It is mandatory! We are obligated to perceive Yetziat Mitzrayim not as ancient history but as occurring now, in real time, to “see ourselves as if we are now leaving Egypt.” How do we do that?
When we recite at the very beginning “Now, we are here; next year, in the land of Israel,” we should discuss – then and there, at the Seder table – how can we make that a reality? Are we sincere? These days, even the ticket is free.
When we ponder that “if Hashem had not freed us from Egypt we would still be slaves to Pharaoh,” we should consider the various ideologies to which we remain indentured – the lingering and harmful effects of exile, modernity, heresy, and poor decisions, all of which have distanced us from Hashem and delayed the redemption.
When we discuss the “four sons,” we should realize that our children in every generation have questions, and we must answer them, not deflect them or encourage them not to ask. They will always have questions of faith, history, and halacha, questions about the big picture of Jewish life, about the relevance of Torah in the contemporary world, and about Jewish destiny. Indeed, it is a wonderful opportunity to ask them – right then – what questions are on their minds.
Obviously, when we recite “in every generation they rise up to destroy us,” we need only consult the news section of this very periodical to understand the veracity of this declaration, how even with the numerous changes wrought over the centuries to the world, hatred of Jews remains immutable. The enemy is always the same enemy, only his name and face are different. We should not wallow in the reality of Jew hatred but instead underscore how this is our destiny because we are unique, a chosen people, Hashem’s representatives on earth, and that is eternal.
And when we consume our sumptuous meal, we should reflect on the blessings of Hashem bestowed upon our generation, and express our gratitude, joy, and prayer for complete redemption. Chag kasher v’sameach!
– Rav Steven Pruzansky is rabbi emeritus of Congregation Bnai Yeshurun (Teaneck, N.J.), senior research associate at the Jerusalem Center for Applied Policy (Jcap.ngo), and author of “Repentance for Life” and “Redemption for Today” (Kodesh Press).
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Indeed, yes. In fact in the Haggadah we find numerous references to the timelessness of our people and our constant struggles. Surely if not for our Creator, HaKadosh Boruch Hu, we would have perished just as was the fate of all the other ancient civilizations.
We recite: “Bchol dor va’dor omdim aleinu l’chaloseinu – In every generation there are those who seek [sought] to destroy us. V’hi she’amda l’avoseinu – and this is what stood for our forefathers. Chayav adam lir’os es atzmo k’ilu hu yatza mi’Mitzrayim – A person is required to see himself as if he has been redeemed from Egypt.
We thank Hashem and we contemporize our praise by adding such relevance as needed to enable young and old to appreciate the wonders of Hashem. This we do at a Seder table festively set with blessings praise and, of course wine, matzah and delectable foods. The Seder, perhaps the highlight event of the year, is such that it should invigorate us in our service to Hashem.
Indeed the Haggadah is about our past, our present and our aspirations for the future. Netzach Yisrael lo yishaker – the Eternal of the Jewish people will not lie or change His mind. Take comfort in the fact that our people have His blessings of everlasting eternity, until and after the Go’el Tzedek – the true redeemer, speedily in our days.
– Rabbi Yaakov Klass is chairman of the Presidium of the Rabbinical Alliance of America; rav of Congregation K’hal Bnei Matisyahu in Flatbush, Brooklyn; and Torah editor of The Jewish Press. He can be contacted at [email protected] and [email protected].
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At its core, the Haggadah is not just a retelling of history; it’s a reliving of Yetzias Mitzrayim. As the Mishnah (Pesachim 116b) teaches, “In each and every generation, a person is obligated to see himself as if he had left Egypt.” This is more than dramatic reenactment; it is spiritual immersion. The Rambam codifies this (Hilchos Chametz U’Matzah 7:6), emphasizing the personal, lived nature of the story.
This perspective opens the door for contemporary relevance. While the text of the Haggadah itself is fixed, the commentary, discussion, and interpretation surrounding it have always been fluid, shaped by the needs of each generation.
Throughout Jewish history, communities have adapted their Pesach discourse to reflect their current challenges. The Warsaw Ghetto Haggadah, written under Nazi occupation, is a poignant example of this. Even without altering the core text, the night was used to confront the reality of exile and yearn for Divine redemption.
