The Foundation Stone Haggadah: Marror 3

We previously mentioned that according to the Rambam the increased pain and suffering accelerated the redemption.

This is important for us to understand in order to explain why we have a symbol of our suffering after the Matzah, the symbol of redemption.

There is another side to the coin of the issue raised by the Rambam; There is also the idea that the purification process begun in Mitzrayim was not completed. The suffering of the Jews over the ages is to finish the process begun in Egypt.

Both sides of the issue raise an important idea; suffering as purification. We no longer practice self-flagellation as part of Teshuvah because we are not on a level at which it will accomplish anything. (See Teshuvot Nodeh B’Yehuda.)