Par55

Explode With Kindness

Rabbi Yaacov Haber

Parshas Tazria

Thank G-d we are free! Freedom is something we strive for and we treasure. Historically, in this country we have given our lives for freedom. At the same time freedom is a little scary. You can’t tell much about a person who is oppressed and restrained. A slave does what he is told. It is only when we go free and have the luxury of doing what we want, when we want that true person, the real neshama comes out for everyone to see.

Freedom comes in two ways. There is the freedom that most of us, not all of us, were born with. In the United States we effervesce in a lifestyle which allows for self-expression, gradual development and growth. But when freedom follows slavery, oppression and restraint an explosion takes place. A lifetime of pent up personality, internal pressure bubbling in a confined space, will cause a sudden burst of ones inner self. Everything that was on the inside will suddenly come out. If the slave was full of negativity and hatred negativity will explode. If the slave is full of chesed and love – out will come love.

The Matzo is the symbol of this oppression. Matzo is bread that was not allowed to rise. We hold up our Matzo at the Seder and say “Ho lachma anya; this is the bread of affliction” the bread that was always beaten and knocked down, the bread that finally is allowed to come into its own.

We see our history and ourselves in that Matzo. We were slaves in Egypt for close to two centuries. We were confined, restricted and oppressed. Then we went free. What happened when we went free? What were our true colors? How did we react?

We said, “Kol dichphin yaysay vyaychol; Let anyone who is hungry come and eat.” We exploded with love. Chesed became the defining element of the Jewish Neshama.

Our Nation has a wonderful tradition of Tzedaka. Having a central role in many difficult situations I can say, you don’t know how kind you are. Today is a good time to explode with that kindness. Every one knows how expensive it is to make Pesach. Matzos, wine, and chicken. There are many children that wait a whole year, until Erev Pesach, to be able to replace a worn out pair of shoes that no longer fits only to be told that there just isn’t enough money. There are poor people amongst us that don’t know how they are going to make the seder, let alone the Yom Tov. Last year a man that everyone thought was wealthy had no money to make yom tov. We saved the day. He is now recovering financially and psychologically.

If we act like Jews, Hashem will treat us as Jews and will end all our tzoros, give us complete freedom, b’arah d’yisroel, together in Yerushalayim.