On the first night of Passover, we are commanded to relate the miracles and wonders that were performed for our forefathers in Egypt, as it is written, “Remember this day, on which you went out of Egypt”.
This season is meant to be personal to each and every one of us. A passage in the Talmud illustrates this point:
“In every generation, a person is obligated to see himself as if he himself came out of Egypt, as it is written, “This is done because of that which G-d did to me when I came out of Egypt.”
-Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 116b
Passover is called Z’man Cheruteinu; the season of our freedom. Many people think that “freedom” means being able to do what they want to do, whenever they want, but that‘s not the Torah’s idea of freedom. Yeshua told us…
“Yes, indeed! I tell you that everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin…”
He also went on to say,
“if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. (John 8:34,36; Gal. 5:1)
What is freedom? In our American culture and history, the term freedom has been played out so often that we usually define it according to our finite parameters. Freedom for a person sounds somewhat like this: Free a person of all outside forces that limit and inhibit him, and you have a free human being.
This freedom is not about a freedom from negative external forces per se, but True freedom is moral and spiritual rather than physical. This concept of true freedom the Lubavitcher Rebbe of blessed memory, Menachem Mendel Schneerson elucidates:
“As long as we believe there is a place to escape, we cannot be liberated. The ultimate liberation will be when we open our eyes to see that everything is here, now.”2
True freedom is such that begins in the core of a person and permeates outwardly. Freedom has to do with the ability to choose what is right and good.
In Hebrew, ideas of freedom can be expressed using two different words. The word chofesh (חוֹפֶשׁ) connotes freedom from external restraints (i.e., you are physically free to do what you want), while the word cherut (חֵרוּת) suggests the freedom to do what you should, or the having the power to act responsibly.
Cherut, then, is the sort of freedom that G-d wants to give to us. Our deliverance is meant to clothe us with the power to walk in righteousness and truth. This is what is hinted at in the account of the engraving of the two tablets of the covenant.
וְהַלֻּחֹת מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה וְהַמִּכְתָּב מִכְתַּב אֱלֹהִים הוּא חָרוּת עַל־הַלֻּחֹת׃
The tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing, incised upon the tablets.
-Exodus 32:16
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi in Pirkei Avot relates:
“And the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tablets” (Exodus 32:16). Read not haruth [‘graven’] but heruth [‘freedom’]. For there is no free man but one that occupies himself with the study of the Torah.
-Pirkei Avot 6:2
(Pesach, z’man cheruteinu; the season of our freedom). So if Pesach wasn’t just about the physical exodus/freedom from the House of Bondage (Egypt), what more does it suggest?
Witnessing the plagues and wonders in Egypt…
Z’man Cheruteinu focuses on G-d’s deliverance of His people from slavery in Egypt. The Hebrew name for Egypt is Mitzraim, which is derived from the Hebrew words tzar צַר (narrow and confined), tza’ar צַעַר (pain), and meitzar מֵיצָר (meaning constriction of vision), all of which are aspects of slavery. This season of freedom reminds us that, no matter the constraints or challenges we face, our G-d who delivers us from evil always offers the hope of redemption. To gain freedom we need to be ready to move with G-d in the direction He leads and in the way He opens up before us, which will always be closer to Himself.
But how is this done? It is through the Blood of the lamb! Exodus 12:3 says,
דַּבְּרוּ אֶל־כׇּל־עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר בֶּעָשֹׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה וְיִקְחוּ לָהֶם אִישׁ שֶׂה לְבֵית־אָבֹת שֶׂה לַבָּיִת׃
“…they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household.”
-Exodus 12:3
The blood of the lamb was to be a sign upon the door/door frame of the house (just as a mezuzah is a sign and reminder). Those who stay within the house, that has the blood of the lamb applied will be delivered from death.
וְיִקְחוּ לָהֶם אִישׁ שֶׂה לְבֵית־אָבֹת שֶׂה לַבָּיִת
Veyikchu lahem, ish seh leveit-‘avot–seh labbayit.
“And they shall take for themselves, a man, a lamb, to the house of the fathers, a lamb per house.”
A man, a lamb, to the house of the fathers, a lamb per house. This was the mark of freedom.
It was stated: Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob says, why at the door? Because by the door they went from servitude to freedom.