Similarly, Rav Soloveitchik, zt”l, in Festival of Freedom, speaks of Yetzias Mitzrayim as a “paradigm for the future of the Jewish people.” He writes that “each generation writes its own commentary,” meaning that we must bring our own spiritual and national experiences to the table.
At the same time, the Haggadah is not a soapbox. Its role is to transmit emunah, Divine providence and the chosenness and destiny of the Jewish people. When referencing current events, they must serve to deepen these themes, not politicize them.
As Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, zt”l, warned, using the Haggadah to score political points or push partisan agendas undermines its universality and eternal relevance.
If one chooses to weave contemporary examples into the Haggadah experience, use current events as a modern lens through which to understand Yetzias Mitzrayim, not as a substitute. For example, discussions about antisemitism can be linked to the themes of oppression and redemption.
Also, ask the right questions: The Seder is built around questions, especially those of children. Asking, “What does it mean to experience exile today?” or “How are we seeing Divine intervention in our lives now?” brings modern relevance without overshadowing the traditional narrative.
Finally, any reference to current events should aim to inspire emunah, achdus, and hope for geulah – core themes of Pesach.
Incorporating current events, when done with sensitivity, reverence, and insight, is not only permissible – it may be a practical fulfillment of the obligation to see oneself as part of the Exodus story. As the Vilna Gaon is reported to have said, “The entire Torah is eternal, and every event in our lives is alluded to in it.” Pesach invites us to find that resonance, and to let the past illuminate our present – and our future.
– Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet is a popular Lubavitch lecturer and rabbi of London’s Mill Hill Synagogue.
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Of course, current events should be incorporated into our Sedarim! Leil HaSeder is the night of chinuch m’doraisa. Anyone involved in chinuch understands that (sadly) texts are almost never meaningful in of themselves. Students need relevance. The texts they study must speak to them. Incorporating current events can make the text come to life.
To speak about she’bechol dor v’ador omdim aleinu l’chaloseinu and not connect it to October Seventh is a dreadful mistake. To speak about what avdus means and not connect it to the lives of hostages in dark tunnels separated from family and completely unaware of the outside world is awful. It is a missed opportunity to fulfill a mitzva min haTorah. If those at the Seder don’t appreciate that antisemitism is alive and well; if they don’t realize that slavery is not a thing of the past but remains the current reality for those still in the dark bowels of Gaza, the Seder is nothing more than liturgical recitation. It is not alive, and not real. It is not a fulfillment of the mitzva of “V’higata l’vincha.”
Of course, the concern is not to overdo it. A cool rebbe who draws meaningful lessons from the world of sports and entertainment but does not teach the Chumash and Rashi isn’t a mechaneich. A Seder that is primarily about Gaza isn’t a Seder. The Seder must be primarily about the nissim HaKadosh Baruch Hu performed when He took us out of Mitzrayim. It must primarily be about Chazal’s interpretations of psukim in Ki Savo. However, we must not miss the hook of current events that our children need to draw their attention into the Haggadah. The hook will bring them into Mitzrayim so that they can genuinely appreciate their personal redemption.
– Rabbi Ezra Schwartz is a rosh yeshiva at Rabbi Issac Elchanan Theological Seminary, where he hold the Harry Rabin Chair in Talmud and Jewish Law. He also serves as the Associate Director of the Semikha Program and teaches halacha at GPATS.
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Incorporating current events into the Pesach Haggadah can be a meaningful way to connect our personal experiences with the timeless message of the Exodus. The Torah commands us to feel as though we personally left Egypt, as stated in the Hagadah, “b’chol dor va’dor” (in every generation), highlighting the obligation to relive the Exodus as if we ourselves were freed from bondage. This obligation emphasizes the importance of engaging with the story in a personal way, encouraging us to reflect on times in history when G-d has saved us, whether it be from the Holocaust, the Soviet Union, or the October 7 massacre in Israel or other forms of oppression.
Jewish tradition teaches that we should remember and tell stories of how G-d has delivered us from suffering in every generation, bringing our personal narratives into the Seder to enhance the experience. However, while personal testimonies are appropriate, the spirit of the Seder should remain focused on the themes of redemption and spiritual reflection. Introducing current political events, especially those that are divisive or polarizing, may distract from the unity and sanctity of the Seder. As the Haggadah itself directs, “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the L-rd our G-d brought us out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm” (Deuteronomy 6:23); we should maintain a focus on G-d’s deliverance, not political agendas.
