This too we will survive

“How do you live with existential fear of death?” This was the question several of my students asked when I checked in with each of them after Iran launched hundreds of missiles at Israel. 

This year, more than ever, the words from the Haggadah resonate, “In every single generation people rise up to destroy us. 

And then we declare, with deep faith: but the Holy One, Blessed be the One, who saves us from their hands.” 

Perhaps, the emphasis on the fact that in every generation the Jewish people had enemies gives us the perspective we need this Pesach. 

In fact, even before G-d created humans, G-d’s angels attempted to annihilate us. The Gemara in Sanhedrin 38b, records a conversation with the angels, “Do you agree that we should make humans in Our image?” 

The angels responded by asking G-d, “What will the deeds of humans be?” G-d showed them the history of humankind, and the angels, in shock, asked, “These are the creatures you want to bring into this world?” Despite several angels trying to talk G-d out of creating, G-d persisted and created humans. 

The Midrash continues with the angels continuing to question G-d’s choice, pointing to humans’ destructive nature, as well as the inevitable suffering they would encounter. But G-d responds with a promise, “Even as you grow old, I will not change, when you turn grey, it is I who will carry you; I am the Maker, and I will be the Bearer; and I will carry and rescue [you] Yishiyahu.” 

Despite the afflictions and dangers we would suffer, G-d embeds the value of perspective into our souls. G-d saw the full history of humankind, and understood that in every generation there would be hardships, devastation, and even sin. The words “in every single generation people rise up to destroy us”, ring truer than ever. But G-d also understood that with those hardships would come love and joy and creativity. And that as long as G-d created, and then humans keep creating, the world will keep on turning. And so we also declare, in our next breath, “but the Holy One, Blessed be the One, who saves us from their hands”. 

The very essence of Pesach is to hold these multiple truths. It is to embrace the lechem oni, the poor person’s bread, as a symbol of hardships and then we break that matza to re-enact the brokenness of our world. We don’t even have to add any other symbols to our seder plate to embody the maror, the bitterness that so many of us are naturally feeling this year. And still, we gather. We sing Hallel and praise G-d. We sit at the table filled with the reality that we don’t know what the future will bring. 

Somehow we garner the perspective that G-d had when creating humans. There has always been devastation and it is inevitable that there will be future hardships as well. And yet, G-d chose to create, so too must we commit to do the same. Despite a pervasive existential threat, this is the perspective I need to keep moving forward, with the knowledge that the Jewish people will thrive. 

• Rabba Sara Hurwitz is the co-founder and president of Maharat, the first institution to ordain Orthodox women as clergy. She also serves on the rabbinic staff at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale.