As I write these words, it is the fourth day of war between Israel and the United States against Iran. By the time you read this, I do not know what will have unfolded. I do not know what headlines will have changed, what dangers will have passed or what new realities we may be facing.
But I do know this: we are approaching Pesach.
Only weeks ago, we spoke about Purim, about sudden reversals, about how darkness can turn to light. But Pesach is different. Pesach is not a one-night turnaround. It is a journey from slavery to freedom.
The Exodus did not begin with celebration. It began under the weight of oppression. It moved through plagues, uncertainty and a frightened nation standing at the edge of the sea with no visible path forward. Freedom came, but not before was courage demanded.
This war, too, is not about triumphalism. It is about survival and responsibility. It is about confronting a regime that has fueled hatred and violence for decades, not only threatening Israel openly, but actively supporting terror that has taken thousands of lives around the world. It has destabilized an entire region and endangered innocent people far beyond the Middle East. It is about protecting innocent lives and giving the Iranian people hope for a different future.
At our Seder tables this year, when we say, “In every generation they rise against us to destroy us,” the words will feel current. But so will the next line: “The Holy One saves us from their hands.”
Pesach reminds us that tyrannies fall. Pharaoh fell. Empires built on cruelty do not endure. The Jewish people do.
As we eat matzah, the bread of affliction and of freedom, may we remember that redemption is a process. It requires faith, unity, and moral clarity.
May Hashem protect Israel.
May God guard the soldiers of Israel, America, and our allies.
May God protect all innocent people, all the good people who just want to live in peace.
May God comfort those who are mourning and heal those who are hurt.
May this Pesach bring us closer to true and lasting freedom.
Am Yisrael Chai.
This column is published as a public service by the Jewish Press in cooperation with the Tampa Rabbinical Association, which assigns the column on a rotating basis. The views expressed are those of the rabbi and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Jewish Press or the TRA.
