Here’s your first kavvanah, led by HaRav Mavis Staples.
(hat tip to Bear.)
ETA: It occurs to me how profound a song this is for the inner yitziyat Mitzrayim* that we each have to do. We want those we love to come with us, but even if they’re not willing or able, we have to take leave from the narrow straits anyway, on our own. And it will still be beautiful when we get there.
Though, in the effort to not erase history, remember that this song is likely a reference to the Underground Railroad and the efforts of slaves to attain actual physicial freedom from actual physical slavery. To do this holiday right we both have to do the work of seeing ourselves as the generation that came out of Egypt and, at the same time, remembering how free and lucky and privileged we truly are. The mandate to help others who are, today, not yet lucky, get out of their actual physical straits is obvious.
*Exodus from Egypt
Hiya Danya,
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the haggadah and the many different and varying expressions of the seder.
I’m revising our family haggadah, an ancient document which my mom wrote/compiled in the early 80’s and still refers to the plight of the soviet jews. Any suggestions?
D
Hi, Dan–
There isn’t one way to see the haggadah, as I’m sure you know. There are incredible riffs to be taken (and that have been taken) on the spiritual, political, psychological, communal, historical, textual, etc. directions of the seder, and there are too many paths to take! Figure out what you want to foreground, maybe that’s the first step….