There’s much more to our emunah than knowing the geulah will come one day
Prepared for print by Rabbi Eran Feintuch
“Now we are here, next year in Eretz Yisrael. Now we are slaves, next year free people.” The Pesach Seder isn’t just about the past. It’s the story of geulah, a story that continues to unfold before our eyes. The geulah of Klal Yisrael is a process. It began with Yetzias Mitzrayim. And soon, it will conclude with the final, complete geulah.
The past guarantees the future. The wondrous miracles of Yetzias Mitzrayim prove beyond all doubt that Hashem will bring the process of geulah to its fruition. If Hashem saw fit to enter the world scene, wage war with the Mitzrim, and perform open miracles to begin Klal Yisrael’s redemption, He will certainly complete it.
Yetzias Mitzrayim teaches Klal Yisrael that Hashem cares deeply about us, and will rescue us from any force that hinders us from serving Him. Strengthening this emunah is the goal of our Seder. The story of Yetzias Mitzrayim isn’t mere history; it’s the foundation of our emunah. We tell it not just to remember the past, but to know the great future in store, and to know how to live in anticipation of that future.
Many people spend a long time at the Seder describing the Ten Makkos in great detail, and even acting them out for the kids. That’s a good way to bring the story to life for them. But that shouldn’t be the main focus of the Seder. That’s why the Haggadah doesn’t delve into details about the Makkos. We should do our best to make the story real to them, but the objective in doing that is to instill in them the emunah that Hashem cares deeply about us, and will soon bring our geulah to its completion. By the end of the Seder, our children — and we — should feel that any moment Hashem will pluck us out of galus and bring us to Yerushalayim in its restored glory.
Create a free account to keep reading.
