FREEDOM

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well, and that those who were travelling, have had comfortable flights.

Mazal Tov to Shlomo Levy on his upcoming birthday on the second night of Pesach. I probably say this every year, but the memory is so vivid of your mother arriving from hospital the next day in a cab, and I was in the street at that time, and she was carrying you into our home on Pesach! You were so cute and we still love you Shlomo. Have a wonderful year.

Mazal Tov to Ariel Bassin whose birthday is 2 days later (and 2 years later). Have a wonderful year Ariel. We miss you and love you.

Mazal Tov to Gareth Sacks who got engaged. Wishing you both much happiness, and the wedding should be at a good time. Mazal Tov!

Mazal Tov to Channah Davidoff who has found a beautiful flat for herself. Wishing you much success Channah!

I was recently in touch with Joy (ne Davidoff) and Claude Camaroff, and we welcome you both to our weekly Family email! Nice to be in touch again.

The email is delayed this week, because last night and this morning we, as with everyone, have been frantically putting away, hiding, selling and destroying all the chametz in the house, because ii is a strict mitzvah that no chametz should be found or seen over the 8 days of Pesach.

But I am now free to give over an interesting dvar Torah I saw in Hayom Yom this week (12th Nissan)

This speaks about the difference between a

1. Servant
2. Soldier

( in relation to FREEDOM)

From the time of the exodus from Egypt, the Jewish people have been called the 'army of Hashem' - tzivos Hashem' ie soldiers.

We are also called 'servants of Hashem'.

Servants.

A servant can serve his master on all different levels and with many varieties of work.

This service involves great toil and labour, but it has limitation ie the servant would not be prepared to give up his life for his master.

Soldiers.

Soldiers are servants who serve with great toil and labour, AND IN ADDITION, WITH SELF-SACRIFICE - in wars of defence or attack. They will stand at their posts with the highest degree of determination, un-detered by the opposing enemy, acting according to the orders of their commander.

The Jews in Egypt were utterly enslaved and afflicted by their enemy, yet despite this all, they determinedly held on to their 'Jewish names, Jewish language, and Jewish clothing.'

They 'stood at their posts' with absolute determination, because they knew that Hashem had promised to redeem them.

Whoever behaves as they did under such circumstances is a soldier in the army of Hashem, and Hashem will come to his assistance in a manner that manifests itself in nature - and yet transcends nature. - The Lubavitcher Rebbe.

Wishing everyone a Gut Shabbos and a Gut Pesach, with a sense of true Freedom.