A Passover Greeting

by Phyllis Chesler
Pajamas Media
March 26, 2010

http://www.phyllis-chesler.com/719/passover-greeting

Excerpt:

Politics and Torah are literally worlds apart, they are made of different material and don't easily coexist. True, one can always find something in Torah study that will bear on any subject—and yet, politics are profane, the Torah is sacred. We experience a measure of timelessness, a hint of eternity, when we study; we also gain illumination from Torah study, it explains difficult, intractable, even tragic earthly realities. Why dilute that pure light?

When the Jews are in danger, we are commanded to stop everything else in order to save even one life. Yes—one can even violate Shabbat in order to do so. Today, both the Jews and all humanity are in danger. What might the Pesach story have to teach us?

Like other groups, the Jews have always been in danger, have had to flee many Egypts, all the places of sorrow and danger, the many "narrow straits." Unlike many other groups, the Jews have actually done so, we've gotten out—at least a remnant always has. Down the centuries, Jews keep "getting out."

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