Pesach's coming....

I can't stop thinking about it. Pesach's coming, and I'm not ready. I feel like holding up my hand, like the traffic guards do, and say halt! Don't come yet, give us some more time, and come back later.

But it doesn't work. I can moan and groan all I want, and it will still come, whether I'm ready for it, or not. Emphasis on the NOT part.

It's funny, when you think about it. It's just EIGHT DAYS! That's it. And people run around like crazy, buying, and cleaning, and cooking. It almst seems like the holiday is not worth all the preparation that goes into it. All that preparing, and then it's just over? Why bother?

I'm a procrastinater. I push off everything I have to do, until the last minute. Sometimes I say what the heck, and don't do it at all. Depends what it is, and how important it is to me. For three days in a row, I slept late, and pushed off going shopping, as I had planned, Because in my mind, if I wake up at 11, by the time I get up and go shopping, I won't have that much time, and it won't even be worth it, right?

Life is full of deadlines. We have a limited time here on this year. Sometimes, that thought does get me to move. If I don't do it now, then when will it get done? What if, G-d forbid, today is a person's last day on earth? Whatever you have accomplished until now is all that you'll have to show. We are supposed to live every day as if it is our last, and hopefully, that is supposed to get us to live our life to it's fullest, do the things we have to do, and not push it off till tomorrow. Cuz what if there is no tomorrow?

I just laughed at my own thought. I asked a question, and realized, the wuestion itself brings the answer. Why prepare so much for eight short days? Well, the only correct answer seems to be, that the preparation itself is what's important. It's like eating a meal before yom kippur. We still have to fast, but the meal itself is equal to fasting.

Pesach will come, and we will celebrate. But what will we bring to the table? What will we haave to show for it? When you sow, you will reap. The greatest fulfillment comes from doing the work yourself, getting the job done. If you didn't work for it, you may get the rewards, but you won't enjoy it as much as you would have if you worked for it. So what have you done to deserve pesach this year?

It is with a nervous knot in my stomach that I wish all of you a happy and kosher pesach.

We've cleaned, yes. We sold stuff, we covered stuff. My kitchen looks like a spaceship, and the smell of new plastic seems to permiate the house. But despite all that, I KNOW that there's still chometz, where I can't see it. It just seems easier to close my eyes, and not think about it. So that's what I will do.

And when we say the blessing, tonight, nullifying all the chometz that we may not see, or know about, I'll say it with my whole heart, and hope G-d excepts it.

So when you are done with the cleaning, and the cooking, and you get a few seconds to yourselves, (not likely to happen) sit down, and take a break. And remember what this holiday is really about.

No, it's not all about the food (or lack of), or the cleaning, or the trips. It's not about the new outfits, or the kosher for pesach products, which don't work as well. It's not about any of that.

Pesach is about redemption, and the miracles G-d did for us long ago. It is a holiday of thanks, and reflection. But it is also a time to think about the future, and just like we say in the haggada, leshana habaa b'yerushalaim, may we celebrate pesach this year, AND next year, and all the years to come, together, in the bais hamikdash, with moshiach now!

A very kosher and frailechin pesach!