S
stillsmallvoice
Guest
Hi all!
I’m certainly not offended & if any of my fellow Jews are, my advice to them would be: “Lighten up.”
I had absolutely no idea that so many of our Roman Catholic friends learn about/draw meaning from the Passover (jewfaq.org/holidaya.htm) Seder (jewfaq.org/seder.htm). I think that is cool.
There is so much symbolism in every part of the Seder & it always amazes me how every year we (I at least) still manage to learn something more, something different. The number four (see ou.org/chagim/pesach/numberfour.htm) runs throughout the Seder. We drink four cups of wine, recall four promises God made to us, ask four questions & discuss four sons, who are considered archtypes: The Wise Son, the Wicked Son, the Simple Son and the Son Who Doesn’t Know How to Ask (in that order). There is lots of meaning to the Four Sons (ou.org/chagim/pesach/foursons.htm is a good place to start). Two years ago, I heard a comment on the four Sons that I have never stopped thinking about. While there are plenty of comments, lessons, meaning, etc. on each of the sons individually (see the above link), this remark that I heard (from a member of our synagogue) looks at the order in which they are presented. My fellow congregant says that order The Wise Son, the Wicked Son, the Simple Son and the Son Who Doesn’t Know How to Ask) is a rebuke to the one who comes first, the Wise Son. It is as if someone were telling him: “You may be wise and good, but are you so wrapped up in yourself, in your own little world, that you haven’t noticed that you have a brother who is wicked, a brother who is simple and a brother who doesn’t know how to ask? Have you tried to help your brothers and be a good influence on them or have you been too closed up within yourself to notice what is happening in your own family?” With such wisdom and goodness as we might be blessed with comes the responsibility to set a good example, to teach and to help spread that wisdom & goodness around.
This jibes with a verse in Exodus about the Plague of Darkness (we also discuss the Ten Plagues during the Seder; when they are recited, we dip a finger into our cups of wine & dab 10 drops of wine on our plate; this shows that we do not rejoice over others’ suffering). In describing the effects of the plague of darkness, Exodus 10:23 says:
(cont.)
I’m certainly not offended & if any of my fellow Jews are, my advice to them would be: “Lighten up.”
I had absolutely no idea that so many of our Roman Catholic friends learn about/draw meaning from the Passover (jewfaq.org/holidaya.htm) Seder (jewfaq.org/seder.htm). I think that is cool.
There is so much symbolism in every part of the Seder & it always amazes me how every year we (I at least) still manage to learn something more, something different. The number four (see ou.org/chagim/pesach/numberfour.htm) runs throughout the Seder. We drink four cups of wine, recall four promises God made to us, ask four questions & discuss four sons, who are considered archtypes: The Wise Son, the Wicked Son, the Simple Son and the Son Who Doesn’t Know How to Ask (in that order). There is lots of meaning to the Four Sons (ou.org/chagim/pesach/foursons.htm is a good place to start). Two years ago, I heard a comment on the four Sons that I have never stopped thinking about. While there are plenty of comments, lessons, meaning, etc. on each of the sons individually (see the above link), this remark that I heard (from a member of our synagogue) looks at the order in which they are presented. My fellow congregant says that order The Wise Son, the Wicked Son, the Simple Son and the Son Who Doesn’t Know How to Ask) is a rebuke to the one who comes first, the Wise Son. It is as if someone were telling him: “You may be wise and good, but are you so wrapped up in yourself, in your own little world, that you haven’t noticed that you have a brother who is wicked, a brother who is simple and a brother who doesn’t know how to ask? Have you tried to help your brothers and be a good influence on them or have you been too closed up within yourself to notice what is happening in your own family?” With such wisdom and goodness as we might be blessed with comes the responsibility to set a good example, to teach and to help spread that wisdom & goodness around.
This jibes with a verse in Exodus about the Plague of Darkness (we also discuss the Ten Plagues during the Seder; when they are recited, we dip a finger into our cups of wine & dab 10 drops of wine on our plate; this shows that we do not rejoice over others’ suffering). In describing the effects of the plague of darkness, Exodus 10:23 says:
Our Sages offer a metaphorical & homiletical interpretation to this phrase and say that this is the worst kind of darkness, when we do not see our brothers, our fellow men, and neither hear their cries, nor see their suffering, everyone remaining wrapped up in ourselves and our own affairs, in spiritual darkness.
(cont.)
This is shocking! Here are King Hezekiah’s messengers, urging the people to repent and return to God, only to be met with jeering laughter, scorn and mockery. (Unfortunately, this mindset is still familiar today, is it not?. We’ve all seen it at some point. It is a blight on human society in general & our respective faiths in particular.) But with King Josiah’s Passover, We do not wish to call attention to such a shameful episode by reading it publicly in synagogue; thus, we read about King Josiah’s Passover (in which everybody participated! 
), not King Hezekiah’s.