Personal stories of survival and divine intervention are a powerful way to relate to the Seder, and should be incorporated into ones Seder without entering into political discourse.
– Rabbi Mordechai Weiss lives in Efrat, Israel, and previously served as an elementary and high school principal in New Jersey and Connecticut. He was also the founder and rav of Young Israel of Margate, N.J. His email is [email protected].
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There are several points in the Haggadah where we note that past events shape the way we relate to the present, that is, to “current events”:
- The passage of “Ha lachma anya,” which we recite over the setting aside of the afikoman, concludes with, “This year we are here; next year in the land of Israel. This year we are enslaved; next year – free.” Part and parcel of the Seder is to experience how we are still enslaved and still in exile. Is it even possible to relate to that experience without addressing the current state of the Jewish people?
- The passage of “ V’hi she’amda,” which addresses how Hashem kept His promise to Avraham to rescue his descendants from servitude and annihilation, was not a one time promise to rescue them from Egypt, but an enduring promise thathas endured for our ancestors and for us: “For in each generation they rise against us to annihilate us, but the Holy One, blessed is He, saves us from them.” Here we are enjoined to consider those who wish to destroy us even today, and to think about how Hashem continues to rescue us.
- Toward the end of Maggid, the Haggadah states, “It was not only our ancestors that the Holy One, blessed is He, redeemed, but us as well….” In the blessing at the end of Maggid, we recite, “Who has redeemed us and redeemed our ancestors….” In the formulation of the Mishnah, which also appears in the Haggadah, we note that “in every generation, one is obligated to view himself as though he himself left Egypt.” All of these passages indicate that we are meant to reflect on how Hashem’s redemption is continuous, that our present situation, whatever it may be, is shaped by and part of Hashem’s redemptive process.
- Toward the beginning of Maggid, we read a Mishnah in which Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah records a dispute between Ben Zoma and the Sages concerning whether there is an obligation to mention the Exodus from Egypt every night (in addition to the obligation to mention it during the day). The Sages reject Ben Zoma’s prooftext by saying that it teaches that the obligation to mention the Exodus will continue even into the messianic era. The Tosefta records the continuation of this debate. Ben Zoma responds to the Sages by invoking verses in Yirmiyahu (16:14-15) that indicate that Hashem’s future redemption will completely overshadow the Exodus from Egypt: “Therefore, behold, the days come – says Hashem – that it shall no longer be said, ‘As Hashem lives, Who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As Hashem lives, Who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north.’” Ben Zoma takes this to mean that in the messianic era, we will no longer mention the Exodus from Egypt. The Sages agree with Ben Zoma that the Exodus from Egypt will be overshadowed, but maintain that it will remain in place, and we will continue to mention it.
While this debate is about the daily obligation and not the broader obligation to retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt on the Seder night, and while we have not arrived at the messianic era, there is something very poignant about these verses from Yirmiyahu, especially if we read the continuation of the second verse (not quoted in the Tosefta): “Who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the countries where He had driven them. I will bring them back to their land, which I gave to their fathers.” I think that both Ben Zoma and the Sages would agree that discussing this process of the “ingathering of the exiles,” which we have witnessed in our times (though the process has not been completed), and which is so closely related to the Exodus from Egypt thousands of years ago, is worthy of discussion at the Seder.
In short, not only is it proper to incorporate current events into the Seder, but it is likely a fulfillment or at the very least an enhancement of the mitzvah to recount the Exodus from Egypt. However, this is true only if we subsume those current events into the broader retelling and view them as part of an ongoing fulfillment of Hashem’s redemption.
– Rabbi Elli Fischer is a translator, writer, and historian. He edits Rav Eliezer Melamed’s Peninei Halakha in English, cofounded HaMapah, a project to quantify and map rabbinic literature, and is a founding editor of Lehrhaus. Follow him @adderabbi on Twitter or listen to his podcast, “Down the Rabbi Hole.”
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What’s a “good” Pesach Seder? Most simply, it’s where we tell the story fully and properly. If so, current events are worse than a distraction, a misuse or abuse of the night, substituting sociology for sacred memory.
Except. Pesachim 116b obligates us to see ourselves as if we left Egypt. We need to bring it alive enough to walk around the rest of the year with the feeling of having experienced those events, with the certainty of G-d’s providence and ability to bring unimaginable miracles that would have been second nature to those who left Egypt.
