The good old Haggada, a timeless tale, a storybook like no other. It comes with pictures, commentaries, subtitles, translated into every language both spoken and extinct. The Haggada recounts the Leaving of Egypt, but more than that, the Haggada opens the floor to a myriad of strange yet deeply symbolic rituals which have become deeply engrained into the family psyche passed down from one generation to another. Passover is a full-body stimulating event, replete with sounds, visuals, synchronized dances, and tastes.
Inevitably questions ensue......
“Dad, on all other nights you tell me I am under-age, but tonight you keep refilling my glass”
“Mom, on all other nights you tell me to eat my food over the table, why tonight are you insisting that I eat on the couch, on my pillow”
“Guys, on all other nights we double bolt the doors shut and put on the alarm, why tonight are you leaving it wide open?”
..and it keeps going…why the matza, why the hard boiled egg, why marror, the apple-cement-like substance, why are we reading this story, why are you talking about sons when you have 3 daughters? Why are you insisting that I play with my food? why why……………
Not only are the rituals bizarre and questionable, but a closer inspection of the Haggada itself raises a ton of questions.
The first sentence in the Haggada tells us how to commence the Passover meal:
The head of the table raises the matza and says: “This is the bread of affliction that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Whoever is hungry, let him come in and eat; whoever is in need, let him come and conduct the Seder of Passover. This year we are slaves; but next year we will be a free people”
Immediate questions that come to mind:.
Didn’t they eat the matza on the way out of Egpy, not in it?
Why are we inviting people to the meal when we are already in our homes sitting at the table? Isn’t it too late, why the empty gesture, who are we even talking to?
Why are we calling ourselves slaves still? I thought we left Egypt and were free? Why are we saying that next year we will be a free people? (all very good questions and demonstrate why it isn’t uncommon for a sedar to last until the sun comes up).
The Lebuvitcher Rebbe explains the first paragraph of the Haggada in a most beautiful way while simultaneously answering all the questions put forth. He says that the first paragraph of the Haggada is meant to be a disclaimer. “Don’t come and sit at the table with a misunderstanding about what’s going on here, with a skewed perception of reality”. Even though we ate the matza while physically leaving Egypt, we still carry a slaveship mentality. We are still subjugated to our personal boundaries and corrupt governments, the universal consciousness is still restricted. Look, there are still starving people in the world, in need, even though the story tells us that ‘we went out with wealth’. We have yet to bring the final redemption; therefore we are all still slaves.
This is a mighty fine point the Rebbe makes. It would be outright audacious to say that we are freemen today! Therefore when we sit down at the table, the first thing we do is proclaim that we are still slaves. Reading the Hagadda is not about recounting historical events, it is about actively being in the process of breaking free because look around my friends, we aren’t there quite yet.
I met this guy the other day and after introducing ourselves he looked me dead in the eyes and asked me a good question, "what are you doing right now to bring Moshiach?"...and I'd like to turn the question to you? What are YOU doing to bring the final redemption, eh?
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