4 April 2025
Question
It suddenly struck me that “Passover” is a weird name for a festival. I know G-d passed over the Jewish houses when He smote the firstborn Egyptians. But why would that be the name, and not something about the actual Exodus?
Answer
Passover is not the original name of the festival. We made it up. G-d called it something else.
In the Torah, G-d names it “the Festival of Matzah.” Jews changed the name to Passover. Some say it was to make it more marketable. “Festival of Matzah” is a hard sell. But there’s more to it than that.
This festival is celebrating miracles. And it goes two ways. We are celebrating the miracles G-d did for us. And G-d is celebrating the miracles we did for Him.
We thank G-d for the supernatural way He freed us from Egyptian slavery. He sent the Ten Plagues, culminating in the death of the firstborn. Impressed by His wonders, we name the festival Passover, in honour of G-d’s miracle that saved us.
But G-d is equally impressed with us. We were told that it’s time to leave Egypt. We were not told where we were going or how we would get there. We just got up and left, not even leaving time for the bread to rise. Without packing a normal lunch, without booking accommodation, without knowing their destination or estimated time of arrival, over two million people followed G-d into the desert. We did this without question, knowing that we were in good hands.
No normal person walks into the wilderness without a plan. You need to have absolute faith for that. This is supernatural, a miracle performed by us. G-d is impressed with that. So He called it the “Festival of Matzah” in honour of us, our unquestioning rush out of Egypt, and the miracle of our faith in Him.
How romantic. The Jews and G-d are like a couple in love, saying, "You're the best." "No, you're the best."We say, “G-d, we are blown away by Your miracles. You passed over our houses. Where would we be without You?” G-d says, “That’s nothing. You are the ones who performed a miracle. The way you followed Me into the desert and ate Matzah, I’d do anything for you.”
This is all happening again today. We have seen so many miracles in Israel, with the fall of enemy regimes, terror groups brought to their knees, and attempted attacks thwarted. You just have to open your eyes to witness the supernatural Divine protection hovering around us. An honest observer can’t help but be impressed.
But G-d must be impressed too. The people of Israel are living in an impossible situation, with war, displacement, and financial uncertainty. It is a miracle that they are holding on. And Jews around the world are living with increased animosity from our detractors. It’s a miracle that we are not becoming less Jewish but more.
This is not normal. Our enemies attack, and we get stronger. They make it harder to be Jewish, and we get prouder. The Jewish people are a miracle.G-d can’t pass over that.
Source
Kedushas Levi Parshas Bo