Lulav, Maggid & the Power of Stories

I bet you’re thinking, “Wrong holiday.”  What does the lulav have to do with Pesach?

The Talmud (Sukkah 11b) raises the issue of “lulav tzarich egged,” the lulav needs a handle to bind it together with the hadasim (myrtles) and aravot (willows).  The word “egged” contains the root which means to bring together or to unite.

That root also has a prominent place at our Pesach Seder table during Maggid, the part of the Seder when we recount and try to recreate the story of our exodus from Egypt.

Maggid has two purposes.  One is “egged,” all Jews read the same text containing similar facts and details about a shared experience.  The other is “l’haggid,” to tell stories, to jump off the page and share our own personal understanding and familial experiences.  We all read the story of the rabbis having a Seder in Bnei Brak.  Each of us, though, knows and tells our own personal favorite Seder stories.  What is your favorite Pesach memory?  Where did your great-grandfather celebrate Pesach?  Remember the time we couldn’t fine the afikoman? 

Jews are called “the people of the book,” but one can also say that we are “the people of the story.”  Judaism is about religion, law, and theology, and Judaism is also about transmitting our individual and communal narrative.  Rav Kook notes the role of both stories and law in the Torah. He calls the experiences of the patriarchs and matriarchs, “Torat Avot,” and we learn about our responsibilities and law in “Torat Moshe.”

Pesach, with its sippur yetzias mitzraim obligation of telling the Exodus story, is our annual festival of stories.  We reconnect with our ability to tell, teach, and transmit stories.  We get in touch with our inner child and our ability to get excited over how the story will still end.  We remember that stories have a unique power to inform and to inspire, to fascinate and to educate.

Stories help guarantee our future.

A story is told of two rabbis competing for the position of Rabbi of an important Jewish community in Easter Europe.  One was a famed scholar of halakhah, while the other, while also a scholar, was more well-known for his knowledge of Jewish history.

The scholar made his claim in being the superior candidate by claiming, “I know the whole Torah.  Even if others forget or don’t have the books, I can ensure Torah will be remembered.”  The other rabbi also made his case for deserving the position.  He said, “I am an expert in the telling of the story of the Jewish people.  If we know and teach the story, Judaism will never be forgotten.”

The second Rabbi got the job.  Stories are key to Jewish survival.

Here is another of my favorite stories which demonstrate the power of stories.

The holy Baal Shem-Tov loved his people.  Whenever he sensed they were in danger, he would go to a secret place in the woods, light a special fire, and say a special prayer.  Then, without fail, his people would be saved from danger.  The Baal Shem-Tov passed on and his disciple, the Magid of Mezritch, came to lead the people.  Whenever he sensed his people were in danger, he would go to the secret place in the woods. "Dear God," he would say, “I don't know how to light the special fire, but I know the special prayer.  Please let that be good enough.”  It was, and the people would once again be saved from danger.

When the Magid passed on, he was succeeded by Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sasov, and whenever he heard that his people were in danger, he would go to the secret place in the woods.  "Dear God," he would say, "I don't know how to make the special fire, I don't know how to say the special prayer, but I know this secret place in the woods.  Please let that be good enough."  It was, and the people would once again be saved from danger.

When Rabbi Moshe passed, he was succeeded by Rabbi Israel of Rizhyn, and whenever somebody told him that his people were in danger, he didn't even get out of his armchair.  He could only bow his head and shrug his shoulders.  "Dear God," he would pray, "I don't know how to make the special fire. I don't know how to say the special prayer.  I don't even know the secret place in the woods.  All I know is the story, and I'm hoping that's good enough."  It was, and his people would be saved.

Stories have tremendous value.  As we gather around the Seder table, let’s tell some of the greatest stories ever told.  It may not be enough, but it is an essential step in the right direction for today.