בס "ד

Pesach always falls in the spring, a season of renewal. Nature, which once seemed barren and still, slowly comes back to life. The first warm rays of the sun touch our hearts and remind us that after every winter comes a time of growth and freedom. This is the perfect time to remember the Exodus from Egypt, a liberation from a bitter, cold, and harsh world.

The Sages teach that slavery in Egypt was necessary to shape the Jewish people into a nation capable of receiving the Torah.1 Thus, events that may initially seem “bad” can ultimately contain a hidden good. From this we learn that it is important to bless and thank G-d for both the difficult and the good in our lives.

The Second Cup: Freedom for the World

During the Seder, the Jewish people drink four cups of wine, each with a specific symbolic meaning. The second cup is particularly significant: it commemorates not only the liberation of the Jews from Egypt but also the broader significance of this event for the world. According to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, the Exodus influenced the ideals of freedom for all humanity, teaching that slavery will ultimately be abolished worldwide.2

Hirsch writes:

“The second cup is drunk in honor of Him who delivered us from bondage, who freed us from the fear of men and the forces of nature, and who has preserved our souls from the mentality of slavery… He sent us forth to proclaim the dignity of man and his everlasting freedom, and to recognize the Godliness in every human being.”3

This liberation also means that we cannot dominate another person. Every human being is created in the image of G-d, with free will — something a slave does not possess. As it is written in Genesis 1:27:

“And G-d created man in His image; in the image of G-d He created him; male and female He created them.”

Free will is an essential part of human existence. Rambam explains that G-d gave humans the ability to choose between good and evil, making each person morally responsible for their actions.4 Samson Raphael Hirsch emphasizes that humans, as G-d’s image, are not only physical but also spiritually and morally free — freedom is thus a fundamental aspect of human dignity.5

Freedom, therefore, is a core value we must respect and uphold.

Freedom for the World: The Noahide Laws

True freedom can only exist when humans make choices within the framework of G-d’s will. Acting outside this framework results in the loss of true freedom — for oneself or for others. That is why, after the liberation from Egypt, the Jewish people began counting the days until they would receive the Torah.

Non-Jews (Noahides) can also learn from this, as at that time the Seven Universal Noahide Laws were reaffirmed: prohibitions against idolatry, blasphemy, murder, incest, theft, cruelty to animals, and the duty to establish courts of justice.

By following these laws, a non-Jew acknowledges G-d’s creation and lives as a righteous person, with the promise of life in the world to come and respect in this world. As Rambam teaches in Lois des rois 8:11:

“Anyone who accepts upon himself the fulfillment of these seven mitzvot and is precise in their observance is considered one of ‘the pious among the nations’ and will merit a share in the World to Come. This applies only when he fulfills them because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah and informed us through Moses.”

From this, we learn that freedom only has real meaning when choices are made in accordance with G-d’s will.

Pesach as a Life Lesson

Pesach teaches us that life, like spring, is a cycle of challenges and renewal. Good and bad events may seem random, but ultimately, they all contribute to a greater plan. The holiday helps us view life’s difficulties from a different perspective and reminds us that true freedom means being free from constraints so that we can maybe devote ourselves to fulfilling G‑d’s will.

Economic and material prosperity are valuable, but they only become truly meaningful when they help us achieve wisdom, spiritual growth, and service to G-d and benefit to humanity. As the Sages say:

“Without Torah, there is no bread, and without bread, there is no Torah.”6

Pesach invites us to integrate our material and spiritual lives, to cultivate the world, and to make choices that benefit not only ourselves but also others.

Par Angelique Sijbolts
Nous remercions le rabbin Moshe Bernstein pour ses commentaires.

Inspired by Rabbi Yoel Schwarts z”l –  The Festivals of Israel and Their Significance for the Nations of the World, the Noahide Observers p. 35

Sources d'information

  1. Gems from the Nesivos Sholom, the Seidenfeld Edition p. 48 ↩︎
  2. It is important to note that the four cups of wine are part of the Seder ritual specifically for the Jewish people to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt. This practice is not obligatory for Bnei Noah ↩︎
  3. Samson Raphael Hirsch, The Four Cups of Redemption, The Hirsch Haggadah, Feldheim, selections from pp. 258-272 ↩︎
  4. Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuva 5:1 ↩︎
  5. The Pentateuch, Commentary on Genesis 1:27. ↩︎
  6. Pirkei Avot 3:17 ↩︎


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