On April 9th, 2020 I held a virtual Seder with my daughter Caroline, live on Facebook. It was a magically fun time and a meaningful memory I will cherish forever. You can see our virtual Passover below.
Ordinary to Extraordinary 4/9/20
Here is my discussion question for today:
What is something ordinary in your life that you have transformed into something extraordinary?
Is there something special you have transformed in your life because you love it so much? Maybe a special blanket or doll? Or something you received from a special relative, or is it something you made? Something you have transformed by how much you love it and need it?
I also encourage anyone who is interested to follow Breaking Matzo on Instagram and see our Passover Seder Story (15 minutes) from Last night. It is up now.
You can find my blog on today’s question here.
Regards,
Andy
Elijah’s Chair 4/8/20
Happy Passover to those that celebrate. Tonight is the first night of Passover and I believe that our Seder tradition will take on even more meaning in today’s environment.
I would like to share the discussion questions that I will pose during our Virtual Seder tonight. This concept of inviting someone to your sacred meal is not limited to Passover and can be applied to all of us.
Question:
Who would you like to sit in Elijah’s chair at your Seder? In today’s context of social distancing, the connection with a loved one who is not present is even more poignant.
Elijah is the prophet who never died. He is viewed as eternally returning to help the poor and assist those in need. When we believe in Elijah, and invite him to join us at the table, we receive a special gift or blessing because we can imagine him and his good deeds.
The special cup for Elijah, and in some families a chair for Elijah, is a reminder to invite spirit of generosity and goodness to join us at the Seder.
In some families, the children go to the door and open it for Elijah so that Elijah, or another good soul, can enter. (See footnotes below for Torah references)
Kids: Who is missing from our table this evening? Who do we need to invite in?
Kids & Adults: What special person would you most like to share tonight’s festival meal? This person can be alive today, or not. It might be a friend, relative, or someone that you would like to meet. Please share who this person is and why you would like to share tonight’s Seder with them.
Adults: Whom do we need to help us complete our journey from “slavery” to “freedom”? Who helps each of us become complete? Who or what do we need to lead us on our journey to freedom?
You can find my blog on this topic here.
Regards,
Andy
Raw or Ready 4/7/20
Here is my discussion question for today:
There is a context to whether or not a broken egg is good or bad. If you have a raw egg in the kitchen and you drop it, the eggshell breaks and the egg is lost. It is forever broken. You cannot simply gather the yolk and white and put it back in the broken shell. (As the nursery rhyme goes, Humpty Dumpty cannot be put back together again!)
However, there is another context when the broken egg shell is not the end of life, but rather the beginning of life! If it is a baby bird hatching from its shell, it is a beginning. A bird hatching is a truly celebrated event marking the evolution of life.
Are you in a raw state where your shell is delicate and needs full protection and security? Or are you ready? Ready to break out of your shell and enter the next phase of your life to encounter the world without a protective barrier?
You can find my blog on this question here.
Regards,
Andy
Basics vs. Extras 4/6/20
For the next week or so, I will share my discussion questions that I have prepared for Breaking Matzo for Passover.
Passover celebrates the story of Exodus which explores the journey from slavery in Egypt, wandering in the wilderness, and reaching Freedom in the Promised Land.
An important element of the story are the 10 plagues which God brought on Pharaoh who would not let the Hebrew Slaves free. Today the entire planet is experiencing a plague. It is poetic that it is a plague on our entire planet and that we are all working together to find a solution.
There are so many more levels of Passover which I hope to reveal in many of the discussion questions which take on even more meaning in today’s environment. You can read my newest discussion question here.
Regards,
Andy
Virtual Passover Discussion Question: Raw or Ready
During Passover, we discussed the meaning of placing a roasted egg on the Seder plate. A burnt egg can be interpreted to represent the suffering endured by the Hebrews during slavery in Egypt. The roasted egg also has a broken shell. This can demonstrate the fragility of life and hopefully inspire an appreciation for the blessed moments we’re given. At this year’s Seder, a friend who had never celebrated Passover asked me an interesting question: Do you boil the egg before it is roasted, or is it raw? It raised the thought: Are you raw or are you ready? Let’s explore the egg – in its broken form.
There is a context to whether or not a broken egg is good or bad. If you have a raw egg in the kitchen and you drop it, the egg shell breaks and the egg is lost. It is forever broken. You cannot simply gather the yolk and white and put it back in the broken shell. (As the nursery rhyme goes, Humpty Dumpty cannot be put back together again!)
However, there is another context when the broken egg shell is the not the end of life, but rather the beginning of life! If it is a baby bird hatching from its shell it is a beginning. A bird hatching is a truly celebrated event marking the evolution of life.
Adults: Are you in a raw state where your shell is delicate and needs full protection and security? Or are you ready? Ready to break out of your shell and enter the next phase of your life to encounter the world without a protective barrier.
Kids: What is something new that you think you’re ready to try this year?
