The seder opens with kiddush (the sanctification over wine). Kiddush is the opening act of every shabbat and holiday meal. But kiddush – a ritual .sanctification of time – has an intimate and unique connection to Pesach’s central theme: freedom 
As Israel was about to be released from slavery, God instituted a new calendar: “This month shall (mark for you the beginning of months; the first of the months of the year for you.” (Exodus 12:2) Why is this the first mitzvah (commandment) communicated to a free nation?

A slave’s time is not his own. He is at the beck and call of his master. In contrast, freedom is the control of our time. We determine what we do when we wake up in the morning; we prioritize our day. Controlling and crafting our time is the critical first act of freedom.

Kiddush says this out loud.  We proclaim this day as significant, holy and meaningful. We fashion time, claim ownership of it, and fashion it as a potent .contact point with God, peoplehood and tradition. This is a quintessential act of Jewish freedom.
Kadesh reminds us that true freedom and self-respect is to shape our life in accordance with our values.

During the Seder we will drink four cups of wine.  As we drink this first cup we remember the times when bitterness is a companion to life's sweetness.  The story of our deliverance reminds us that shared experiences with those who are dear to us strengthens hope, providing the will to overcome the bitter and rejoice in the sweetness and sanctity of everyday life.


haggadah Section: Kadesh