On Seder night, we all gather around the table and read the Haggadah together. But what is the Haggadah? It is an ancient historical narrative that begins with this declaration:
“We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord our God took us out of there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. And if the Holy One, blessed be He, had not taken our ancestors out of Egypt, then we, our children, and our children’s children would still be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt…”
This passage is rather puzzling. Why would it be that if we hadn’t been redeemed back then, we would never have been redeemed? Could there not have been another opportunity – either a natural or miraculous one – for liberation from slavery and exodus from Egypt?
Moreover, the Haggadah has been recited for thousands of years – both in times of peace and in times of trouble and distress. Jews recited it in ghettos and bunkers, during pogroms and bloodshed, and even in times of exile and inquisition. What relevance did this ancient biblical story have for them then?
At the end of the Haggadah, right before the recitation of Hallel, there’s another powerful passage worth reflecting on:
“In every generation, one must see himself as if he personally came out of Egypt. As it is said: ‘You shall tell your child on that day, saying: “It is because of this that the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.”’ The Holy One, blessed be He, did not only redeem our ancestors, but He redeemed us along with them, as it is said: ‘And He took us out from there…’”
Questions on the Haggadah: What if Jewish suffering now is worse than slavery in Egypt?
In one of his 100 questions on the Haggadah, the Abarbanel (Don Isaac Abarbanel) – who wrote his commentary on it while the Jewish people were experiencing historical hardship after the expulsion from Spain – asked something that was true for his time and, sadly, has remained relevant throughout too much of our history: How can we say “as if we came out of Egypt,” when the current reality (in his words) is even worse than our ancestors’ situation in Egypt?
What is the rationale behind this guided imagery of seeing oneself “as if he personally came out of Egypt”?
IT’S A poignant question. Especially as we think of our dear ones who have been held captive by the enemy for so long. Can they, and their families, also see themselves as if they came out of Egypt? What about those who have lost their loved ones who fought with heroism for the people of Israel, and whose cherished faces appear before them day and night, offering no peace? Can they feel on Seder night that they are free, “as if they came out of Egypt”?
The answer lies in the spiritual dimension of the exodus. When the Israelites were redeemed from Egypt, they were gifted the light of faith. God revealed Himself to them and showed His sovereignty and control over everything that occurs in the world. This was manifested in the Ten Plagues and especially in the miraculous events of the Night of Watching (Leil Shimurim) – the first night of Passover, the very night we continue to celebrate in every generation.
Had the Holy One, blessed be He, not shown Himself and His providence over every detail of our lives, we would not have been able to survive any hardship. The power of faith that was revealed to us on that night became the watershed moment, the turning point from an era of darkness devoid of faith and hope to a new era of spiritual light and divine connection.
This is what the Haggadah means when it says,
“Until the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself and redeemed them.”
Suddenly, His presence became clear, shedding light and offering a completely new perspective on everything that happens.
On the Seder night, God took us out from there – out of Pharaoh’s denial and the darkness of Egypt. He brought us from deep darkness to great light – from uncertainty, fear, and anxiety to the powerful illumination of faith and closeness to God that comes from heartfelt prayer.
Faith gives us strength. Prayer gives us resilience. This is the precious gift we received at the exodus. That is why each person is obligated to see himself as if he personally left Egypt. Because this is the essence of redemption: giving each person, no matter his situation, the inner strength of faith, hope, joy, and serenity.
Wishing a joyous holiday to the entire Jewish nation!
May it be a holiday of redemption and salvation – both communal and personal. ■
The writer is rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites.