The Pesach Hagadah ...
by Shmuel knopfler
The Hagadah commences with shame & he ends with praise ...
Why are we starting with shame?
Normally a nation would pride itself with a glorious past
not with disparaging remarks.
We are not no remind the convert of his checkered past.
The Maharal points out that in order for a person to ascertain his
current position he must look into his past from where he came from.
This is an integral part of Hakaras Tov, simple gratitude.
A third of the Jewish people were decimated 70 years ago.
Today we are resuscitated in our own land with the language of our ancestors.
What a contrast to the abyss we came from.
This is a clear & open miracle of HaShem.
Our physical & spiritual revival manifests itself both
on an individual as well as on a national level.
חג כשר ושמח
Hakoras Tov is the first ingratitude mentioned in The Torah when Adam HaRishon said to
ReplyDeleteHaShem "Haisha asher nosati imadi" it is the woman that you provided me is at fault ...
Ingratitude indeed ...
Harav Yosef Soloveitchik from YU used to say ...
The 1st commandment is "Anochi HaShem Elokeicha asher hotzesicho ...
The mere fact that I took you out of Egypt you should be grateful & serve HaShem ...
חג כשר ושמח
Chag Kasher V'Sameach
Kosher it will be ... just make sure it is Sameach ...
True Simcha is the hardest thing ... says the Gaon of Vilna ...