Rabbi Knopf's Blog

The Talmud teaches that 30 days before Passover, we should start learning about the festival and its meaning. In that spirit, over the past several years, I have offered "30 Days of Liberation," a brief message on each of the 30 days leading up to Passover, drawn from the wisdom of the holiday and the Exodus story. I am thrilled to announce that I am in the process of completing my first book, which will be a compilation of those messages from years past. This year, for “30 Days of Liberation,” I will be sending out brief selections from the book. I look forward to sharing the book with you all in its entirety when it is completed. Meanwhile, I hope you find these messages meaningful and inspiring. Please feel free to share/forward.

Day 10: Spilling Wine
The most emotionally poignant moment of the Seder comes when we recount the Ten Plagues. As we name each one, we spill out wine from our cup. Drinking wine elevates our joyous celebration. Knowing that our freedom is blood-stained, even if justified, demands that our joy be diminished. All the more so for suffering borne of injustice. At the Seder and in our lives, we must remain aware of others’ suffering, identifying, even in a small way, with their pain. As our empathy gives rise to conscience, our striving for a better world can begin.