Leadership in the Hillel Model

One of the rituals of the Passover seder is to eat the unique "Hillel" sandwich comprised of two pieces of matza with maror (bitter herbs) inside.Why did Hillel insist that the Passover lamb, matza and maror be eaten all in one bite, whereas the rest of the Sages felt it sufficient for the three foods to be eaten at the same meal?

Jewish mysticism teaches that the Passover lamb, the matza, and the maror, symbolize three Jewish profiles: the inspired Jew, the "regular" Jew and the bitter Jew. The delicious taste and aroma of the lamb symbolize the passionate person, whose heart burns with a G-dly fire. The bland taste of matza represents the average Jew who is neither turned off nor very turned on. The maror is the person who is bitter toward tradition and religion, perhaps toward life in general.

On a more subtle level, the three foods represent the wholesome person, the struggling individual and the one who is weak:
The Passover lamb was sacrificed in the Holy Temple. This symbolizes the tzadik, whose entire life is saturated with holiness, spiritual delight and inspiration.

The matza represents the intermediate Jew, who lives a moral life, yet confronts many bland moments. He struggle at times with apathy.

The maror reflects the weak human being who fails to live up to his true human and spiritual identity. During life's pressures, and in the presence of powerful challenges, he falls prey to immorality and addiction. A bitter taste pervades this person's days and nights.

Each of these three profiles is included in the Passover experience. Each one must aspire to liberation; on Passover each one is given the opportu-nity to free himself and his environment from the shackles that keep him from reaching his potential and bringing the world closer to redemption.

According to the Sages, each of the three types of people has his place on the seder table. Yet, the three categories remain distinct. They are worlds apart; each viewing reality and interpreting the meaning of life in very different ways.

Yet Hillel insisted that if the lamb, matza and maror weren't sandwiched together, the seder was invalid. If these three types of people did not learn to experience Passover as a holistic entity, none of them could internalize the freedom of Passover. To truly experience liberation we must unite lamb, matza and maror into a single wrap.

But how can the impossible occur? How can the lamb-Jew truly unite with the maror-Jew without compromising his ideals? How can the inspired and the bitter Jew get along? How can people from such diverse backgrounds and ideologies come together?

One of Hillel's most famous sayings is: "Be among the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and drawing them close to Torah." This line captures Hillel's philosophy. If you wish to draw people close to Torah, you must first love them, relate to them and identify with their individual journey.

Hillel also taught: "What you dislike, do not do to your fellow." His life was a commentary on this instruction. It was therefore Hillel who wrapped up the Passover lamb, matza and maror and ate them together. Hillel believed that the three profiles symbolized by these three foods can and must be brought together. Hillel once said, "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I care only for myself, what am I?" The lamb-Jew must always remember that his or her freedom can only be achieved if he or she can join with the matza-Jew and the maror-Jew to embark on the path toward liberation.

Four days before Passover, the 11th of Nissan, marks the birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, a modern-day Hillel. The Rebbe has taught hundreds of thousands how to make the Hillel wrap, how to bring together Jews from very distinct backgrounds and walks of life. He has taught how to truly respect and embrace people who are very different. Most importantly, the Rebbe never stopped teaching that the lamb-Jew can never enjoy full liberation as long as his matza counterpart was left behind and showed how even the most maror-Jew is innately connected to G-d and to Torah. May each of us merit to continue the work of the Rebbe and never cease to "wrap" Jews together, the world over.