* Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
Regarding Pesach preparations, I noticed that things I threw away in the process of cleaning had just been taking up space. They were things I could give away to others. Finally, these superfluous things hid items that I really needed. In conclusion, I felt absolutely wonderful at the completion of this spring cleaning since everything was now in its proper place.
In “Netzach Yisrael,” the Maharal of Prague defines exile as a reality where things are out of place. When things are where they are meant to be, redemption comes.
This describes the holiday of Pesach. Exile is when the nation of Israel is enslaved in Egypt and redemption is when our nation is in the Land of Israel.
During a recent Zoom presentation, I asked for examples of exile and redemption and received the following responses:
When the hostages were in tunnels in Gaza — that was exile. Now that they have returned home — that’s redemption.
As long as we do not have a Holy Temple — that’s exile.
When our youth are roaming the streets or glued to their cell phone screens and do not find their place in the world — that’s exile.
When older single men and women are still searching for a partner and have not yet built a home, when people work at a job or are in a relationship that is not good for them, when we are focused on WhatsApp messages instead of the person right in front of us — all of these are versions of exile. They show lack of connection to others and to ourselves, to our proper place in the world. Everyone is invited to think of other examples.
As Pesach approaches, we pray that everything should return to its proper place. Just as we clean and put everything in order in our homes, so may God bring order to he world as Hamas and Hezbollah and the Iranian regime are finally thrown into the dustbin of history, where they belong.
When everything in the world and in our own lives is in its proper place, we call that redemption.
