Passover

 B’chol dor vador chayav adam lir’ot et atzmo k’ilu hu hatza mimitzrayim. 

In every generation, each person must consider himself as if he had come forth from Egypt.

V’higadta l’vinkha bayom haha laymir ba-a-but zen asa Adonai lee b’tzeitee mimitzrayim

And you shall explain to your son on that day, ‘It is because of what G-d did for me when I went free from Egypt.'

And so we gather together tonight, to recite the ancient story of Israel’s redemption from bondage in Egypt.  

In the Torah, Egypt is called “Mitzrayim”, the “narrow place”. 

The words have both a geographical and a philosophical meaning.  G-d did not hand down the Law until after he freed us from the bonds of Egypt.  G-d did not lead us into the Promised Land until we threw off the mental shackles of slavery.

And tonight we shall enjoy that freedom, we shall drink good wine, feast on traditional foods, and spend time with the people we cherish.