The Qur’an instructs Muslims similarly: “And do good unto your parents, and near of kin, and unto orphans, and the needy, and the neighbor from among your own people, and the neighbor who is a stranger, and the friend by your side, and the wayfarer…” Later, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, we are advised: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Imagine if all strangers-all foreigners-were treated as if they were divine messengers! In the Parable of the Last Judgment, Jesus says, “I was a foreigner and you welcomed me.” In his interpretation of this passage, the bishop emeritus of the Archdiocese of Hartford, Peter Rosazza, says that welcoming the foreigner is equivalent to welcoming Jesus. Judaism is not alone in this concern for the stranger. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” And again in Leviticus we read, “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. In Exodus, we are told, “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Elsewhere in Exodus, this is written as “stranger in a strange land”-the inspiration for the title of the popular science fiction novel by Robert Heinlein. The Torah warns against harming a stranger anywhere from thirty-five to forty-six distinct times, depending on how it is translated. We are told repeatedly in the Jewish scripture to show kindness toward strangers. Remembering what it was like to be a stranger is not only important at Passover. In the past, the head of the household might open the door to the home and read these words, inviting all who passed by to come in and join the celebration. They are written in Aramaic, the everyday spoken language of much of the Middle East from 2,000 to 3,000 years ago, so that they could be easily understood by those who might have responded to the offer. We recite, “Let all those who are hungry, enter and eat … all who are in distress come and celebrate Passover” with us. We are reminded that because we were strangers in the land of Egypt, we therefore must welcome strangers to our own Seder. Apparently, it was also used by former President Obama at the White House’s annual Seder! My favorite passage comes early in the evening. My family uses the traditional Haggadah sponsored by Maxwell House Coffee since 1932. Many contemporary Haggadot reference modern struggles, such as African-Americans’ fight for emancipation and civil rights and present-day efforts to end human trafficking. The Passover themes of slavery and freedom resonate as clearly today as they did millennia ago. Through reading a liturgical text called the Haggadah and eating ritual foods, everyone at the Passover Seder is invited to reflect on this history as if they had experienced it themselves. As many of you know, this is the holiday that memorializes the experience of Jews as slaves in Egypt and then celebrates their deliverance from bondage. Last month I flew to California to celebrate Passover with my family. May I ask all of the families and friends here today to rise and recognize the outstanding-and graduating-members of the Class of 2017?Īnd now, may I ask the Class of 2017 to consider all those who have supported your arrival at this milestone, and to please rise and recognize them? There is a wonderful Yale tradition that I would like to honor right now: It is so good to be here with you today, a day filled with joy and hope … and, I am sure, a bit of pride as well. Graduates of the Class of 2017, family members, and friends.
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