Lifting Our Ourselves into Hope
As April begins, many of us are thinking toward the celebration of Easter. It’s the time when the Earth renews itself (barring a quick snowstorm here and there), and the greening of the grass, the crocuses, the budding trees remind us that life is everlasting and always returning. This weekend, for our Christian friends and members, is also a time of dwelling in the grief of death and the hope of resurrection, a deeply meaningful journey of the soul.
For those in our Jewish community, we too are on a journey, the celebration of Passover draws to a close. During Passover Seders, we recall the story of how the Israelite people came to wander in the desert after years of being enslaved in Egypt. Each year, we are reminded of the joy of liberation. Yet as we pause before drinking, we remove drops of wine from the cup of gladness. We remember that even in celebration, we can never taste anything good in the harm done to others. It is said, “Do not rejoice when your enemies fall, and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble” (Proverbs 24:17). Thus, even in our joy, we are reminded to remain compassionate.
And I recall the importance of lifting our attention beyond the daily grind with our theme and our holidays. I hope this story helps you as it does for me. I offer it in hopes that you can remember its humorous teaching when you feel stuck and disappointed.
Stuck in the Mud: A Passover Story
Among the many Israelites who left Egypt were two men: Shlomo and Buz. Slaves never look up, they only look down. And as slaves for their entire lives, Shlomo and Buz had grown so accustomed to looking down they could no longer lift their eyes.
When Moses brought us across the Red Sea, we all witnessed a great miracle: the sea parted and we escaped from slavery. We came to know that God has a purpose in our history. But not Shlomo and Buz.
Shlomo asked Buz, “What do you see?”
“I see mud,” Buz responded.
“I see mud too. What’s all this about freedom? We had mud in Egypt; we have mud here!”
They missed the miracle of their escape. The sea split before them, but they didn’t see it. They saw only mud.”
Rabbi Eddie Feinstein of Valley Beth Shalom via the Rabbi Kelley Gludt, https://bethambaltimore.org/religiouslife/sermons/are-you-stuck-in-the-mud/
Our April theme is “Becoming,” and today we can see new life coming into being from the earth. We are becoming filled with antibodies as vaccination rates rise. We open ourselves to becoming joyfully able to gather soon, and know that our hearts still yearn for one another. In our community, we know it even in the disappointment of being unable to be with one another for Easter Egg dyeing and egg hunts this weekend. (Sidenote: Do send me your pictures of dyed eggs if you do this at home! I will happily post them ALL in next week’s newsletter and use them in our Worship Slides. Please put them in my email inbox or send them on Facebook Messenger!)
In the midst of large and small disappointments and dismay, whether it’s the death of Jesus, the lingering snow keeping you from your garden planting, whether all the plagues of Egypt, or some mud in your sandal, let’s recall the that our calling is to lift our eyes and see the hope on the horizon. I know that we must sometimes dwell in the troubles that weigh our hearts and spirits. Yet I also know that there are moments of blessing. Sometime soon, I believe that we may be able to see the miracle. May it be so.
