For the second time tonight, we wash our hands. The first time was a silent ritual, but now in anticipation of eating matzah, we add a blessing thanking Hashem for sanctifying us through mitzvot, commandments from the Torah. In Judaism, holiness isn’t something reserved for a select few, it isn’t something specific to synagogues or pilgrimage sites, and it isn’t something passively bestowed upon us. Holiness is a perpetual, active practice that anyone can access anywhere, at any time. Everyday acts like eating food and washing our hands become acts of holiness when we practice gratitude. 

The first time Hashem appears to Moses, it is in the form of a burning bush. Hashem calls Moses’ name, and like Abraham before him, Moses responds, “hinneni,” here I am. This single word reveals the depth of his presentness, the extent of his curiosity, and his willingness to listen. After calling Moses, the very first thing Hashem says is “take your shoes off your feet, because the place where you stand is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5) There is nothing in the text to indicate that this place was holy because of anything that happened there in the past, so it stands to reason that it was that very encounter that brought holiness to that space. By removing his sandals, Moses physically prepares his body to make room for holiness. By washing our hands, we invite holiness into our lives too. 

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם,
.אֲשֶׁר קִדְשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדַיִם
Baruch atah Adonai, eloheynu melech ha-olam,
asher kid’shanu be-mitzvotav, ve-tzivanu al netilat yadayim.

Blessed are you, who makes us holy with your mitzvot, 
and commands us to wash our hands.
 


haggadah Section: Rachtzah