At second Seder this Pesach, my father asked me and my siblings a very simple question: What is the most common number at the Seder? We all agreed (that must be the first time ever!) that it was four. Four cups, four sons, four words of redemption… (My little brother said that when you did yachatz, there were four matzot, but he was overruled).

“No,” said my father. “How many cups are there?”

I was starting to catch on. “Five. One is the cup of Eliyahu HaNavi.”

“Good. How many words are there?” Also five. “How many sons?” We all looked at eachother.

“Four, no?”

My father asked, “There are four sons at the table. What about the one who didn’t show up, who doesn’t know to come?”

Which got me thinking. Pesach is a celebration, where we celebrate our freedom by G-ds mighty hand. Materially, we act as kings.

But here in galus, can we celebrate with all our hearts? Is Pesach about what we have- four, or what we are trying to attain- five?? We have things missing, pieces yet to find.

On the one hand, we have to celebrate, but on the other hand, think about how much greater our celebrations will be when we sit at the table of Moshiach, with all five cups, five words of celebration, and all five sons sitting together, all as צדיקים,  אמן, מהרה בימינו !

P.S. On a related note, do you know what the most common number of Yom HaKippurim is? Five: five prohibitions, five times the kohen gadol dipped in the mikvah, and the five teffilot. At that time, Zman Moshiach is in our grasp, if we just reach up and grab for it. :)

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