In the Haggadah, we read that we are obliged to talk about three things; Pasach (the Passover sacrifice), matzoh (unleavened bread), and marror (bitter herbs). We read that that the reason we eat these is to remind us of slavery, and that when we left Egypt, we didn’t have time to let our bread rise. The end of chapter 12 of Exodus is given as the sorce.
The problem is that the beginning of chapter 12 of Exodus has a different story. It says that on the 1st of Nissan, G-d told Moses (to tell the people) that on the 14th of the month “they shall eat the flesh, roasted over the fire, and unleavened cakes; with bitter herbs they shall eat it.” [Exodus [12:8] So 2 weeks before the “first Sedar” G-d told the people to eat pesach, matzoh and marror. So obviously it had nothing to do with not having time for the bread to rise… they had 2 weeks to make it!
The explanation is quite profound. Remember that this happens the night before the exodus. Just as we eat these things to remind us of slavery, so to, did they eat them to remind them of slavery. But why do they need to be reminded? They were still slaves.
Even though they were physically still slaves (they would not leave Egypt until the next day), they had complete faith in G-d and they knew that they would be leaving the next day. So spiritually, they were already free, and needed to be reminded of what it was like to be a slave.
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