Rabbi's Blog

We’re all very familiar with the four sons or four children of the Seder (you can read a deeper insight into the Seder and the four sons by my sister in law Dena Schusterman from Atlanta here).

Did you know there’s a fifth son or fifth child? And I have news for you! You actually know that person.

You see the fifth child is the child who is not present at the Seder.

It’s not that they are not wise and have rationally concluded that there is no need to go to a Seder. Because they are wise.

It’s not that they are wicked and are intentionally not coming to the Seder. Because they are good people.

It’s not that they are simple and are not ‘with it’ enough to know where to find out about the Seder. Because they are plugged into the culture around us.

It’s not that they are spiritually immature and don’t know how to ask. Because they are quite developed spiritually.

The reason they are not at the Seder is simply because no one invited them.

You see, the fifth child knows they are Jewish but that’s all they know. No one told them that wisdom and spirituality, connection and profound meaning is found right in the very tradition that is their birthright. Deep down each of these souls are hungry for the Jewish connection and community you already know.

Now how many such Jews do you know? They are your neighbor, your co-worker, doctor, accountant, hair stylist and shelf stocker. They’re someone who is connected to your soul by virtue of your birthright.

This Passover, you will sit with your family at your Seder as will Jews all over Harford County. Let’s make sure that those fifth children are sitting at our tables too.

I heard that after World War II there was a thought to establish a new tradition to set a chair at the Seder but to leave it open. This would be a memorial for the 6 Million who will no longer sit at the Seder.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe was asked his opinion on this idea. The Rebbe answered that if we want to memorialize those that perished in the holocaust, and more importantly to perpetuate their memory, the way to do this was to fill that empty chair with someone who otherwise would not be at a Seder.

Next week, on Tuesday, March 27 we’ll celebrate the Rebbe’s 116th Birthday. Consider giving the Rebbe a gift this year. The gift of perpetuating Judaism by filling that seat at your Seder.

As you make your plans this week and next for your Seder, please set an extra seat and make sure that it is filled with someone who may not be at a Seder otherwise.

With blessing for a Happy and Kosher Pesach!

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman 

Ps. If you know someone who needs a Seder, please send them to us HarfordChabad.org/Passover You can also sell your Chometz order kosher meat and more at that URL, additionally there are links to other pertinent Pesach info.

A good story is made up of a villain, the person being negatively affected by that villain and the hero who saves the day.

In this week’s Torah portion we read about the sacrifices. The portion discusses the laws of what animal/bird to bring up, if/when/how to sprinkle some blood on the altar, whether a meal offering accompanies the sacrifice, etc. While it is nice as a law book, there is neither villain nor hero and essentially there is no story line. What we read can seem uninteresting or irrelevant to many of us.

This week we add a special portion in honor of the month of Nissan, called Parshat Hachodesh. We read about the first mitzvah the Jews received - to sanctify the new month via seeing the new moon. Once again, it seems very legalistic and not relevant in today’s day and age as we use a predetermined calendar due to the lack of a High Court.

Perhaps the answer to both of these is that the Torah wants to teach us that you are the hero!

G-d does not need our sacrifices. However, one of the ways to build a connection with G-d is to bring a sacrifice. We think of the receiver’s needs and wants when we give a gift. Similarly, a sacrifice is giving something of ourselves over to G-d, to thank him for the good we have, to apologize for a mistake or just because we are in a relationship with G-d as that is what He wants.

Now the story of the sacrifices becomes interesting; what to do when?

What is there to do with when once committed a sin? What to do when there is a lack of gratitude to G-d? How to repair our relationship with G-d? This is the suspense in the story.

The Torah resolves the suspense by telling us how we can resolve and repair the relationship with G-d. Whether it means bringing “roses and chocolate” (in Torah terms - a sacrifice) or  “tulips and chocolate” (in Torah terms - a different type sacrifice). When we bring the sacrifice we are the hero saving the relationship.

If we put ourselves in a situation where we have a gap in the relationship, we can think about what sacrifices we need to make to enhance the relationship.

The "new moon" is a similar story. When we want rebirth, we need to wait until the past is gone. The only way the "new moon" comes about is after the moment of it being completely hidden from our sight. One can only read the next chapter after the close of the previous one, it takes a hero to let the past go!

Take a moment and take this message to be heroic; apologize, rebuild a relationship, show gratitude, celebrate the rebirth and let the past be a chapter that you can choose to reread if it was good and leave behind if it was not.

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman