Tonight is the first night of Passover, a Jewish holiday that commemorates the story of the Exodus when the Jews were freed from prolonged slavery in ancient Egypt.
On Passover (also called Pesach) we refrain from eating “chametz”. Chametz (leavening) is anything made from five types of grain and left to rise more than 18 minutes. So basically, the prelude to this holiday is crazy spring cleaning, getting rid of any chametz in the house before Passover starts, and not bringing anything not kosher for Passover into the house until after Passover. It also involves koshering your kitchen and making sure not to mix the “chametz” with the Passover stuff.
As you can imagine, the logistics are enough to cause anyone an ulcer. At least they are if you are not living alone, continue to work and have a family to feed and take care of while trying to get everything else done. Say the word Pesach to me and there is an immediate visceral reaction of stress.
The question I have been asking myself for years is why do we all tend to make things so much harder on ourselves than it really has to be. Passover is the holiday that represents freedom yet way too many people feel like slaves in the weeks before Passover. A self imposed slavery.
I personally have never found chometz on a dusty window, yet it seems that windows have somehow been made part of the “have to clean” list for Passover. This year I made a conscious decision not to kill myself in the pre-Passover madness. In less than a week (and at a very relaxed pace) what really needed to get done got done. (My husband does not know who ran off with his wife because I am usually a ranting lunatic at this point.)
I think it all comes down to the pressure we put on ourselves. I think it’s all about what we allow, both physically and emotionally, to shackle us. I think that we really just miss the point sometimes.
In my opinion, the lesson of Passover is learning to free yourself, both physically and emotionally. It’s about letting go of physical things you have no need for and letting go of emotional attachments, grudges and self limiting thoughts that are hurtful and holding you back.
We get caught up in the details and preparations for the holiday but often miss the big picture. Sure, you need to clean and prepare the house for Passover, but do you have to clean yourself into exhaustion? Holidays bring families together, but the pressure around the preparations can drive a wedge between people.
Slavery is a fallen state of consciousness. I think too many of us live our lives enslaved. We do things without thinking too much about whether what we are doing is really working for us. We are creatures of habit and are easily enslaved to the familiar, secure and the stable, sometimes at a great cost to our happiness.
The road from slavery to freedom is a process. When you have been enslaved for a long time to anything—be it a thought, idea, person, object, job or a point of view—making a change requires time and a process.
Passover reminds me that there is always the possibility for change.
What do you want to set yourself free from and what step can you take in that direction?
This is an original post for World Moms Blog from our contributor in Israel, Susie Newday.
The image used in this post is attributed to the author.
Susie Newday (Israel)
Susie Newday is a happily-married American-born Israeli mother of five. She is an oncology nurse, blogger and avid amateur photographer. Most importantly, Susie is a happily married mother of five amazing kids from age 8-24 and soon to be a mother in law. (Which also makes her a chef, maid, tutor, chauffeur, launderer...) Susie's blog, New Day, New Lesson, is her attempt to help others and herself view the lessons life hands all of us in a positive light. She will also be the first to admit that blogging is great free therapy as well. Susie's hope for the world? Increasing kindness, tolerance and love. You can also follow her Facebook page New Day, New Lesson where she posts her unique photos with quotes as well as gift ideas.
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Thank you introducing a little bit of Jewish culture today. Many times in life, we are enslavened to this idea of freedom, that we forget that we are slaves to freedom itself. Your below sentence prompted me to think this way!
“The road from slavery to freedom is a process. When you have been enslaved for a long time to anything—be it a thought, idea, person, object, job or a point of view—making a change requires time and a process.”
Freedom from everything, could be real freedom. And as a first step, I think we need to become free from the control of our mind. I dont know how much I conveyed coherently. But I hope I got my message through.
This is a very contemplative and philosophical post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts in relation to the Jewish Passover festival 🙂
Thank you, Susie!
This post really resonated with me, even though I’m not Jewish. I’m moving house on 1 April!! Talk about “spring cleaning” on steroids!! Add to that that my frail 83 year old mom-in-law has moved in with us, and you can possibly imagine what I’m going through!
Your post is a timely reminder that I must change my way of thinking from “have to” to “choose to” and I must stop trying so hard to please everyone, because that’s a sure way to please nobody (least of all myself)!
My whole life I’ve been a “slave” to “expectations”. What I’m currently working on, is to let go of my need to be the “good girl” and start living my life my way!
I remember, when my husband and I were newly married and I cleaned every little corner of the apartment. I almost forgot behind the tv. I ran over, and it was dusty, and I immediately dusted it all up. I laughed at myself afterwards. “Who’s going to look behind the tv, anyway?” Well, my in-laws came, and I forget the reason, but wouldn’t you know, my husband and my father-in-law were behind the tv? LOL!!
I was a different person back then. I’ve learned to let things go and prioritize what really is important in life. It’s a journey though, and I’m definitely still on it!!
Thank you for sharing this post, Susie! And I hope your preparations were less stressful this year for Passover!
Jen 🙂
Susie, you are so right in this post, and I like the way you relate the emotional slavery to the physical. My family is in exile this year for Passover because our kitchen is having work done. Today I decided to just make the best of it and do what we can without stressing over it being a traditional seder.
Love, love, love this post, Susie!
“I think it all comes down to the pressure we put on ourselves. I think it’s all about what we allow, both physically and emotionally, to shackle us. I think that we really just miss the point sometimes.”
Oh Susie – that rang so true for me! I always feel like I need to do “this” and “that” for my family….sometimes I just have to be kinder to myself and let it go. I have just recently started to accept that I am the one shackling myself and am practicing how to “release”!
Happy Passover!
“Slavery is a fallen state of consciousness. I think too many of us live our lives enslaved. We do things without thinking too much about whether what we are doing is really working for us.”
Yes, I agree and loved your post, Susie. It was also good to get some understanding of what Passover involves.
I can completely relate to the pre-Passover cleaning frenzie. When I was starting my third trimester with my second child, right before Passover, I realized that I couldn’t actually do it all that year. So I hired someone to help me, especially for cleaning in the kitchen to climb up the stepstool and take out all of the heavy dishes from the cabinets, and cleaning with some of the stronger cleaning products. I did it that year because I was we’ll into my pregnancy, working full time and with a toddler running around…and I realized it made my life so.much.easier! I decided to take that approach every year since then (2 years now), and am really happy I did! Hag Sameach Susie! I hope you and your family have had a wonderful holiday!