Passover is early this year starting at Sundown March 27, two weeks from the coming Sunday. Passover is a favorite holiday for Jews worldwide. When we grasp the Matzah, we hold onto an item that was eaten in every place in the world and in every life situation.

It was the companion of the Jews leaving Egypt and it is still being eaten every Passover in almost every country in the world. It was eaten with tears, with anxiety for the future, and in total despair. It was eaten with joy, with tears of excitement, and with elevated hearts.

There is the Matzah and then there are the crumbs. Matzah is crispy so it crumbs a lot. Ahhh!!! The Matzah Crumbs!

In essence, we are crumbs. What is a human? We are not everything nor are we nothing. So, what are we? We are something! This line I heard from Rabbi David Aaron, a very interesting Rabbi, you can Google him.

This is a very fundamental concept. Sometimes we think that we are the center of the world, and we are not. We then get disappointed to find out that we are not. On the other hand, and even more often, we think we are nothing. We think we are not important to anyone and our lives and deeds are insignificant. This is also untrue. We are not a nothing, yet we are not insignificant. What are we? We are something!

Many times, we realize our shortcomings and the road to greatness of character and deeds that we still must take. It seems so big and so impossible, so we despair and do nothing. In this there is the same concept. It is almost impossible to reach perfection, we cannot do everything. At the same time, what we do is not nothing. If I am a bit better today or at least I strive to be better today, it's not nothing. So, what is it? It is something!

I cannot be everything in someone else's life. I can neither help someone with everything nor can I matter the whole world to someone. On the other hand, does that mean I'm insignificant, or does that mean that the other person doesn't care about me? No. So what am I? What role do I play? Something!

People aspire to do more in religious life or do more in communal life, but when they think of things to change and start getting involved in, it seems daunting. It seems too big of a change, so it gets pushed out of the agenda and they do nothing. Well, there is something in between everything and nothing - there is something!

When we want to do something good, the mind (or ego) starts playing the daunting images of perfection. It seems so far, so we opt to put it out of our minds. I struggle with this and I'm sure many others do. It is not the whole, the perfect, or the everything that is special. It is the something, the little efforts, the small deeds, the quest and yearning that is special.

Of course, the more of little things we do, the closer we are to bigger things, but the specialness lies in the small things. Even a big thing that we take on or strive for is not special because it is big, it is special because it is a culmination of many many small deeds.

When someone cares faithfully for a family member, it's not only the big sacrifices that matter. The day in and the day out are as special.

The crumbs of the Matzah are as tasty or even tastier than the Matzah itself. The Matzah cannot be eaten without first breaking it up. The little pieces, the broken ones, are the special ones.

Rabbi Chanowitz from Monticello told me his Shul provides Matzah and Passover needs. Call the office: (845) 794-8470.

Comments? Email me: moshe@mosheunger.com.