Machshava:

Pesach 

References: Berachot: 60a  

Description

Whom are we inviting at the beginning of the seder? Presumably everybody either has a place already, and we'd be very surprised if somebody showed up uninvited. Getting away from the details. "Sechvi" - the human heart, which is the seat of binah, understanding. If understanding is so important, then why do we thank Hashem in the Shmoneh Esreh for "da'as" (knowledge)? The hall-way preparing us for olam habah (the next world). The need to taste bitterness in this world. This world is the night and olam habah is the day. Which do we want first, night or day? The seductiveness of this world says: yom, yom (day, day); there's only day, only fun. Chad gadyah contains the deepest secrets of creation. Bread of affliction and poverty - our generation, compared to our parents' and grandparents', is blessed with tremendous physical wealth. But we have lost our ancestors' simchas hachayim (joy of life) and anticipation for yamim tovim (holidays). Our need for instant gratification, creature comfort and having others do our work. If the Jews in Mitzrayim had truly believed that there is nothing beyond this world, how could they possibly have believed that this world is all there is.