For most people, “Passover” brings on images of The Ten Commandments; the version with Charlton Heston as Moses and Yule Brenner as Pharaoh Ramses For those unfamiliar with it, the Passover Seder is a ritual meal involving the retelling of the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Passover is a big traditional celebration for my family. We typically have 30-40 people for the Seder. For the last few years, my wife and I have been hosting this for our family, and I have been leading us through the telling of the story. As I prepare for this year, I find myself thinking about the meaning of Passover beyond the ritual. There are some interesting lessons to be found:
Learn how to ask. A central part of the Seder ritual is the asking of the 4 questions which all start – "why is this night different than all other nights?” Questions are the primary method of how the story is taught. What’s the take-a-way? Most great achievements in life begin with a question. Be curious. Speak up. Ask!
Embrace challenges. The story of the Exodus is filled with recounting the suffering and hardships the Israelites faced and overcame. The lesson? We should never be afraid of challenges and mistakes, as long as we remember them – how they transformed us, how they moved us, how they taught us. Embrace challenges. Learn from them. Remember them.
Take action. A central image of Passover is Matzah, the unleavened bread we eat. Thinking and preparing for change are important steps but what matters in the end is following through with our actions. Matzah teaches us the importance of acting quickly when we know something is the right thing to do. We didn't wait for the bread to rise. Instead we grabbed the Matzah and ran. Take action whenever you can and as soon as you can. Move… do… run towards your goal.
Remember what we have in common. We are directed to retell the story of Passover so we never forget. To remember our common heritage, our core value of freedom. To bind us together and keep our vision constant over the millennia. Having and knowing your core values - personal, family and business - does this.
“So let it be written, so let it be done!” - Yule Brenner as Pharaoh Ramses II in The Ten Commandments
“The power to question is the basis of all human progress.” - Indira Gandhi
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