Passover/Pesach 1476 B.C.E. & 2010 C.E.
Moses returns to Egypt, where God again says his name to Moses. God instructs Moses to appear before the pharaoh and inform him of God's demand that he let God's people go. Moses and his brother Aaron do so, but pharaoh refuses. God causes a series of plagues to strike Egypt, but whenever pharaoh begins to relent God "hardens his heart". God instructs Moses to institute the Passover sacrifice among the Israelites, and kills all the firstborn children and livestock throughout Egypt. The pharaoh then agrees to let the Israelites go. Moses explains the meaning of the Passover: it is for Israel's salvation from Egypt, so that the Israelites will not be required to sacrifice their own sons, but to redeem them. [1]
Moses advised the Hebrew slaves to sacrifice unblemished lambs and then painted the their door post with the lamb's blood so that the Angel of Death would passed over the homes of the Hebrews and kill the First Born of Egypt. Whether they were members of the royal family or a lowly servant, first born and not living in a house with lamb's blood on their door post, they were not spared the raft of G*d's avenging Angel. It was the tenth and final plague that broke the resistance of Pharaoh and he let the Hebrews go. Passover is our holiday to remember we were "passed over" by the Angel of Death and we were slaves in Egypt. When the Hebrew slaves left Egypt they did so in great haste before Pharaoh could change his mind. This is why we are commanded to eat only unleavened bread for seven days. In "Exodus12:37 refers to 600,000 adult Israelite men leaving Egypt with Moses, plus an unspecified but apparently large "mixed multitude" of non-Israelites; Numbers 1:46 gives a more precise total of 603,550. The number of Hebrews and non-Hebrews who fled Egypt is not what is important but their reason for leaving was. For generations they suffered under the Egyptian's inhumane and cruel bondage. They were slaves as were their ancestors and if Pharaoh had been allowed to have his way; their future descendents would have also been slaves. Our Deliverance has been celebrated by Jews ever since.
This Passover 2010 C.E., Makedah and I had our grandchildren. We were giving our daughter a break. The three boys are eighteen months, three years and six years old. They are being raised as Christians. We introduce them to the meaning of Passover. Before the three boys came, Makedah and I were informed there is strong evidence two of the boys could have Autism. This revelation did not really hit home until I began thinking about Passover. Makedah and I are both minorities in a country, state, county and community that are overwhelmingly white (European), Christian, Anti-Semitic, xenophobic and racist. Just as the Egyptians feared the increase in Hebrews could one day lead to an uprising and the over throw of their society. This same fear is resurfacing and growing among many whites here in America. The election of a Black man to be President looks good on the world stage but nothing has changed on "Main Street". Our grandchildren will have to endure the same social isolation, racism, segregation and unequal treatment as Makedah and I do now. They will have to accept this yoke of oppression as their ancestors have for centuries, with no certain hope of an end to their social and economic slavery. The iron chains may have been removed from our wrists, ankles, and or necks however, newer, stronger and invisible chains have taken the iron ones place and they are even more restrictive. The two of us already know from personal experience these invisible chains use social pressure and social isolation on White American who dares to want interracial sex, interracial dating, and interracial families. Non-whites already earn less than their white counterparts, live in slum like conditions and die long before their time.
Passover comes and goes each year. But, the memories of slavery remain fresh in the minds and collective conscience of most non-White Americans. Our grandchildren will have no Moses to lead them out of bondage. All of our most respected and trusted leaders have been killed or disgraced; our institutions and community support systems have been all but eliminated. The brown, yellow, red and black communities have been played on off one and the other, until they cannot or will not unite for the betterment of all. If our grandchildren are to make it to The Promised Land, we cannot wait on another Moses. Makedah and I are determined our children will not suffer as our ancestors did and as we do now. We do not paint lamb's blood on our doorpost, but we do fly the Magen Star flag outside our home. It is probably the only one for one hundred or more miles. But when the Spirit of G*d Passover our home, it will know we are His & Her children and all are welcome join our Caravan of Love. We do not have to imagine servitude in ancient Egypt; we live it each day of our lives.
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