There’s the loophole. To the extent our experience of now puts us back into Egypt, those discussions fit the night. For a personal example, I often think of Chazal’s claim that four-fifths or more of the Jewish people were killed in the plague of darkness. It means Chazal had a sense of the Exodus not far from how the Jews of 1945 might have experienced 1948, although they suffered their loss in three days, and left Egypt only weeks later, then needed forty years to be ready for national independence.
In that context, the Holocaust helps me bring Chazal’s view of the Exodus alive, gives me a greater sense of how they saw the Jews who left Egypt, how I should see myself as a Jew who left Egypt.
A caution: we can be so invested in our version of now that we impose ourselves onto those events, which might then corrupt our reading of how the Torah and Chazal presented the Egypt story. If we have decided current event x means y, and therefore Hashem must have done z at Yetzi’at Mitrayim, we are saying what we want, not what was. Tread carefully, and let Chazal show us how events now echo events then, letting us better relate to then, and relive it – not tell ourselves what we want to hear, how we insist it should have looked.
Rabbi Gidon Rothstein received his rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University and his Ph.D. in Medieval Jewish History from Harvard. He has served as a synagogue rabbi, a high school rebbe, and an adult educator. He is the author of “We’re Missing the Point: What’s Wrong with the Orthodox Jewish Community and How to Fix it” (2012), and “Murder in the Mikdash” (2005).
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If current events pull us away from the goals of the Seder, they don’t belong. But when used wisely, they can deepen our emotional connection to the Seder’s two core themes. The Abarbanel on the Haggadah explains that the Seder has two distinct parts, reflected in the split recital of Hallel: the first half, after Maggid, expresses gratitude for the redemption from Mitzrayim, while the second half, after the meal, is about yearning for the final geulah. The goal is to move from memory to longing, from history to destiny.
Current events can help us feel both parts more deeply. The torment of the hostages and the cruelty of our enemies give us a visceral metaphor for what it meant to be trapped in Egypt. At the same time, the rise in antisemitism and our collective vulnerability awaken a longing for Hashem’s final redemption. The words of Vehi she’amda – that in every generation they rise to destroy us – no longer feel like distant prophecy, but the lived truth of our time.
This is where the mitzvah of Anochi – emunah in Hashem’s presence and promises – comes in. It underlies both parts of the Seder: belief in what He did, and trust in what He will yet do (Smak 1, 1-3]. By simply pausing and having conscious intention to fulfill this mitzvah – to recognize Hashem in our past and present – we transform the Seder from a ritual into a mindful and eternal act of connection.
That’s the hidden power of the Seder night: not just to retell, but to realign. When we live the night with intention, we’re not just remembering – we’re participating in a journey that leads to the geulah.
– Rabbi Asher Baruch Wegbreit, PhD, is the author of four sefarim, including commentaries on Ashrei and Aleinu, and founder of Kavanah L’Mitzvos Foundation, www.kavanahlmitzvos.com, a global initiative offering tools based on mussar and psychology for deepening our connection to Hashem and others. [email protected].
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Is it proper not to incorporate current events into the Pesach Hagaddah?
It’s at this point a cliche to bemoan the phonebook-sized Haggadahs that the children come home with, but it is worth repeating. The Haggadah is so clearly meant to be a template for personalized discussion, but instead of reading sections like Arba Banim/ The Four Sons and asking ourselves how we are engaging the different people at our Seder (including ourselves), we lose sight of ourselves in the beautiful divrei Torah explaining the section. The Haggadah is so clearly meant to encourage the experiential, whether it is pointing to the items at the table, imagining ourselves leaving Mitzrayim, or reflecting on those who tried to kill us every generation. Seder night must be highly personal and experiential and for that to happen, bringing current events is needed.
At the same time, there are Sedarim in which current events play such a prominent role that one would be forgiven for thinking that the Seder has nothing to do with the Jewish people and certainly not Yetzias Mitzrayim. The Exodus was an utterly unique moment that transformed us as a people, and it is critical that we not lose sight of that experience and all its implications.
The Haggadah has evolved over the years, not by removing pieces and ignoring our past, but by adding new layers and sometimes new pieces to the Seder. We too, must spend time and energy on Yetzias Mitzrayim but we only stand to gain by thinking about and discussing how our current events fall into the patterns of our history.
