanded us to carry out all these and statutes assuch must be fulfilled without However in keeping with the view questioning enunciated in the second half of this same verse that whatever has been com fl manded by Gd conduces to mans good 11b that it may be well with us all the days these rites possess also psy which the world is first beginning to realize nd recog chological importance have held that alone determined and molded philosophers thought nize.Hitherto mens beliefs that practice was governed by theory that people do what is William right when they iow what right is Now thinkers like the Americans James and John Dewey and tell us the direct opposite that come more than and there could be no theory influences practices practice influences theory no better proof of the validity of their thesis and no better illustration of their Roint than the customs we Jews have been following on Passover for cen Jewish child obtains auch more turies It can certainly not be denied that vivid impression of of what Israel experienced in Egypt from the rite and from any amount of lecturing or instruction symbols of the Seder than he could and that housewife feels much more Intensely the meaning of Passover when she has for several days or perhape weeks been preparing for the advent of th than if she were to sit down for an hour and merely meditate on holiday
freedom
Our Sages effect of pratical justly appraised the psychological symbols and made capital of it in connectirn with the home ritual of Passover eve Numerous acts and gestures were instituted by them just for the purpose of stimulating interest and armising curiosity The lifting of the platter the dipping of the in the salt water the distribttion of nuts all these devices were vegetable invented in order to impress the child so as to make him ask questions The normal youngster is anything unusual he good observer and when he notices is moved of his own accord to inquire about its why and wherefore aid in that the method that tries way he learns This is the natural method of education to draw out childs faculties to develop its spontaniety and not pedanti the full of facts it cannot useless digest Far from being cally cram its head fine example of good an pedagogy burden then the Passover ritual is excellent discipline not only for children but for adults as well there could have been devised more effective means for transmitting to posterity scarcely than this the traditions of our people and its experiences not Now symbols serve only as means of instruction They have other useshbesides As Oarlyle reminds us our entire mental life is made up of symbols It is expression to our thoughts and emtions our through them that we give concrete instrument beliefs and feelings Language that most important and indispensable

Page 20

collection of symbols Lien intercourse is nothing else than commun icate with one another by means of ceratin conventional or sounds That signs in themselves is proved by the fact these are mere symbols and not the thing its own set of expresseions often differthng has that eury tongue radically from those also are music and art and dresssymbolic employed by others Thus to express feelings of adness or joy aestheticism serve or patri They merely these otism They do not constitute emotions themselves In the same way does Judaism employ symbols symbols that unite Jews the world over thateexpress is for example such loyalty to Gd or to the Jewish people The Sabbath its recognition Him symbol It betokens Israels devotion to the Eternal as the creator of the universe This is distinctly stated in the Scriptures and is included in our Friday evening service Jl9S81tznhttV11fl..ns1.ps Lnritjn Wherefore the children of Israel sahll keep the Sabbath .. it is sign between Me and the children of Israel forever The putting on of the tephillin is further symbol bonfirming this relationship as stated in the scriptures And it shall be sign upon thy hand and for frontlets between thine eyes that the law of the Lord may be in thy mouth rnl-ri is

osoial

tot

All

have the function then of conveying thought or important that thought or sentiment the more sacred is the and the more scrupulously must it be kept symbol that stands for them For when flag it is not merely person for instance shows disrespect to that he is abusing it rep-resents of bunting it is the feelings that piece that he is outraging So is it also with other matters When sits on Judge the clothed with the authority of the court disregard of his orders bench It weakens the entire of justice of and rulings affect not him alone machinery is considered which he is so single example That is why contempt of court serious an offense And this explains alSo Judaisms severity in the enforcement of its symbolic laws Since these laws represent important ideals and the ideat would suffer unless the symbols were properly observed no trifling even the least detail of them is possible symbolic
acts

these

sentiment and

the

more

vital as they are as the vehicles of our ideals symbols possess value Once this meaning long as they convey meaning to those wh employ them is lost they automatically forfeit whatever worth they may have No ritual however beautiful can be eroected properly to impress those who are uninitiated of the tomtom that rouses the wild man of the into its mysteries The beating and into leaves the civilized onlOoker cold frenzy of excitement jungle bewildered In the same manner would nonJew regard Jew coiling those leather before his morning prayers called straps Pephillin about his left and thus too did the Romans look upon the Jews who for what to them seemed The perfectly silly reasons remained idle on every seventh day of the and use symbols then presupposes instruction On proper understanding this to be supplemented the rites of the Passover eve had acc.ount by narration the Haggadah and by these two means together the practical and the theoretical is the task of transmitting the teachings the symbols and their interpretation of Judaism carried out successfully

However
only
so

tm

wk

from these important inference can be deduced observations rnd inference for the failure of Judaism at the present time to fire the as to reason and retain the support of so many of our people It is due not to imagination the of its cere great number of its ritual regulations or the burdensomeness as monials Modern etiquette imposes just as many burdens and is practically Just try to defy some of the conventions of society and see what will rigid to you It is simply that have lost contact with symbols that happen they that their hearts no longer respond to their impact because they lack knowledge and the present They have not learned They link between the past connecting have never been brought in touch with these meaning things Hence they have very
the for

them

Page 21

lift of the Passover holidays we gratefully our And uith the approach to the house of to and thank Him for E1S neverending hearts goodness in Israel Vie remember at this season that dur ancestors languished Egyptian slavery they ate te bread od affliction Oftimes since that early day has Israel been pppressed by kings unfeeling as he Pharoahs and trampled unon But evermindful of that first by men and nations as cruel as the Egyptians deliverance our people has never lost hope because their trust was stong and firm Ever and ever were they saved from impending disaster And so we as Gd has vouchsafed His prothection the pray in this season that children of Israel throughout the pant He be with them now and in the may future Iday He deliver them wherever they are still bowed beneath the yoke

Gd

of

the all that

oppressor
persecution cease and we shall soon behold
of bondage disappear every trace universal feast of Freedom

May
so

from among

men

Page 22

Phe

Unending

Jxodus

tt-1-3-3

Page 23

sn
Ai2d
Egypt
Lioses

bIfllS

ntafl

ann

wrn
ths

nts

-nr
on

from

said unto the house

the of

people

remember

day

which

you

came

out

from

bondage

day on which we came than eight das do we observe this festival And surelr such weekobserved every year should suffice to celebrate remote and isolated event which took place three thous and of the Jewish people is not satisfied even years ago Yet the conscience with this prolonged and For during unfailing annual religious commemdtation the rest of the year we constantly hark back to the exodus it remelibering over and over again in our prayers and religious observances Every Sabbath eve when we chant the Kiddush the sanctification of the Sabbath we hail tth Sabbath as reminder of our exodus from Egypt The festival Shavuoth is in and prolongation completion of the Passover festivals while of the sense festival of Succqth the Bible explisitly states that Ye shall dwell in booths seven all that are homeborn in Israel shall dwell in booths that your made the children of Israel to dwell in booths generations may know that when of Egypt brought them out of the land

that we recall the It is through the Passover festival out from Egypt from the house of bondage For rio less

dg

leit motif It the Bible from Egypt is the theme of the exodus Throughout is recalled in the most unexpected relations In the Torah it is urged as motive for such varied commands as that of using true weights and measures of the not exacting interest from the poor and even for the wearing fringes on the four cornered garment The other holy writings recall the ex odus of the Ten Commandments repeatedly The very first command introducing Gd to Israel introduces Him not as the Gd of the universe but as it were Gd who brought the children of Israel out from Egypt am the Lord thy the Gd who brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage The prayer book continues this Bib1icartTrition of indelibly impressing the as the cardinal influence in exodus from Egypt on our Jewish consciousness
the histthry of the Jews and of

Judaism

one would not Egypt was goodly land rich and fertile country which It was land which one would not readily give ordinarily rejoice to leave as the garden of the up for the more grudging soil of Palestine Described which almost without human effort brought forth abund land Lord Egypt was its banks and ant crops as year by year the Nile overflowed touch of the bt foot was made to irrigate fields It was incomparably richer than Palestine For the land whither thou goest in to possess it is not as the land of didst sow thy seed and didst water it with thy foot as garden of herbs I1eveifheless leaving igypctr of the of fulfillment for the Jew to be rememberpd as thiTheginning happiness It is the thrnreme moment in Jewish history and has been the motivation for and our social ethics our festivals our commandments

Yet

how striking is this emphasis on the departure from Egypt one appreciate Should note that neither in the Biblical command nor in the traditions of into the promised land Jewish life is there any celebration of the entrance child is familiar with the story of the exodus from igypt Every Jewish scool table and dwell on its detail But In the Eaggadah we rehearse it around the Book of how many know the story told in the third and fourth chapters of the into Palestine Joshua describing the entrance Every one knows the date of the exodus midnight of the fifteenth day of Nisan the first day of Passover to the But who knows the date of the entrance And tl people promised land came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month Every one But the knows of assover the festival of our exodus from Egypt entrance into .halestine is commemorated by no festival no observance no ritual The act of enezing into th promised land has made no impression whatsoever on our Jewish consothousness
To

Page 24
still more keenly how unusual this is one appreciate one may contrast Ow little impress with our American attitude toward the pilgrim fathers ion is made on our American consciousness by the story of William Brewster and their exodus to Holland and their stay in Leyden How little are we con cerned with the detailed story of the final exodus -of the pilgrims from Eng land But the American heart thrills to the story of their landing at Plymouth Rock on December 21 l62 That episOde is one of the most beloved and vener ated innmerican tradition The exodus from Europe does not live in the historic consciousness of the American people but the entrance of the pilgrims ilito the in promied land of America is one of the great and crucial moments our national history Vtou.l it

