Last spring, my husband and I had the honor of sitting at the table in the home of a beautiful Jewish couple. It was for their family Passover Seder and we were the invited guests. It was a thrilling experience for both of us to take part in.
The table was beautifully decorated and the meal took days of preparation in the family kosher kitchen. The woman of the home made the meal all the more memorable with her exquisite touches. Everything prepared was visually and artfully arranged and tasted simply divine.
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| Photo credit: Cheryl Christmas |
The true Seder is not a meal that you rush through. As a matter of fact, this dinner goes into hours of feasting with numerous hand washings in between, tastes of wine, along with reading and singing in Hebrew. The Haggadah, is the traditional script one receives as the ceremonial foods are eaten. Sometimes they sang really fast or missed a few pages to move the dinner along. It is a night of reflection on the exodus from Egypt of the Jewish people. Truly, this night is not like all other nights.
Interestingly, our hosts did not know us ahead of time. The daughter of the couple had met me just the day before; and with a simple phone call to mom~asked if there was room at the table for two more.
This loving, Jewish couple, invited us both into their most intimate holiday. We were seated among their friends, welcomed into their conversation, ate their expensive kosher food, invited into their Master suite for hand washing, and had never prior met us. Truly, this was hospitality at best.
I wonder how many of us could do something similar for our holiday dinner? Would you invest your time and money into someone you do not know?
Maybe for your next gathering you will take me up on this challenge. Ask yourself if there is room at your table for a few more. Then don't just think about it~invite them in to dine!
Matthew 25:35 "I was a stranger and you invited me in."
Love this!!
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