The Blogs: The Broken Matza

The broken matza.

That’s the symbol.

It’s lehem onni, the bread of loss, of lack, to begin with.

And then we break it.

We also sandwich it between two whole ones, because we have to keep going. And whatever support we can get, we take.

We are not the first generation of Jews, not by a long shot, sitting down to a seder broken.

Compassion. A load, load of compassion. And expectations in line with reality.

Salt water.

Tears.

We dip a fresh, spring, vegetable in it because reality is both. Grief and life.

The red wine, symbolizing redemption, freedom, may not resonate much this year but we drink it anyway, blessing the hag over it and even thanking for having reached this day, however bitter that feels, and it does. Plenty of times we do because not to do is worse. That’s it. That’s as much as is reasonable to expect. And frankly, that is heroic, no less.

Raise that kos, even as we cover the matzot when we do, because these were always opposing symbols and both were always core to the seder. It was never just one of these experiences but always, both.

Notice that when we focus on redemption, we cover the matzot, so as not to pain them that we are thinking of something good.

And when we uncover the matzot and highlight them, we do not raise the glass, we leave the joyful, happier thoughts in their corner. And we cycle back and forth because that is reality.

Sober reality. We do what we can as best we can.

And rachmones, just rachmones