Two Saturdays ago, I attended a Bar Mitzvah.

I didn't know Sam, the young man who was becoming Bar Mitzvah. I was going to temple to support and witness my beautiful partner as she sang hymns from the Sacred Torah.

Since it was close to Passover, the readings were about the sacrifices made at Passover time...mainly about the Israelites' exit from Egypt.

It is also a custom that the one who is becoming Bar/Bat Mitzvah do some service that relates to the reading at their special ceremony.

The Kabbalistic tradition says that a person's spiritual being has several levels of soul.  A new level of soul (called neshama) comes into awareness at Bar/Bat Mitzvah time.  This is the time when moral awareness and sensitivity fully develops, enabling young people to take responsibility for their actions.

So at this particular Bar Mitzvah, the reading from the Torah was about the exit of the Israelites and what went on just before they were given permission to leave.  If you remember, because Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let Israel leave Egypt as God called for, God visited the plague of death to all of the firstborn of both man and beast in Egypt. In order for Israel to avoid the angel of death's visit to their households, God told the Israelites to sacrifice and eat a lamb.  More importantly, He commanded them to take some of the lamb's blood and put it on the doorpost of each household.  As the angel of death passed over their houses and noted the blood on their lintels they would be spared...and they were.

In every relationship, we all make sacrifices, even in our relationship with God. Today, most of us do not make animal sacrifices.  As a society, we have changed some of our customs.  Today, most of our sacrifice comes in the form of service.

Sam, the young man who was coming of age, choose to do service for those who do not have enough to eat.  This relates very well to the Israelites exit from Egypt.  They had to rush to leave, thus they were not able to make bread they way they were accustomed to.

Sam ran a marathon to raise money and awareness, and built a website for donations to feed the hungry.  I was deeply touched by his sacrifice and service to mankind.

I was also reminded of another Jew who made the ultimate sacrifice during Passover some two thousand years ago: Yeshua...also known as Jesus of Nazareth.

In the same way that the angel of death passed over the homes of the Israelites, Christians believe that when God sees the blood of the Suffering Messiah, Yeshua, on the doorposts of their hearts, they are saved from eternal death for their sins.

Christians believe that when you bring Yeshua into your heart and accept his teachings - "The Kingdom of Heaven is within," love thy neighbor as thyself, become perfect by becoming One with the Father - you experience True Love with God.

This is their sacrifice...their service, which enables them grow and love.  Sam was doing service to grow and love his neighbor as they self, one of the commandments of God.

Not all of us belong to a religious organization, but we all can render service/sacrifice for the betterment of our world. During the month of April I will honor your service and sacrifices by writing about them in the Ah-Man Blog.  So, please take a moment share with me how you are - or someone you know is - making our world a better place to live in, and I will share with you some of the ways over the years I have.