At the beginning of Parshat Bo, Pharoh asks Moshe who he
envisions leaving Egypt for a few days of worship? Moshe responds “With our
youngsters and our elders, with our sons and our daughters…..because it is a
festival of Hashem for us.”
There is no better proof of the Torah’s inclusive vision for
society than this verse. It is only a Chag when the young and old participate
together; when the young look to their elders with reverence and when the elders
look to the youngsters with hope and optimism. It can only be a Chag for Hashem
when old and young learn from each other and share with each other their
knowledge and experience and insights. It can only be a Chag for Hashem when men
and women participate, and each contributes to the community in their unique
and essential ways.
It is only a Chag for Hashem when everyone is not only
invited, but everyone shows up, everyone participates and everyone celebrates
together. Only then is it the type of party to which Moshe refers to and to which
Hashem is proud to lend His Name.
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