This Week’s Torah Portion: Seventh Day of Passover – יוֹם שְׁבִיעִי שֶׁל פֶּסַח (Exodus 14:30–15:21)

More than 90% of world Jewry reads the Passover Haggadah. An annual program of action, a journey that takes us from bondage to freedom.

There are 15 stages of hope in the Haggadah, from Egypt to the Promised land. We end the story by hoping to be free next year. This is the constant Jewish aspiration for freedom.

Anyone who asks, “How can we celebrate this year?” should be reminded that the first celebration of Passover happened when we were still in Egypt, and the Egyptians were still oppressing us.

Passover is not a celebration because we have reached our destination, but rather an important reminder what is our destination. It is a night in which there is both matzah and bittersweet, both praise for what we have (“dayinu”), and also prayer and hope for a better future.