What's so special about matzah? Clearly, among all the many symbols of Passover, matzah stands "tall" as the preeminent representative of the chag. To wit: the holiday is called Chag HaMatzot; matzah is the only food eaten during the year that (today) fulfills a Biblical mitzvah; why, we even abstain from eating matzah on erev Pesach in order to heighten our appreciation of this "poor bread". Why is it so central to Pesach, I ask you?
Before we answer, another question. Why did HaShem see fit to take us out of Egypt? Did we deserve it? The fact is, we were hardly better than the Egyptians!
This is exactly how Uzza, the angel of Egypt, protested in Heaven as the Red Sea was being split and the Egyptians were drowning: "Both the Egyptians and the Jews are idol-worshippers; why do You discriminate - saving one nation and drowning the other?" (Midrash)
The answer lies in one word: potential. If we Jews have one quality that stands out, it is our potential. We have the potential, the spiritual DNA, to rise to the Heavens, to become G-d-like, to change the entire world into a holy place.
When Moshe asks HaShem for a sign to convince B'nei Yisrael that G-d is for real and that they should follow Him, HaShem tells Moshe, quite oddly, that the sign is, "B'nei Yisrael will serve Me on this mountain." How does that which comes later convince us to do something now?
But what HaShem was saying is: "You can make it to the mountain!" He convinced us to try by assuring us that we have what it takes to climb that tall mountain and do the impossible. And that's what our souls wanted to hear, what struck a chord within us.
The Haggadah says "K'neged ('in opposition to') arba banim..." Pesach is about searching for our flaws in every nook and cranny - even the chacham is not perfect! - and correcting them; it is about realizing our G-d-given ability to excel.
That is also the whole idea of matzah. It is bread, but in its "potential" state. It has all the ingredients, but it just isn't quite there yet. And that is why matzah is both a symbol of slavery and freedom. When we think of ourselves as lowly, as incapable, then matzah is slavery. But when we absolutely believe we can, with HaShem's help, rise to our fullest potential, matzah becomes a flag of freedom.
Before we answer, another question. Why did HaShem see fit to take us out of Egypt? Did we deserve it? The fact is, we were hardly better than the Egyptians!
This is exactly how Uzza, the angel of Egypt, protested in Heaven as the Red Sea was being split and the Egyptians were drowning: "Both the Egyptians and the Jews are idol-worshippers; why do You discriminate - saving one nation and drowning the other?" (Midrash)
The answer lies in one word: potential. If we Jews have one quality that stands out, it is our potential. We have the potential, the spiritual DNA, to rise to the Heavens, to become G-d-like, to change the entire world into a holy place.
When Moshe asks HaShem for a sign to convince B'nei Yisrael that G-d is for real and that they should follow Him, HaShem tells Moshe, quite oddly, that the sign is, "B'nei Yisrael will serve Me on this mountain." How does that which comes later convince us to do something now?
But what HaShem was saying is: "You can make it to the mountain!" He convinced us to try by assuring us that we have what it takes to climb that tall mountain and do the impossible. And that's what our souls wanted to hear, what struck a chord within us.
The Haggadah says "K'neged ('in opposition to') arba banim..." Pesach is about searching for our flaws in every nook and cranny - even the chacham is not perfect! - and correcting them; it is about realizing our G-d-given ability to excel.
That is also the whole idea of matzah. It is bread, but in its "potential" state. It has all the ingredients, but it just isn't quite there yet. And that is why matzah is both a symbol of slavery and freedom. When we think of ourselves as lowly, as incapable, then matzah is slavery. But when we absolutely believe we can, with HaShem's help, rise to our fullest potential, matzah becomes a flag of freedom.