Combining Matzah and Marror -- Freedom and Slavery

by HaRav Dov Begon
Rosh HaYeshiva, Machon Meir

“Thus did Hillel when the Temple stood: He would combine matzah and marror [bitter herbs] and eat them together to fulfill what it says, ‘They shall eat it with matzah and marror’ (Numbers 9:11).” (Haggadah)

As is known, matzah recalls freedom while marror recalls slavery. Seemingly, the two are opposites. Even so, Hillel, whose identifying trait was that he “loved peace and would pursue peace, he loved his fellow men and would bring them close to the Torah” (Avot), would combine matzah and marror and eat them. Why?

Rav Kook (Olat Re’iyah 289) explains that we have to view slavery and freedom not as two distinct forces that do not influence each other, but as two forces which are linked together and which complete each other.

Matzah, symbolizing freedom, alludes to Israel’s instinctive love of G-d, His Torah, His mitzvot and His creations. By contrast, marror, symbolizing slavery, teaches us that we have to bring that love from a potential to a reality through our being slaves to the will of G- d. This is exalted enslavement, enslavement to the King of Glory, which is total freedom. Thus, the perfect form of freedom emerges when it is linked to slavery.

Today, we must learn from Hillel the Elder as we approach reclining on this seder night that will be very different from previous years. Still, we must celebrate the holiday of freedom, and we must tell our children, and ourselves, the remarkable story of our people when they were first born in the darkness of Egypt. We must tell of the miracles and wonders which G-d performed by dint of His love for His firstborn son Israel and which he will again perform for us in the final redemption. We must tell of Israel’s good soul, which serves to bring light to the entire world despite the forces of darkness which have rise up against us in every generation and are trying to do so now, with the intent of snuffing out the light of the world -- it will never be! We must remember that freedom truly demands enslavement, and we must combine the two together, as in the words of Rav Yehuda HaLevi (Kuzari 5:205):

“I seek only freedom from enslavement to man. I seek enslavement to One -- to G-d, because enslavement to Him is freedom, and surrender to Him is the true glory.”

With blessings for a joyous festival of freedom,
Looking forward to complete salvation,
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameyach.