Are you able to read this under there? Did you find a long-lost flashlight? Have you come up for air since Purim? Are you cleaning nooks and crannies you didn’t even know you had?
How about this? Are you planning menus, cleaning fridges, rearranging cabinets, washing kitchen drawers, food shopping, maybe even food shipping? Is that that your pre-Passover nightmare?
Or are you one of the lucky ones who is out shopping for clothing? Actually, I’d say that’s another pre-Passover nightmare. The going away might sound easier but getting the outfits can finish you off!
One thing you can say for sure: Passover never just sneaks up on us, like some other holidays. It certainly lets you know it’s on its way. It keeps you busy and focused with the prep!
And I think that’s the point. Like we read Passover night in the Haggadah: the more you tell about the Exodus, the more you are praised. Why? Because that helps you realize how much G-d did and does for us. And it helps us register gratitude for our freedom even more.
Preparing gets us ready for G-d to save us.
Think about it. People going away, it’s like you are experiencing the Exodus all over again. Leaving what you know, dependent on a caterer for your manna, sleeping in a strange, new place. Many are even going to desert locations. Yes, the accommodations should be better, but you’re on your own without a shepherd to take care of you. If the program you’re on is a flop, you are stuck! No one but you is providing the “two tablets” to take away the heartburn or headache!
If you’re staying home, you’re probably having your own Exodus-like experience too. You’re getting pretty familiar with backbreaking work, day in and day out. You’re certainly in need of some relief, ready for G-d to swoop down and save you.
The whole thing is all about being ready for a relationship with G-d. We can always use His help, and it’s especially obvious when we’re flying somewhere or dependent on someone else or when we’re shouldering heaving burdens. And very little seems harder than the scrubbing, cooking, and schlepping we do for Passover.
Whether you’re packing or panicking, embrace the preparation for Passover and even the challenges of a vacation. It’s part of what helps us appreciate our own lives, homes, and beds all the rest of the year.
Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]
