We begin to celebrate Passover with a Seder, the word “Seder” means “order,” and it is central to the Jewish concept of freedom, both for society and the individual. We become “G-d's partners in the work of creation” when we create order in society – for, in fact, we cannot create a society of justice and righteousness unless we first have ordered.
Winston Churchill once said: "For the first twenty-five years of my life, I wanted freedom. For the next twenty-five years of my life, I wanted to order. In the next twenty-five years of my life, I realized that order is freedom."
Churchill said it took him fifty years to learn the lesson our Seder teaches. Tonight, so they do not have to wait so long, we teach it to our children.
This coming Shabbat and Sunday we are celebrating the redemption of the past on the seventh of Passover and Sunday we are celebrating another Seder for the future redemption.
What happened at the Red Sea? The Talmud vividly describes the scene.
The splitting of the Red Sea is one of the greatest miracles in Jewish history. Before crossing, the Israelites were still in Egyptian territory under Pharaoh’s control. Once across the sea, however, they were forever liberated. They became, for the first time in all of history, a people ruled by the sovereignty of G-d alone.
There is a fascinating discussion among the Sages asking who was the catalyst for this epic event?
Charlton Heston’s opinion is, Moses was the catalyst. In a famous scene in The Ten Commandments movie, Moses lifted up his rod, and the waters rolled back.
But the Talmud says that's not at all how it happened.
The Egyptians were closing in, and the sea wasn't moving. Even Moses’s prayers to G-d could not get the sea to split. Each tribe refused to jump into the water first. During the ensuing debate, Nachshon, who was from the tribe of Judah, boldly leaped into the sea, he almost drowned when G-d suddenly at that moment divided the waters and the Jewish people were saved.
Both Nachshon and the Jews who prayed at the Sea had genuine faith in G-d. So what was the difference between them?
A story I read long ago contains the answer. In the middle of the night in a small farming community, the two-story house of a young family caught fire. Quickly everyone made their way through the smoke-filled house out into the front yard. Everyone except a five- year old boy. The father looked upward to the boy's room and saw his son crying at the window, rubbing his eyes.
The father knew that he could not reenter the house to rescue his son, so he yelled, "Son, jump! I'll catch you."
Between sobs, the boy responded, "But I can’t see you." The father answered with great assurance. "No, son, you can't, but I can see you!" The boy jumped and was safe in his father's arms.
The boy had faith in his father, but when he jumped, he made a leap of commitment.
Similarly, at the Sea, many Jews had faith in G-d, but Nachshon went further; he made a leap of commitment.
Because he knew that at decisive moments in history, to hope, to dream, even to pray, is not enough. Courageous action is needed.
Judaism does not settle for a “leap of faith,” but rather asks us to take a “leap of action.” When the Israelites received the Torah, they responded We will do, and we will understand. Notice the emphasis on doing. To be a Jew is to take a leap of commitment.
The story of the Israelites at the sea is the story of our own lives. Who among us has not at times felt overwhelmed by challenges that threaten to wash over us -- concerns about family, health, relationships, Jewish identity? The only question is, will you take action?
You have faith in exercising but are you getting to the gym? You may have faith in your loved ones, but are you making time for your relationships? You believe in G-d, but are you doing mitzvot? We need to jump like Nachshon. We need to follow faith with a leap of commitment. One act can transform our lives and can transform a nation. Walk forward, act boldly, follow faith with commitment and sacrifice, and
G-d will walk at your side.
Because he knew that at decisive moments in history, to hope, to dream, even to pray, is not enough. Courageous action is needed.
And here is a more recent example:
It was in Munich in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s. Light snow was falling and the streets were crowded with people. Sussie had been riding a city bus home from work when SS storm troopers suddenly stopped the coach and began examining passengers' identification papers. Most were annoyed but a few were terrified. Jews were being told to leave the bus and get into a truck around the corner.
Sussie watched from her seat in the rear as the soldiers systematically worked their way down the aisle. She began to tremble, tears streaming down her face. When the man next to her noticed that she was crying, he politely asked her why.
“I don’t have the papers you have. I am a Jew. They’re going to take me.”
The man exploded with disgust. He began to curse and scream at her. “You stupid woman,” he roared. “I can’t stand being near you! You are an idiot.”
An SS officer smiled, he enjoyed the abusive words. Intrigued, he asked what all the yelling was about.
“Damn her,” the man shouted angrily. “My wife has forgotten her papers again! I’m so fed up. She always does this.”
The soldiers laughed and moved on.
Susie survived. She never saw the man again. She never even knew his name. But I would call him ‘Nachshon’ because he had that extraordinary Nachshon kind of courage and self-sacrifice.
Among the Jews at the Red Sea, there were good people, wise people, even faithful people who cried out to G-d. But Nachshon was the only one who jumped.
Can you be the next Nachshon?
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach.
Rabbi Yoseph Geisinsky
Jason Bennett wrote...