Sculptures by International Artist Phillip Ratner
Lee Diamond – A Pesach/Passover Thought
It’s customary for many to watch the cup of Eliyahu to see if it’s content disappears or empties a bit during the Seder!
Some are doubters!
Some measure carefully;
Some are convinced that Eliyahu HaNavi made a visit!.
We even sing a song or pray about Eliyahu?
The melody is infectious :
Eliyahu HaNavi
Eliyahu HaTishbi
Bimhera Yavo Ellienu
Im Mashiach ben David
Elijah the prophet
Come to us
Soon
With the Messiah
And we open the door for him to enter in song !
There’s another reference to Messiah in the Hagada as we close the Seder:
“Next Year In Jerusalem”
It’s a wish ; it’s a prayer
Maybe even a demand that the Messiah come to change our lot as a nation.
Do we really think that the Mashiach drinks of the wine that’s been set aside ? The fact is that—-
It really doesn’t matter!l
What matters is the belief and commitment that things in our world can be better!
This is a basic Jewish value concept!
We believe and are committed to
potential, to the possibility,
To the better world on this earth upon which we live our lives .
Life is not stagnant
In fact on Pesach we clear away the stagnant elements ; the elements that stagnate within us
And we refresh with a clean start.
While we relish the past —we emphasize that major winds of change happened and happen to us–the Jewish people. As Dayenu states so clearly : Life changes; History changes; our situation has always changed! Never despair. It can only get better.
We eternally place the cup of Eliyahu on the Seder table.
We”ll continually check it’s level of wine
Precisely because we are nation of eternal commitment to a better future;
To a better world for ourselves and indeed for all.
And even if it takes time, we still believe with full faith that tomorrow
Will be better!
If we forget this hope
We cease to be Jews
If we keep it
We WILL meet in Jerusalem some day
Soon
להתראות
keep checking the cup!
