Purim and Passover: A tale of two tables

By Amy Hirshberg Lederman

The experience of celebrating Jewish holidays has been dramatically altered since the onset of the pandemic more conversation with meaning, and yes, an even more inclusive seder with people under other circumstances would not ordinarily be inclined to attend. than a year ago. From solitary Passover We read in the Haggadah about the Seders to attending High Holiday four sons (although today we speak services in our pajamas on zoom, we of the four children): the wise, the have tried our best to stay connected to rebellious, the simple, and the one who tradition despite the precautions and is unable to ask. Over 60 years ago, the restrictions COVID-19 has required. late Chasidic Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem

Last week we celebrated Purim, with Schneerson, wrote a seminal Passover many of us sitting at our kitchen tables letter that expanded the seder’s core zooming a Megillah reading while purpose: to find and invite the “fifth nibbling on hamantaschen and sipping son” – any man or woman who is schnapps. conspicuous by his or her absence from

The Megillah, Book of Esther 1:1-5, the seder table. opens with King Ahashveros making This notion can inform us today an outlandishly lavish feast (mishteh, by creating an awareness of who is in Hebrew) for all of his officials, not at the table. It can also inspire us nobles, armies and servants, from the In this painting by Edwin Longdsen to invite to our seder any person – be 127 provinces over which he reigned. It Long (1829-91) Queen Esther is it a stranger, friend, co-worker or wasn’t just a one-night affair, either, but preparing to see King Xerxes I, on family member – who, for whatever a huge, elaborate and decadent festival whom she will prevail to spare the reason, has left the tradition or never that continued for 180 days! Jewish people from genocide. She felt a part of it. And oddly enough,

The story goes on to tell us that is celebrated for her success in the COVID-19 has made that not only the drunken king demanded his Jewish holiday Purim. easier but more natural. queen, Vashti, to appear before him to Many of us will have Zoom seders show off her beauty (and who knows what else), but she for the second year in a row. But this year, let us not focus refused. Her punishment was irrevocable banishment and on what we may have to forgo – the joy of serving our the replacement by Esther, the most beautiful of all the matzah ball soup in person or kvelling up close when maidens to come before the king. the youngest child recites the four questions or finds the

The king then made Esther’s banquet – a “great feast” afikomen. called the mishteh gadol – for his officers and servants. This year, let us instead focus on expanding our seders Rather than the mishteh described in the Megillah’s to include a “fifth child.” Let us employ the frustration, opening passages, Esther’s feast, by contrast, was much disappointment and fear that COVID-19 has caused as smaller and less opulent. (Esther 2:18) an impetus to bring others out of isolation and into our

This seeming contradiction was beautifully interpreted homes to be a part of the seder experience. by a family friend, the late Dr. Arnold Schonfeld. Perhaps Because, if COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is this: the Megillah is suggesting that it is not the number of none of us should be forced to be alone, especially when people or the elaborate nature of how we entertain that we long to be a part of something meaningful and share defines the significance of an event, but the merit and our stories with others. As the Haggadah itself proclaims: value of those in attendance that give the event meaning. “Let all who are hungry, come and eat; all who are in need,

This interpretation offers a lovely way to approach the come and celebrate the Passover with us.” holiday of Passover during the continuing challenges of In this way, COVID-19 can be a touchstone to inspire this pandemic. While we may be cautiously optimistic us to let all who are hungry for inclusion, partnership, about the future now that the vaccine is more readily sharing and relationship, whether near or far, be welcomed available, we must remain vigilant to protect the safety and to join our seder table. health of those dear to us as well as the general public. The net result will mean that many, if not most, of our seders will still be extremely limited in terms of size, grandeur Amy Hirshberg Lederman has written and numbers of guests. AMY more than 300 columns and essays But, as the Megillah points out, we need not feel that less is less; rather, we can strive to create a seder table HIRSHBERG LEDERMAN that have been published nationwide, amyhirshberglederman.com where less is actually more. More time to prepare, more