Rabbi Nisan Andrews: Pesach is a time for gratitude

by Rabbi Nisan Andrews 

(AJNews) – On Seder night, we read in the Haggadah: “It is related of Rabbi Eleazer, Rabbi Joshua, Rabbi Elazer son of Azariah, Rabbi Akiva, and Rabbi Tarfon, that they once assembled (on the night of Passover) in Bnei Brak. They continued discoursing the Exodus all that night until their disciples came, and said, Our teachers! It is time to read the morning Shema.”

While it is understandable that Rabbi Akiva celebrated Pesach in  Bnei Brak since he lived there, the others lived in Lod, Yavneh, and Pek’in. What were they doing in Bnei Brak instead of observing the Seder with their families and fulfilling the mitzvah of teaching their children on this important night?

The early commentaries explain that the Jewish people were grieving the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash (the Temple) and the loss of control of  Israel to the Romans. While everyone was distraught over the ruin of Jerusalem, Rabbi Akiva was determined to inspire hope. He summoned a gathering on Pesach night with the generation’s leaders to explore how they could save Eretz Yisrael. They converged in the caves during the Bar Kochba rebellion, hidden from sunlight, glorifying God for all He had done for them in the past, thanking Him for the present, and expressing hope for the future.

Rabbi Akiva believed that by expressing gratitude to God, the Jewish people could invoke Hashem’s mercy and secure the land of Israel for themselves. For many years, it seemed that this plan was unsuccessful; Israel was not returned to the Jews, and the Temple remained in ruins. Additionally, some of those who gathered that night were later executed by the Romans for sedition.

It is possible that they were ultimately successful. Perhaps, due to this clandestine assemblage, events gradually unfolded, leading to our return to Israel today. Maybe it was that Seder that elicited Heaven and contributed to the establishment of the modern State of Israel.

The Kabbalists explain that God acts in concert with the inner emotional reality of man; thus, the more we appreciate Eretz Yisrael and express our gratitude to God, the more secure Israel becomes. As such, a Seder can become an opportunity to achieve something profound.

At the Seder, we can reflect on the miraculous achievement of the Jewish people in reclaiming our ancient homeland. We can express our appreciation for the remarkable revival of Judaism in Israel and around the world. Additionally, we can consider the many miracles in our lives and convey our gratitude to God for guiding us through our challenges.

Pesach is a time to feel genuine gratitude for God, Israel, our survival, our relationship with the Master of the Universe, and each other.

Rabbi Nisan Andrews is the Rabbi at House of Jacob-Mikveh Israel  in Calgary.