Chol Hamoed: Merging Holy and Profane
Dear readers,
Passover celebrates the birth of the Jewish nation over 3,000 years ago. But the story of the Exodus does not end there. It is just the start of a chain of events whose culmination we will celebrate on the last days of Passover. Then we will read of the future, the time of Moshiach, of the utopian time to come, an epoch of harmony, health and economic stability for all. A time of spiritual enlightenment and G‑dly awareness. Technology has made this dream a real possibility, but actualizing that potential will require profound effort on our part and more than a little G‑dly intervention.
These last days of Passover remind us that the past must be actualized in the present and projected into the future: Exodus, redemption, the birth of Jewish peoplehood and global emancipation cannot be talked about as ideas from the past, but must be activated by ourselves, in the here and now.
We do this by creating a Moshiach reality in our own lives. Do someone a favor, study some Torah, observe another mitzvah, and bring yourself—and the entire world—one step closer to the ultimate exodus.
Eli Rubin,
on behalf of the Chabad.org Editorial Team
Between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot, the Omer is counted each evening, signifying our preparation for the receiving of the Torah on the holiday of Shavuot. Your one-stop site for an enhanced Omer experience.
Chol Hamoed refers to the “intermediate period” of the festivals of Passover and Sukkot. How do we celebrate them?
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