“We were slaves to Pharoah in Egypt, and G-d took us out from there with a strong hand…” – Passover Hagadah

Anyone who has attended a Passover Seder is familiar with the “Mah Nishtana” – The Four Questions which are asked [usually by children] at the Seder. The Mah Nishtana includes specific questions about Matzah, Marror [bitter herbs], dipping [vegetables in salt water] and reclining [while eating]. Much later, in the middle of the Hagadah, many of these are explained. However, the immediate answer of “Avodim Hayinu,” that we were slaves to Pharoah in Egypt, and G-d took us out of there with a strong hand, does not appear to address the Four Questions at all.

Rabbi Yosef Salant explained that the “Four Questions” are really one question. The four individual questions of the Mah Nishtana are merely specific aspects of the general question: why are we doing things differently than the way in which they are usually done?

[The Talmud in Pesachim 115b supports this concept, with a story about a Passover Seder shared by two sages of the Talmud – Rabbah, and his student Abiyeh. Abiyeh asked Rabbah why he deviated from his usual way of setting the table. Rabbah then responded by telling Abbayay that he was now exempt from asking the Four Questions! In other words, by asking a question about why things are different, Abiyeh fulfilled his obligation to ask the Four Questions. (Nonetheless, in such a situation, it is still proper for the Four Questions to be asked.)]

Rabbi Yosef Salant explained further: now that we understand the question asked by the “Mah Nishtana,” we can try to understand how the answer of Avodim Hayinu answers that question. The answer begins, “We were slaves to Pharoah in Mitzrayim, in Egypt, and G-d took us out of there with a strong hand…” What do we mean when we talk about “a strong hand” when referring to G-d? G-d Created the entire universe, so how do we understand “with a strong hand” when used by One who can do anything?

Rabbi Salant answers that when we refer to G-d acting “with a strong hand”, we are referring to G-d making changes to nature itself. In other words, “with a strong hand” refers to G-d deviating from the order of His Creation, that which we call nature. When G-d created the world, He gave everything a set way of functioning. When G-d took the Jewish people out of Egypt, He changed nature from the way that He originally created it, in order to save the Jews and to impress upon their hearts that He had power over nature. That concept of G-d changing nature is called “with a strong hand”.

So this is the answer given by “we were slaves to Pharoah in Egypt, and G-d took us out of there with a strong hand.” Because G-d changed the order of nature for our sake, and took us out of Egypt [“with a strong hand”], therefore we make these changes – to publicize the miracles, and to thank and praise G-d for changing the nature of the world in order to take us out of Egypt. This is the answer to the Four Questions, and the ultimate reason behind the other changes which we make at our Passover Seder. The changes that we make correspond to the changes to nature, through which G-d took us out of Egypt.

Jewish sources tell us that the holidays aren’t merely commemorative events. On the contrary, G-d infused these days with specific attributes, which we can all use to our advantage.

We all find ourselves with bad habits, bad elements of ourselves and our personalities, which we feel unable to change. We feel imprisoned by them. The founder of the ethics-focused “Mussar” movement, Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, is reputed to have said that it is easier to learn through the entire Talmud than to change a single personality trait.

Yet we learn from Rabbi Yosef Salant that G-d infused the holiday of Passover with the power to change nature. We can take advantage of that power, to change our own nature. The Hebrew word for Egypt, Mitzrayim, is closely related to that for boundaries or limits, meitzarim. G-d came to the Jews on the holiday of Passover, and he broke the boundaries. This is the power to change nature with which G-d has infused these days: the power to break free of boundaries and limitations, including those which we now feel imprison us.

Let us take advantage of this opportunity! Let us look within ourselves, and find the bad habits and traits which we feel are holding us back, preventing us from being “all that we can be.” And let us use this time to try to break through our limitations.