THE REDEMPTION THAT WAS AND THE REDEMPTION THAT IS STILL TO COME
Pesach
Are We Really Free?
In less than weeks’ time, we will be sitting at the Seder table, celebrating the redemption of our people from slavery in Egypt, 3333 years ago. But the redemption from Egypt will not be the only redemption in our thoughts on this special night.
In the opening passage of the Hagaddah we note that “Now we are here; next year we will be in the Land of Israel. Now we are slaves; next year we will be free men”.
So, we are sitting at the Seder supposedly celebrating our freedom and yet we open the Seder by declaring that we are still slaves? And if we are still slaves, then what are we celebrating?
The Exodus from Egypt was the beginning of a process of freedom and redemption. The true realisation and culmination of this freedom will only be experienced - for ourselves and the world at large - when the final redemption arrives with the coming of Moshiach.
At the Seder we focus on both redemptions. In the first part of the Haggadah we retell and relive the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim, the beginning of the journey; where we have come from. But in the latter part of the Seder, we transition our focus to the Ultimate Redemption, to introspect on where we are going to.
Exodus and redemption do not just refer to physical slavery and freedom. Mitzrayim (Egypt) comes from the terminology of Meitzarim, meaning limitations. True liberation is to go free from all of our limitations and restrictions, everything that holds us back and holds us down.
In the Haggadah we describe our liberation from Egypt as going;
* From slavery to freedom
* From grief to joyousness
* And from mourning to festivity
* And from darkness to bright light
* And from bondage to freedom
Exile is characterised by slavery, sorrow, pain and darkness. These can be in the literal sense, but also exist in the psychological or spiritual sense. In contrast, redemption is about freedom, joy and illumination.
In many ways we live a good life. We enjoy levels of freedom (including freedom to observe our religion), safety and prosperity that our ancestors never dreamed of. But are we truly free?
We still suffer personal exile and slavery; We can be slaves to our addictions, past traumas, fears or the need for others’ approval. We can still be subservient to our negative emotions such as anger, jealousy and arrogance.
And the world still suffers the darkness and pain of war, anti-Semitism, illness, poverty and suffering. The last 12 months of the news headlines is a clear reminder that we are still far from a utopian society.
The ultimate personal exile is the exile of the soul. True freedom is about the “liberation of our souls”; to live true to who we are, the Part of G-d that is inside of us that yearns for a deep and meaningful connection to Hashem and to do only goodness and kindness.
The ultimate cause of exile in the world is that G-d’s presence is hidden. This is what gives rise to the darkness, madness and lack of clarity in the world in all of its manifestations.
When Moshiach comes and G-d’s presence is revealed, we will know true freedom; an end to all darkness, suffering, negativity and slavery. In its place we will experience a world filled with only joy, positivity, freedom and bright light.
We conclude our Seder with the words Leshana Habaah Biyerushalaim, “next year in Jerusalem”. As we say these words, let’s give voice to our hopes for the immediate arrival of Moshiach, the culmination of the process that began 3333 years ago, when we and the world will experience freedom in its ultimate form.
In less than weeks’ time, we will be sitting at the Seder table, celebrating the redemption of our people from slavery in Egypt, 3333 years ago. But the redemption from Egypt will not be the only redemption in our thoughts on this special night.
In the opening passage of the Hagaddah we note that “Now we are here; next year we will be in the Land of Israel. Now we are slaves; next year we will be free men”.
So, we are sitting at the Seder supposedly celebrating our freedom and yet we open the Seder by declaring that we are still slaves? And if we are still slaves, then what are we celebrating?
The Exodus from Egypt was the beginning of a process of freedom and redemption. The true realisation and culmination of this freedom will only be experienced - for ourselves and the world at large - when the final redemption arrives with the coming of Moshiach.
At the Seder we focus on both redemptions. In the first part of the Haggadah we retell and relive the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim, the beginning of the journey; where we have come from. But in the latter part of the Seder, we transition our focus to the Ultimate Redemption, to introspect on where we are going to.
Exodus and redemption do not just refer to physical slavery and freedom. Mitzrayim (Egypt) comes from the terminology of Meitzarim, meaning limitations. True liberation is to go free from all of our limitations and restrictions, everything that holds us back and holds us down.
In the Haggadah we describe our liberation from Egypt as going;
* From slavery to freedom
* From grief to joyousness
* And from mourning to festivity
* And from darkness to bright light
* And from bondage to freedom
Exile is characterised by slavery, sorrow, pain and darkness. These can be in the literal sense, but also exist in the psychological or spiritual sense. In contrast, redemption is about freedom, joy and illumination.
In many ways we live a good life. We enjoy levels of freedom (including freedom to observe our religion), safety and prosperity that our ancestors never dreamed of. But are we truly free?
We still suffer personal exile and slavery; We can be slaves to our addictions, past traumas, fears or the need for others’ approval. We can still be subservient to our negative emotions such as anger, jealousy and arrogance.
And the world still suffers the darkness and pain of war, anti-Semitism, illness, poverty and suffering. The last 12 months of the news headlines is a clear reminder that we are still far from a utopian society.
The ultimate personal exile is the exile of the soul. True freedom is about the “liberation of our souls”; to live true to who we are, the Part of G-d that is inside of us that yearns for a deep and meaningful connection to Hashem and to do only goodness and kindness.
The ultimate cause of exile in the world is that G-d’s presence is hidden. This is what gives rise to the darkness, madness and lack of clarity in the world in all of its manifestations.
When Moshiach comes and G-d’s presence is revealed, we will know true freedom; an end to all darkness, suffering, negativity and slavery. In its place we will experience a world filled with only joy, positivity, freedom and bright light.
We conclude our Seder with the words Leshana Habaah Biyerushalaim, “next year in Jerusalem”. As we say these words, let’s give voice to our hopes for the immediate arrival of Moshiach, the culmination of the process that began 3333 years ago, when we and the world will experience freedom in its ultimate form.