Hallel: Chol haMoed Pesach: Journey to the Mountain II

As their journey entered its second day they had to look into themselves to find the inspiration to look forward with expectation as they had when offering the Pesach, and marching into freedom. They looked within and discovered that they still felt:

“When Israel left Egypt, Jacob’s family from among a people who spoke a strange language, Judah became God’s Holy Place, Israel, His realm.”

Perhaps it was the Clouds of Glory, or the Pillar of Cloud, or the Pillar of Fire that allowed them to feel that they were God’s Holy Place. If they were truly God’s realm they would still expect that:

“The Sea saw it and ran away. The Jordan River reversed course. The mountains danced like deer, the hills like lambs.

What’s with you, Sea, that you flee? With the Jordan, that you turn around? With the Mountains, that you dance like deer? With the hills, like lambs?

Quake, you Land, before your Master, before the Lord of Jacob!”

They did sing because they did still expect those great things, and they realized that God had changed them:

“Who turned the rock into a pool of water. Pebbles into a source of water.”