Redemption and Freedom

Spring means 3 things for me. Warmer weather, my birthday (!!) and Passover.

The holiday of Pesach (or Passover as it's known in English) is about redemption and freedom and miracles. The nation of Israel was released from their 200 year bondage in Egypt by clear and blatant miracles, but our redemption came at a price. We gave up slavery in Egypt and accepted the "yoke" of Torah. We accepted a new service, that of the Creator.

So what is freedom, then? What does it truly mean to be free? And what did we gain by shifting our servitude?

Service to The Source of All Life is in truth service to one's self, it calls upon the individual to be willing to grow, willing to accept miracles and willing to increase life. God's purpose is to increase life and goodness in this world and therefore submission to that purpose is truly pursuing your own life's purpose.

David Neagle mentors men and women to achieve their purpose and live in abundance. He had a lovely quote the other day, "The price for freedom is self-growth." The same theme runs through the story of Passover.
Happy Spring! Happy Birthday to me! And here's to True Freedom!

The Faithful Healer

Three times a day, I have the opportunity to commune with God through the canonized prayers that have been used by Jewish people for thousands of years. (Of course that's in addition to the spontaneous, heartfelt prayers that I find myself engaged in throughout the day!)

This morning, I felt drawn to a particular passage in the "Amida" prayer which is a series of 19 blessings/supplications that are traditionally said while standing. The 8th paragraph is a prayer for healing. The last sentence before the actual blessing goes like this, "כי א-ל מלך רופא נאמן ורחמן אתה"- "for You are a Mighty king, faithful and merciful healer."
The word for faithful in Hebrew is נאמן "Ne-eman" which has deeper connotations. Faithful, devoted, truthful, obedient, steadfast, unfailing, unswerving. Not only do we have faith that God will bring us the healing that we desire, but we know that the Source of Healing is also obedient to our needs, unswerving in their fulfillment and unfailing.