PASSOVER FOR THE SIMPLE SON

Passover is a few days away, a wonderful time to take a fresh look at the experience of escape from bondage, from different points of view. The Haggadah is the scripture for the Passover service at the Seder, and it describes what happened in the past, and the events and activities we can do to honor that experience now. We are called to remember and integrate our escape from bondage, remember how we were freed, what was needed. As the years go by we are called to deepen our understanding of this journey and what we can learn from it now. And, as the years go by we become able, also, to look at it from different points of view.

Who Are The Four Sons?

In the Haggadah, four sons are described, (four different ways of seeing and handling the situation). One is the wise son, who learns everything, studies, obeys, follows direction. He does all that’s required of him. That is why he’s considered wise, or good. The next son is called the wicked son, because he says, “What do these teachings mean to you?” By saying mean to you, he’s excluding himself from the community, separating himself from The One. One of the basic teachings of Judaism is do not separate yourself from the community. We need to be there for one another, to serve. Taking care of is fundamental to Judaism. It’s a big mistake to isolate yourself, not care for others. I wouldn’t call this wicked, but perhaps very lonely and confused.

The Simple Son

Let’s go now to the third son, the simple son. To me, he’s very much like a Zen man, looking at reality out of different eyes. Why is this son simple? Because he doesn’t go along with everything that’s told him, has a question about all that he sees. The simple son asks, “What is this?” He wants to know for himself.

What Is This?

Actually, What is this? is a famous Zen koan. It’s fascinating to see the way in which all of the practices intersect. When the simple son says, “What is this?” he might even be considered simple minded. From my perspective, this doesn’t mean that he is unknowing, but looks at life differently. Each moment is worth exploration to him, seeing it through fresh eyes. He’s willing to take the time, and meet his experience directly. To say hello.

Of course, all of these sons live within all of us. They are all part of us and we all reflect each of them at times. And now we come to the fourth son, who is he? He’s the one who doesn’t even know how to ask a question. Actually, to me, he’s the wisest of all. I see him at the top of the mountain with no need to ask anything, filled with faith. He has no doubt or skepticism, is just here to worship life as it appears. Some may consider him to be at the lowest rung, but I disagree. He has no questions, no conflict, each moment is precious to him.

The Son Who Doesn’t Even Know How To Ask A Question

Deep down the fourth son and simple son are very similar. But the simple son is engaged in a query, What is this? He’s absorbed in a koan. When we talk about the simple son, we’re really talking about Zen. The simple son is direct, must see for himself, not able to be manipulated. He’s not tossed around by appearances, but asks, “What is this?” Basically, he’s looking for fundamental truth.

All the characters in the Passover story are reflections of different aspects of ourselves and our experience. In the Passover story, we see the Pharoah as a tyrant, dominating, closed hearted, refusing to allow freedom. He must be obeyed, not the call of God. He’s also a magician involved in wanting to control the world to his liking, hooked into the world of appearances.

Crossing The Red Sea

The Red Sea which must be crossed, seems to be a place of danger. It’s natural to think that if we step in, we’ll drown. We are stepping into the unknown. But when one steps in with total faith and connection to the call of God, not only does the sea open, but we pass through easily. Our sense of bondage and limitation dissolves. When we stop listening to the Pharaohs in our lives, the tyrants and magicians, our illusions dissolve as well. The journey through the Red Sea is really about the dissolution of fear and illusion, as we harken to the voice and truth of the divine.

Let’s return to the simple son. By not buying into prefabricated answers and solutions, he can’t be led astray or dominated by the many Pharaohs that appear in our lives. The simple son can’t be tossed and turned around. He is digging deep into his own inner wisdom, asking a radical question, What is this? All moments are vital to answering that question.

Answering that, he becomes free. The illusions and decrees of Pharaoh oppose the call of the divine. Pharoah tries to be smarter than God, thinks he knows better. That’s why the simple son is so important, questioning what this is truly? Is it real? When distractions are removed, the world of appearances becomes less important, more flimsy, certainly not something to depend upon. It becomes easier to see that it’s our mind acting as Pharaoh, that tries to dominate both us and the world, causing plagues of all kinds. When we see that clearly, it’s much easier to step away from that which binds us and walk freely into the Unknown.

We see that everything happens as it must. Our need to control the world subsides. We do not have to be a slave to life or stay stuck in painful patterns. I’d like to share a few simple practices which can help put our life in this new context.

In the midst of our endless racing to get something, remember, there is no one to dominate, no need to win, the precious jewel is right here. I am just where I belong. This is the end of the road. Right here all will be revealed, breath by breath.

Otherwise, we are a slave to the next moment, always wondering what will happen next, grabbing at this or that. Letting go like this, is not hard, either. We just become simple, stop opposing anything, forget about losing and winning. We just take whatever comes and taste it fully. And offer thanks deeply. That’s the life of the simple son. That’s also the life of the son who doesn’t know how to ask a question.

Others may consider him a failure, but I see him as full of life. He’s not caught in conflict, control or ripping things apart. Instead, he’s busy living each moment, and relishing it exactly as it comes. What a beautiful time of freedom and restoration an attitude like that brings. As we live that way we are passing through the Red Sea, rising up from apparent bondage and limitation to being more alive than ever, being fully who we are.

BIO: Brenda Shoshanna, Ph.d. is an award-winning author, speaker, psychologist and long term Zen practitioner. Her work integrates the teachings of East and West and focuses upon how to live the teachings in our everyday lives. This article is connected to her book Jewish Dharma (A Guide To The Practice of Judaism and Zen. Brenda offers talks, workshops and a You Tube channel, Dr Brenda Shoshanna, where she offers, Simple Solutions In A Complex World. You can contact her at topspeaker@yahoo.com. Her You Tube channel is Dr Brenda Shoshanna