– Rabbi Yisrael Motzen serves as rabbi of Ner Tamid Greenspring Valley Synagogue in Baltimore, MD. He also serves as the director of ASHIVA-OU and special assistant to the EVPs of the Orthodox Union. He is a graduate of Ner Israel Rabbinical College and holds an M.A. in Clinical Community Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.
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Though Pesach commemorates the Exodus from Mitzrayim, it is also a time to reflect on Jewish history and current events.
The Rambam makes this point in his formulation of the requirement to feel like we ourselves left Mitzrayim. The Rambam adds the word “atah” (with an ayin) to the halachah to teach us that we must feel like we are exiting Mitzrayim “now” – in the present. We are not meant to imagine ourselves leaving 3300-plus years ago, but to see the experiences of the past as occurring in the present.
How do we accomplish this?
The paragraph of V’hi she’amdah provides the answer. It establishes the eternal relevance of Yetziat Mitzrayim, reminding us that our challenges are not isolated incidents but part of a continuous narrative. Pharaoh was not the first to try to exterminate us, nor the last. “In every single generation, we are threatened with annihilation” – yet we endure.
The Haggadah’s next paragraph, Tzei u’lemad, gives such an example. Lavan’s attempt to destroy us predated Pharaoh’s. Though Yaakov and his children were his own family, he still wanted to annihilate them.
The Maharal adds that though the Torah does not explicitly mention Lavan’s intention to destroy the Jewish people, the Haggadah focuses on it (as opposed to Eisav’s clearly stated intention to kill Yaakov) because Lavan’s hatred is a model for future antisemitism. Antisemitism is irrational. We have been hated for every possible reason and for absolutely no reason. We have been hated by every nation in all types of circumstances – even by nations who have never met us.
Indeed, we have experienced genocidal antisemitism in every generation, including our own. Those who thought the Holocaust would be the final attempt to annihilate the Jewish people have been deeply disappointed. Sadly, many Arab nations and now Islamic Jihadists have taken the reins of genocidal Jew-hatred from the Nazis. Over the past eighteen months, we have seen how much of Western society has joined their chants calling for our destruction.
V’hi she’amdah and Tzei u’lemad are the times for us to speak about these chilling events and put them in historical perspective. They should not faze or intimidate us because they are merely part of a recurring generational pattern. We should strengthen ourselves by remembering how Hashem has ensured our survival despite the many recurring attempts to annihilate us. We have complete faith that appreciating this will merit His continuing to do so in the present and future.
Hashem’s continued protection of the Jewish people is a reminder of His special relationship with us. In every generation, Hashem reminds us of His initial redemption of our ancestors from the first nation that tried to exterminate us by saving us from those who follow their lead.
Our appreciation of Hashem’s continued care for us strengthens our faith in the ultimate redemption. This is why we open and close the Haggadah by expressing our belief in our return to Eretz Yisrael and Yerushalayim (respectively) “next year.” We, of course, who have merited to actually return to Israel and Yerushalayim have even more reason to believe in the completion of our redemption.
This year on the Seder night, we add Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iran, and their allies to the long list of those who have attempted to annihilate us and put their attempts in historical perspective. Not only are we sure that Hashem will preserve us, but we also appreciate that He has begun the process of our redemption.
As we emphasize with the Karev Yom poem sung by Jews outside of Israel at the end of the second Seder, we know we are meant to experience a day of darkness right before the time of great light. Our ancestors prayed for the coming of this day, and it has finally arrived. We are indeed at a stage that is “not fully day nor fully night,” and we are completely confident that Hashem will usher in the period of complete light speedily in our days.
– Rav Reuven Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Educational Director of World Mizrachi. His new book, Essentials of Judaism, can be purchased at rabbireuventaragin.com.
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One absolutely must incorporate current events into the Haggadah. Bchol dor vador omdim alenu lechalotenu applies now more than ever! One can understand current events only in light of the Torah and the Torah comes to life in light of current events. Yetziat Mitzrayim is a current event. Hashem’s special attention focused on us is clearer now more than ever before.
– Rabbi Chaim Jachter is a prominent rabbi who serves as the rabbi at Congregation Shaarei Orah, the Sephardic Congregation of Teaneck, and is a popular Torah teacher at the Torah Academy of Bergen County. He also serves as a Dayan on the Beth Din of Elizabeth and has acquired an international reputation of excellence in the area of Get administration. He has authored sixteen books on issues ranging from contemporary Halacha, Tanach, Aggada, and Jewish Thought all available on Amazon.
