PASSOVER'S SPIRITUAL LESSONS: APRIL 2016 BLUFFTON SUN RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL

 

 

PASSOVER'S SPIRITUAL LESSONS:  APRIL 2016 BLUFFTON SUN RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL

APRIL 2016 BLUFFTON SUN RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL

Shalom and greetings:

In our tour through the Jewish calendar this year, April 22^nd sundown brings us Passover in the Month of Nissan.  The first of Nissan is another of Judaism's four New Years, this one is for the Jewish people and governmental affairs. In fact, Nissan is the first month of the Jewish calendar.   

Passover celebrates the Exodus from slavery in Egypt and the rebirth of a free Hebrew nation. The way the Torah instructs Hebrews to celebrate this holiday yearly, versus the way Judaism instructs us, gives excellent examples of how the Sages in exile in Babylon, developed Rabbinic Talmudic Judaism from Temple-bound Hebraism. For example, as Jews, we no longer slaughter a lamb, and paint its blood over the door posts of our homes.

The spiritual aspects of Passover are too numerous to fully explore in a few paragraphs.  We can put ourselves into bondage of ego with our narrowness, our Mitzraim (Egypt, literally 'narrow place'). Some are still enslaved with ego's   defective behaviors. On Passover we're to rid ourselves of chumatz (leavening), which puffs up bread.  "Leaven represents the evil impulse of the heart, i.e. ego (Talmud Beracoth 17a)." By releasing ego, we strive to be as humble as a flat piece of unleavened matzah. (Talmud Pesachim-Passover).

The whole spiritual context of Talmud Pesachim is about Jewish Spiritual Renewal. Biblically there is a second Passover, a month later, for those, ritually impure, to become purified to eat the Pascal offering. God is always giving us second chances to change from our egotistical selves to spiritual people doing His will. "He and I cannot dwell in the same world," reads the Talmud quoting God speaking about the egocentric person.

Even the Four Sons in the Hagaddah are said to be just one person. Today we would call it spiritual schizophrenia. The four actually represent different aspects of the same person who is not integrated.  Our Yetzer ha Ra, ego, never leaves us. Good is not the absence of Bad. We can be righteous and wise while the evil inclination persists in trying to dominate us. Passover's story of the four sons is a lesson in becoming integrated and not being spiritually schizophrenic. Integration is true inner shalom.

Rabbi Arthur Segal is an international lecturer, author, and teacher. Visit him at www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org  . Email at RabbiASegal@aol.com   . 

RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.com/books www.FaceBook.com/Arthur.L.Segal www.FaceBook.com/RabbiArthurSegalJewishSpiritualRenewal www.RabbiArthurSegal.blogspot.com
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