Why Four Cups? With Notes
Redemption
This shows 2 types of redemption; physical and spiritual. The first 3 are physical - God is taking them out of slavery and Egypt. The 4th one is focused on spiritual freedom through receiving the Torah and developing a relationship with God. It is important to note that the 4th one also highlights that our nationality is tied together with connection to G‑d. While other nations grew from families into tribes, and then groups of tribes developed into a nation, we started as a nation with God.
There's 2 points here:
1)We could wait for families to find friends, then groups of friends, to THEN decide to become a part of this congregation OR we could build connections with them first. Let Temple Beth-El be that connection with Jews in San Antonio that it is hard to see a separation between us.
2) We need to continue providing opportunities in which we can show communities that they have spiritual freedom here. They have the choice of what they connect with at Temple Beth-El.
Mitzvot
We have to be an organizing anchor for those around us. We show the importance of mitzvot in the sense of community and coming together.
Comfort
We are the source of comfort. We need to think about how we can be supportive and encouraging in our efforts to reinvigorate those who need it.