Friday, January 3, 2014

Now It's A Party


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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