The Watch and the Worth – A Perasha & Passover Thought

The Watch and the Worth – A Passover Thought We begin Vayikra with a mystery: וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־מֹשֶׁה—with a small aleph. Chazal teach that Moshe, in his humility, wanted to write וַיִּקָּר—like a casual encounter. But Hashem insisted: no, write וַיִּקְרָא—with a calling. A term of love, of nearness. Because Hashem valued Moshe—even more than Moshe valued himself. And that’s the secret of geulah, of redemption. It’s not just about being taken out of Egypt. It’s about being told: “You are worthy. You are wanted. I choose you.” Let me tell you a story. A grandfather gives his grandson an old watch and sends him to get it appraised. At the jewelry store: $200. At the pawn shop: $60, after bargaining. Then, at a museum, the same watch is valued at $50,000. The stunned grandson returns, and the grandfather says: “You see? The watch never changed. But different people saw different worth. Some saw junk. One saw treasure. That’s the lesson—your value doesn’t depend on others’ opinions. It depends on who truly understands you.” And that’s exactly the message of the Seder. When we say בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה ה׳ לִי—“Because of this, Hashem did for me”—we’re not telling a story about the past. We’re standing in the present, in the relationship. We’re declaring: Hashem sees my worth. He chose me. He brought me out of Egypt. But here’s the thing: you don’t show up to the Seder cold. You prepare. Because when someone of infinite value invites you to a night of connection— You don’t just toss something together. You get your mind ready. Your heart. Your soul. We prepare for the Seder not just to clean our homes, but to clear space inside—so we can remember who we are, and who we belong to. So don’t just get ready for a meal. Get ready to be seen. Get ready to be chosen—again. Get ready to remember what Hashem has always known: You are priceless. Be sure to listen to the class - Its All About Me !