How shall we interpret this emphasis on the exodus from Egypt and tour failure could be said in explanation even to recall the entry into Palestthne Much fundemantal consideration most clearly illtnines this fact one however story of the exodus the narratj.pnconyeys.iio recalls how we became slaves and how thru leaving Egypt the possibilities of freedom opened up for us But it does not hail freedom as something that has been attained This year we are here slaves but next year may we be in the Land of tersel as free is the opening and is dramatized not as The exodus the close of an keynote of the Haggadah era but as the beginning of hope for the future In the Haggadah we ado not ourselves in the character of picture people comfortably settled in its land with its mission achieved does the Haggadah even recall Scarcely once land It focuses attention our entrance into the on the exodus evbking of movement of setting out on picture journey of beginning quest When

moo4gfcoeveinent

on

Seder

night

we

told

the

It

men

For the wandering the Jewish people there is no stopping to gelebrate entry into the promiser land entering is not with takinssess land synonynous ion of it The pilgrims 2Iimofn d1r1idThtiidt1iiWTd but they had no the faintest glimmerings of the fabulous possibilities of magnificent In this which was to come to that unpromising beginning. development spirit our attention on Josltuas we Jewish pilgrims have always concentrated fl9S exodus entry into Falestine and the painful conquest of the land but on the of the birth of our historic mission Historic from Egypt as the occasion our entry inthb Pa1estine destiny does not allow us to sit back and celebrate for the promise4 is ever We are land before us tobe4pnQuered conscthous or the disparity between the freedom attained by the little Jewish people as result of the exodus and the limitless possibilities of the.development of liberty for all mankind We live continunuslyin the qpiritpf the never resting 6i past laurels but always challenege presented the vision of moving onwards away from savery and Egyptian darkness toward new dawn for humanity The promised la promised land and always_iptp

exus

future

and in his ability increasing power of dominating his physical environment make possible more planned and wiser economy of living But the Jew believc with his physical progress there can be and must be that corresponding voiced by the exodus from in mans spiritual progress The protest 4evelopment Egyfl was directed not against the physical and cultural achievements of Egypt but against its spiritual corruption Bad the worlds future been dependent of physical control the protest of the exodus would never Ion the development been evoked since achievements \Jave Egyrt led the ancient wo rld in technical The exodue from to hew and mould world oft classic builders who were able was to.their desires towards world in the elements of the earth according those which man will be able to control stiblimate and beautify desis The for exodus was required to organize the quest society which would not only have soul The pilgrimage of build cities for our bodies but which would the body of man freedom has been from world in which Israel from slavery to towards one in which not only the body of man might fly through was fettered
Jto

This belief in limitless progress is the essence of Jewish optimism Life testi of living in mans continually fies to marvelous progress in the mechanics

Page 25
air but the soul of man might soar bthigher Israel had to march world in which therewould be no more violenod forth from gypt to find no more hatred no more injuttice no more oppression and slavery world in which sit under his own vine and fig tree and none every pwrson should would make him afraid With the exodus jtl.a aflaaton.tJn...uind world not by Pharoah or his modern counterpart the governed ruthleas unmoral superman but byG-d
the

being Israels historic quest Israels worlcis ever to be done Profound of that tragic figure the wandering ly true is the worlds concetion Jew but the Jew wanders ceaselessly not as the world thinks to expiate some crime that lie has committed but to expiate the crime of human opnression by the Egy.pts of every generation The wandering Jew is forever setting ftrth anew to proclaim the summons to htman freedom Wander on then must the Jew until that distant day when the world shall have learned the universal lesson of Passover Until then Israel must continue to celbtate the exodus the Only when that day shall come will Israel be free to celebrate entry into the promised land
This

Page 26

nqrns.04s

-c

Gc44e
1-

-2-i44

Page 27

In this weeks S.dzifls we see the character .f Pharz ceipletely revea.ed We read cf Phareah and his pesple suffering fri the Mteitatiens if the plagues that have everrun the seuntry and have beanie well sigh unbearable In his distress PhareOt eunnse Meses end Aaren pleads with them te intercede befere G-d that he be relieved ef these itelerable plagues len mine st ye Xntreat the Len yeur Gad that He may take rem we this death He suddenly acknewledges away the righteeusness and the cc ereignty if Gad and praises free his peecle Sew- utterly different is this tune fre the ene he expressed befare tp-Dwl laW II Se The is the Len that eheuld heesa te lie But ne seener is he relieved ef this suffering that he fergets his premise te Meses the expreas4 Len ef gratitude te Gad Site flies nSa sSe he refuses te send ferth the Children ef Israel 11 Again Phareak sine the tine wgn sib

Wt mn

nice

hlknewseGeI

ef these whe recegnise the we hate pictured befere us the pretetype autherity ef G-d ezUy in the h.ur .1 distress but when the need has passed beceme ungteful and refuse te aokrewledge their dependence This upen Hi-a fer ingratitude which is respeneible failure te recegnise the hand that feeds the pewer that sustains is ef zany shertceaing characteristic Thu and well knew ef many ieeple peeple teday as in the days ef Phardah whe when faced with aisfertune turn te prayer turn te G-d but as seen the trying peried is gene they again beanie their eld selves Teu and well peint the finger at wits when taken ill er evereene by serrew caused bt the passing ef seme inc suddenly recegnize and acknewledge G-d What is it that makes se ma_ny if ne ungrateful and acceunts fer cur fez all we peseess ir.bility te be thankful and grateful

Here

ass

ca

ne

dee

ef gratitude is the fact ebstiuctien -in the path that cc many ef sense .f humility One csnet be grateful unless he is Stable Pride and gratitude rivals fer the pessessisa ef the heart are deadly When pride aid beastfulness ef us they chill cur spirit ef take peseemsien tha_nkfulness his aedern ceunterparts Pharei ef el have been incapable ef that emetien because ef tee cf themeelvee and their lefty estimate DbbMefl Sfl The wise men areelse able te attainie1its Pharet saw stunts We lack humility tewarde cur aetghbers perfrem seemingly miraculeus We lack hurility ir the face nature with pride whei are everwhelmed the scientific ef Wan We gleeS ever the fact that we punt disceveries we have cecquered nature and that we are its masters and with hauty pride we relate the story if sur numereus cenqussts We like Phareah if sld else see bbtflln the greatness ef cur can genius r3l

The

great

us lack

hua

wrnstered the i-aging billews if the scoot trip acress ths ecen seat years ago meant endangering sic life Ths beat was plaything teemed abeut by the wind and the stezay waves Mere century age it was the practies- fez Jewish husband abeut te cressvthe ecean te grant his wife e.nditienal diveree lest he disappear and his life statue preve uncertain Jew weuld Sen aaya recite and when he weuld safely return ter having speeial prayer if tiankngiying emerged safely fret tWi dangers ef the leurney Put new the creasing ef the ecean is ke -lager under dangereus taking Ne serae ef fear lurks its thr hearts ef the passengers is ship rere like meet ef the cenferts ef fleating palace centaining At the end ef the jeurney therefere the passenger is evertaken with sense ef r.WDn pride rather than zratitude %13fl Our wise men teda_y ire alec if perfersing wer.dreus capable things Our en genius can acceaplieh wenders

We have

th

hen

We

alse peint with pride te na_ss cenquest ef the air and we enumerate the ef the radie and the airplane We all feel sense ct pride in-the knewledge that pots the werld that were ferserly nenthe aPart fre us can be reached teday in Ratter ef gleries

hea

Page 28
But such boastfulnese which prevents us from feeling ratsfu1 to and otpty For tan by trking these discoveries and irvertiIne did

vain conquer its 1avs We nature nor change enjoy the blessing if the zadis and telephone not because we have evorpewered natural forces but rather because we hage to letrned take dvntge of ther and aoply thn to our needs And when we observe our new scientific blessings we ought rather be inspired to exclaim did Pharoah 01 old Qt the ed of the plagues Th W.pfl flS This is the finger of a1 then ae but manifestations of his wanderful works When we 3cquire wealth and prominence we ate inclined to fesi that we these heights have reached entively by our awn Lbility and intelligence fl nfl sentence flKtn using the Biblical nw9 rDstJl fl3 In.1strength and the power of my hand hand earned all those blessings for Hew c1n we be grateful to if we consider ourselves alone the Cause nd source of our success if in thi _ace of how M.d lack this gratitude can we hpo to possess it in dealing with ur follow won
not

Gd

is

Gd

fl

Gd

Gd

Row is tke Jew taught this virtue of grtit.ude By what eanc is this great th various rituals est of human virtues made rsrt of tlH lif Aide connected with the obsew1nce ur ftstivls which promt us to cast flf of rrognee we arm constantly kept indfu1 of our dependence all feelings those words ahich mast of our uen tpon rising in the norrting we recite axonte tuht us even before we ltamnod to talk cla4rly

11

Gd

nrntn

JntnhW

T1tP

sit

r.jvo

thaflk5

mercifully
the

unto Tb... restored av soul

5iii bn conclude with pjWPja the race and maY we no in His rreat goodness He has riot trade us retiring to in nerd of the olessings of lifs At night befoze our dependence upon Gd with the words w5we flfl9fl1 recognize Let me lie don in peace and rise up again in peace thanking

erth

of

feed

arid

we the

iin

Thou hst because living ad endurinij Bfore p4rtair.6 of tha bltssins of uito our gratefulness by akin0 j$knewledge

se

Kin

fl

Sfl3fl

wntig

bed
J-.i

spP j3uy
fir the

or to we

feuid

gin

blessings
All these

of

the

day

together impres upon u.s the nessage of grtitiie The reciting of and like all our religious obseruancas these various prayers ad blessings the goals toward which ends in therselve they are erewonies ar not such they hcorLe me1nirrless Their fleanirar we strive if we leek at them to the roads leading to ends noan is pprent only if we yin their ira this case is the iwplnting nd virtues vriich 1ttai.nt of ideAls and feeling of gratefulness developnnt of
i-ia

Are these blessings neces asking the question these ceremonieS without in another way tnis virtue be iathed Cars sary mare expressions to become time ad tend Do they not lose their meaning in

hh

but

can

hear

some

one

mere

habit

to thema attached haue observances questions Se that these answer to these of al1 severest They have been put through the sacredness selves certain found test tube of time and have not been in the tests They have been tried of our on part we are carrying in their practice wanting By continuing the present with the past serge a5 the chain which links They great heritage tied up with the one gone by so the Jew of this eneratiofl is And just life today It is uniting factor of Jewish serve ceremonies do these too Jew identifies himself with and others that the by means of these practicosi individual0 rather than remain athe

group

that remember that the greatest stigma an ingrate to be called he allOW himself person is that of sondepination socially more worthy is religiously and G-d and to man to of the heart true approach the It

behooves

us

to

attach to other attitude No it destroys because can

Page 29

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Page 30
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Page 31
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Page 32
This Sabath t17O1 TflW men1ng the addition to beng refered to known the Biblical is read is alee Call portion d3S.P the Sabbath of Song This Sabbath deries its second flw nwfrom the fact that the portion of the Law assigned by the R1bhis of old be rcsd in the synagogues or this abbath contains the aajestic song of praise which loses and the Israelites saLg urte when the waters of the Red Sas divided the erstwhile were able to march as en dry and slaves land to safety to the Promised Land0
ir

