Eternal Bond

Pesach is the festival that celebrates our freedom. But over the centuries, the Jewish people have not always been free to do what they like. During the holocaust the Jewish people were confined to say the least! How could they celebrate Pesach?

We say in the beginning of the Hagaddah (avadim hayinu) that had Hashem not taken our ancestors out of Egypt, we and our children would still be enslaved to Pharoah in Egypt. Really? Throughout the world there are basically no slaves anymore – they have been emancipated!

First of all, we don’t know how Hashem runs the world. Maybe slaves would not have been freed. But there is a more fundamental explanation – the exodus from Egypt was not just a redemption from physical bondage, but rather, and more importantly, that the Jewish people became G-d’s people. The Jewish people became a different nation, not like all the gentiles. The Jewish people were no longer enslaved to the way of life and outlooks of the gentiles. A bond with Hashem was created that would last forever. Therefore even in times of tremendous hardships and suffering, such as during the holocaust, the Jewish people could still celebrate this eternal bond with Hashem.