Passover is the time of the year that Jews commemorate the Exodus from Egypt. It is a very symbolic time representing our release from bondage and slavery, the gift of freedom, our nation becoming sovereign and self-sustaining...all the things good preppers should extol. Some of the customs of the holiday include, not eating leaven products, telling over the story of what happened in Egypt and eating different types of foods like bitter herbs and during Temple times bringing a Paschal Sacrifice. We also have a special meal called a Seder where we eat Matzah and lean on our sides (as freemen once were accustomed to do during their meals).
I think that, as always, there are many different levels of interpretation regarding our laws and customs. On one level our whole national metamorphosis from a nation of slaves to a nation of freemen teaches us a lesson that needs to be reviewed and reflected upon by each generation. (Our Rabbi's teach us that “In every generation one must look upon himself as if he personally had gone out of Egypt.) The Exodus from Egypt was much more than physical. It was a psychological transformation. It required a nation that for centuries lived subservient to another, to totally change their worldview overnight. Its hard to imagine what the Jewish people felt 'the day after', but one can picture a serious culture shock. Once one throws off the yoke of a dictator, it is extremely difficult to readjust oneself to living on their own, being responsible for their own destiny.
This point is something that happened to the founding fathers of the US after ridding themselves of the yoke of King George. More recently it is something that Eastern Europe had to go through after the collapse of the USSR and what Iraqis are going through after the toppling of the Saddam Hussein regime. Each nation is going through a stage where they are trying to rediscover themselves and learn anew how to live freely.
This is also what the Jewish people have been struggling about during their over 2000 long years of exile. It is what the modern State of Israel has gone through in its relatively short lifespan and it is the personal struggle that each and every individual needs to overcome. We need to finally come to the realization that we are no longer dependent on any other nation for our survival. We need to become responsible, proud and self-sustaining, not reliant on the 'charity' of others. We must become individual Jewish Preppers and a Nation of Jewish Preppers!
May we merit the coming of the Messiah and the rebuilding of our Temple in Jerusalem speedily in our days (whether the US State Department likes it or not).
ps One point of Jewish law I would like to emphasize is that one is not only forbidden to eat leaven products on Passover, but to even own them. One method to prevent the owning of Chometz (leaven products) during the holiday is to sell your Chometz for the holiday. There is a very simple form to fill out that will take care of this for you and can even be done online. Here is the link to have a rabbi sell your Chometz. Enjoy!
pps This year we are trying to overcome my 'save everything' mentality. Whatever is being thrown out we are referring to as a "Paschal Sacrifice"!
ppps Another note. It dawned on me that what we are doing in the days and weeks prior to the holiday, cleaning out our houses and buying all the food we will need over the holiday in advance,is actually great practice for Prepping! We basically become self-sufficient for the week...
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