Rabbi Knopf's Blog

The Talmud teaches that 30 days before Passover, we should start learning about the holiday and its meaning. In that spirit, I humbly offer "30 Days of Liberation." For each of the next 30 days, I will offer a brief message drawn from the wisdom of Passover. I hope you find these messages meaningful and inspiring. Feel free to share/forward.

30 Days of Liberation: Day 1
According to the Talmud, Purim and Passover must always be connected, perhaps because the two stories underscore the difference between salvation and redemption. Purim represents salvation. The Jews of Persia are saved. But their situation at story’s end is fundamentally the same as at the beginning. They are still subjects of the King. On the other hand, the Passover story is about redemption. In the Exodus, the Israelites’ situation is radically transformed, from serving Pharaoh to serving God alone. Purim reminds us of the intermittently violent, intermittently safe, but ultimately unredeemed world we inhabit. As the ancient sage Rava said, “We are still slaves of Ahaseurus.” Passover, on the other hand, reminds us of the redeemed world that might yet be. The two are connected to teach us that we have redemptive work yet to do.

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