Jewish Thought Freedom To What End?

By Rav Yaakov Feitman

Mah nishtana –Why is this night different than all other nights? Everyone knows this question and the four which grow out of it. The question-and-answer pattern is ordained by the Gemara (Pesachim 116a) but the next question is “why?” There are two other yomim tovim in the classic Shalosh Regalim, and we don’t engage in questioning. Even other major Jewish calendar days such as Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Tishah B’Av don’t require inquiries or dialogue. So why only Pesach?

My rebbe, Rav Yitzchok Hutner, zt”l, answers (Pachad Yitzchok Pesach 17:46; 47:6) that the question-answer format mirrors the Exodus itself. We know (Pesachim 116a) that the Haggadah is structured by the concept of “beginning with the lowly and ending with the praise.” Since there is a disagreement in the Gemara about the details of this pattern, we do it in two ways, the physical and the spiritual. The physical bondage is mentioned in the section known as “Avadim Hayinu – we were slaves.” The spiritual is recounted beginning with the words, “In the beginning, our forefathers worshipped idols.” In each case, we not only recite words but we are enjoined to relive and attempt to re-experience the process and change we went through over three thousand years ago. The Rosh Yeshiva demonstrates that questions and answers themselves – regardless of the content –mirror the transition from one stage to another. In other words, a question represents a period of darkness; an answer is a bolt of light.

Now we know that the Four Questions and by extension, all the other queries –kashos and terutzim – which are raised and resolved at the Seder are part of the process, not just a “PowerPoint presentation” at a business meeting. Each of us at the Seder is living through moments of darkness and doubt, questioning and probing, stretching, growing and maturing in our faith. The Zohar Hakadosh, echoed in the writings of the Arizal and his talmidim, teach that in Egypt, our Voice itself was in exile. We cried out to

Hashem, but we didn’t actually daven the way we do today. Thus, the pasuk (Shemos 2:23) describes the various stages of our communications: “We groaned…cried out…[had an] outcry and moaned.” The Mekubalim see this process as the nation going from inarticulate to finally “finding our voice.”

We all know that the pinnacle of this process was the singing of the Shira on the seventh day of Pesach. For this very brief moment, each of us experienced prophesy and – so to speak – “saw Hashem.” However, while apparently this lofty level could not last, we are able to annually travel through the same spiritual levels as our ancestors on this special day.

I believe that this year, more than most, we can gain a special power from this annual journey. The Torah (Shemos 12:42) states that the night of Pesach is shimurim, “a protection for all the Children of Israel for their generations.” We are living through a period of an alarming increase in anti-Semitic acts. We will all recite in the Haggadah that “in every generation they arise to attempt to annihilate us.” The Ramban, in his commentary upon the word shimurim, explains that it does not just mean that G-d will rescue us. It means that this night was designated and guarded by Hashem Himself to sanctify us to perform mitzvos for Him. Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzato (Derech Hashem 4:7) adds that every year, all the tikkunim

(rectifications) which we gained at Yetzias Mitzrayim return to us once again. Thus, we should take heart and solace that Hashem is once again protecting us personally. The Ohr Hachaim Hakodosh explains that when we engage in telling the story and reliving both the negatives and the positives, we are granted the same assurances of Divine salvation.

Now, let no one think that we should let up our guard or become unaware of the constant threats and provocations. However, what Pesach should give us is a healthy dose of serenity and tranquility. Our Father in Heaven is still with us and always will be. Many of our enemies have reached the dust-heap of history but we are here to tell the tale. Much more importantly, we have maintained our relationship with Hashem through the centuries and millennia. Sadly, not enough of our brethren take advantage of this amazing annual gift. Most of those now demonstrating in the streets of Tel Aviv are clueless about this power we have. We would all be less worried about our enemies from without if we realized that on Pesach we have practically conquered those within us.

The Gerrer Rebbes all used to point out that in general there are two factors withholding our spiritual progress. One is the “leavening in the dough,” referring to the Yetzer Hara, and the other is the nations who are anti-Semitic. It is on Pesach that we have both under control for we burn that leaven and we have begun the process of geulah – redemption.

Indeed, the Sefas Emes often reminds us that we were not freed from slavery to Paroh to become free from service to the Creator. On the contrary, we went from being slaves to Paroh to join the service of Hashem. As the slaves freed by Abraham Lincoln sadly discovered, an Emancipation Proclamation is meaningless if you have nowhere to go, no new purpose in life, and are yearning for the “good days on the plantation.” The Eruv Rav tried to make us feel like those slaves, but we went right on to Sinai knowing that when we leave Egypt, “We will serve Hashem on this mountain.” For this reason, we immediately begin counting Sefirah until Matan Torah so we will always remember why we were liberated. It was not just “from.” It was “to.”

Finally, we know from many sources (see Rav Dovid Cohen, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron, Zeman Cheiruseinu, page 15) that Yetzias Mitzrayim constituted the birth of Klal Yisrael. Thus, Krias Yam Suf was the birth canal, representing our first moments as a nation. This is also stated clearly in the Haggadah, “Vayehi sham l’goy – There we became a nation.” One might well ask, Why didn’t Hashem make us a nation in Eretz Yisrael when we already had a Bais Hamikdash? Why create us in the horrible crucible of iniquity and depravity which was ancient Egypt?

The answers to all these questions are the same. Hashem wanted to enable us to survive all the future exiles both physically and spiritually. This we have done in every generation. We must now use that power to lift ourselves up to where we were when we sang at the Yam Suf and received the Torah. If we try just a bit harder to do that, we will hopefully achieve the ultimate goal of “we were freed in Nisan, and we are destined to achieve salvation in Nisan once again. B’meheirah b’yameinu!