42 April 25 • 2019
jn

H

ave you ever thought about 
the common use of the 
word freedom? America is 
a free country; Capitalism is 
all about the free market; we 
were freed from Egypt.
What is the true 
definition of freedom? 
Is it the ability to follow 
the whim of your natural 
instincts and impulses or 
is there something deeper? 
Perhaps we can glean a 
sense of what it means to be 
truly free from the varying 
names of our holiday of 
freedom, Passover.
This holiday is known 
by three differing Hebrew 
names. The name used in 
the written Torah is Chag 
HaMatzos — the holiday 
of matzahs. The Anshei 
Knesses Hagdolah (The Men of the 
Great Assembly) who introduced 
and incorporated the nussach 
(version) of the siddur (prayer 
book) introduced the name Zman 
Chairuteinu — the time of our 
freedom. The name commonly used 
throughout Jewish history is Pesach 
— Passover.
Do these names correlate with 
each other? If so, how do they 
encapsulate the quintessence of this 
special holiday?
True freedom is the experience 
we feel when we can live up to our 
full capacity and potential. The 
discipline it takes for one to live 
by the morals and standards with 
which God has tasked him or her is 
the greatest liberating experience. 
One who lives by the whim of his 
or her desires and impulses is not 
liberated but enslaved to his natural 

inclinations and does not have the 
capacity to truly be free. 
The Torah and its lessons are the 
guidepost for every Jewish 
person to learn what he 
can attain and accomplish 
throughout life. However, it is 
only possible to live up to this 
ideal by way of delving and 
dedicating ourselves to the 
study and direction given to us 
in the Torah.
Herein lies the correlation 
of the varying names for 
Passover:
• The holiday of matzahs — 
Matzah represents humility 
and modesty. The fact that 
the dough is not allowed to 
rise resembles the concept 
of submission. The first step 
in the process of freedom is 
the acceptance of a greater 
sense of morality other than one’
s 
own emotions and feelings. By 
consuming matzah, we are internally 
submitting ourselves to the will of 
God.
• The time of our freedom — 
This gives us the opportunity to 
truly experience a sense of freedom 
whereby we are not enslaved by 
restrictions or constraints imposed 
upon us from within or without.
• Passover — With such an 
approach in mind, we are freed 
from any sort of stumbling blocks 
or challenges that can throw us off 
course. Because we are connected to 
God and His will, His strength that 
is flowing through us enables us to 
overpower and pass over anything 
that shows up along the path. ■

Rabbi Mendel Polter is a rabbi at the 
Woodward Avenue Shul.

What Is Freedom?

Rabbi
Mendel Polter

Parshat 

Pesach 8: 

Deuteronomy 

14:22-16:17; 

Numbers 

28:19-25; 

Isaiah 10:32-

12:6.

spirit

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE 
Spot
l
i
ght
 
Ev
ent

Chairs – Diane and Randy Orley

AN EVENING WITH LIZA LONG, 
MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE 
AND AUTHOR

The Price of Silence
Long
A Mom’
s Perspective
 on Mental Illness

The Price 

of Silence

Liza Long

Foreword by 

Harold S. Koplewicz, MD

A Mom’
s Perspective 

on Mental Illness

“A courageous, determined, radical book.” 

—ANDREW SOLOMON, PhD, author of 

The Noonday Demon and Far from the Tree

PLUME

” 

6:30 PM REGISTRATION | 7 PM PROGRAM

CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK 

WEDNESDAY 
MAY 29 
2019

Admission $36/ 2 for $60/ Students $10

After the 2012 Newtown school 
shooting, Liza wondered if her 
son, who has bipolar disorder, 
was capable of committing a 
similar act in her blog post, 
“I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother.” 
Don’t miss Long’s moving 
story of helping her son and 
fighting stigma.

To register or sponsor, visit jfsspotlightevent.org 

SHINING A LIGHT ON MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY

Book signing to follow the event with books available for purchase. 
One social work CEU available. 