Sahbath

rrW

on

which

nW

Gd

IUYh iW tW Thea This song of ad trio child sang Moses but alsO forts the eeatraj ren of Israel4 is rot enly read on this Sabbath those of tho Scriptural lesson which ii road en the seventh d4y of Passover It has furthermore so impressed itself upon Jewish consciousness that every it being the only chapter moring in our daily prayers this sons is repeated whole from the Terah and transposed into our daily prayers takon and the again imrediately preceding or Ajsidah we refer to it and OY18 the statement tn bbW 1flJ pronounce It Was new song with which the redeemed people offered praise unto Thy of the j1fl at the banks i%3 Together they all CaVe thar1kts and proclaimed Thy sovereignty and said The Lord will reign forever and ever

31

3nw

rw

miw nwn

se
this

unb

nNI ifl1 rn

demands an explanation Why does song sag so zany centuries new song WhAt We the novelty or the new note which the authors of the prgyerbok found emphasized by this song Then aflAn hew con that of the entire song with so many beautiful and the prayerbook fl3thVb1 fl striking quotes only one small verse The Lord will reign farevex and ever gs its surniration True this qeree embodies sentiment but with al1 due respect for its beauty we must ether equally beautiful contains sentiments There is say that the soul of the groat Moses giving hardly ore verse that does not reveal the loftiest feelings of the people expression to gratitude

pryerbeok designate before by Moses as

And the

here

question

presents

itself

QP
to

us and

this

pges
nhl

the compilers of the prayorbeok saw something sre in this flQflh verse than they eaw in tne entire song g4d believe the th4t the new note in the entire song is expressed in just this eat phrase Every other neto of the song was old and failiar tLie alOAS gave express ion to of the Jew new thought new idea new sense of appreciatien in life pl4ce

Evidently

al1

future the Jews All dark had little hope for lived only in the memory ef the putt Thy xererbr.d the Thex He revealed Himself to IsaaC and Jacob But that glory of G-d Adonai bcalach ttht Gd WaS gloxy waS in ths p4st They knew enly tat in the Sometiee they even felt that Adonai Melach days genehy powerful endure ll their then strsngth to that nvw tee was with them giving in the to their children sufferinss0 But that He would mean to their In th past dared not future what He meant to their ancestors that they
While before

slvimg
them

in

Egypt

grha

hipe
they stood at the banks of the Fed SCa brsathing for once the air of freedom and liberty atts3pt to secing the frustration of ths eney far the first time in a-y centuries them back into benage they saw bring oaly to feel that their glory WaS not the hope of the futur New they began new life to be even mere glori ir1 the past but that they were beginning DtT ous than the days gone by Per the first time they felt Pro now new hope was born in their hearts0 th1t all of them together Gd has reigned but Adnai Yimleeh on it was not only Adflai Yalach new marked ta the note winch forever and iver This was G-d will reign the life of our people in epoch

But when

Page 33
Asld

froM

that

fl7OflerLt

on
the

in

the

always the faith and destined for great agE Even of and
in the

ceavtction

wilderr.eos of thin gave

to

4r.d

in

the

land

of

it

new

inspiration

future that to live

of

hope
to

work

song th4t their people was to thea that gave them the cour battle and to die

b.cmo

the dark ages the wandering

cur

tribe

the future from sur rexenbered our glorious past hut that glo ry gave us the strength to hope and to work and to drea of yet rater days Note well the intreduotery words of this hymn nngi fli Then sing Yeses and the ehildrh Isr4 this song and they said lemor follows Tb rabbis with their insight late the deeper eaning of the Biblical text noted that the last two words of this vers wire superfluous if not eanlngloss What was the nocestity of saying jftec the Bible spnifieally states that they sang thie AM tney answer that these two words do got refer to what they zag but that fli8i nt1 neans they said or they pledged to bell1 their children and that they in turn snoufl tell their descendants isg before Gd alSays in the m.anLor of tnit song thraugnout the ages the Jew has kept that pledge H0 never lost tILe aTt of singing this new ijte cite that flpha sizes the future

even hearts We

exile after we were driven froz our land nd thu the world eeuld net cruh this hope

nu

so

nan

iii generation we have seen the outlook of of hi enslaved ancestors in Egypt he has lost all for the future he has forgotten how to sing the hepe the new song and has gene back to the old nato of 44Onai Malach singing only of the past living only in the iemory of the past with no no faith in the This future to this very song which we read this Sabbath comes vt see better in the life of our attituec art ever to day spiritual in merica we shall these erst have to learn fro2 our ancestors people while slaves to sing the the new note of YimltcA Adsnai of hope ad esnfidenoe

But

th Jew

my friends
in

in

our

chp

the

Cast

hoe

nn nw

in the future noted tnt fact that the word Yashlr is tonse liter the will einj rot tie past Sitar the sang Md they toll us ally moaning that from this future use of yashir we can learn the truth of rosun.ectien of the Talnud U0 fm the would thus the statennt Toras paraphrase of those resurrection of those who to see the aremosim win ha Toarah you want Then let us learn to si9 who are dead to our Torah to our faith to our G-d in the nanner of Yshir with an eye on the future and not in the manner of Az Sitar with eye to the past alofle

our Sages

the uadorlyiit philos ask me to explain to you in one word And if you would of it is tnt philosophy would saY that ophy of the Zionist movement in Jewish life Long savo it is the $hira Hadasha Adonai Yi mlooh though beautiful past it is time we lived only in the memory of the dead to futur that will bring blessedness future for our pcls to create aAd tnt assi1ilatl0i$t between The difference Israel and to al1 vs Adenai Jwialaeh this The aseimilatiflist says is just the itatisicalist return we have no nope for is gonenUer to hid past but that past havc Jew The nationalist future therefore let us end our natiOnal identity the to beautiful past but we aro going we have bad says True Adonai Malach

eno

nkin

Adinai nov sons Skirt Hadasba sing G-d our ezple our Torah oux language our future in which ita renewed vigor and youth ideals will al roapptfl
And
50

Yimloeh

the

song

of

our

future

our

land our
011

with

the the

Psalmist

would
Qflfl

noa plead
fl

sad

Tatt5
Lord has meant

oing unto for what Gd

71Q78

Lot us be hope and of youth new song Jew oxelaim but let every to us in the paste new want to siltg Lord WIll ojhtt
of

i%

lot

titerett

emuh

of

the

thankful

MW

song

Page 34
s0

The

iYour

Preedon

g-j 44$

Page 35

Ter
dark

and

is part in the ritual of the in ancient Egypt drama enacted for the world of our day

PasE over but

also

beoer that not only illumines the offers vital message for us

commemorate our liberafion fthoL the Luring the Seder service with which of Pharoah we are bidoen to partake of four cups of wine The number bondage is regulated an is b..sed upon ancient authority Evidently there by tradition must be good and valid reason for this requirement The four cups are not pres cribed simply to make us feel hapry and jolly on ti_is if that joyous event werethe sole reason the number would not be limited just to four Rabbis in our ancient literature point to the reason for this procedure of Gds assurance to Loses that He They note that in the Biblical account would emancipate the Israelites Gd uses four different expresseions to denote MflSifl and that liberation fl will bring you out from under the burdens sthi of the Egyptians and will deliver you from their bondag and will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments nlDfl 4Xrnpii and flD will take people you to Me for How do we know they ask that we are to drink four cups of wine on the eve of Passover And tney answer is is in keening with the four redemptions mentioned in the Bible
The

rn

YT

fl

But
this use

this

ans er as commonly understood does not aear to exlain sufficiently ncient custom The question tLat naturally arises is why does the Bible
different
all

four

synonyms
may doubt
does not the

exples

such repeat

to denaote the act od libertion nd repeated only for ing the same th ught for we know that the Bible measures conclusion words for tie mere sake of repetition

expressions

Are they mere We emphasis its words and

sow

denthte

Talmud doEs recemution

not

say

In

keening
t-

with

the

four

words

buu reuemptaous no One in dow uii V.e d.enleveu sous sneuoi.S sous different tynes of ii5ini of redemptions all of them essential if genuine to be achieved And to this day as we sit at our Seder lasting freedom was table to mark that historic event we toast the four freedoms which all to make the coarlete freedom essential for the well being of man And it gether is interesting to note that before the reat task of emancipation even was under when Gd first apreared to herald the coming of Israels liberation from taken atflflI Egyptian bondage He already had spoken to them not of one but of tn .t must be achieved Here is revealed the spirit of four kinds of redemption ual genius of the Jew how well he knew what freedom really means something that the world is only now beginning to understand

itsys

3b11flflWTh3Inkeeing

or expressions with the four

to

IN

Atlantic between Prime Minister Churchill That President Roosevelt and charter reaffirmed the now famous Four Freedoms proclaimed by President Roosevelt which are to serve as the afetr the coming triumph of the Allies hat are these Four Freedoms goal if not the echo of the same freedoms of which Gd spoke to the enslaved Israel ites in Egypt of old Analyze them study them and you will see how they are all included in that memorable sentence sroken by Gd to those who hoped to break the chains of their bondage to Pharoah
some time ago the