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The Pesach Seder is the reaffirming of our connection to the founding of the Jewish people and its relationship with Hashem. It has been recited during the expulsion from Spain and the Holocaust. The basic Seder should not be modified. When reciting Ha lachma anya it is appropriate to reflect on those who can’t attend a Seder. After the meal when the Haggadah shifts from Yetzias Mitzrayim to a broader praise of Hashem, present events can be discussed.
– Rabbi Yosef Blau is past president of Religious Zionists of America-Mizrachi and senior mashgiach ruchani of RIETS and Yeshiva University.
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The Seder is intended to fulfill the Torah’s commandment of relating Hashem’s redemption of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. That is the focus we should maintain. There are many other occasions when we can discuss current events. However, it is in keeping with the spirit of the Sedarim to say a prayer for the State of Israel and those in captivity. Just as Hashem redeemed our People from slavery in the past, we pray that He will redeem our People today.
– Rabbi Marc D. Angel is the Director of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals.
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The Torah is not just an ancient text about an ancient people; it carries timeless wisdom meant to guide us in every generation. The Pesach Seder, in particular, is more than a historical commemoration; it is an opportunity to explore its enduring messages and apply them to our lives today. Connecting the Seder to current events through the lens of Torah values – such as faith, resilience, and compassion – can make the experience even more meaningful and relevant.
However, bringing modern issues into the Seder must be done thoughtfully and responsibly. Contemporary events are often complex, and we must be careful not to oversimplify them by applying Torah principles without proper nuance. For example, the Torah teaches us to show kindness to strangers, just as Hashem showed compassion in redeeming Bnei Yisrael from Egypt. Does this mean we should advocate for open borders and unrestricted immigration in the United States? While kindness is a core Torah value, applying it to modern policy requires a more nuanced approach.
Similarly, Yetziat Mitzrayim emphasizes faith in Hashem’s protection. One might argue that if we truly trust in Hashem, there would be no need for an army to defend Israel, and therefore, young men should prioritize Torah study over serving in the IDF. Yet Jewish history and halachic sources offer a more complex perspective on faith and military responsibility, particularly in the context of Israel’s defense.
While Torah values should certainly shape our worldview, applying them to contemporary issues requires depth, context, and wisdom. The Seder can be a meaningful space for these discussions, but they should inspire thoughtful reflection rather than simplistic conclusions.
– Rabbi Jonathan Muskat is the rabbi of the Young Israel of Oceanside, a rebbe at Shulamith High School, and a pastoral health care liaison at Mount Sinai South Nassau.
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It would appear to me that not only is it proper to incorporate current events into the Pesach Seder, but that it is improper to not do so.
Consider this basic obligation at the Seder (Pesachim 10:5):
“In each and every generation a person must view himself as though he personally left Egypt, as it is stated: ‘And you shall tell your son on that day, saying: It is because of this which the Lord did for me when I came forth out of Egypt’ (Exodus 13:8).”
How do we fulfill this obligation? If we imagine ourselves serving as slaves and then being liberated, can we do so without considering what that would mean for our emotional well-being, relationships, and thoughts? Our sense of self – the very self that we imagine as a slave – contains every important thing that has ever left a mark on us, the people that we love and love us, and our relationship with spirituality and G-d. Obviously, even in order to properly meditate on the past, I must consider my own present sense of self.
Of course, the goal is not merely to have a sense of history. Judaism does not believe in history for the sake of history. Rather, the purpose of imagining ourselves as slaves and then as being freed is to enable us to more properly appreciate G-d’s role in our lives and what this means for us morally. And when we do consider what this means for us right now, would it be possible to do so without considering current events?
The Rambam said it best in his reformulation of the Mishnah above: “In each and every generation a man must show himself as though he is leaving Egypt at this moment” (Hilchos Chametz U’matzah 7:6). The past comes to the present and the present goes to the past.
Surely, then, the discussions at the Seder must be contemporary, because we cannot appreciate even a single paragraph until we put ourselves in the mindset it evokes and then apply it back to the present. Each theme or idea considered must come back to the current moment.
