After six plagues have resulted in the Israelites still being slaves in Egypt, Parshat Bo opens with the warning, and then the arrival, of the seventh and eighth plagues: locusts and darkness. Following the massive swarm and blinding darkness came the last of the plagues: the death of the firstborn. Moses warned Pharaoh, but he did not change his mind. The Israelites took all night to prepare, knowing that, at midnight, God would strike those without blood on their doorposts.
What, though, of those who could not afford a lamb to slaughter? Some households were too poor to afford a lamb and some too small to warrant an entire animal. So, each slave turned to his neighbor, his friend, those he did not know, and offered help. They shared, “then he and his neighbor who is near his house shall take according to the number of people, everyone according to what he eats” (Ex 12:4). Realizing that certain death is the opposite of sharing the wealth in times of need, our ancestors made sure that everyone was able to take care of themselves and their families.
We continue this each Passover as we start our seder. “Let all who are hungry come and eat. Let all who are needy come and celebrate this seder with us.” We are one people, all of God’s creatures, and we need to support each other. The first paragraph of Birkat HaMazon (Grace after meals) repeats four times that God provides food and sustenance to all living creatures, yet one in three people today is starving. Half a billion people are malnourished and every four seconds someone dies because they do not have access to clean water or proper food. We have the resources to ensure that the Angel of Death does not hover over our fellow man. We think that these ten plagues are over, but they are not. Blood is still flowing like water. Treatable diseases still reign in much of the world. Flies infect millions with malaria. Darkness still envelops much of the world and we are lucky enough to have that paschal lamb to save ourselves.
Supporting local agriculture includes ways in which we can support those in need. For example, not only are we helping farmers, workers and their families continue their important work, Hazon CSAs also donate thousands of pounds of food each year to food banks and distribution centers. Let’s share that with those who don’t have, those who need it most. Each one taking according to what he eats.
Ari Averbach is a student finishing his first year at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, CA. Previously he worked with Jewish World Watch’s Darfur and Congo campaigns, and at Birthright Israel NEXT.