The

world

Charter

as

frmulated

vas thrilled with the announcement of at the historic conference on the high

seas

will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians that must be assured to man if this world is to offer firstfreedom the freedom from burdens from oppression from fear him life worth while so that his body is not his own Might No man has the right to enslave another not its own justification and the fear of cruel force must be lifted from
This is the

nssmi And

Page 36

th
and

hearts

of

men This then

was

the

first

freedom
the

fear struck Israelites and Charter for which tne civilized

that

this
world

too
is

is

that Gd assured the beaten first freedom of the Atlantic

battling

today

freedom fundemental as it is is not enoubh man may be released from iron gc.tes of prison and yet not feel himself free He may be freed from actual bonoage slave And so the Bible adds and yet remain in spirit and will redeem you There must be redemption of the human personality There must be what the Atlantic Charter also recognizes the freedom of the human mind intellectual freedom freedom of speech and press freedom to the men who are to govern you and think to say and to write freecom to choose the freedom to choose the kinc of government you want The Bible recognizes that no freednm is complete unless this kind of freedom is embraced in the term And the Atlantic Charter has thus reaffirmed this Divine truth giving new and sacred meaning to the battle which all liberty loving people are today called uron to wage
the is to the credit of the Jew that at the very dawn of his history he already the truth that genuine freedom must embrace more flfl9b fl38 flh1 recognized and will deliver you from their servitude They were to be saved not only from bondage but from Egyptian conception of labor their p-ilosophy of econom ic life There must be economic freedom man mazi be granted freedom from whys but if he remains ical and freedom of thought and speech slave opwression if willing to work he is denied the oportunity to work then economically he remains slave and what is worse the other freedoms too soon lose for him their meaning and their value And so the Bible goes to the very heart of the of human freedom when it emphasizes redemtion from their concept of labor and of economic life If the Atlantic Charter is to stir conception the hearts of men to battle and to sacrifice for the it triumph of its cause must emphasize and reemphasize this freedom as one of its goals for only then It can

But

genuine

freedom
the be

come

to

blest

the

life

of

man

And and

will take you to Me for people fourth freedom as vital as essen tial as the other tlree religious freedom the freedom to worship Gd accord of ones ccnsoience to Religion te one force that ought ing to the dictates unite all men into one brotherhood is still las grert cause of misunder standing of rrejudice of the breeding of hate between man and man serving freedoms The frecdorj to worship Gd as as an excuse to rob men of their other because of toleration but of right this must be one of the one will not cardinal primci1es of the new freedoe if it is to usher in txe era of true

lastly

Bible you

says

will

to

Gd

And
the

Here

is

emanciation

for
these

ll

mankind
freedoms
is

which gave the wromise of dawn of mew era to Four Freedoms proclaimed in tht JLtlantic Bgypt offer the world today the promise of the dawn of new day for all humanity Out of this holocaust there Lust collie for all peoples and for all lands this true liberation the liberation that shall fully embrace the four that cn save the world from further blood freedoms the only emancipation

Yes
the

it

was

four

slaves of Charter which

It

these

shed

and

turther

ruin

of wine at our Seder table these four freoms as we toast with the ouws reoffirmea in the historic first proclaired in the pages of our Bible and that we may soon be -riveleged to be Atlantic Charter let us hope andpray which alone hold their fulfillment the rea1ization of the will bring lsting eace for all peoples

Thus

tod

Page 37
8P

1O

a-c

t1t.o

414-

Page 38

one he The not

of

the

distinguishing
his

characteristics
that he for what

of

the

Jew

thn

days

gone

by

that

past

only remembered was ever dear to

past but
but we

also

him

Passover festival as truth of this assertion

The

only shall sonn

see

The thought of his future it taught him concerning his future bears excellent witness to the

first days of the Passover recall to the Jew his exodus from the land of from the bondage of Pharoah They speak to him of his rast That exodus Egypt was complete the Jew won his full emancipation in those ancient days And the of the is complete as he recalls that remarkable incident in his joy Jew too all the ptalms of praise to give voice to history he recites the full to Almighty his sense of gtatitude But no sooner do the first days o.fthe festival pass th his thoughts immediately turn to the present His joy turns to sorrow Though freed from the bondage of ancient Egypt he sees the Jew in in many moderh Egypts he sees him suffering beneath the cruel lash of bondage dozen Pharoahs today He no lOnger sings the entire his heart will not all the psalms of thahksgiving allow him to recite nd on the Sabbath intervening between the first and last days of the festival he reads the ororhets vision of the Th1Th9 of the valley of dry bones as if to visualize before his very eyes the wicture of his brethren today

Gd

od the present is the Jew does not permit himself the picture ret sad become despondent in despair Immediately he turns his eyes to or to remain the future of his reowle Un the lst days of Passover he reads the Biblical he sings the song of Moses and as the Rabbis wisely tell portion of does not that only refer to the song that Moses and Israel sang in the us song past but also tc the song that Israel and his deliverers will sing in days to fl t$ then Moses come The Bible does not say sang but then hoses will sing in the future tense and here we find the proof of resurrection in the Torah Yes on the last day of Passover the Jew thinks and prays and hopes for the resurrection of his people

And
to

cur people today believe is that contrary observes only the first two dys of this festival tradition the Jew in inclined to think only of his pst contrary to Jewish teachings and little about his present but alrost completely ignores his future He remembers tie ex due fros Egyt but does not think or concern himself about the exodus tt at must lead the Jew out of his present misery nd degradation the message wnioh the last days of this festival brings to our ninds

The
to

grat trouble

with

mny

of

Jewish

the

Jew

This evening we can see more clearly the examine one ihase of Jewish life today

truth the

of is statement if we establishment of Jewish

but

Home

land
then
to as

will we

cc

in the we we

view

beginnings in its first days cause for rejoicing present the intermedite days weiwill see our joy turn
its

sorrow and as days of Passover

look can

into

the

future
for

in

thespirit of
the

these
tR

find

reason

singing

tflDtW

concluding the song of

Moses
little
be the the signs day over qnarter of century ago we oegan to of Jewish emanciration were thankful to see

what
that

Gd

to was believea we lived to see

when the naticns of the world publicly recognized the historic claim of Jew to his land Ve were indeed grateful to the Almighty tht we lived to which pledged Englands greet the Balfour Declaration help and influence to the Jews national hon-c on his historic soil Our hearts were thrilled recreate We had rLason for joy We had cause for celebration We by these areat events When we learned that th.e were able to sing with grateful hearts the whole pioneers in Palestine had turned desert into spacious orange groves we voiced our thanks to Od with the full and oomlete

Page 39
sooner did these first days of the festival pass by that our joy turned to sorrow We began to realize that perhaps our joy was premature We were greeted White Paper restricting Jewish immigration into Palestine We began to doubt by whether the Balfour Declaration will ever be realized 1Ve were confronted with Arab uprisings with riots and skirmishes between Jews and Arabs believed to have been instigated by the British in keeping with their policy of 4ivide and rule We then began to ask whether this declaration into which we put so much faith would not become just another scrap of paper In 1939 we received another setback in the issuance of another White Paper more severe in its restrictions on Jewish immigration and the amount of land Jews are ermitted to purchase in Palestine This White Paper fixes the proportion of Jews in Palestine as approx imately one third of the totl population by provididcg that until March of this year not more than seventy five thousand Jews be admitted to the country After that date unless the Arabs will grant permission further Jewish immigration is to be prohibited We began to wonder if all out efforts already spent in the upbuilding of the land were not in vain This document further provides that Jews even those who are citizens of Palestine will not be allowed to buy land in nearly 95% of the total area of the country while non-Jews whether they are citizens of Palestine or not have unrestricted purchase rights We cried for Jewish Commonwealth in Pales justice and hoped that the joint resolution for introduced into Congress would abrogate this White Paper and make the tine Balf our Declaration again reality But that too seems to have failed because Arabian oil fields of what is termed military reasons
Thitrio

Naturally we are sadly disappotnted that this resolution has been shelved But our which throw ray of cheeron disappointment is offset by several condiderations the butlook for the future and flve us reason to sing togetler hopefully the He has made it perfectly song of Moses First of all our President has spoken clear that he will see to it that justice is done the Jew when the Palestine at the end of hostilities In foreign affairs question comes up for considertaion

Presidents voice often carries more weight even thin resolutions of Congress This is the first ray of cheer the Jewish pet-pie have enjoyed since the outbreak of the war Secondly we know that the American people is with us The voice of America was heard at the American Ptestine Conferebce in complete endorsement of our position and the sentiment in both houses cf Congress is decidedly Jewish kalestine Thoirdly the resolution is only temporarily friendly to aside and has not been dropped At as auspicious moment it will be taken up put
the

again
We however on our part must continue our agitation abd work We must make the situation increasingly clear to the American people and especially to our Government leaders We must let them know how much Palestine neans to American Jews and to what lengths American Jews are ready to go in order to establish

homeland
tflUP Pt was not sung by Israel when they You recall the the Biblical fact that left the land of Pharoah but only after they had safely crossed the Red Sea To me it al aye seemed strange and have often sought for an elplanation that the children of Israel did not sing this Song of Freedom immediately upon their departure from Egyptian bondage Surely the ten plagues were all as wonderful and as miraculous as was the separation of the waters of the Red Sea But the reason The Jewish people in Egypt did nothing to win their freedom issimple enough the They were not responsive to the appeals of their leaders Who accomplished Moses and Aaron and thetelders all working as messengers work of redemption The people themselves gave these leaders very little help or of Almighty And so when freedom came the people felt ashamed because of the assistance little Iffort they had expended to achieve that.blessing They could not sing the SonS of Freedom because they realized that their freedom was won by others

Gd

Page 40

.Iby

the Red Sea mattefl were different When the the Egyptians ursuing them they plunged into the waters of the people saw sea ready to sacrifice their lives for their freedom preferring death rather than return to slavery And as the Rabbis tell us It was only when the Israelites were almost drowning when they were submerged in the waters up to their very necks that the waters divided and separated into two massive walls Because all the people were ready to sacrifice their lives for their freedom all the difficulties and obstacles passed away because they all showed how much they were willing ti suffer in order to win and retain their freedom they were entitled to sing the hymn

themselves But in crossing

nr

words apply with special force to the Jew of today We have not yet To do proven ourselves worthy to sing our peoples song of emancipption that we must be willing to make certain sacrifices that our freedom may be mete more certain and enduring This is the message and of the last days of Pasover
to

