The Celebration of Seder Night

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been reflecting on the unique way we celebrate Pesach. On Purim, we celebrate our deliverance from those who sought to annihilate us. On Chanukah, we celebrate our religious freedom, allowing us to serve God without Greek interference. Both of these holidays commemorate victories achieved through military means. Yet, we do not celebrate the war itself. Instead, we celebrate our survival and our ability to practice our faith freely.

However, on Leil HaSeder, our celebration seems to emphasize the death of our enemies. Throughout the Seder, we highlight how לא על ידי מלאך ולא על ידי שליח, אלא הקב”ה בכבודו ובעצמו—God Himself—came down and killed all the firstborn children in Egypt. As we discussed during our Shabbat Hagadol Shiur, the Ramban notes that the Hallel of Leil HaSeder is unique. It is a Hallel of Neis, recited even by women and at night, celebrating the miracle that occurred at midnight when God struck down the Egyptian firstborn.

At this point, we are not yet celebrating our redemption. After all, we did not leave Egypt until the following morning. Moreover, Pharaoh had repeatedly changed his mind about letting us go. Even as Pharaoh searched for Moshe at midnight to tell him to take the Jewish people and leave, there was no guarantee he would keep his word. True freedom was only realized during the second days of Pesach when the Jews saw their enemies defeated at the Red Sea, and they believed in God and His servant Moshe.

Therefore, the celebration of Leil HaSeder is not merely about redemption or the death of our enemies. It is about fulfilling one of the first commandments given to the Jewish people: to stay within their homes with their families and partake in the קרבן פסח together.

This message is echoed in the הפטרה of Shabbat Hagadol. Instead of recounting the many Pesach celebrations in Tanach, such as those by Joshua or Ezra, the הפטרה describes a dark period in Jewish history. The Jews, grappling with exile, gathered together and questioned how they would ever escape their galut. Yet, it concludes with a message of hope, הנה אנכי שולח לכם את אליהו הנביא—our redemption will come. It is through their unity, their coming together, that God responds with הנה אנכי.

In essence, Leil HaSeder celebrates our response to evil. At the darkest hour, there is nothing we can do but come together. We invite everyone—friends, the poor, and the lonely—to join us. This is beautifully expressed at the beginning of the Haggadah with הא לחמא עניא, an invitation for anyone in need to join our meal. This invitation, unique to the בני גלות, reflects our capacity to respond to adversity with kindness and inclusiveness. If we were in the Promised Land, only those who contributed to the קרבן פסח would partake in the meal. But in exile, we extend our invitation to all, symbolizing hope and unity.

That is why הא לחמא עניא ends with a call for redemption in the coming year. In our darkest moments, we cannot always change our circumstances, but we can control our response. On Leil HaSeder, we choose to respond by coming together and inviting all to share in our celebration.