Vayikra

The holiday of Pesach and its festive Seder meal focus on the dramatic story of our survival from Egyptian oppression and our meteoric rise to nationhood. The author of the Haggada, however, is quick to point out that the story of our survival is not relegated to Egypt alone but is frequent and perennial. "For in every generation, they rise up to annihilate us and the Almighty miraculously saves us." What is the secret of Jewish survival?

The matzah, which is our staple for Pesach, is referred to in the Haggada as "ha lachma anya", the bread of "anya". The first interpretation of "anya" is poverty and oppression. Matzah was the traditional bread of slaves for it was cheap and took a long time to digest, allowing the slaves to work for long intervals before requiring another meal. There is, however, an interpretation in the Gemara Pesachim (36a) that defines "anya", from the root la'anos, as the bread which inspires answers and responses. As the family gathers around the Pesach Seder, the head of the household responds effectively to the plethora of questions that the children and family advance concerning our servile past in Egypt, as the table is adorned with matzah. I believe that this is the key to Jewish survival.

Suffering is endemic to the human condition. Most people, however, choose to hide and forget their suffering in a futile effort to dull its effect. The most successful way to rise above suffering is to deal with the pain by remembering and responding to its challenges. The double symbolism of the bread of "anya" is, therefore, the secret of our survival. Matzah is both the bread of suffering and the bread of answering and response. The Pesach Seder is thus the model for healthy living. The Jew never suppresses his or her memories of past suffering. Rather, we respond to these challenges and engage our minds to learn what we can from our pain.

The holy Zohar says that Pesach is an amalgamation of two words, "peh", the mouth, and "sach", that talks and relates. By expressing and sharing our pains and disappointments, we are guaranteed that we will be able to grow, rather than be stymied due to our many bitter Galus experiences. May we all learn the lesson of the "Anya Bread".