"We were slaves"

Passover is a time of understanding struggle, freedom, and inclusion.

Jews are a people of memory and action. On Passover, we use stories and rituals to remember and retell the narrative of these three themes: struggle, freedom, and inclusion. In Hebrew, Egypt is called Mitzrayim, which means "a narrow place". Every year, the Haggadah asks us not only to share the story of the Exoducs, but challenges us to actively engage in the process of understanding our own struggles. We are encouraged to connect the story of Exodus to communal and individual struggles for liberation, and are reminded that the fight for freedom is ongoing. 

On seder night, there are two moments where we metaphorically open our doors and invite others in. First, at the beginning when we say, “All who are hungry come and eat.” We were once slaves, poor and hungry, and we remember our redemption by sharing what we have with others.

Second, at the end of the seder, we have the custom of pouring a fifth cup of wine, which we claim is for Elijah the Prophet. This is a statement of trust, that although we are a free people, our redemption is not yet complete, and we trust that it will come one day.

The message is clear: everyone is welcome and everyone is necessary. Why is it that we go out of our way to include all at our seder table? When we make room for others, we have the opportunity to make room for ourselves as well. The Mishnah (Pesahim 10:5) teaches us that:

בכל דור ודור חייב אדם לראות את עצמו כאילו הוא יצא ממצרים

"In every generation a person is obligated to see themselves as if they left Egypt"

The seder presents us with the obligation of identifying with the generation that left Egypt and internalizing that experience. We come to feel the redemption as if it was our own as well to - לראות את עצמו. 


haggadah Section: Introduction