Article in The Times of Israel by Andy Blumenthal: If we can remove the arrogance from our homes and hearts, then we can be better people: humble, selfless, giving, and standing side by side rather than sitting high and mighty, which only G-d Almighty deserves.

1. 4/8/23, 1:27 PM Lessons From Chabad in Humility This Passover | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/lessons-from-chabad-in-humility-this-passover/ 1/6
THE BLOGS
Andy Blumenthal
Leadership With Heart
Lessons From Chabad in
Humility This Passover
ADVERTISEMENT
News
Move towards success OPEN

2. 4/8/23, 1:27 PM Lessons From Chabad in Humility This Passover | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/lessons-from-chabad-in-humility-this-passover/ 2/6
Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal
My wife always reminds me of when she was a little girl and she was so fondly a part of
the Chabad children’s Tzivos Hashem (“Servant Army of G-d”) where they taught her
about loving and serving Hashem by doing mitzvot. And even a little child who knows
nothing can understand that the beginning of service is being humble. I can’t think of a
more perfect message for Passover for us all.
Be Humble Like Matzah
Rabbi Schneur Kaplan of Fort Lauderdale’s Downtown Jewish Center Chabad (DJCC)
asked: What’s the real difference between the chometz (‫)חמץ‬ that we eat all year and
the matzah (‫)מצה‬ that we eat on Passover?
Both chometz and matzvah are made of the same ingredients: bread and water. Even
the letters of the words are similar: both have a mem and tzadik (‫)מצ‬, and even the
letters of heh (‫)ה‬ and chet (‫)ח‬ are similar. The only difference is that the heh (‫)ה‬ in
matzah has an opening at the top left. That opening is a window to Hashem in
Shamayim (heaven) to remind us to always be humble before Hashem, similar to the

3. 4/8/23, 1:27 PM Lessons From Chabad in Humility This Passover | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/lessons-from-chabad-in-humility-this-passover/ 3/6
way that the matzah is unleavened and humble, “the bread of our affliction” from
Egyptian servitude. In short, bread is risen and leavened; it represents arrogance, but
matzah is flat and unleavened; it represents humility.
Focus Intently on Helping Others
This was the message of the Rebbe, even when he met 10,000 Jewish people on a
Sunday morning outside 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights: he would stop and
focus on each one individually. Each person is a world unto themselves, and the Rebbe
would be laser focused on each person for who they are and, even more importantly,
who they could be, and that was often his opportunity to set the individuals he met on
the derech Hashem (way of G-d). This incredible righteous Rabbi would take the time
and, in a state of complete humility, help thousands and even millions of people over
time.
Similarly, Rabbi Kaplan asked at the Seder when we read about the Four Sons (the wise,
the wicked, the simpleton, and the one who doesn’t even know how to ask about our
redemption from slavery), what about the 5th son—the one who isn’t even at the Seder
table, the alienated Jew—why isn’t he mentioned? The answer he gave was because the
Rebbe refused to accept that we have Jews missing from our seder. The Rebbe and his
disciples at Chabad are all about bringing every Jew back. We’re all children of Hashem,

4. 4/8/23, 1:27 PM Lessons From Chabad in Humility This Passover | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/lessons-from-chabad-in-humility-this-passover/ 4/6
and we’re all important! No one is better or worse; we’re just different and can all
contribute in our own ways to bringing holiness and spirituality into the world.
Value Each Person’s Individuality
I mentioned to Rabbi Kaplan how special it always is to visit their synagogue, and he
told me again from the teachings of the Rebbe that the key is to make every individual
feel important and welcome. And indeed, that has been my experience. Almost like in
his own humility, he makes me and everyone else there feel important for who we are,
regardless of whether or not a person is a scholar, a prodigy, or a “macher” of the
community. Even at the seder, each person took a turn to read in whatever language
they wanted to share in the experience equally and lovingly, as Moshe Rabbeinu had for
the people leading them at G-d’s behest out of Egypt.
Caring for each other and serving G-d isn’t being lowly; on the contrary, it’s being
humble as individuals and knowing that we serve a much greater purpose in the world.
Be like an unleavened matzvah with a window always looking out to Shamayim
(heaven) and Hashem and what we can do to make a difference for others and the world,
not just for ourselves.
How Far We Must Go to Get Rid of the Ego
I’ll leave you a quick Passover riddle. When is food kosher for Passover but not kosher?
The answer is when it’s dog (pet) food, because you want to make sure it doesn’t have
chometz (i.e., is kosher for Passover), but it doesn’t need to be kosher (because animals
aren’t required to eat kosher). As Jews, we are a holy nation where the commandment to
remove the leaven on Passover even applies to the pet food in our homes. If we can
remove the arrogance from our homes and hearts, then we can be better people:
humble, selfless, giving, and standing side by side rather than sitting high and mighty,
which only G-d Almighty deserves.

5. 4/8/23, 1:27 PM Lessons From Chabad in Humility This Passover | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/lessons-from-chabad-in-humility-this-passover/ 5/6
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andy Blumenthal is a dynamic, award-winning leader who writes frequently about Jewish life, culture, and
security. All opinions are his own.
ADVERTISEMENT
AdChoices Sponsored
Xfinity Learn more
Hello, future.
Introducing the next-generation 10G Network, only from Xfinity.
The future starts now.
Ad
Conversation 2 Comments
Log in Sign up
What do you think?
Sort by Best
MK Maor Katon
16 hours ago
"Be Humble Like Matzvah"
Liked the typo, Mitzvah and Matzah bedibur echad (in one utterance).
Reply · · Share
I iramoskowitz
8 hours ago
Unfortunately, as a movement, Chabad has failed to act with humility in Israel. This is
reflected, for example, in its Bibi is "good for the Jews" campaign in 1996, which played an

6. 4/8/23, 1:27 PM Lessons From Chabad in Humility This Passover | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/lessons-from-chabad-in-humility-this-passover/ 6/6
important role in afflicting us with the plague of Netanyahu, and in Kfar Chabad's
overwhelming support for the hate-s...
See more
Reply · · Share
Powered by Terms | Privacy | Feedback