Dear Friends,Perhaps because I am anticipating the counting of the Omer and this Shabbat will be the 4th day of the Omer, or possibly because of the recent experience of the Passover Seder, I find myself thinking about the number 4.It is common knowledge that the number four plays a key role in the Seder. There are four cups of wine at the Seder and we highlight the four questions and focus our attention on the four children. We even break the middle matzah of the three matzahs that we point to as we recite the Haggaddah in order to create the afikoman – which means that we essentially turn three pieces of matzah into four pieces of matzah as part of our ritual at the Seder table!Probably less well known and celebrated, are the four women who were an essential part of the story of our redemption from Egypt. I refer to Batya (Pharoah’s daughter), Miriam (the prophetess and Moses’ sister), Yocheved (Moses’ mother), and Tzippora (Moses’ wife).These four women symbolize forces of redemption that may not receive “lots of press”, but are nevertheless powerful forces that combine to help move the Exodus story forward toward its positive outcome.
Thinking of these women and their role in our redemption from Egyptian slavery, I discover a growing awareness of the more subtle factors in life that help us to remove modern shackles of slavery and to find our way to lives blessed by a greater sense of liberation and of purpose.
May this Pesach and this season bring us all a renewed sense of liberation – a refreshing sense of vision and of hope, and a nourishing sense of purpose in our daily lives.
Shabbat Shalom v’Pesach Kasher v’Sameach – wishing you a Shabbat Shalom and a joyous and a kosher Passover!
