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The Torah has two names for the holiday of Passover, to indicate its dual significance: Ĥag Ha-matzot (the Festival of Matzot) and Ĥag Ha-Pesaĥ (the Paschal Festival, or Passover).
Ĥag Ha-matzot represents faith, since during the Exodus from Egypt, God’s sovereignty over the world was manifested in the clearest possible way. Since matza is a remembrance of the Exodus (section 4 below), eating it at the Seder reminds us of our faith in God’s sovereignty.
Ĥag Ha-Pesaĥ represents the Jewish people's unique spiritual capacity. In all of the plagues, the distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites was conspicuous as the Egyptians were struck while the Israelites were not. The purpose of the Paschal offering (brought the afternoon before Passover) is to remind us of this exclusivity. In the merit of this offering, when the destroying angel killed the firstborn in every Egyptian home, he passed over (pasaĥ) every Israelite home.
These two fundamental concepts, faith and Israel, are interdependent. The Jews are blessed only because of faith, and monotheistic faith cannot be expressed in the world without the Jews.
Passover’s third name, given by the Sages, is the Festival of Freedom. Following the Exodus, the Israelites enjoyed freedom on two levels: freedom from physical enslavement to Egypt, and freedom from Egyptian culture, which enslaved people to their baser desires (2:11 above). Thanks to the Exodus, the Israelites were now able to accept the Torah. Its guidance allows people to free themselves of their enslaving desires, and to become truly free.