These

challenge

us

Page 41

The

Dawn

of

Prejudic

Page 42

the most vexing problems facing world in its program of rsconstruc tion is that of the growth of rsligious and racial prejudics Myriads of books and articlss have bsen writtsn in an sffort to determine the oausss of group hatrsd Several ational organizations today hays as their main objectivs study of 1kb factors giving riss to the diseass of antisemitism and possible methods of stunting its rowth This evening should like to examine with you the first record of group hatred in the history of the world as found in the chapters of the Bible assigned to be read in the synagpgues on the current Sabbaths Breated of Egypt to great Egyptologist wrote of the contributions world ethical progress in book entitled Dawn of Conscience picture of the other side of Egyptian life is found in our Bible story It is story of the Dawn of Prejudice This story of Egyptian hatred against Israel will help belive explain the grup prejudices which are endangering the birth of the new world we are all anxiously awaiting
.G first is ignorance -fop il/c Al iSle flY There who knew not Joseph Had he but known Joseph and his service rose new king to Egypt he would have been giatefu to his memory an friendly to his people Most people are ignorant of the worlds Mastery and can easily be led to prej udice Those who know the story of the past are aware of the fact that culture is that many groups have conttibuted to it that we are all composite indebted to eagh other Antisemitism today like in ancient Egypt is increas .sIe pt because so many people are ignorant of the ing because the Jews have made to world civilization great contribution

On

of

The

nn

fu

14tnk
of

fear or more correctly the exageration of fear he sftf Behold the children of Israel are too g.e leadin mighty -they will join with 6ur eneilies Ancient Egypt power at that time supposedly feared the children of Israel And that has been the
pathetic side ef antisemitism throughout history powerful nations are afraid of the so-called Jewish world power We in our day have many times heard this refrain of psJria international Jewry seeks ja sounded by the Nazis to rule the world Fear an5 ignorance are closely related Groups are feared the more we know each because they are unknown other the less we fear one

Then

there is the

element

4s

another
There is yet another clement in group hatred found in this Biblical account One of the Habbis of old in commenting upon the verse There arose new king who knew not Jospph states fl /fl%k p9p flyHe pretended not to know Jospeh It was not mere ignorance or fear but sheer wilful evil This rabbinio of the story comes close to the tragic reality that much of interpretation is due to cynical and conscious wickedness It cannot be cured group prejuttoe and reassurance but by thc dow -purification of hrnin merely by knowledge

nature
The Rabbis seem to be more realistic this Scripture they say that beyond ignorsace and fear there is the evil chich refuses to know Joseph And yet they too are optimistic as to fuller sweep of history for they have put into the essential Jewish hope that the ancient prejudice between our prayerbook will disappear and mankind will form one band of brothers that this groups hope and prayer may soon be realized

Page 43
/13

Go Fonard
/.../r-g

Page 44

itt

in our day boL.n thc critnesses to the rise and fall of one of the great tyrants of all time During the struggle that was waged against that force which sought to enslave mankind we were able to comfort ourselves with the that from the early beginnings of thought that tyrannies always collapse est

have

our time every tyrant who rose ip to oppress innocent people doom and we were confident that the same would be true of the tyrant of the twentieth century We were comforted in the thought that history always repeats itself But we forget sometimes that democracies have also died that facing frequently free governments crisis have failed to find the strength that destroyed them The an necessary to endure What has been the \cakness swer believe can bt found in the story of the sedrah of this week known as history met his down
to

shallach
now free people having been delivered from Egyptian bondage faces the waters of the Red Sea on their way toward the Promised Land No sooner had and his court regretted the emancipation There Israel gone that Pharaoah followed swift few days after marshalling of the chariots of Egypt and only beihg thrust out in to freedom the children of Israel beheld the hosts of Egypt in hot pursuit after them The Midrash indicated that not only were the by fear but they were also further demoralized by divided people distracted counsel One group frantic with despair cried Let us cast ourselves into the waters of the Another group said Let us go back to Egypt and submit ourselves to slavery Others ere for giving battle to the enemy For the first time as free people Israel faced crisis 1oses the new leader hardly know He pleaded with the people to be patient and have what to do faith But then Tell the ane or came to him in the orcLs Here the ansder to our question Democ children ef Israel to go forward racies cannot ndure free people cannot endure unless they go forward and progress in certain definite fields

Israel

Sn

Gds

The

first

sphere

in which

the

command

of

going

forward

must be

felt

is

the

rol

itical

Dnocracit

rurt after period downfall of free government in Germany and France was due to the fact that the the efficacy of democracy because there was corruption among peeple boubtee its poitical leaders Democracies must therefore dLvelop honest and efficient or else free governmen will collapse from within Peope must governemnt remember that dLmecracy is tlic gevcrnment of the people and must remain that

tendency to grew politically cor have unfortunately of time Professional politicians despoil the state The

second sphere of progress is soctal Democracy is no guarantee against socill inequality Even here in the United States the great bulwark of democ racy there is evidonee of this inequality Unscruiuleus men will sake advant of liberty to oppress and exploit Social and eco age of the opportunities nomic fair dealin alone will win the average man to love and support his the governemnt for the people and must be the govern govcrnrent Democracy ment for all the people or else it will fail
The there is the necd for progress in the ethical sphere Democracies fnally are in danger free the forgetfulness of its citizens People absorbed in their own affairs grow indifferent to public duty Somu people naively believe that skeleton of democracy was formed magically it would flesh itself one the are content to relax and enjoy the fruits of free governemnt But they must Theg remember that democracy is governnnt the poeple that democracies must build character and repponsibility in the hearts ef its citizens They must beware of everybodys business becoming nobodys business And

Page 45

We know Divin

will that man be froe that freedom harmonizes with cannot conclude t1st therefore democracies will automat ically endure Sometimes free overnernnts facc crises and the crisis bill find it unprepared unles it obeys the command td go forward
that it is

Gds

Law

But

ye

Page 46

f2f

Liberty and

the

Sprinbtikie

Page 47

Th

festival is freedom Passover is designated season of our liberation the anniversary of several thousands of years ago from the slavery our ancestors Cemer service with its symbols of Egypt And the whole purpose of the elaborate and gestures its narratives and reflection and song is to keep this experience fresh in our minds The bitter herbs are token of the hardships our forefathers endured under the yoke of the Pharoahs The Oharoses reminds us of the brick and the mortar with which they worked and the salt eater of the tears they shed in the cruel servitude while the Matzos represent the bread of affliction The four cups of wine on the other hand the reclining position the serenity and fearlessness that imbue all the participants in the Ceder service all these are with which sense of deliverance of the feeling of emancipatiofl expressions of the memories of the exodus from Egypt inspires the Jew predominant thought
in bur ritual as the redemption of

Y1L

of

the

Peaach

I.4

the

that the slave and the reetness of liberty is the message Pesach to us the lesson it aims to teach us Israel holiday conveys to divine to shake off the shackles of tyr ras onde able thanks intervention free people free to live its own life and to follow its own anny and become ideals And the moral to be derived from this lesson of history is that we too to safeguard and preserve it Then we have must prize freedom seek it and take of the it offers by living the full rich life it makes advantage opyortunities The

wretchedness
the

of of

that

possible
the course of worTh history many peole hae teen receemed from slavery but Israei is the only people to make its liberation part of its reliLion and to set aside festival of freedom to comemorate that event In so aoing Israel of years and thereby has has meditated on tho meaninL of freedom for tLousd.nds gainec insipht into the true nature and meaning of freeuom lt therefore has to the world One of the first statements made fresoom to give message concerning their redemption i-as tPn pkJ/ At/v a/O Moses to Israel following by This day ye go forth in the month of spring This statement plus the fact that our calendar is so arranged that Passover shoulu come in the springtime suggests that there is relationship between liberty and the season spring And the spirit se must appreciate of spring indeed if we wish to understand -freedom In

first mcsEag is that liberty like spring is haptiness opripgtime brings mood of joy As expressed in the Cong of Songs ifl //ti The flowers appear on the oarth the time of singing is come.2 The birds sing and all nature rejoices and mankind is glad So it is with liherthy Men are never happy in slavery In tyranny people nay work hard hut they will never play in insecurity because of the bitterness and Tyranny itself lives in uncertainty resentment of the people Only in freedom is man happy
The

ri

jL

P3J

Liberty
In

to0 sug0ests groi th The happiness of springtime is the herald of growth spring every blade of grass and every plant increases in strength and in beauty Similarly under freedom every individual has the power and opportunity to he just develop himself In tyranny each person is like plant in winter survives But in freedom man can grow and aevelop And
finaaly
can like

spring

Nothing

hinder
the

it
to

The be

ently
and and

an
but

trees but of

nature Springtime always comes liberty is the law streams during inter may appear to be frozen perman forever lifeless But at iven time spring arrives
It to vill the sure lay of Tyranny may appear strong surely melt away Freedom may appear to be life because it is the will of Gd that liberty is

brings with

it new

unbreakable
it the

life it too

Gd

dead

too
lot

will come

shall be

mankind

Page 48

There were four hundred springtiraes of bitter slavery in Egypt Yet the day came when spring brouht its message of joy its lesson of grovth and its of the ftlfillment of vcill This reassurance is the message of hope that Peaach vorld vhich seems to be losing its faith in the future brings to

Gds

of

liberty

Page 49

Couritin of

the

Orner

19

46

Page 50

Beginning
weGlts

on

part
the

recite

day of Passover and extending over period evening service is given over to the counting of Blessed art Thou Lord our blessing King of the
the of the

second

of the

seven

sanctified us us by Ht commandments and commanded us to count follows the statement This is the first day of the Omer The This is the second day of the Omertt And so it continues each fiftieth day comes and that day is Shevuoth
At the time of the

Gd

Omer
Then

We who

the

Omer
day

Universe
it

next

is
the

evening

until

pii

when
of

the

Holy
the

night

day of Fassover emmisaries of to the rural district in the vicinity the Sanhedrin the Jewish court proceeded 1cith sheaf of barley and brought of Jerusalem large group of people cut off and converted into refined it in to the Temple During the night it was threshed At day break took it in charge and offered it as meal offering flour priest to the Lord This ceremony called Omer was the starting point for the counting Since the number of days of the forty nine days whose culmination was Shevuoth vhen the Omer was to be counted is exactly seven weeks the same day of the \eek The Biblical authority for this ceremony offered was also the day for Shevuoth is the verse jie- tIVu/ ye shall count from the morrow after the day of rest from the day that ye brouLht the sheaf offering seven complete weeks

peoeding thenEixtenth

Nisan

Temple second

stood

in

Jerusalem

on

the

Maimonides and other sages maintain that the reason thy we were ordered to count these days betveen the anniversary of our departure from Egypt and the anniversary of tho revelation on ht Sinai is to emphasize the importance of the fiftieth gust as one who- thagey awaits dear friend counts the holiday of Shevuoth day mnutos to his arrival so does the Jew constantly look forward to the hours and the moment vhen ho received his spiritual freeuom
Umer is called in Hebrer is th hridge reveljtion on Sinai spiritual freedom can connecting not have an enduring effect on people unless it is first preceded by an exodus from Egypt tin physical freedom On the other hand liberty ot emancipation of higher out the acceptance Pesach values must ultimately lead to enslavement

