Next Year

Just got back from the Seder at sister's in laws in the south (near Be'er Shevah).
Traffic at one a.m!
Only on Pesach and Independence day.

Didn't get to add any of the nifty thing I spoke about, but there was very interesting talk none the less.
Well, we did add Miriam's cup, but it was half-arsed so I don't really count it.
Drank a Margarita and at least five glasses of wine.
More sleepy than intoxicated now.
Today is a new day.

In every generation we must see ourselves as though we had been enslaved and are now free.
Next year in a conflict free Jerusalem.

"In Every Generation..."

Chag Sameach to those who Celebrate and a Good Weekend to those who don't!

I wrote briefly about what the meaning of Pesach is earlier this week, but I thought it was worth reiterating on the actual day of the Holiday.

The meaning of Passover is that of freedom and self-determination. It's probably the reason it's my favourite holiday, as the actual Hagaddah (the small book of the Telling of Pesach over the years and generations) tells us that every generation must behave as though it had been released from bondage.
To me that also means we must remember those still in bondage and suffering under oppression - Like the Palestinians who due to security for the holiday have had whatever was left of their freedom movement completely revoked in the West Bank, it's same old, same old in Gaza - and persecution - like the Darfurain refugees which have come into Israel escaping genocide and have been treated like infiltrating spies by virtue of them being Muslims.

In most Traditional Haggadot the verse: "שפוך חמתך על הגויים" appears, it translates as "Pour thy wrath upon the nations" - that is GD punish those who aren't Jews that don't recognise us, which is, ummm, a "teeny" bit racist and will, ahem, be replaced with a more progressive supplement I will devise by next year. We spoke a bit about what I mention above, but no enough and not at any length, so I felt it was a bit of a miss, but there is always the rest of the year to raise awareness of the goings on this little stretch of desert scape, mountain and shore.

I think this is the first year where the meaning of the holiday to me went beyond just what the holiday represented to me and my family.
A good thing by all accounts methinks.

This is probably it regarding meta-holiday musings.