Just how free are we?

Rabbi Fishel Zaklos

What’s the big deal about the Passover story? Why will millions of Jewish families be sitting around the Seder table, yet again, telling the same story?

Sadly, history seems to be repeating itself as we shudder to contemplate possible global repercussions of the war in Ukraine while thousands of refugees flee from their homes in fear of death. Is that why we are still making a whole to-do about an exodus story that is more ancient than the civilizations of Rome and Greece?

Our sages teach us that the Passover story is not ‘ancient his-story.’ Instead, it is our story as we fight to break out of our enslavement.

Enslavement to what? Aren’t we the freest people in history, living in the freest country? Let’s look at a few examples of how enslavement and freedom can be seen in our lives.

Perhaps our enslavement to bad habits and addictions keeps us away from the people we love and helps us avoid dealing with our inner pain and find healing.

Perhaps our enslavement to jealousy and belittling the other is an escape from focusing on our weaknesses.

Perhaps our enslavement to others’ opinions of us never allows us to soar and truly realize our G-d-given potential as we try to get validation from others struggling with their sense of self.

Perhaps our enslavement to materialism and consumerism keeps us focusing on ourselves rather than seeing the other.

Perhaps our enslavement to the perspective, ‘If I cannot see it, then it does not exist,’ clouds the eyes from seeing the spirituality and miracles all around us; seeing the hand of the Creator is in everyone and everything.

Perhaps our enslavement to the ideas of others keeps us from thinking for ourselves. True freedom is when we allow ourselves to search for the truth rather than letting ourselves be influenced by the ideas of others.

No, the enslavers are not ancient Egyptians, and the taskmasters are not beating us in the steaming desert, but the enslavement mindset is there. Indeed, it never left.

One person could be physically free but mentally enslaved, while another could be physically locked up in prison but mentally free. Think of Natan Sharansky, Yosef Mendelevitch and other famous prisoners of the Soviet Union, who showed the power of their mind and independence while living in unimaginable physical torment.

Think of the millions of people in Ukraine. It is both frightening and mind-boggling to observe their courage as we might ask ourselves if we would be willing to sacrifice everything, including our lives, in order to remain free.

Freedom is a state of mind. Maintaining this mindset is their only option. This may be a difficult concept for us, as we live at a distance in relative safety, but it is also a harsh reminder of what we have and to be thankful for.

It suggests that we ask ourselves if we have the mindset of liberty. Are we exercising our own free choice, which is the ultimate expression of freedom, or are we allowing ourselves to be enslaved to impulses, thoughts and behaviors against our better judgment?

At the Pesach Seder this year, retelling the Exodus story, our stage is different, but the play is the same. Let’s improve the story, giving it a swift happy ending: Ukrainian refugees are reunited safely in their rebuilt homeland, a safe haven, where they, too, can live in freedom. Let’s shower them with blessings and prayers that this becomes not just an imagined fairy tale, but a reality.

Rabbi Zaklos Fishel serves at Chabad Jewish Center of Naples.