Sefras

HaOmer

as the with Pesach

counting

of

the

Shevuoth

was It

not an
is for

end this

in

itself

It

was

prelude
that the

preparatory

step

to

Sinai

Omer on Passover was to be meal offer Shevuoth was to be brought from wheat Barley ing barley offerinon Cin 0HPA e.t food given to animals while wheat is p9/c was considered food for man Although the exodus from Egypt removed the shackles of bondage from the enslaved bodies of our ancestors they were nevertheless still fettered with thousand chains to the animal life to which they were accustomed They still complained to Moses saying We remember the fish rhich we ate in Egypt Many of them preferred the garlic and onions of Egypt to the bread of freedom

reason

perhaps

of

while the

that our ancestors had to undergo was in this Sefira period rigid and inten to cleanse himself from the impurities hioh time he sive training during he acquired during loftier freedom And this \.hich slavery He was to yearn for yearning .as to be expressed by counting the days as he was about to receive this It

freemen It as only ilen at tlie culnination of the Sefira period the that they fiftieth day the holiday of Shevuoth when the received the Torah the food of man It was only vere entitled to secure symbolically pYle /en when one realizes that there is something higher in life than the fleshpots and garlic that he isvortiy of the title
true

man

Page 51
.-

Passover

Wedding

Anniversary

3ff--

Page 52

and said unto me spoke my love my fair one and For lo the winter is past The rain is over and gone The flowers appear on the earth My beloved

Rise up

come

away

The

time the

And

Arise
According after the an Seder
to

of singing is come voice of the turtle is heard in our my love my fair one and come away

land

established tradition it is proper to read the Song of Songs at home on the first two nights of Passover as well as in the written by King on the seventh day The several verses Ofthat book Synagogue as well as the entire book is accepted by us as an Solomon which just quoted an earthly story with heavenly meaning describing the relationship allegory Gd and Israel Gd is represented as lover who courted Israel during between human loverRise in the land of Egypt He spoke to Israel in terms of its stay fair one and come away from the land of the Pharoahs The win up my love my the four hundred year period of exile ter with its dreary days of cold and rain is over and gone Nature has awakened in all its beauty and with its suffering new life of freedom in the Promised Land splendor Arise and come away to

Israels willingness to forsake the fleshpots of Egypt and go forth into the wil derness signified her consent to become the bride of The wedding was coiclud when Israel received the Ten Commandments the ed at the foot of Mount Sinai marriage ring Palestine was the home which Gd prepared for his beloved Israel and the Sanctuaty was the place where He was to meet His people

Gd

This of

conception

Songs an

as

of anntversary The Seder ple

forms the background for the spiritual interpretation of the Song such justly belongg to Passover For this festival marks the Israels new life as and as free and independent peo people ritual was designed to awaken within us memories of the past when

Gds

Israel was
The

young

custom of celebrating wedding anniversaries is quite popular in our day par ticulat3y after twenty five or fifty years of happy married life We see frequent standing under the Chuppah when ly grandparents ceremony is preformed for them and at that time the old couple relives moment of youthful happiness After years of struggle toil pain and sorrow we like to recall the memories of the past when our hearts were full of joy and in recalling them try as much as poss ible to relive them for the moment Passover people
is just

Israels history
experienced
the

in

such celebration The observant Jew endeavors to dramatize order to live through the moments of happiness which his
in the the

the unleavened days of its youth The eating of matzos bitter herbs the charoses mixture that resembles mortar bread morror and the other symbols at the table are intended for the sole purpose of making life in Egypt as real to us as possible As we express it in the our ancestors Seder ritual It is the duty of every person in each generation to look upon himslef as if he went forth from Egypt the world the dramatization of the Exodus is carried out more with an additional among us Before ceremony which is not practiced the man dressed up in old dusty clothes posing as Seder one wayfarer with on his back and staff in his hand Then the family is seated around the tabl pack he knocks at the door and begs to be admitted On enetering the house he is greeted with the customary Sholem Aleichem and is invited to join the family

some parts realistically

In

of

Page 53

around the The answer

table

The

is

01

came
to

wilderness

hoping

host then asks him Where do you come from forth from the land of Egypt am wandering reach the Promised Land

stranger
through
the

If it was difficult in th past to relive and vividly recall the evils and suf because of its remoteness that is certainly fering of oppression and persecution not true in our day Each of us as we will sit at our Seder tables and partake of its meaningful symbols will think not only of the exodus that is several thousand years old but of one that is much more recent We have had the horrors of the modernPharoah thrust before our eyes and hearts all too well Many of our brethren have actually and because of our experienced redemption from the grave to their lives and the feeling of kinship with them we can fully appre closeness ciate their Exodui and pray and work that they may find complete end to that and wandering in Eretz Yisrael suffering

Page 54

The

Purpose

of

Miracles

t-t/--47

Page 55

Psach
of the

has

been

variously
or

called

the

Birthday

of

Israel

or

the

Independence

Day

of similiar names It is true that Pesach score any of was the birthday of the nation Israel just as it was the independence day of our fraction of what Pesach meant to people Yet all these concppts convey only those who left Egypt and what it should mean to us today

Jewish

People

meand more than That Pesach mere birthday or independence day can readily be seen when upon examination we find that the literal translation of the word Pesach is far removed from any of these terms Pesach is derived from the Hebrew for the Lord passed over the Jewish homes when He smote posach passed over the first born of Egypt Could not the Torah have chosen another name one more in of the spirit of independence that we commemorate The Torah dicative however in naming the holiday desired that we always remember one essential factor truer understanding of Israels redemption We must light to guide us towards constantly reqember the Lords miraculous safeguarding of His people while destruc tion raged furiously on all sides while He brought upon Israels oppressors the climax of the tern plagues The whole story of Pesach which takenin broad sense includes all that led up to the glorious exodus can be recited as list of consecutive miracles The birth of Moses his escape to Midian the burning bush Moses reappearance inEgypt to assume the leadership of Israel the ten plagues the diision of the Red Sea the manna in the desert are only several of the miracles that tell the story of Israels emancipation outstanding miracle What is the importance of miracles iii our religious philosophy That is and especially Nachmanides make it abundantly Jewish commentators clear that nature ad miracle are the same Can this be possible Can it be that nature so that science has been able to formulate laws under which all earthly uhchangeable that would be impossible unless the world was things fall an accomplishinen undeviating unchanging is really identical with miracles which is unpredictable ad forever different Ane yet it is so
to an explanation of this canbe found in the origin of the word miracle derived from the Latin word which means to wonder miracle then is an that causes one occurrence to wonder Nature and miracle are alike in the respect that both cause wonder First let us look at nature Who can look upon glor colored sunrise -or who can smell beautiful fragrant lilac ious majestically without wondering how great and powerful must be their Creator Who can understand the orderliness among the planets as they hurtle through the vast space without In short who can being curious about the Master Designer and Divine Architect live in the world of nature without wondering about Gd As David so sings 9Th -rfl VT flWJt1 TflLD ObflSbh in his Psalms tblYfl beautifully the glory of G4d and the firmament declareth The heavens recount His handiwork Only one who whose senses have been blinded can fail to conclude that there is Creator who has divine purpose for this universe It is

clue

But and

is so plainly written on every mountain we morta fail to see that which prominantly displayed in the tiny atom -when we begin to take ourselves for then Gd must stir our dormant wonder by granted and fail to wonder at nature other means by irregularities in that nature which we call miracles He causes bushes to burn without being consumed He causes unnatural plagues to come upon Egypt and not upon His chosen people He cleaves the sea and makes walls of water for Israel to pass safely through He causes manna to fall where food cannot grow tien surely we must woder and meditate and recognize

when
so

Gd

Page 56

And the miracles accomplished their purpose Israel saw the hand of the Lord at the Red Sea that they could poibt to Him and sing ence Gd and will glorify Him
This

fl1lTIfl

Tfl

flt

Lnner aware

n-ri of His

They

were

so

exist
is

mnt

flt

This

my

then is the purpose of miracles to arouse in us that wondering which we should see in nature Nature is but miracle because of its quiet commonplace Thus in our prayers every day we thank the regularity and common occurrence Lord for Thy miracles which are daily with us for everything arOund us each moment is full of miracles
that the Torah wanted us to retain that It is this view of Pesach is why it bears the name of the climax of the ten plagues And for this reason we are commanded so strictly to preform the Pesach ceremony to eat matzos and arrange Seder rites that are reminders of miracles Each year we are to be stimulated by thetr thought provoking observance as were as our ancestors sitiliarly stimulated by the miracles of bygone days

Gds

Page 57

Questions for Pesach

Answers

Page 58

Theaskin

of

over holiday tions for the

is of in

keeing questions names

questions is definitely within keeping of the spirit of the Pass whether it is the questions of the Jewish housewife in her prepara holiday or those raised by the youngster at the Seder table And it with this spirit that would like to present to you tonight series and answers about the observance of Passover
is this

By

what

festival

known

and

what

do

they

mean

passover is known by several names in the Bible Chag Ha Pesach Chag Ha Matzoth and Chag Ha Aviv Ha Pesach the festival of Passover refers to the last plag Chg of G-d spared the homes of the Israelites by passing ue in Egypt when the aggeth over them when he smote the first born in the Egyptian homes ChagjaMatzot the festival of Matzoth refers to the fact itiat at the time of the xodus the Jews could not prepare leavened bread because of their hasty departure and ate Matzoth the festival of sprigg because it marks the begin It is also called Chag Ha Aviv the beginting of the barley harvest ning of spring add celebrates What
is the

ceremony
is

of

Bedikas

Chomets and

when

does

it

take

place
before

edikas Chometz

symbolic

search

for Chomets on

the

eveting

Passover

real search was inttituted in all corners of say symbolic for in olden days removal of Chomets took place several days before the house In later times the

but in order that the commandment of Bedikas Chomets be not forgotten search is instituted With candle in hand the head of the house figurative searches for the small pieces of bread that had been carefully placed at various in the house and burns them the following morning poithts

