וְהִיא שֶׁעָמְדָה לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְלָנוּ. שֶׁלֹּא אֶחָד בִּלְבַד עָמַד עָלֵינוּ לְכַלּוֹתֵנוּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר עוֹמְדִים עָלֵינוּ לְכַלוֹתֵנוּ, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַצִּילֵנוּ מִיָּדָם.
וְהִיא שֶׁעָמְדָה AND THIS
[promise] is what has stood
by our ancestors and us;
for it was not only one man who rose up to destroy us:
in every single generation people rise up to destroy us –
BUT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE,
SAVES US
FROM THEIR HANDS.
This Pesach, I will have lived up to this verse. It talks about how our enemies rose up against us in every generation, and with the help of Hashem, we have fought back and destroyed them. As I live in Israel, while at war, there are enemies that are actively trying to destroy us and nullify our existence, and we are fighting back. I may start this Pesach while at war or at the end of it, but what I do know is that Hashem is giving us the strength to save ourselves. Unlike the story, while the Jews in Egypt were running away to save themselves and come to the promised land, I am here in Israel, where instead of running away,I am here where I want to be, and we are protecting what was promised to us.
Back home at this part of the seder, we normally discuss how we are so lucky to be safe and in good health and live very fulfilled lives. I think this year, this discussion will happen, but on a whole other level. This year, we have experienced something that puts us in danger and has dealt blows to the Jewish people. This year, I believe that we will discuss how grateful we are to be safe, healthy, and to be able to live our lives, but with much more gratitude for these things. Like this verse, we will have a very strong realization that Hashem has helped us rise up and protect ourselves.
Most of all, the stress, the fear and unknowing that TRY and all of Am Yisreal is facing is a testament to Hashem’s power, and the strength that he give us to keep going. Right now we are reliving the story of our people leaving Egypt, except this time we live it in Israel and I would trade nothing for this.
