08 Apr PESACH: MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!

As part of the
introductory section
of Maggid – the main
part of the seder, during
which we talk
about Yetziat Mitzrayim –
the Haggadah teaches us, Vchol Hamarbeh
Lesaper B’yetziat Mitzrayim Harei Zeh
Meshubach. This means that anyone who
prolongs his discussion of Yetziat Mitzrayim is
“praiseworthy.”
The commentators take note of the fact that
the Haggadah does not say that this practice
is meshubach, but rather that the person
himself is meshubach.
When a person delves into the story of Yetziat
Mitzrayim, when he speaks at length about
the miracles Hashem performed for our
ancestors, he becomes meshubach – he is
uplifted and elevated; his life becomes
enhanced.
Why?
Because in order to properly handle life, we
need to believe in miracles.
In today’s world, there is so much anxiety, so
much fear, so much negativity, and so much
stress. People are worried about their
livelihood, how they are going to pay their

bills. People are worried about their children’s
emotional, social, and educational
development. People are worried about health
issues. People are worried about when and
whether their children will get married. People
hear current events and are worried about the
world.
There is so much worry, because all we talk
about is the problems. We so rarely, if at all,
talk about the miracles.
We have all experienced miracles
firsthand. We have all had times when we
were worried how something would work out,
and somehow, it did. Whether it was a job, a
business, an investment, a problem with a
child, a child who needed a shidduch, a
medical issue – we have all experienced
miracles. Every single one of us, without any
exception.
Yet, we still worry. We worry because we
spend more time thinking and talking about
the problems we face than we do about the
problems which have been miraculously
solved.
The experience of the seder is meant to
remind us that miracles do happen. The more
we talk about Yetziat Mitzrayim, of
how Beneh Yisrael were in a hopeless,

miserable situation and then suddenly
emerged as a proud, free, wealthy
nation – the more meshubach we are,
the happier and less anxious we will
be, because we will live with the
knowledge that miracles happen.
We spend a considerable amount of
time in shul each morning reciting
the daily Shaharit prayer. The prayer
text we recite hardly makes any mention of
problems. The berachot and Pesukeh
De’zimra sections speak only about Hashem’s
greatness and kindness, all the things He does
for us and for the world. And even in
the Amidah prayer, in which we ask for the
things we need, we do not speak at length
about our problems. Rather, we ask Hashem
to help us because we know that He helps. We
say things like, “You grant wisdom, so please
grant us wisdom; You heal, so please heal the
sick; You’re a redeemer, so please redeem
us.” Our prayers are hopeful and optimistic,
expressing confidence, not fear and anxiety.
This is the mindset with which we should live
our lives, and this is the mindset that the
Pesach seder is meant to inspire.
The Torah emphasizes that our ancestors left
Egypt in the springtime, when the weather
conditions are perfect, neither too cold nor too

warm. During the long, dark, cold winter
months, it is hard to recognize that spring will
arrive, that the sun will again shine and it will
be warm and pleasant. Yetziat
Mitzrayim occurred during the springtime
because this is the lesson it teaches us – that
spring does come, that the winter does not last
forever, that our difficult problems somehow
get solved.
No matter what we’re going through,
whatever problem it is that we face, let us
remember that “spring” will arrive, that
redemption will come, that miracles do
happen. The more we talk about the miracles
that our ancestors experienced, and the
miracles we ourselves have experienced,
instead of talking about the problems, the
more meshubach we will be, and we will live
with greater joy and optimism, each and every
day.