Miller's Musings for Pesach: Who Knows the One?

בס''ד

As we raise our cups of wine in joyful song and proclaim once again וְהִיא שֶׁעָמְדָה, we are affirming our faith in the salvation Hashem provides whenever we are confronted by those who want to destroy us.  We bear witness to the fact that this has occurred many, many times throughout our history, but G-d has always been there, hence our still being here celebrating as so many have done before.  The words “שֶׁלֹּא אֶחָד בִּלְבָד עָמַד עָלֵינוּ לְכַלּוֹתֵנוּ”  “For not only one has risen against us to annihilate us” seems almost a little clumsy.  Why state “not only one”, rather than simply stating “many have risen against us”?  Indeed would any think that Pharaoh was the only threat that ever existed?

Trying to fathom or expound upon the plans of G-d is something that few, if any, are capable of doing with any degree of accuracy or validity.  Beyond our belief in the necessity of there being an exile, trying to identify the reason for a time of tragedy for our people is not our place.  We do however know that one rationale behind such events is a wakeup call to remind us that our only true hope lies in the hands of Hashem.  Repeatedly in Biblical times, when the nation turned to idolatry, G-d brought misfortune upon them to bring them back to Him and exhort them to repent.  Although we are not enticed by idolatry, we as a people have placed our faith at times in beliefs and entities other than G-d, which may have been what led to our downfall.  Perhaps we can now read the words a little differently with the “not only one” being in fact a reference to our trust in others beyond the true “Only One”, Hashem.  Reading the passage again from that perspective, it is defining the root cause of our potential ruin. It now states, “For it is the belief in there being not only one power, that has been the cause for there being those that stand against us to annihilate us”.   It is the ‘not only one’ belief system that has stood against us and led to our near destruction. 

Antisemitism and persecution of the Jews is something that has been woven into the fabric of every stage of our diverse and oscillating national narrative.  As it perhaps begins to rear its ugly head again we must remind ourselves once more of the only true source of influence in existence, Hashem.  Sitting round the Seder table and reliving our exodus and salvation, it should be a well of pride, security, faith and joy, safe in the knowledge that it is only He that determines our fate and only He that will ultimately guide us lovingly to the final redemption.

*May Pesach fill us with faith and belief in the guiding hand of Hashem*

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם 

לעילוי נשמת שרה יעל בת גרשון

לרפואת אלימלך יהושע אהרון בן דבורה רבקה