The great sage Hillel provided us with the tradition of constructing the Hillel sandwich, combining the bitterness of the maror with the sweetness of the charoset between two pieces of matzah. This juxtaposition is a key theme throughout Jewish rituals. In many holidays, we're reminded how close the Jewish people have come to utter destruction while celebrating strength and survival with great joy, remembering our persistence and our own determination to survive. Even at a wedding, we break a glass to remind us that even in times of life’s greatest joys we must remember the sadness of the destruction of the Temple. And on Passover we mix the sweet charoset with the bitter maror, mixing bitter of slavery and sweetness of freedom all in one bite.

Throughout each year and throughout our lifetimes, we challenge ourselves to remember that even in times of strength, it is better to sense our vulnerability, rather than bask in our success.  We all have memories of times in which bitter and sweet were mixed in our lives, all in the same bite. Enjoy the sandwich, layering charoset and maror between two pieces of matzah, while meditating on the juxtaposition of sweetness and bitterness in our story and of our world.


haggadah Section: Koreich