Radical Change 4/3/20
I want to share a concept of radical change.
On February 26, the Breaking Matzo team, presented an idea to have a Virtual event for Passover this year. I read the proposal briefly. I responded immediately “No”. “Why not they asked?” “Because I have so many other things going on, I really have never tried it before, and….”
How the world has radically changed since February 26! I am proud to announce that my attitude to Virtual Gatherings and Work from Home has also radically changed. Below is my email launching Breaking Matzo’s Virtual Passover offering. I am incredibly grateful to the entire Breaking Matzo team for heroic efforts to create this virtual offering in less than five days! We have already received a huge response from the Breaking Matzo community!
- Has this period been a catalyst for you to have a radical change in your attitude or perspective?
I am so proud to announce that Breaking Matzo is launching Virtual Passover to help celebrate Passover and connect our hearts during this period of social distancing.
Historical chance for All Ages to Sing the 4 Questions!
This year’s Seder ritual of Singing the Four Questions may make Jewish History! The ritual is to have the youngest member at the Seder table sing the four questions – throughout Jewish history the average singer’s age is probably around 8 or 9 years old. This year, the youngest member at Seder Tables may be in their 60s, 70s, 80s, or 90s! We are asking the Jewish community to submit videos of them (of all ages!) singing the 4 questions to us. We will use these to create an acapella montage showing that even in times of isolation we are together, strong, and joyful.
People will be able to submit their videos in the comments section of our 2020 Passover Contest post on the Breaking Matzo Facebook page.
Resources for Virtual Passover
Breaking Matzo is putting together resources for people to have a magical, meaningful, and memorable Passover while respecting social distancing and abiding by “safer at home” policies. I have gathered blogs about the wisdom of the Torah, and useful social isolation Seder tips from around the internet. These wonderful and inspiring resources can be found in our new Virtual Passover section.
Virtual Passover Gatherings each night at 6pm ET
Additionally, Breaking Matzo will host a variety of live interactive Passover events via Zoom every day at 6pm ET beginning Saturday, April 4th through Friday, April 10. Saturday through Tuesday will focus on Seder preparation, Wednesday April 8 (first night) and Thursday 9 (second night) will feature a virtual seder Friday will be a wrap-up and reflection setting.
We will also host a Facebook Live event for the Passover Seders.
Visit the Breaking Matzo Facebook page for Facebook Live event information.
Life in the Pause Daily Meditation
Breaking Matzo has also created a series of Life in the Pause meditations to alleviate anxiety, ease the mind, and hopefully soothe the soul.
Please help me to shine a light in these dark times by sharing this information with anyone you think may be interested.
Regards,
Andy
Virtual Passover Discussion Question: Slavery
Passover is the story of the children of Israel seeking freedom, wandering in the Wilderness, and reaching freedom in the Promised Land. What are you a slave to today? Why?
We are all slaves to something today. Not physical slaves but slaves in our own mind.
Kids: What do you think about the most? You may be a slave to electronics, video games, or your favorite television show.
Adults: Are we slaves to our past? Or maybe slaves to worry, work, financial pressure, or scheduling?
Virtual Passover Gallery
This gallery of photos is from Andy’s mother, Myra Yellin Outwater (of blessed memory), from her book, Judaica as well as other items from Andy’s personal memorabilia collections.
A Virtual Passover Glossary
Abracadabra: This familiar word, the ultimate phrase for a magical transformation, comes from the word Bara, to create and Dibare, to speak. Literally Abracadabra means: “I create as I speak.”
Eretz Zavat Chalav U’dvash: Land of Milk and Honey, the Promised Land.
Evrit: Hebrew. Literally, “one who crossed over from the other side”, as in crossing the Red Sea and the Wilderness.
Haggadah: The book that contains the prayers, the rituals and specifies the order of the Seder service.
Israel: He who wrestles with God and man, and survives. The first Israelite was Jacob, who became known as “Israel.”
Israelites: Those who wrestle with God and man, and survives.
Juif: French word for Jew, from the Medieval term for Yehudi, tribe of Judah. The word Jew is not a Hebrew word at all.
Matzo: Literally, to drain out. Traditional unleavened bread of Passover, and “narrow” Passover food. Matzo also has another nuanced meaning. We expand our food as we expand ourselves during the Journey of Passover, the Exodus from Egypt.
Mitzraim: Egypt, a Narrow Place. Referring to the proximity of population to Nile. In ancient Hebrew, Egypt is referred to as Mitrzaim. “The narrow place,” because most the population lived in a narrow region around the banks of the Nile.
Midbar: In Hebrew, Wilderness is Midbar, which means “Dibare” to speak. God spoke to Jews when they wandered in the Wilderness.
Moses: Drawn out of water. We don’t know Moses’ real name, we only know him as the “one who was drawn out of the water.”
Seder: Order. The order of the Passover service, as described in the Haggadah.
