Rabban Gamliel's Three Lessons of Pesaḥ

Rabban Gamliel used to say: whoever does not mention these three things on Passover has not fulfilled his obligation, and these are the three: Pesaḥ (the Paschal offering), matza and maror (bitter herbs).         Haggada

My father noted that the three symbols of Passover are not merely reminders of historical events which occurred thousands of years ago, but convey guidelines and lessons for us to follow in our contemporary lives.

Pesaḥ, the paschal lamb, is a reminder of the Almighty’s personal redemption of our People. It is He Himself who brought us out of Egypt to give us our freedom. The paschal lamb is also a reminder of Jewish identification. In Egypt, our fathers were instructed to take the lamb and sprinkle its blood on the doorposts and lintels of their homes, in order to identify themselves as Israelites. Only after identifying themselves as Israelites were our ancestors redeemed. This lesson carries tremendous contemporary meaning: if we gain freedom but lose our Jewish identity, in truth there is no gain, but everything is lost.

Matza reminds us that freedom requires preparation, as the Haggada explains: 

Why do we eat this matza? Because the dough of our fathers did not suffice to rise until the King of Kings, the Holy One blessed be He, appeared to them and redeemed them.

When the hour of redemption came, the Israelites were not prepared, as the verse quoted in the Haggada states: “they were driven out of Egypt and could not delay, and they had not prepared any provisions.” [Exodus 12:39] Instead of eagerly awaiting the moment of redemption, the Israelites had to be driven out of Egypt, and because they were not ready for freedom, they had to wander for forty years and die in the desert without being privileged to enter the Promised Land.

Maror is a reminder not only of the enslavement affliction and torture of our nation in Egypt, but a call as well to be concerned with the suffering of our people in the present. We cannot enjoy our personal freedom knowing that some of our brothers are not free.