The Message of Pesach

by Elisheva bas Chana

Art by Karin Foreman

The message of Pesach is a journey towards a place where Jews are valued, not for anything other than for who they are.

As we sit around the Seder table, rethinking history that has meaning and its rituals which date back 3,300 years. But it is more than rituals; we are remembering the story and adding something of our own to it.

“Who am I?” remains a question throughout the ages and for much of our history. We have always been a minority in the lands of other nations.

“Who am I to stand before the Pharaoh?” Moshe asked HaShem. The question was not about his identity, but whether he was worthy of such a mission. Moshe was not convinced. He did not seek leadership and kept refusing it: “They will not believe me. Please send someone else.” — Shemos 4:10.

But what Moshe discovered — alone with his flocks on the mountain — was that there are some choices from which he could not hide.

The first words HaShem said to Moshe were:

“I am HaShem, the G-D of your fathers, the G-D of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov.”

HaShem was telling Moshe that he was not a prince of Mitzrayim, but part of his people who were living through the bitterness of slavery. Their cry to HaShem became Moshe’s responsibility. In the deepest part of his being, Moshe knew this.

To be a Jew is to know that we cannot be indifferent when our people are suffering. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says, “Jews are like a single body with one soul; when one is injured, we all feel the pain.” Jewish identity is something we carry from birth within us — not only in our genes, but in our tears, our pain, our commitment, and in our hopes and dreams.

HaShem, the G-D of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and their descendants. We are their children, and that is what our children discover at Pesach. We are part of a story that began long before we were born and will continue into the ultimate and final redemption.

Being Jewish is not an identity we choose; it is something that chooses us. To be a Jew is to hear the voice from the past.

The Exodus came as a tidal wave in history — the revelation and the covenant at Har Sinai began with:

“I am HaShem, your G-D who brought you out of Mitzrayim, out of slavery.”

It did not serve merely to explain why we should be loyal to HaShem, who rescued us and gave us freedom, but it also reminds us what the world becomes when people forget HaShem and instead worship man-made structures such as power.

The Jewish people, through reflection and experience as slaves, know what it feels like to be on the receiving end. That is why we built a community on the principles of tzedakah, mishpatim, chesed, and rachamim.

We are a story within time, and all our wisdom comes from that story. Nothing else we do — not our mitzvos, our Torah learning, or our davening — can be understood outside this context. We were slaves and then HaShem gave us freedom — a story which is not complete yet. It is the story of golus (exile), as we have always known who we are, where we come from, and where we are returning to.

Our story is not just about survival. In reality, there is nothing more real than the story HaShem had in mind when He created the world. As long as we hold on to that story in our ongoing journey, we have emes. But when we abandon it, all we are left with is emptiness.

Today we are everyone’s obsession. We cannot hide, even when we try. We cannot run away. Nothing is a coincidence; everything comes from HaShem. Many times I wonder whether this is testing our emunah or a call from HaShem to return to Him. Without this story there are only meaningless events upon events.

Our story — the story of Pesach — tells us that evil can be cured, oppression is temporary, and that every mitzvah we do transforms darkness into light.

We are a small nation in a big world — small in numbers but great in strength and resilience. Without this story we would still be slaves. As Jews we have a beautiful tradition. We can choose to stay within this story and be like Moshe, who stood up to Pharaoh.

When we cry out to HaShem, just as our ancestors did 3,300 years ago, HaShem will listen and stand beside us, holding our hand.

The message of Pesach is to trust HaShem.

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Elisheva bas Chana – Celebrating the Heart of Yiddishkeit

Elisheva is a passionate voice for authentic Jewish life, blending Torah wisdom, mitzvos, and the timeless beauty of Yiddishkeit. Her writing shines a light on the strength and grace of Jewish women—from the legacy of Devorah Leah, daughter of the Alter Rebbe, to today’s women who live with faith, modesty, and purpose. Through her words, Elisheva celebrates Torah study, family purity, and radiant tznius, inspiring readers to embrace the joy, depth, and enduring spirit of Jewish tradition. Contact Elisheva.