Most of us are familiar with the requirement presented by the Mishnah in Pesachim, recorded as well in the Haggadah, that each Jew is to view himself (or herself) as though he (or she) was personally redeemed from Mitzrayim. It is for this reason that we engage in various activities at the Seder to demonstrate our freedom. For example, we set the table with our finest utensils, we wear fine clothes, we recline, we drink wine which someone else poured for us and do other things designed to remind us that we are free people.

At the same time, however, we engage in other activities which remind us of our enslavement in Mitzrayim. For example, we have salt water at the table to remind us of tears, we break a matzah in half as would a poor person who needs to save food for a later time, we eat Matzah which is know as Lechem Oni, poor man's bread, we eat maror to remind us of our bitter experience, along with charoses which recalls the mortar from which we made bricks as well as the blood which was spilled in Mitzrayim. The question thus is, what is the true theme of the evening? Are we celebrating our freedom or recalling our suffering?

According to the Abarbanel, that is exactly the question raises in the Mah Nistanah section of the Haggadah. This night is different precisely because, unlike on other days on the Jewish calendar, the theme is unclear. Why do we eat matzah and maror, symbols of suffering and yet dip our vegetables and recline, symbols of wealth and celebration?

The answer is that Pesach, and particularly the seder night, is a time to celebrate freedom and redemption. We truly are kings and queens on the special night. But life in reality is never perfect, even for kings and queens. We all go through bad experiences and suffer through hard times.

And so, even as we celebrate, we recall those hard times, all the more to enjoy what we now have. Pesach is thus a time for us all to look at the positives in our lives, to focus on the good things, and to recognize that even the hardships that we suffer, some times seemingly without a break, are part of HaShem's plan for our ultimate good and success. Let us celebrate this Pesach by thanking HaShem for His kindnesses, even as we recall the difficulties as well and thus have a truly joyous Pesach, a Chag Kasher V'Sameach.