Freedom and pain are inexorably linked.  Our approach to the "bitter" times is neither to deny nor to seek escape but to face up to the challenges and embrace the opportunity they offer.

The key is to recognize that pain and suffering emanate from exactly the same source as joy and pleasure.  The self same God that redeemed us from Egypt was the One who allowed us to be enslaved there in the first place, because, painful though it was, it was necessary for us to go through it as a nation.

Without an appreciation of pain and hardship, with all the inherent challenges that life entails, there can be no true sense of joy and fulfillment.  Without connecting to the trials and tribulations that are woven into the tapestry of Jewish history, we will be unable to fully appreciate the majesty that forms Jewish destiny.


haggadah Section: Koreich
Source: Aish UK