Passover

hat

is Mechiras

Chomets and

what

is

its

fun ction

law provides that any Chomets that remains in the possession of Jew dur In order that the fulfillment of ing the Passover holiday is forbidden forever this law should not require the destruction of all foods in Jewish possession formal sale of these foods is made to which would mean great losses nonJew for the week of Passover whereby the law could be observed and the loss avoided Jewish Whatis
the

difference

between

Comets and

Matzo

bread Common grain flour when Chomets is aleavened bread matzo iineavened brought in cottact with water will begin to leaven or ferment Bread is made by mixing flour and water and allowing the mixture to stand until it leavens or add and then baking it Matzo ts ing yeast which hastens the process of leavening made by mixing flour and water and baking the txture before the process of leavenine can take place

hat
Seder
takes

is is

the

meaning Hebrew
in the

of

Seder

and

when

is

it

held
to It the is

place because it follows

word meaning home on the

set

order and is the name given first two nights of Passover pattern or order
the

so

ceremony that designated

hat

is

the

Haggadah

and

Fier Kashes

Haggadah literally Sans narrative or story and contains the special ritual service for the Seder The story is ittroduced with the four questions asked by the youngest child at the table The questthons concern themselves with the ceremon ies of the Seder They are Wh only Matzo Why only bitter herbs Why the cere It is interest Why do we sit leaning on cushions mony of dipping foods twice ing to note that the version of these questions found in the Mishnah does not give the last question and instead has Why do we every night eat all kinds of meat whether cooked or roasted while on this night of Pesach potted only reast meat

Page 59

question was asked when other meat was permitted

The th ree The of

the

Padchal

Lamb which

was

roasted

was

eaten and

no

ma tzos

lac ed

on

the

der

able

three matzos placed before the master of the house represent the three flnds Jews koehn levi and yisroel Another explanation is that on any Sabbath or festival it is customary to have two loaves of bread on the table that symbolize the double portion of the manna which the Israelites in the desert received on Friday Since one of the matzos is broken at the beginning of the service for the Afikomen three are provided to begin with so that at least two whole ones remain Why
The do we

drink

four

cups

of

wine

at

the

Seder

and

what

is

the

Cup

of

Elijah

cups of wine are in keeping with the four expressions found in the Torah 0-sds redemption of the Israelites from Egyptian bodage hjOi One Sage found fifth expression and thought 1jlfif1/ that five cups of wine should be used It is because of this difference of opinion that we have the Kos Shel Eliyahu the cup of Elijah popularly so clled because all questions that remaind in doubt were left to be resolved by the prophet Elijah It is also symbolic of the hope for redemption Elijah being the forerunner of four telling
of

i//

the

Messiah
employed
who at the

heirnportantsyrnbols
The marror or bthtter at the hands of the The
pJ

Seder

and

what

do

they mean Jews

herbs

are

Egyptians

reminder of the suffering of the explained as made their lives bitter with hard labor reminder of temples for

rosa

clay and

mixture of chopped nuts applecinnamon and wine is mortar used by the Israelites in buildigg the palaces and
the

the

Pharoah
The on The the is the symbol of the Paschal Lamb which roasted shank bone the eve of Pesach dunn days of the Temple Jews

aarrificed

roasted eggis symbol of the festival offering that was used by our people Pesach which on token supplemented the raschal Lamb Others interpret the egg as of grief for the destruction of the Temple or greens meal in olden tithes
The

fls

which

is

dijped

in

the

salt

water

are relishes used

at

festive

Ci
It

dishes and

cooking

utensils

used

throughout_Ithe_year

be

used

on

Passover

pepecial set of dishes and ttensils for the fetival customary to set aside under certain conditions some of the dtensils used throughout the year However cannot be used under any circum may also be used on Passover Dishes chinaware stances Metal pots and pans and silverware can be kashered by first thoroughly cleansing them ad then pttting them in pot of boiling water Untensils used directly over the fire such as frying pans may be kashered by playing them dir ectly over the fire allo wing them to get red hot Glassware should be scoured and then soaked in water for three days changing the water every twenty four
tE

hours

Page 60

So

vee

Page 61

Our hearts our

to the season With each retelling we the heroic tale of Israels liberation from Egyptian slavery inspiration in the promise given to the people of Israel that shelter and refuge in landflowing with milk and honey

and

our minds turn at

this

Passover

peoples liberation from boddage

ancient story of find new glory in We find renewed they would find

This year as in the past we again heard the youngest at the Seder table ask the is this night different from all other nights ciuestions wherefore In 1948 we must ask ourselves another question Wherefore is this year different from all other years from all the other years of homelessness and hopelessness which of our fellow Jews have suffered many
this month as Freedom Month dedicated to an ex Jewry has designated traordinary effort in behalf of the Jews of the world through the campaign of the United Jewish Appeal The designation of Freedom Month is indeed fitting one marks the Passover celebration of Jewish deliverance April heard the first April shot in the American Rbulution in 1775 April of 1789 saw the convening of the first United States Congress and April 1943 wit just five short years ago nesses the heroic struggle of the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto against the might of the German Army

American

during Freedom Month to make this year different from all gone before It is up to us as American Jews to provide the years means by which the Jews of Europe and Palestine can build new lives We can make this year time of liberation for those who have long suffered oppression and we have

an opportunity
that

the

have

persecution
From
the North to the desert outposts of the Negev in the boys and girld stand guard today as they build new nation Even as our ancestors of old struggled for liberation and independence so the heroic Jews of Palestine now stand in the front line of defense of Jewish freedom and security the in

hills of

Galilee

South Jewish men and women

land that flowed with milk and honey iii ancient days has again becovm fruitful through the toil Jewish pioneers Enn though the lives of the 700000 Jews of Palestine are in danger their obligation to provide they are not forgetting sanc tuary for their displaced and homeless brethren Even though blood stains the soil of the homeland the Yishuv has not interupted its task of cultivating that soil of the homeland and building for the future constructively
The

more overwhelming task it would be difficult to imagine Yet the are neither discouraged nor afraid They are prepared to give if need be to fulfill the time their full effort their lives tion whibh has fallen upon them
tine

Jews

of

Pales

their full sacred obliga

wandered in the desert for forty years before they could enter promised land After years in the desert of uncertainty and espair the dis For 75000 Jews who placed Jews of Europe today see an end to their wandeflngs will go to Palestine this year 1948 can be year of liberation from fear from want and from persecution
the

Our forefathers

quarter million Jews in DP camps have this moth observed their fourth Seder since liberation Remember how deeply moved all of us were when the first Seders were conducted for the Jews of Nazi Europe by the adaancing troops of the Ameri can Army ktemember how confident we were that another Passover would see these Jews celebrating the festival of liberation in happier surroundings

Page 62

Well
tims

our hopes
of

oppression

povjly housed that all of us Until the

Three years after victory these vic extravagant yet to find their true liberation They remain ill clothed inadequately fed they are denied the rights and the human dignity in this country take for granted were little have

250000
Through
full

day when they can find refuge in homelands of their own choosing Persons in Europe must be sustained physically and spiritually Displaced

consecrated effort in behalf of the United Jewish Appeal we can give and significant answer to the euestion which we must ask ourselves at this Passover season We can indeed make this year different from all other years We can make 1948 the year which witnesses the first great constructive towards steps making our people all over the world tryly free
In the in the tradition of the Passover spirit of Freedom Month must dedicate ourselves to the liberation of the Jewish people

festival

we

Page 63
toy

The

Plague

of

the Frogs

Page 64
the plagues that came upon the of this Sabbath we read concerning Issaelites Our of Pharoahs refusal to free the enslaved because Egyptians of these plagues saw in them of old in studying the Biblical account Sages not only the story of the rivers of blood the filth the disease the darkness and pestilence that visited the land of Egypt but also saw great truths that give new meaning to the events of those days In
the Secirah

the second of would like to examine with you tonight one of these plagues the plague of the frogs The Rabbis were the ten that the Bible enwnerates to notice that the Hebrew word deacribing the plague was in the stngular quick OX%1 nymiber Jrisn tjpi Literally the translation should readAnd the frbg arose b.nd it c6veed the ihole land of Egypt Should not the text have read the frogs in the plural number ask the and that covered there only one frog that appeared Rabbis in astonishment the whole land And strange to say two of the greatest sages of their day Akiba and Elazar ben Azariah gave serious thought to this question and both came to the conlcusion that in reality there was only one frog that appeared Rabbi Akibah saidttTzfardea Achat Hoitah Vhi Hishritzah Umalah Et nol Eretz one Mitzrayim It was frog that appeared but it begat countless other frogs that soon filled every part of the land of Egypt Rabbi Elazar also said It harsh was one frog that appeared Vsorkah Lohem Vhem Bau and it uttered cry and lo and behold countless hidden frogs suddenly appeared and covered all the land

th

WS

And it is stranger still that strange discussion seemingly childlike like Akibah should indulge in such specytlation He was the legalist sage He had little concern for legednary interpretation Indeed in par excellance this very discussion his colleagues ask him in astonishment Akibah Mah Leko Etzel Haggadah Akiba what hast thou to do in the realm of legend or folklore But there was something revealed in this passage which even legalist of the tj type of R.Akiba realized was of great significance The Rabbis found hidden in truth that gave occurred in the these words clear cnalyss of what actually land of Egypt The Rabbis were at first puzzled at what happened After all land where liberality seemed to reign Jacob and his faLilj had Egypt had been been accorded frindly welcome Joseph had risen to the hiLhest rank Their descendants for many years had enjoyed all freedom How had it been possible for the dominant people suddenly to transform ththtr character and to become so How could such tolerance country that had practiced bigoted and so cruel that had shown such belief in liberty suddenly have changed into cruel task masters and thrown an entire people into bondage
It is

