Preparing for Freedom

Friday March 28, 2025/28 Adar 5785

Parashat Pekudei/Shabbat Hachodesh

Hevre/Friends,

This Shabbat - Shabbat Hachodesh - announces the arrival of the month of Nisan during which Passover falls and is the last of four special Shabbatot leading to Pesach. Each offers a particular message about how to prepare ourselves for the festival that summons our renewed commitment to freedom - our own and that of others.  And each speaks powerfully to the world in which we’ll be gathering for seders just two weeks from now.

Shabbat Shekalim arrived weeks ago to herald the new month of Adar. Its special Maftir portion recalled the half-shekel collected from the Israelites for the census taken soon after they left Egypt. Why a half-shekel as opposed to a whole? This more modest sum made it possible, indeed required, for all - not just rich and poor but each member of our diverse people - to participate, to stand up and be counted, underscoring the importance of inclusivity in the pursuit of freedom. And as Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav also explained: when each person is assigned a half-shekel, it teaches that only by joining with another can anyone become whole. Lest we confuse freedom with a notion of independence whereby we no longer need the support of others, this tradition envisions a unified humanity dignified by individual liberty that’s actualized through healthy and respectful mutual responsibility.

Coming right before Purim, Shabbat Zachor reminded us of how the Amalekites attacked us while we traveled through the desert after escaping Egypt, and enjoins us never to forget. The runway that Purim opens to Pesach is paved with the deep message never to become complacent in the freedoms we achieve; never to rest naively in the belief that freedoms won are secured forever. Freedom - our own and that of others for whom we are responsible - requires constant vigilance, engagement, and protection from those who dare to undermine or destroy it. Freedom is not a goal; it’s an ongoing state of being which requires hard work, fueled by the power of memory.

Last weekend’s Shabbat Parah portion detailed the unusual ritual of burning a red heifer whose ashes were used to purify someone who had come in contact with the dead. Coming closer to Pesach, it serves as a reminder to purify ourselves in anticipation of offering the paschal sacrifice in Jerusalem. Its message is about preparing for freedom, rather than just waiting for it. But how? 

For Judaism to thrive in an open, free society we prepare by immersing ourselves in the traditions, values and wisdom of our heritage, equipping ourselves to embrace our unique identity in today’s vast marketplace of ideas and identities. We prepare for a liberated world by examining and deploying our Jewish ideals around human dignity so as to contribute to a robust and safe public square. Continuous preparation for Israel’s thriving as the Jewish state requires endless investment of Jewish values and vision in the art of statecrafting and in the obligation to protect, defend, and rescue all who call it home. 

This shabbat, Shabbat Hachodesh, heralds the month of Nisan which begins on Sunday. The Maftir describes the first eating of the Pesach sacrifice in all the Israelite households just before they left Egypt. The Haftarah describes the communal Pesach sacrifice that was offered at the Temple in Jerusalem. Together they summon us to get ready for Passover, for the rhythms and rites of Jewish life, and remind us of the centrality of family and community to our observance. Freedom is most richly celebrated together in fellowship with others - with those who may have helped facilitate our independence, those who may share in it, and those whose freedom we may have helped make possible. Negotiating the nexus between individuality and belonging is a hallmark of the lifelong project of building our Jewish identity. 

The fate of the remaining hostages brings the dramatic and desperate Pesach story of enslavement and liberation to life in the most terrifying ways our generation has ever experienced. While we continue to advocate for our leaders to pull moral and political levers as effectively as they can to bring them home, perhaps we can help prepare for their return by engaging meaningfully with the timeless lessons of these special shabbatot. 

With continued prayers for our ability to bring home all the hostages, protect the soldiers, heal the injured, comfort the bereaved, and build a lasting peace in Israel and around the world; with prayers for the earthquale victims in Myanmar and Thailand; and with blessings for a Shabbat Shalom,

Dini

Photo Courtesy of Ronen Avisror