Bringing all Jews together under the Passover tent

For most of us who observe Passover, it’s a time of year associated with happy memories of family getting together to celebrate. This year, the Hebrew year of 5783, is a year in which getting together and gathering is especially meaningful. This year is known as a Hakhel (literally “assembly”) year.

In the times when the Holy Temple stood in Jerusalem, the entire Jewish people — men, women, and children — would gather once in every seven years to re-enact the experience of standing together at Mount Sinai when the Torah was given. The Lubavitcher Rebbe taught that although the Temple is no longer standing, we can and should still use the Hakhel year for gatherings. So this Pesach, when we get together with family, we can have in mind that we are doing an additional mitzvah through the gathering itself.

But there is an additional point that is important to make. In the text of the Haggadah that we read at the Seder, we begin with an invitation to guests: “All who are hungry, come and eat.” This means that the celebration of our freedom is not only a family affair. It is open to strangers as well and, indeed, in some ways, is incomplete without their presence.

At Chabad we have been hosting a public Seder for 28 years. But each private home can also be a sort of public Seder as well by making sure to invite someone who may not otherwise have a place to celebrate Passover. Even more important is to seek out and invite those who would otherwise make no observance of Passover on their own at all.

We are all familiar with the Four Sons: the wise one, the wicked one, the simple one, and the one who does not know how to ask. The Rebbe pointed out that for all his complaints the wicked son is still present at the Seder and engaged. He may be a bit standoffish but at least he is there. But what about the “fifth son?” The Jewish person who doesn’t even know that it’s Passover? Or perhaps who knows that it’s Passover but does not feel moved to mark the day in any way?

We must know that our Pesach observance is incomplete until we reach out to such a person. If this is important every year then in this year of gathering it is even more significant. If you are reading this and you need a place to celebrate Passover, and for all of your Passover needs please feel free to reach out to Chabad of the Five Towns.

If you have a place to celebrate Passover then please think right now of even one or two people you can invite to come join you. 

May we soon experience the ultimate get-together, the ingathering of the exiles of our people from all four corners of the earth. Happy Passover

Wolowik is the director the  Chabad of the Five Towns.