-Talmud Yerushalmi, Kiddushin 1:2:31
The prophet Isaiah calls Mashiach a “lamb,” in Isaiah 53,
נִגַּשׂ וְהוּא נַעֲנֶה וְלֹא יִפְתַּח־פִּיו כַּשֶּׂה לַטֶּבַח יוּבָל וּכְרָחֵל לִפְנֵי גֹזְזֶיהָ נֶאֱלָמָה וְלֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיו׃
“He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he did not open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is mute, so he did not open his mouth.”
-Isaiah 53:7
On the next day, Yochanan sees Yeshua coming to him, and Yochanan says, Hinei! The Seh HaElohim (Gn 22:8; Ex 12:513; Isa 53:7), the one carrying away the avonot HaOlam Hazeh (sins of this world i.e., as the sa’ir l’Azazel kapporah, Isa 53:6 7,12; Lv 16:22).
Expectations. In the scriptures (Micah, Malachi, Zecahriah…) G-d declared that He would send forth His messenger, the son of david to rule and reign.
The rabbis found two distinct personages of Mashiach found in the scriptures. These personages were Mashiach Ben Yosef (son of Yosef/ the suffering servant) and Mashiach Ben David (the Conquering King). This led to confusion. Their expectation in the first century was that of the Conquering King like King David, to physically overthrow the oppression of the Roman Empire (like Yehudah Maccabi). Yet, Messiah son of Yosef/the Shepherd of Israel, it is said that he would go to war and be killed in battle. Isn’t that what Messiah did? He is called the “Poretz”/ breaker forth. He broke forth as light, as it says in Isaiah, …valley and shadow of death light has sprung up.
One of my coworkers shared with me an interesting quote from the greek philosopher, Plato.
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. -Plato
It is by G-d’s light, that we see light. Mashiach is light.
“I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.
He was waging spiritual war on our behalf. Releasing P.O.W.s from spiritual bondage. Freedom isn’t free…He thought of us before we considered him. This freedom came at a High cost/Price.
Rebbe Yeshua ben Yosef offered himself up. All who apply this Lamb’s blood to the doorposts of their hearts are spared spiritual death, as Yeshua said,
Truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes on Him who sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death to life.
-Yochanan 5:24
“For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. “No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
-Yochanan10:17-18
It is out of immense love for us and for Our Father in Heaven that Messiah does this. Interestingly, Rabbi Moshe Ha-Darshan illustrates this very point to us about Messiah’s desire to stand in our place of chastisements.
Forthwith the Holy One began to make a covenant with the Messiah: O Messiah, my righteousness, said he, the iniquities of those who are hidden beside thee will cause thee to enter into a hard yoke … said the Messiah, Lord of the world I accept it joyfully, and will endure these chastisements … Messiah accepted the chastisement of love, as it is written; He was oppressed, and he was afflicted.
-Rabbi Moshe Ha-Darshan, 10th, 11th century CE, Midrash on Bereshith
It is understood in Judaism that the death of a Tzaddik brings atonement (Moed Katan 28a). How much so then the death of The Tzaddik, Mashiach?
We find in Hebrews that Messiah is higher than Avraham, Moshe, and even the Malachim/Angels! But as it is said, Messiah accepted it joyfully!
If you believe on Him, Your sins are gone. Wiped clean, fresh start. Rabbi Elijah ben Moses de Vidas reveals an amazing point from the scripture:
והוא מחולל מפשעינו מדוכא מעונותינו, והכונה שכמו שהמשיח סובל, העונות שלנו עושים לו שיהא מדוכא, אם כן מי שירצה שהמשיח לא יהיה מדוכא מעונותינו יסבול וידכה הוא בעצמו.
“But He was wounded,” etc. … meaning that since the Messiah bears our iniquities which produce the effect of His being bruised , it follows that whosoever will not admit that Messiah thus suffers for our iniquities must endure and suffer for them himself.
-Rabbi Elijah ben Moses de Vidas, Reishit Chochmah, Gate of Holiness, 15:61
It was by the blood of the lamb and word of their testimony.
“And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.
Testimony (we share and declare what great things God has done for us). We are to proclaim his death until He comes. Who wants freedom? Who wants freedom from bondage, from sin, from
Not bound by …Devotions to be stronger, faith to be strengthened, to walk in true freedom, in the Holy Spirit.
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
-1Cor. 11:26-27
May our devotion to God be renewed and stronger through the work of Messiah.
1. Cited at Sefaria.org
2. Rabbi Tzvi Freeman, Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson
“G-d in Exile”, cited at Chabad.org
3.
4. Quoted by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, cited at hopeinmessiah.org
5. Quoted by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, cited at hopeinmessiah.org