spirit

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torah portion

Shabbat Defines
Freedom

I

t’s Friday night. The table is set
with a pristine tablecloth, china
and glassware; fresh challot peek
out from underneath the special
cover and the delightful smell of
chicken soup lingers with a sense of
calm, peace and something special
and intangible.
We begin the meal with wine and
the timeless words of the
Kiddush ... “the Almighty
of Adar? The day we were
blessed, sanctified and
free to fight back and kill
rested on the seventh day”…
our enemies? The day our
so, too, do we rest and spend
tormenters began to be pun-
time sanctifying ourselves
ished with blood, frogs or the
and this day, strengthening
death of the firstborn? No.
our special relationship with
We do not celebrate win-
the Almighty, focusing on
ning battles because we
Rabbi Shragie
what is real and everlasting
would have preferred that
Myers
in our world. And then we
we never be oppressed in
mention the Exodus. Leaving
the first place! Our enemies
Egypt. Freedom. This week’s
celebrate war. We celebrate
Torah portion.
the cessation of war, the day
Zaycher Liyitzias Mitzrayim
after the battle is won, the day life
Shabbos is a remembrance of our
can continue. Not freedom from but
freedom upon leaving Egypt. What
freedom to.
is the connection between Shabbos
Not the freedom that is simply a
and becoming free? Passover is
cessation of oppression, but rather
when we celebrate getting out
the freedom to live lives filled with
of Egypt, not Shabbos. Shabbos
holiness, elevation and the better-
is about disconnecting from our
ment of humanity. The freedom to
choose to bring light into this world,
crazy, busy, social media-pressured,
make someone smile, support a just
responsibility-filled and noisy lives
cause or brighten the future. The
and connecting with family, friends
freedom to live a life of meaning, of
and our “true values,” is it not? Why
elevation, of greater good. That free-
mention leaving Egypt?
dom is to have a Shabbos meal with
We, as Americans, celebrate
friends and family, to sanctify the
Independence Day, in celebration
day and celebrate a life worth living.
of being freed from British rule and
That freedom is what makes the
being allowed to pursue our own
day different and holy. That freedom
lives. Freedom. We celebrate V-day,
is opportunity. It is why we were cre-
the day freedom persevered in the
ated in the first six days and what
world. But do we celebrate Oct.
we celebrate on our Shabbos. We
18? The day that General Charles
make Kiddush and we thank the
Cornwallis surrendered his troops
Almighty for the six days of creation.
at Yorktown? No. Do we celebrate
We also remember the Exodus and
the Battle of Britain, Operation
thank the Almighty for the freedom
Barbossa or the Battle of Midway?
to do his will.
Great battles wherein we crushed
May your Shabbos be complete and
our enemies? We do not.
meaningful, free from negativity and
As Jews, we celebrate Purim, the
free to accomplish great things. •
14th day of Adar, when we rested
from battle and were once again free
Rabbi Shragie Myers is an adult community
from persecution, free from the evil
educator and the executive director of the
decree of death, free to pursue our
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah.
lives. But do we celebrate the 13th

Parshat Bashallach:

Exodus 13:17-17:16;

Judges 4:4-5:31.

FJA students took on
various community
service assignments,
like working in a food
pantry and packing
hygiene kits during
MLK Jr. Day.

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FRANKEL JEWISH ACADEMY

OPEN HOUSE

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January 25 • 2018

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