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There’s a story of two elderly men who had been childhood friends but had not seen each other in many years. One day, they ran into each other on the street and were delighted to recognize one another. One of them lived in the area, so he invited the other into his home. They happily caught each other up on their lives, getting lost in their stories and jokes as the day went on. The guest finally noticed that it had become dark outside, so he asked his friend if he had the time.

As Pesach approaches, many of us are once again preparing for a holiday built around movement. We plan and reminisce about journeys taken, tables set, families gathering from near and far. Pesach is, at its core, a story of departure, deliverance, and ultimately redemption. Of leaving what is familiar. Of stepping into uncertainty with faith that something better lies ahead.

A crowd of close to 700 roshei yeshiva, rebbeim, students, alumni and supporters gathered on March 16 in a packed Marina del Rey ballroom for Yeshiva University’s Annual Yeshiva Dinner—a celebration of the living chain of Torah and the leaders who carry it forward. The evening honored three distinguished figures whose lives embody devotion to Torah and communal responsibility: Elliot Gibber, Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger and Rabbi Dovid Miller—along with the alumni of the RIETS Israel Kollel.

Imagine a teenager lying on a grassy field, gazing into the night sky. As he stares up at the stars, he thinks to himself, “Look at how enormous the universe is. The sky just expands endlessly... It must go on forever.” After sitting with that thought for a few moments, he becomes uncomfortable.

We all want to share deep and thoughtful ideas at the Seder in order to enhance our Pesach experience. I hope this collection of Divrei Torah will aid you on your journey toward a meaningful and transformative Seder night.

In our previous article, we began exploring the depth of sefiras ha’omer. Based on the Maharal and Ramban, we explained that we are not counting down to Matan Torah, but rather we are building up towards it, ascending one day at a time. We do not wait for Shavuos to arrive; we actively bring it ourselves through the time and effort we invest as we count the omer. After developing a general understanding of sefiras ha’omer, let us focus on a few specifics of the count itself. The 49 days of sefiras ha’omer parallels the 49-day process that the Jewish people went through upon leaving Egypt before receiving the Torah. What is the meaning behind this process, and why is it specifically 49 days long?