Sexuality and its Relevance to Pesach

My question: To what extent is sexuality, as it is mentioned in our haggadah, relevant to Pesach and therefore appropriate to be in a haggadah?

The verse that our haggadah centers its discussion is:

דברים כו:ז - וַיַּ֧רְא אֶת־עָנְיֵ֛נוּ וְאֶת־עֲמָלֵ֖נוּ

This literally translates into: “G-d saw our persecution and our toil.”

However, the root of the word עָנְיֵ֛נוּ, which is עני, meaning persecution, is very similar to the word ענה, which is a euphemism for prohibitions on marital intimacy during specific times.

If these two words were interchanged, then the phrase would hint at the fact that G-d saw the prohibition of sexual relations by Pharaoh. 

In addition to this, “our toil” can also refer to the children, the lost children due to the labor and who were drowned.

This can be backed up by the following verse: 

שמוֹת ב:כה -  וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹקים אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּ֖דַע אֱלֹקים:

This means that G-d saw the children of Israel and knew them. “Knew them” refers to their sexual suffering as we see in

בראשית ד:א -  וְהָ֣אָדָ֔ם יָדַ֖ע אֶת־חַוָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ

Which means that Adam knew (sexually) Eve, his wife.

According to the Midrash Tanchuma, the Rabbis stated that the Egyptians restricted women from using the river as a means of purification (a mikveh) as they did not want the people of Israel to multiply. The Midrash argues that G-d committed an act of חסד (grace) and prevented the women of Israel from showing signs of menstruation, which allowed for marital intimacy despite the prohibition placed onto them.

With all this being said, I now know and believe that sexuality is relevant and important to the story of Pesach and would be appropriate and important to discuss in a Haggadah as it is another form of suffering put unto us by Pharaoh


haggadah Section: -- Exodus Story