Leah’s Blog Pesach 2026
Leah’s Blog – Pesach 2026 –
On the night before Pesach, custom has us collecting crumbs we placed all over the house. Put away in corners, step by step the silver foil that was wrapped around each tiny piece of bread shined in the yellow light of the candle held high illuminating the nooks and narrow places we had scrubbed all through the week. The feather which served as a small hand broom would scoop up the ten pieces which would be burnt in the morning – on the day of the Seder night. This is the scene from time immemorial that ushers in the holiday of our exodus, the time we “clean out our closets”. There is of course hidden meaning behind masoret actions we do – preserving our heritage through tradition. We collect along with these crumbs accumulated and sometimes neglected issues that we have “swept under the rug”. They come to meet us now in this time of introspection. On the Seder night we ask – “what is different on this night?” Entering the realm of freedom helps me clear the air. Our story as a nation begins with Avraham who begged HaShem to spare Sodom, a city of evil- he said – even if there be ten innocents! Avraham – the middah of chesed would have let Sodom remain. Luckily Yitzchak his son – midda of gevurah- represents the boundary that holds chesed in place. Our first King, Saul was willing for the king of Amalek, the embodiment of wicked depravity- the antithesis of Israel to remain alive despite being commanded to eradicate all of Amalek. Shortly after the fall of King Saul, King David took reign pushing back against the illusion that if we just say “no more war” and let the enemy live all will be quiet – countering this world view, David pushed back on all borders revealing the might of the Jewish warrior in the middah of gevurah. The Torah is not just a story but a chronicle of teachings that apply to this day- and we made it this far! Mistakes in narrative have been made. The Haggadah means speaking mouth. Redemption comes after trials and tribulations. It begins in conscious awareness, manifests and culminates as we speak. The story of Israel is surrounded by forces that want to destroy it. The greater Israel becomes, the forces surrounding it want it obliterated. There have always been a Datan and Aviram, a golden calf, a sigh of skepticism, a too trusting, assimilating part of the puzzle. The Maccabees were outnumbered by Hellenists. There is nothing more aggravating to the so called “masters” (like in Egypt) as a Jewish warrior – which Moshe was! Mitzrayim is a state of mind. But who is really the Master? Who dares to say “Let my people go!” No longer shackled and enslaved by media but free to serve the real master. Every year is unique in how leaving Egypt means and applies right now at this time. Today as Iran and its proxies threaten Jews world-wide- regardless of if they live in Shomron, Amsterdam, Judea or southern California. The ideas that people once thought like Abraham or like Saul fall away now. The crumbs of yesterday are being burnt along with mistakes that can be fixed. On Pesach night we recall the bondage. We have walked through this desert into the Promised Land. Help us fortify it.
Dear Friends of Itamar we would like to thank you for helping now feed so many needy families in our maot chitim fund, when Seder night comes so many people can enjoy a lovely seudah. For those who have not yet given and want to – please earmark Pesach Food. A special thanks to the Matzoh Fund and refuah sheleymah to Alan Hirsch for making this possible every year.
Chag Sameyach xoxoxo Leah
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