Thoughtful post, and too kind. I was raised orthodox and we never dipped a drop of wine for each plague suffered by the Egyptians. When my wife decided to attend and join a Reform synagogue, and send our kids to a Reform Hebrew School, I learned of this dipping and allowing a drip of wine to fall for each plaque. Never made sense to me, so I never did it. When attending seders at the homes of others, I sometimes was asked why I didn't dip and drop. I asked why they did, and was told it was to show sympathy for the innocent Egyptians who suffered because of Pharoah. I told them it seemed to me, if I dipped and dropped, I was questioning Hashem's judgement. But not for me to judge them or criticize, they just are too kind.
I wasn't raised Orthodox and didn't attend Hebrew school until I was ten, because we lived 60 miles from the nearest synagogue, and also because at that time most girls were not bat mitzvah. I did dip wine (or grape juice) for the ten plagues at every seder. I don't remember any specific teaching being made about them, but I always took the enumeration as a show of G-d's strength, and a bit of mercy too, since Pharaoh might have freed the Jews after each plague.
That is fine, as I said, I don't judge. My wife does the dip and drip as do my daughters, but not my son. Perhaps he follows my lead. I smile as they dip/drip because they are kind. Our people were enslaved by the Egyptians for hundreds of years, I feel no sympathy for their plight. They should not have needed even one plague for the Jews to have been freed.
Steve - I agree with you about Hashem's judgement. May He bless their kindness - Jewish people seem to love the lives of the very people that want to annihilate them.
Thank you, Ted - beautifully written. I am always amazed at the power of words, and you have used words to rip at my heart and soul. Yesterday my rage knew no bounds. Yesterday I read a FB post by an Israeli mother, Shira Sheps, about her 11-year old son asking about the two Bibas babies:
"’Are Kfir and Ariel dead?’ He had been asking about them by name for 500 days. “
You could feel her terrible sadness and grief and yet her words were compassionate, kind and try as I might I could find no malice in her writing as she comforted her son. Her words come from a deeply decent human in touch with G-d. My terrible, consuming rage is still there but it is tempered with a deep and desolate sorrow that is beyond sadness at what “humanity’ does to its own.
Your piece struck a chord. G-d’s first words were “let there be light. And there was light.” (The Book of Bereishit (Genesis): Chapter 1:3). We need this light back.
The world has descended into darkness because the light of belief or faith in G-d is ending. I believe that Humanity needs "something" other than itself - I do not care if it is Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism or any other decent religion (NOT the hatred of ISLAM); if it celebrates and holds life as precious and sacred – it is needed. Without that light of human decency, compassion and love of life, there is only darkness. Not the absence of light – just darkness.
And yet I saw and felt that light in this Israeli mother's words – there are still honourable and decent people in this world. Am Yisrael Chai
I am beyond rage at the news and the ghastly spectacle that Hamas has made of the Bibas family deaths.
There is no punishment great enough for these sons of the devil.
May God help me, I have no mercy or forgiveness in my heart for those who have perpetrated such evil.
I pray they repent, but if they do not, may justice be swift.
Dear Ted
Thank you. All my short life I have seen the destruction of us as people. I am very disappointed in this world of ours and smiling all around us.
Let there be light
"Let there be light. And there was Light"
Thoughtful post, and too kind. I was raised orthodox and we never dipped a drop of wine for each plague suffered by the Egyptians. When my wife decided to attend and join a Reform synagogue, and send our kids to a Reform Hebrew School, I learned of this dipping and allowing a drip of wine to fall for each plaque. Never made sense to me, so I never did it. When attending seders at the homes of others, I sometimes was asked why I didn't dip and drop. I asked why they did, and was told it was to show sympathy for the innocent Egyptians who suffered because of Pharoah. I told them it seemed to me, if I dipped and dropped, I was questioning Hashem's judgement. But not for me to judge them or criticize, they just are too kind.
I wasn't raised Orthodox and didn't attend Hebrew school until I was ten, because we lived 60 miles from the nearest synagogue, and also because at that time most girls were not bat mitzvah. I did dip wine (or grape juice) for the ten plagues at every seder. I don't remember any specific teaching being made about them, but I always took the enumeration as a show of G-d's strength, and a bit of mercy too, since Pharaoh might have freed the Jews after each plague.
That is fine, as I said, I don't judge. My wife does the dip and drip as do my daughters, but not my son. Perhaps he follows my lead. I smile as they dip/drip because they are kind. Our people were enslaved by the Egyptians for hundreds of years, I feel no sympathy for their plight. They should not have needed even one plague for the Jews to have been freed.
Steve - I agree with you about Hashem's judgement. May He bless their kindness - Jewish people seem to love the lives of the very people that want to annihilate them.
I didn't think you were judging the practice, just wanted to share my perspective/experience.
Thank you.
עם ישראל חי 🇮🇱
Thank you, Ted - beautifully written. I am always amazed at the power of words, and you have used words to rip at my heart and soul. Yesterday my rage knew no bounds. Yesterday I read a FB post by an Israeli mother, Shira Sheps, about her 11-year old son asking about the two Bibas babies:
"’Are Kfir and Ariel dead?’ He had been asking about them by name for 500 days. “
You could feel her terrible sadness and grief and yet her words were compassionate, kind and try as I might I could find no malice in her writing as she comforted her son. Her words come from a deeply decent human in touch with G-d. My terrible, consuming rage is still there but it is tempered with a deep and desolate sorrow that is beyond sadness at what “humanity’ does to its own.
Your piece struck a chord. G-d’s first words were “let there be light. And there was light.” (The Book of Bereishit (Genesis): Chapter 1:3). We need this light back.
The world has descended into darkness because the light of belief or faith in G-d is ending. I believe that Humanity needs "something" other than itself - I do not care if it is Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism or any other decent religion (NOT the hatred of ISLAM); if it celebrates and holds life as precious and sacred – it is needed. Without that light of human decency, compassion and love of life, there is only darkness. Not the absence of light – just darkness.
And yet I saw and felt that light in this Israeli mother's words – there are still honourable and decent people in this world. Am Yisrael Chai
At this moment in time, Am Yisrael Chai, no matter what means are needed.