A woman I knew most of my life , an acquaintance of my Mom’s, passed away recently. 

She was an elegant woman. 

Always well dressed.

She had an air about her. 

She was very quiet and refined. 

Even as a young child, I always noticed her. 

Despite her presence, I always assumed she was just a regular person. 

I had no idea!

I only found out many years later,  that this woman had played a unique role in Jewish history. 

She had survived horrors and had exhibited bravery under terrible conditions. 

Her name was Mimi Reinhard, and she was Oskar Schindler’s secretary. 

She was actually the one who typed up the famous Schindler’s list. 

She had not only typed the list that saved thousands, she also surreptitiously added some names to the list herself and was instrumental in saving others from the jaws of death. 

A number of years ago she made Aliya and moved to Israel. 

Perhaps her family in Israel alerted the media, who welcomed her as a hero when she arrived. 

Her former acquaintances were duly shocked as she had not discussed her role in this life saving mission.

Mimi Reinhard died last week at the age of 107. 

No ordinary person at all. 

Friday evening we will begin celebrating the holiday of Passover. 

It is a time to reflect on the fact that the Jewish nation was redeemed from their servitude and were able to begin a trajectory of a national mission. 

The purpose of the Seder is to relate the story and the mission therein to our children. This is done through conversation and questions and answers. 

The word Pesach, the Hebrew word for Passover, alludes to the fact that Gd “passed over” the homes of the Jewish nation during the final Plague, the Plague of the first born. 

Pesach is also a conjugation of two Hebrew words 

Peh - the mouth

Sach - speaks or converses

This is the time to converse and relate the incredible phenomena which occurred during the Exodus by which each of us were saved. 

One of the famous parts of the Haggada, the book used at the Seder, is the section of the Four Questions. 

Customarily, the youngest person at the table, a child, asks 4 questions which begins the dynamic telling of the tale. 

(There are many customs regarding who asks the questions so if your family does it differently that is just fine. 

And I’m glad you asked!)

We are used to large gatherings at our Seder tables, with extended family and friends, so we can follow our own customs regarding the asking of the Four Questions depending on who is present and who will cooperate at the critical moment. 

The Mishna, the Oral Torah,  however, poses a question. 

Who asks the Four Questions if a husband and wife are conducting the Seder by themselves? 

(Remember Covid?)

The Mishna responds that the wife should ask the Four Questions. 

The Mishna then continues and asks, who asks the Four Questions if one is conducting the Seder by themselves, all alone?

(Remember Covid again?)

The Mishna responds that the individual, who is alone, should ask the questions and then respond with the answers. 

Now this does not seem so rational. 

We know the question and answer method is utilized to pique the interest of those partaking in the Seder. 

But if one is all alone - is it just a script, or a game?

The reason is simple. 

It is to remind Ourselves how much we matter. 

Here we are,  3,334 years after the Exodus from Egypt and we are still telling the tale, the moral of which is - each and every person who left Egypt has a mission, each person has a role in the story of our Nation. 

The story now comes down to us. We are an inextricable link in the chain that began all those years ago and if we don’t do our job, fulfill our mission, then the fabric of the Universe is incomplete. 

Every single person counts. 

Each of us is a link in the chain, passing on the message from generation to generation. 

LDor VDor!

We matter. 

That is the message of the Seder. 

It is a message we have to pass on (not Passover) to our children and impress upon them the importance of their being a proud Jew, representing the Divine in this world, through moral ethical behavior. 

Our mission is to being the would work a better place. 

Tikkun Olam - repairing the world. 

Each in the unique way only we can. 

Mimi Reinhard was all alone at a seminal moment. 

She recognized that she had a role to play. 

She embraced her mission, and saved the lives of many who then were able to continue to be links in the eternal chain of the Jewish people. 

Her quiet demeanor belied the heroine she was. 

A role model. 

A regular person who seized her moment to become extraordinary. 

Her link continues the chain. 

Happy Passover, 

Shabbat Shalom and so much love!