In our moment, which Jewish heart will not think of the hostages – both those held and those freed – when they consider slavery and freedom? Who will not think on Jew hatred, anti-Zionism and the ideas that Pharoah peddled about our ancestors more than 3000 years ago? Who will not deepen their trust in G-d when we consider His care for us then and now?
So when we read the Haggadah together, we will be in Egypt, and our old slavery will invade the present. This is not to advocate for a change in the liturgy or to meditate on pop culture or anything that is technically “current.” But anything that is important and key to our lives is also key to a proper Seder.
– Rabbi Yitzchak Sprung is the Rabbi of United Orthodox Synagogues in Houston, Texas (UOS). Visit our facebook page or UOSH.org to learn about our amazing community. Find Rabbi Sprung’s podcast, the Parsha Pick-Me-Up, wherever podcasts are found.
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At the Seder we are called upon not only to retell the story of the Exodus as it happened so many years ago, but to also understand the relevance of freedom and slavery today. As we say in the Haggadah, “In every generation a person is obligated to view him/herself as leaving Egypt.” If slavery is only physical subjugation, then it can be difficult to relate to the concept today. There are still places in the world where slavery is unfortunately still practiced, but most of us do not encounter such slavery in our lived experience.
However each of us has experienced being stuck. There are moments in our lives when we know change is needed but we feel incapable of doing the work that change requires. On Pesach we are supposed to acknowledge those feelings and associate them with the experience of slavery. Some of us are slaves to our phones. Some of us are slaves to peer pressure. Some of us are slaves to popular culture. On Pesach we remind ourselves that even today we need to break the bonds of our contemporary slavery and remain servants to only one master – Hashem.
Current events can help us make relevant these ideas and provide us with important ideas to consider; not only in terms of the importance of Yetziat Mitzrayim all those years ago, but also how we understand the world around us today and how we resolve to utilize the freedom that we gained on Pesach.
– Rabbi Yosef Weinstock is Senior Rabbi at Young Israel of Hollywood – Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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This reminds me of the encounter between the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Elie Wiesel during one of their exceptionally long private meetings. Elie Wiesel asked the Rebbe to institute the practice of placing an empty chair at each Seder as a way to remember the Holocaust, which at that time was still a relatively “current event.” The Rebbe responded that, instead of leaving one chair empty, we should each add an extra chair filled with a new guest – that is how we will truly remember our brethren.
Based on this story, and considering that the Seder was instituted by the Chachamim with siyata dishmaya, it is clear that we cannot change even a single word of the Haggadah, nor should we alter the structure of the Seder. However, there are ways to enhance the existing parts of the Seder by adding extra kavana and strength, especially in light of the current events in Israel.
Additionally, in order to engage children, it is appropriate to use toys and relevant items to keep them involved and awake, ensuring that they fully experience the meaning of the Seder.
Rabbi Eliyahu Raskin is a devoted community leader, educator, and advocate for Jewish life in Brooklyn Heights. He serves as the rabbi of Chabad of City Tech College and runs Chabad of Brooklyn Law School. Rabbi Raskin also offers weekly Torah classes at Long Island University, and is the founder and director of the Jewish Conversion Academy
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I not only believe it’s appropriate to include current events in the Pesach Seder, I feel that it’s obligatory.
By way of explanation, I would ask the following question.
Why is the Seder structured as it is? Why is the meal placed in the middle of the Haggadah’s narrative? Wouldn’t it make more sense to place the meal before or after the Seder’s ritual flow? Why interrupt the proceedings in the middle?
Compounding the question is the fact that we not only split the Seder into two but we also disrupt the recitation of Hallel. Part of Hallel is recited before the meal and part after the meal. Why is the meal placed in the midst of Hallel’s recitation?
Upon examination, the answers become clear. A striking pattern emerges when we consider the Seder evening as a whole. The text recited before the meal refers to the past. The text recited after the meal refers to the future.
And the meal? Obviously, the meal is the present.
During the Seder meal we sit between past and future, surrounded by Jewish history. No other point of the year challenges us more clearly: to assess our own time; to explore the world in which we live, to discuss the challenges that we face; to try to recognize the specific role that our generation is meant to play in the ongoing flow of Jewish history.
The past and future achieve significance only if they inform the present. Our Seder will only be complete if the present “is present at the table.”
– Rabbi Shmuel Goldin is rabbi emeritus of Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood, N.J., and past president of the Rabbinical Council of America.
