Such a ringing part of our Passover experience. We have heard these words countless times. And yet, this year, as we sit in our homes with our extended family and friends virtually present, the question hits at our core more so than any other year.
“Why is this night different…?”
While it is easy to think that it is only Covid-19 that differentiates this night, perhaps with new eyes we can look to an often neglected Passover theme that can bring brightness to our Seders. While the Seder speaks expansively about freedom and faith, the theme of hope resonates strongly for me this night more than any past Seder night. The Egg, the parsley, the characters of Elijah and Miriam, and the pronouncement of “Next Year In Jerusalem” are all parts of the Seder that signal hope; hope that we will be carried out of our current state. Many of us gloss over this message in order to underscore the importance of freedom. And yet, this year, when I ponder, “Why is this Seder night in 5780 so different?” I will be thinking about how important “hope” is for us. The Egg, the parsley, and the characters Elijah and Miriam teach us that though things may be hard, though we gather around our screens, though we are distancing ourselves, these symbols remind us of a better time in the future.
May these symbols of hope brighten your Seders as we look to a time when “Next Year In Jerusalem” minimally means, next year … when we will have all of our family and friends physically around our tables in peace and health.
