Four

I'm currently in Portland visiting my parents with not much time left before the last two Yom Tov days of Pesach.

I just want to say two special things about Pesach this year.

1. The second seder was, I think, the best I've ever had except that I wish my parents could have been there. We were at our Rabbis house and people ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED in asking great questions and having great discussions. It was kid friendly as well as adult friendly, not to mention just plain friendly.

2. During the Hallel section of the seder I suddenly was hit with a powerful realization. I was reading a passage (not accessible right now, and I can't get it with this baby nursing as I type) about G-d saving us from death. As the last moments of the last seder of the year dwindled, I tried to experience that thought of death deeply. In doing so, I realized that, for me, it was not a metaphor. Four is a crucial number during the seder. Four questions, four cups etc. Well, four years ago I had just received my first chemotherapy treatment a few hours before the seder. This year, I enjoyed it in good health with my brand new baby.