On 25 March the Times of Israel ran an article titled 14 Sephardic Orthodox rabbis say Passover Seder can be held via videoconference. Lest we think that we're talking about one big Jewish family, the article notes:
Two Jews, three opinions.
Friday morning I was part of a zoom class run by a highly regarded orthodox rabbi and the issue of zoom seders arose. What I found interesting was that he did not focus on whether such seders were acceptable. Rather, he noted that we seek out such opportunities because the communal gathering of extended family and friends is important in our tradition. He then suggested that we have a unique opportunity to focus on a different perspective this year. And what is that perspective?
We are told at the seder that each of us must imagine that we too had experienced the Exodus from Egypt. And according to that tradition our first proto-seder was a harrowing one where we huddled at home in family units, blood on our doorposts, afraid to go out as the firstborn was slaughtered throughout the land.
I think I'll dispense with zoom seders this year.
While lenient religious rulings in Israel are often backed by rabbis from the liberal wing of Orthodoxy, this statement appears to be backed by more mainstream figures, although none are Ashkenazi. They include Eliyahu Abergel, head of Jerusalem’s rabbinical court, local rabbis such as Kiryat Gat’s Chief Rabbi Shlomo Ben Hamo, and yeshiva rabbis such as Eyal Vered of Jerusalem’s Machon Meir institution.
Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau on Wednesday morning criticized the ruling, branding it “irresponsible, beyond ridiculous.”
Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau on Wednesday morning criticized the ruling, branding it “irresponsible, beyond ridiculous.”
Two Jews, three opinions.
Friday morning I was part of a zoom class run by a highly regarded orthodox rabbi and the issue of zoom seders arose. What I found interesting was that he did not focus on whether such seders were acceptable. Rather, he noted that we seek out such opportunities because the communal gathering of extended family and friends is important in our tradition. He then suggested that we have a unique opportunity to focus on a different perspective this year. And what is that perspective?
We are told at the seder that each of us must imagine that we too had experienced the Exodus from Egypt. And according to that tradition our first proto-seder was a harrowing one where we huddled at home in family units, blood on our doorposts, afraid to go out as the firstborn was slaughtered throughout the land.
I think I'll dispense with zoom seders this year.
