By David Bedein
April 2, 2007
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This Passover, our younger son, Elchanon, serving in a sharpshooter unit of the Israeli army "Nachal" infantry brigade, was ordered back to his base for the traditional Passover meal ceremony known as the "seder".
Elchanon's commander wants all of the men in his unit to recite the "Hagadah"- the liturgy of the seder, in unison.
These soldiers of Israel will together recount the redemption from Egypt and the children of Israel's fight for independence -- before their imminent call to battle, which may occur in the weeks to come.
The message of the Seder is appropriate to inspire the army of Israel - the first army of the people of Israel to fight for the people of Israel in 1900 years.
Some of the Rabbis mentioned in the Hagada gathered in hiding to recite the Seder liturgy of the freedom from bondage and use that occasion to plan a war of liberation against the Romans who had conquered and occupied the land of Israel. That was the last time until the modern era that an army of the people of Israel rose in rebellion against their adversaries in the land of Israel
In the Hagada, these Rabbis remind the people of Israel that their fight is not only against the ancient Egyptians. The war is against those whose purpose remains to destroy the people of Israel -- not only those who conduct terror attacks, fire missiles, or blow themselves up on a bus.
The Seder ceremony identifies the purpose of the enemy of Israel, so that the army of the people of Israel can understand what they are up against:
"In every generation, they [the nations of the world] rise up against us to annihilate us, and God saves us from their hands".
To "annihilate", not only to attack.
The army of Israel knows that its role is to vanquish the enemies of Israel in that context, with God's blessing.
Hence, the significance of a seder on an army base.
Before the IDF army marches into battle, they must know the enemy's purpose: Total destruction of the people of Israel in the land of Israel, and they must be reminded that they fight with God's blessing for victory.
Arabs insist on hating Israel and neglect their own desperate situation and problems, such as saving their children from dying in cesspool floods.
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