In a world rife with fake news, political posturing and endless amounts of cable commentary one needs to sometimes take a step back and search beneath the surface to see what is really going on.
This is not a new phenomenon. From the beginning of civilization humans have been adept at processing events through bias, tainting their world view to fit a foregone conclusion of how they think things ought to be.
When the Israelites were redeemed from Egyptian slavery G-d wished to redeem their worldview as well, so He brought them to the Red Sea. It was not en route to the Promised Land and tradition teaches us that the Israelites did not even cross the sea to the other side. Instead, they entered and exited on the same side, leaving the Egyptians in the water to meet their just ends.
So why did G-d engineer this miraculous spectacle?
Gazing at the big beautiful ocean one is unaware that beneath the surface a sophisticated world thrives. Whatever can be found on dry land has its aquatic counterpart beneath the waves, but the naked eye cannot see it.
The same is true with our world. Within the reality we call nature there is a divine hand moving everything in the right direction for a divine purpose. Although our fleshy eyes cannot see this, we were gifted the understanding to perceive this truth - at the Splitting of the Sea.
When G-d revealed the hidden world of life flourishing beneath the Red Sea, it was a physical manifestation of a far greater revelation: the divine purpose which permeates every detail of our reality. For a few hours the freshly minted Jewish nation was privy to the ultimate reality check.
3,331 years ago we experienced it naturally for a few hours, but in the era of the ultimate redemption through Moshiach this will become our permanent reality.
Shvii Shel Pesach, the festival which begin tonight, is the anniversary of the Splitting of the Sea, and Acharon Shel Pesach, the final day of Pesach is a time for us to focus on the future redemption. We celebrate the two events back to back because they represent the same idea - revealing the truth of reality.
The Baal Shem Tov would mark the closing moments of Pesach with a festive dinner in tribute to Moshiach. Rather than simply learning, praying and yearning for His arrival, Moshiach should also be a culinary experience – similar to how the Seder brings the message of freedom to all our senses.
I invite you to join us on Shabbat, April 27, 7:00pm at Chabad for Seudat Moshiach – the dinner in tribute to Moshiach. Discover the real facts behind this fundamental Jewish topic and enjoy some final bites of Shmurah Matzah and other Passover delicacies. If you cannot join us, I encourage you to eat some matzah and toast lechaim on four glasses of wine in anticipation for a better world to come.