The Gates to the Upper World are Always Open, El Chai
We are all experiencing the emotional roller coaster connected to the hostage cease-fire deal. There are moments of joy and hope, and then there are times when those joys and hopes are dashed and thrown against the rocks. We must stay optimistic even in the face of uncertainty.
For this reason and many others, I found it hard to focus as I rewrote my Tu B’Shvat “Hagadah” for this year’s seder. The original one we wrote over 20 years ago has been updated and reworked many times. I wanted to do it again for our special event, but I lacked the concentration and patience to do it.
When the gates of creativity are blocked, I sometimes walk around the block. But I needed more than just a clearer head. I needed to unblock the emotional turmoil. Here, I am trying to write a seder, and my people are being held in Gaza. I reminded myself that during the seder, we would pray for the release of the hostages. At that moment of elevation and connection, our collective prayers would have more power. (This is precisely what we did with our fourth cup - elevated and dedicated to their freedom.)
A Secret Weapon
I turned to my secret weapon: Sheva’s recording of the 17th-century poem Im Nin’alu, authored by Rav Shalom Shabazi.
Im Nina’alu
The gates of the wealthy may be locked
but the gates to the upper world are always open
El Chai
The living Source is beyond even the angels
That all arise on the wind
El Chai
For they rise to the presence
Knowing and praising the essence in constant motion
Created at the beginning
Creatures of pure spirit and flame
Making a great sound of holiness
Garbed in the brilliance of the presence
El Chai
The gates of the upper world are always open. El Chai, Hashem’s living source, is beyond human understanding, but we can approach and pray. We can’t understand the turns of events, but we can pray to Hashem that we can assist in bringing redemption.
Thanks to this prayer/song, which I played on repeat for hours, my internal blockage gave way to creative energy as I entered my creative state.
A Tikkun for the Seder
I reorganized the Hagadah into ten sections like the original Passover Hagadah and organized sections for each glass of wine. There are four at the Tu B’shevat seder as there are at Passover. The Milky Way's Executive Chef, Phil Kastel, created four delicious courses and paired them with four unique wines. I included a new “Tikkun of the Fruits” section from the original Pri Etz Hadar manuscript. Then, we enhanced the Blessings and Nirtzach sections and added a song, Shivkhi K’Mayim (which we sang.)
Our creative director, Aviva, designed a beautiful new Seder format. Rachel edited and ensured that everything made sense and flowed. She updated some of the meditations, wording, and graphics. Moshe reformatted the document so that it could be easily printed as a booklet and went to the printers to be certain that it printed correctly. It took about ten hours of nonstop work, but we created a new and inspiring work, which you can download for yourself.
The gates to the upper world are always open, El Chai.
It Takes Work
When the Torah was given, the Jewish people responded with a powerful declaration: "Na’aseh v’Nishma"—“We will do, and we will understand.” Their commitment came before comprehension, a profound act of faith and devotion.
The Me’or Einayim teaches that this reflects the very design of the world. First comes the effort—the tircha (toil) and avoda (work) of serving Hashem. Only after this dedication does one experience the deep, illuminating joy of Divine connection. In this journey, action paves the way for understanding, and devotion leads to spiritual light.
The Future of Torah
Rabbeinu Bachya teaches that the giving of the Torah in Parshat Yitro follows the battle with Amalek and Yitro’s conversion for a reason. This sequence reminds us of a powerful truth: one day, the Torah will belong to all of humanity. As the holy prophet Isaiah says, “The knowledge of God will fill the earth like the waters cover the ocean.” (11:9)
#TorahForAll #DivineWisdom #SpiritualJourney #ParshatYitro #UniversalTruth