Rabbi Roodyn

Pesach is undoubtedly the Yom Tov that requires the greatest amount of preparation, however it is possible to get so consumed by the technical side of Pesach cleaning that we are unable to make time to prepare material and insights for the seder.  I am therefore writing these posts with myself in mind and hope that you gain from them.

The events of yetzias mitzrayim happened 3328 years ago and were it not for the fact that Pesach has been designed to make such an impact and even imposition on our lives, it could have been lost in the mists of time. The purpose of the upcoming festival is to therefore keep the memory of the exodus alive in our hearts and our minds and for us to be inspired enough about them to be able to pass them on to the next generation with passion and enthusiasm. The Ari Zal famously says that the word pesach is made up of the words peh sach, talking mouth. The more we talk about the messages of the chag and discuss their meaning, the more real these concepts become to us.

Pesach is referred to by the Chassidic masters as the Rosh Hashana of Emunah. Unlike Purim which comes at the end of the yearly cycle, here Hashem’s hashgacha was evident for all to see. The fact that there is an Infinite Being who is intimately involved in the affairs of this world is so fundamental to Judaism that the first of the Ten Commandments is ‘I am Hashem your G-d, Who took you out of the land of Egypt’. The goal of seder night and Pesach is therefore to connect to that truth and the implications that come with it, rather than just to share innovative explanations about peripheral concepts.

The exodus from Egypt was therefore not just freedom from slavery, rather there was a clear agenda. The pasuk says in Shemos (3:12) When you take the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”  We went from being avdei Paroh to becoming avdei Hashem, which is according to the Mishna in Pirkei Avos (6:2) is  the greatest type of freedom possible.

It is with this introduction in mind that we can please G-d explore some to the ideas and themes of seder night over the next month.