Wexfind

the

answer

to

these

puzzling

questions

in these

two

quaint

interpreta

tions It was just one poisonous frog that appeared in the person of the new king But that was all that was necessary For he ltd such hate in his heart such cruelty in his mind that he soon begat other poisonous frogs who accepted his philosophy of hate and soon spread to all four corners of the land It is
in the

creatures

very

nature

of

such

poisonous

frogs to

beget

easily

other noxious

And the secondaRabbi goes even further in his interpretation ven in the days of freedom and liberlaity there were many in Egypt who despiased that freedom
believed in of force and bondage They were however ashamed philosophy give public expression to their opinions and hates After all the majority of the people still practiced the rules of human freedom It was still the fashion of the day to speak in praise of liberty And so those who rebelled at this human freedom were forced to keep hidden in their hearts their deadly doc trines But no sooner did this one poisonous frog appear who had only to sound lo and behold all the other potonous frogs suddenly arosexx the signal when ahd began to speak out their hate throughout the land from their hiding places who
to

Page 65

is furnished by tnis ancient What an insight into the events of the past decade Rabbinic comnent It explains how it was possibly for entire nations suddenly of democracy of brotherhood and fellowship to cast the ideals of freedom to the wind

stern warning ever to be on guard In our day their message comes to us as of bigotry and hatred even against singular expression singular meaning whether it be expressed by one few persons and singularly whether it be directed agitast only one group We must ever remember what happened in Egypt It was the rnn v-nS the one poisonous frog that begat others that clled and the result was that it soon spread forth others from their hiding places over the entire land It comes as warning to us not to permit the one frog to spread his poison else it will soon be echoed through the entire

xn

land

Page 66

Er
year of

Hope

and De1iverance

PM/

1949the

biggest

year

the

biggest

job

in history

Page 67

the festival of Passover Seated arouisd the festive We are again celebrating we once tables in our homes with our children and grandchildren again reviewed from the the wondrous of the deliverance of our ancestors the Hagaddah story servitude of Egypt And as we sat happy in our security our minds could not help from Europe and the long awaited dwelling on the current exodus of our brethren of Israel and some of us perhaps began to review in our minds the redemption and we read how to our Hagaddah steps of how it came about And we went back if/e/i out of Egypt it wast when C-d first took our forefathers t/ it was not done through the medium of at angel or mile but G-d Himself delivered fe/it messenger/4-Mji.o Seraph or

E-c

them

/r/ ep

Yhat does this really mean How does G-d who is purely spiritual power oper ate if not through the elements of nature Does not the Psalmist tell us that He naketh tho winds His messencers Hs ministers the flaming fire Yet when we try to und rstand the various methods resorted to during the past century and half in the attempt to solve the Jewish problem it becomes rerfectly clear to

us

of modern time It is as The Jew longnr for redemption is not phenomenon old as the Galut itself On the very day that the Temple was destroyed and the the Jews lost their national indenendence the Arada tells us was the Iessiah future redeemer of IsraeLi born During the first few centuries after the dest ruction the ho-co of The TeIple may speedy restoration was still very strene soon be rebuilt was the thougt in everyone mind and Jews therefore felt of its ritual However as the they ought to be prerared with te knowlodge years draged along and relief was not in sight the date of the Gulah receded further and further into the future luring the entire millennium of the hiddle Ages when tie peoples of Europe were stoeped in ignorance and earbarism ruled the a1d bore his yoke and left redemption world the Jew patiently waited for the

-essiah
The eplions of Eurone awoke from lut then there dawned new ore for Inn anit.v their stupor and as the obwebs of superstitton and prejudice began bo be blom the persecuted children of Israel took heart again The away by enlightenment hone of an earlr deliveranco was revived It was believed that education the cultivation of the mind woula refine nons characters and turn thc- savage into human being with heact and soul Te Jew would be acceptecL by his rei-whors and Israel troubles will be over forever for while it seemed as ough Via dream weo really -eirin Tx rentle aisLe1 enli itsnment was clouT but sureln liherati cg Jew TThus and nonJews reasoned Jews iany p0 .ey bnlicved the mileninsa had ceac saks of their newly won librties any or the Jews rawe un their birthrirht hnir heritage Ter became assi nil ated

tue

of enligatenment did not redeem Israel iodern Jewry falsely Jews had to turn elsewhere for nhei I.e let cf ti inn- felt was bound u-n with Jew hunaiit as whele The cause of nufferinc Jews nisery was not ig norance the reason was rather cconea1 Eliminate fr ci cc anemia structure of soi ety the elinewt of competition tThy reasnned end the Jews plight will he over An so they pinned thain hones en the Seranh the fiery fiend of revo clean sweep lution who would ma of society And icr tite ft seem purrt ci as thcuih tThn rchi em of th Jew was solved In the one lare country in which thc revolution was successnul in which tie new order of things had been able to firm footing antisemitism was eutJawed gain mde crime and discrimination en cceunt of race and creed forever banished After short period of years how over doubts began to arise as to whether the revolution can be said really to have benefited the Jew If it freed his person it killed his soul That is not the kind of solution of the Jewish problem that the persecuted children of flrael had looked forward to That is net the form that cur ciartrrs who had died for the sanctiV cation of the name of G-4d had hoped the millennium would bring not fell by the Seraph of revolution yi is Israel to be redeed fc1it

Ic

if

11 the

civilizticn

and nulture ccssiah Awl cv

angel played

Page 68

Jews have sought third way Seraph of revolttion ot of the political baraining negotiating international politics they might ahive They by entering the arena for theiiselves their longed for national independence They bided their time until the opportune moment came and then they struck In November of the year 1917 declaration was issued by the government of Great Britain in which that great The Jewis national home in Palestine powtr expressed itself in favor of shilichin of Israel had accomplished the unbelievable 1That Jews had hoped for of their title to their orig hope for nearly 2000 years the recognition against inal home was at last achieved The efforts to realize the return to Zion became the foremost Jewish public activity Already close to half million Jews had established residence in the hthmeland and it seemed as though that which had been thought to be impossible would soon be realized when the very governemnt that had made those solemn promises to Israels emmissaries began to go back on its word to condemn the Jews of the Holy Land to the status of threatening permanent inority and thus blast the Jews fthndest hopes and dreams

And

so disppointed
way of hoped that
tile

by the

out

diplomacy

of

No

not emissaries not political diplomatic negotiations however solenmly drawn are the means to Israels re then No outside ho interiiediary but 9/c demption force no gobetween Israelttself Hashem with the help of the ternal We cannot bank on the enlight enmant of the world We dare not build on revolution It is vain for us to rely The redemption the State of Israel has on guanantees assurances promises result of the of Israel itself and Hashem the help of come about as C-ct agreements and What

41

not

contracts

Page 69

W4rv4flt

HIS ToRy

or

TH

At4Guey

3-3/-fl

Page 70

For thousands of years now we of tue house of Israel have been celebrating Pass ovrin commemoration of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt It is the oldest and most significant of the festivals in the Jewish calendar as well as the one most fondly remembered It is holiday for both synagogue and home for the child and the adult for tie wise and the simple No other single event in Jeiwhs his of the Jewish people as their deliv tory so impressed itself on the consciousness to it are found throughout the Biblc erance from Egyptian bondage Many refernces and almost every prayer speaks of it Time has not blotted out the memory of this great event from the minds of the Jew ish people On the contrary it has become more significant with tue passing of years dince the days of Egypt the Jews have known the ttmitzraimsll of almost all the world They lived among all races and nations on earth But it is yetzias en remembered for almost hun mitzraim tithe going forth from Egypt that has dred generations books in Jewish literature Its stories The Haggadah is oneof the most striking and legends have kept the Jew breathless for untold generations What would the book Seder ritula be without this wondrous It is full of color and bauty It series of fast moving scenes and episodes dramatizes the exodus from Egypt in that have never been forgotthen The tragedy and triumph of our ancestors in Egypt follow each other through the pages of the Haggadah We are made to live all the of the Exodus the the seas and lakes and riv great moments terrifyin darkness to blood the hail of stones ers turning coming down from the sky the raging pes tilence the panic that culminates happily for the Jews at the Red Sea whose waters stood up erect letting them pass through as on dry land while drowning Pharoah and his chariots and horsemen who followed in pursuit That of the -assover story as told in the Bible as por adorned by Jewish sages and poets for untold genera tions Some have seen fit to ask whether such things really did happen at the time of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt Are they historically accurate fl4.4 4ln nrn 4CLi U4.J nll .S.L nr fl4lCla m- lnnoc alnn nnncn PI114 IJ.JS.I USL 14 SS.% OS 14 IJS USSC..J with unquestioning these questions of course never occur Others story faith of the Exodus with its mira satisfy themselves by saying that the whole account not true to facts cles is something fantastic
is the power and majesty in the Hageadah and as

trayed

-tr

14

VI

forthcoming book while not primarily starter of back to the Bible movement for supporting his arguments with great thearning and acholarship Dr Velikovsky tends to confirm many of the Bible miracles that heretofore have been regarded as fantastic It is Dr Velikovskys scientific conviction that time and again the earth is changed by violent and sudden eruptions and upheavals By computing evidence that gained from numerous sources he arrived at the conclusion just such catastrophe as had visited the erath from time to time happened roughly 3500 years ago at the time of the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt

novel

Worlds

CollSion by Dr Immanuel religious work has been hailed as

in

approach

to

these

questions

is

to

be

found

in

the

Velikovsky

The

book

At As

time Venus tore itself away from Jupiter and roamed tue earth as comet1 result it created heavy darkness sprayed things with rusty red color all the world seemed painted red This red pigment caused the death of afl so that marine life and was followed and subsequent appearance of by the decomposition to the author accounts vermin irritating an dblfltering akin This according for the plagues is the natural hiflory of the plagues visited upon the Egyptians This accounts too for the wind of enormous velocity which raised the watres of the Red Sea allowing the Israelites to pass throtgh and for the manna which latex nourished the children of Israel The book has been previewed in the leading of the Harpers Colliers Readers Digest and the Congress magazines country hile it gives auded scientific surprt to the story contained in our Weekly doubt whether it will add or detract from our enjoyment of the Seder Haggadah tomorrow night

that