Why are we celebrating a Seder again this year? Does it really make a difference in the grand scheme of things? Will this somehow affect the challenges of the world that seemingly have enslaved us? Is there anything I can actually do to change things?
The answer begins with a truth that Pesach has been teaching us for thousands of years: personal sacrifice leads to personal liberation, and that, in turn, brings redemption to our world. The Jewish people did not leave Egypt simply because the time had come. They left because they were willing to act, to take risks, to follow G-d into the unknown, to give up the familiarity of slavery for the uncertainty of freedom. Freedom is not handed to us; it is something we step into through courage and sacrifice.
Every step of the Seder reinforces this idea. We eat matzah, the bread of affliction, stripping away comfort and indulgence. We retell the story not as history but as a present-day mission, as if we ourselves were leaving Egypt. Because we are, each of us has our own constraints, our own habits, fears, and distractions that hold us back. And the only way forward is to be willing to let something go. To give up a piece of comfort for a higher calling.
In a world that constantly pulls us toward ease, convenience, and self-focus, Pesach challenges us to do the opposite. It asks: What are you willing to sacrifice for something greater than yourself? Maybe it’s your time, your energy, your resources. Maybe it’s your ego, your need to control, your attachment to what feels safe. True freedom doesn’t come from having more; it comes from becoming more. And that transformation always requires giving something up.
So as you sit at the Seder tonight, don’t just ask what happened then, ask what is happening now. What will I give up on my journey of liberation? What step will I take toward becoming freer, stronger, and more connected to my purpose? Because when each of us chooses to step beyond ourselves, we don’t just change our own lives, we begin to change the world. This Pesach, let’s not just celebrate freedom. Let’s create it! And together we will bring the ultimate redemption to our world, the coming of Mosiach speedily, Amen!