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"I wasn't even aware that it was something for which my soul thirsted." He was the only man to pay a Shiva call after my mother's passing who was a total stranger to absolutely everyone in the room. He flew in from another State, rented a car, for the sole purpose of visiting us to share his story. His wife was released earlier than expected from Sinai Hospital a few hours before the Seder. Observing only Yom Kippur and Passover, the couple was troubled by the fact that they would be missing a Passover Seder. A stranger drove up, greeted them by name, and informed them that, "Rebbetzin Weinberg had made all the necessary Passover arrangements." Having never met my mother, they were apprehensive, but decided they would go with the young man. He drove them to an apartment and everything was prepared for two days of the Holiday including all the necessary medical supplies. There was a piece of paper with a schedule of families they could visit, if they wanted, for each of the meals. They decided to participate in a Seder with one of the families and experienced the first real seder of their lives. They spent the next two days with different families welcoming them into their homes with open arms.
Arrangements were made by the mysterious "Rebbetzin Weinberg" in Baltimore with different families.
"I often spoke to your mother to thank her, but I never visited. In our minds she was an Angel, and we did not want to meet "a person." I flew in just to share this story with you at the time when I am certain she is now an official Angel."
He got up without sharing his name and he left.
I hear this story in my mind every Pesach when I do my best to emulate my mother and help people celebrate the festival. There is a constant awareness of, "This is what she would have wanted." When the Haggadah reminds us that, "In each generation a person must imagine as if s/he is one of those leaving Egypt," we are challenged to remember what it is like for those who aspire to celebrate the Festival with Joy and Honor, with both physical and spiritual Freedom. It is for those who want Pesach, and may not even know it that we shout out, "ALL THOSE WHO FEEL THE NEED - COME! - and we will make it possible."
It is for that reason G-d chose to grant the gift of entering the Holy of Holies to Aaron by reminding him of the death of his two sons. G-d was telling Aaron, "It was to this, to experience the Holiest Realms that your children aspired. This, that you have, is what they wanted."
The highest way to honor the greatest spiritual experience, be it entering the Holy of Holies or celebrating the Seder, is to do so with an awareness of those who can only dream of such heights, abundance, and opportunity to celebrate as do we.
My mother z'l did not wait for someone to knock at her door. She was in Florida, but she found people - Texans in Baltimore - who wanted, and offered them the Freedom of being cared for, being important, and discovering the possibilities of a Seder. Perhaps we shouldn't wait for someone to come to us, but go out looking and paying close attention to those who need.
I do imagine myself as one of those leaving Egypt. I strive when I imagine myself appreciating the phrase, "All those in need...", as did my mother.
Shabbat Shalom and an Infinitely Joyous and Expansive Pesach,
Rabbi Simcha L. Weinberg
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