"That which is hateful to you, do not do to others. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary; go and learn." -Rabbi Hillel

Rabbi Hillel had a special Passover tradition. Every seder, he would make a sandwich out of matzah, a slice of the sacrificial lamb, and a bitter herb. Since Jews don't sacrifice lambs anymore, today we make the sandwich with matzah, haroset, and a bitter herb. Now we are all going to do the same.

זֵכֶר לְמִקְדָּשׁ כְּהִלֵּל. כֵּן עָשָׂה הִלֵּל בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיָה קַיָּם: הָיָה כּוֹרֵךְ

מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר וְאוֹכֵל בְּיַחַד, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרוׂרִים יֹאכְלֻהוּ.

Zeicher l'mikdash k'Hileil. Kein asah Hileil bizman shebeit hamikdash hayah kayam.

Hayah koreich pesach, matzah, u-maror v'ocheil b'yachad. L'kayeim mah shene-emar. "Al matzaht um'rorim yochlu-hu."

In memory of the Temple according to Hillel. This is what Hillel would do when the Temple existed: He would wrap the matzah and maror and eat them together, in order to fulfill what is stated: "You should eat it upon matzot and marorim." (Numbers 9:11)

WHY? It's kind of weird eating something bitter and sweet together at once, right? But eating this sandwich helps us feel all the complicated feelings of Passover at the same time.

The bitter herbs remind us of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt and of our sad memories. The matzah and haroset remind us of the fact we are free and of our sweet memories. We are not supposed to forget either one.


haggadah Section: Koreich