One of the most poignant and moving parts of the Seder is singing “Vehi she’amdah ” and more specifically the words “ela shebecholdor vador omdim aleinu lechaloseinu [in every generation they rise up against us to destroy us]” — words that have been sung over the generations in both the best of times and the worst of times.

In every generation the Jew has faced down the enemy that has sought to destroy and remove any remnants of our People through so many different means. From Pharaoh bathing in the blood of Jewish babies slaughtered for that purpose to forced conversions or death by burning at the stake to crematoria and bus bombings.

Our times are no different. With a descendant of Amalek at the helm of a powerful country like Iran bent on our destruction and outright savagery on a Leil Shabbos Kodesh in the village of Itamar it’s obvious that we are still experiencing “bechol dor vador.”

Over the last few weeks there have been not-so-subtle displays of how much the Jew is hated among the nations. First the horrible attack and assault on an American reporter who was covering the uprising in Egypt by a raging mob who referred to her as “Jew Jew” during the attack as if to justify the ruthlessness of the attack because she’s a Jew (she actually isn’t) and therefore does not deserve to be treated as a human being. Or take the CNN broadcast of mobs protesting the tyrannical rule of the Assad family in Syria holding banners that read “Assad the Jew must go ” their point being that the best way to demonstrate how evil this tyrant is and how much they revile him is by calling him a Jew.

What does all this have to do with the Yom Tov of Pesach? Everything I believe.

I always found the Yom Tov of Pesach in general and the Seder night in particular to be somewhat intriguing. Every Yom Tov has a particular avodah. Succos is a zman of simchah Shavuos for kabbalas haTorah Yom Kippur for teshuvah and Tisha B’Av is for mourning. Each has a singular theme and message for each and every one of us. Pesach is different. We sit at the Seder and remember “avadim hayinu”; we describe in detail the bitterness of the slavery of the lowly role our forefathers had building Pisom and Ramses through backbreaking labor for over two hundred years. And we do all this while sitting majestically at the Seder like melachim (kings) in all our glory and splendor in memory of the freedom we merited on this night.

Why the dichotomy? Why not have one day remembering the bitterness and the next day celebrating the blessings of freedom?

Chazal provide the answer. We cannot feel malchus cannot appreciate the cheirus and kedushah of Klal Yisrael until we have a clear picture of how the Egyptians treated us. Only then can we understand the true value being a Jew and what it means to be banim l’Hashem Elokeichem (sons to Hashem your G-d).

The more we read about how we were enslaved and stomped upon with utter hatred and a cruelty that defies humanity the more we can begin to internalize just how special Klal Yisrael is.

One of the most prominent Jews who ever walked the world stage was Sir Moses Montefiore. Once the czar of Russia directed a particularly evil decree against the Jews in his empire and Sir Montefiore journeyed from England to Russia to intercede on behalf of his fellow Jews. As he was traveling in his elegant and stately coach on the way to the palace some Russian children ran after the coach screaming out loud “zhid zhid” (Jew with a negative connotation). He instructed his coachmen to stop and bring the youths to him.

“Back in England” he said to the now-frightened children “they call me ‘Sir’ and ‘Lord Mayor.’ But as respectful as that is it doesn’t come close to the respect and praise you gave to me by calling me a zhid. Thank you”. He then proceeded to give each child a golden coin before returning to his coach.

One of the best ways for a Jew to properly comprehend his value and the significance of being a Jew is by taking note of how much the Jew is hated over the centuries and around the world. Specifically while sitting at the Seder remembering the cruelty the hatred and the dehumanization of Klal Yisrael we can truly begin to celebrate the royalty of Klal Yisrael as a “Mamleches kohanim vegoy kadosh.” If we weren’t so special to HaKadosh Baruch Hu there would be no need for the Egyptians the Romans the Crusaders the Germans and hopefully very soon the bnei Yishmael to destroy themselves and lose all historic significance while trying to annihilate the Jew.

Years ago Rav Reuven Feinstein shlita told me how his father Reb Moshe ztz”l appreciated the full value and elevated status of a Jew.

Around thirty years ago a madman was murdering people at random (mostly young females with brown hair) and he would taunt the police to find him by leaving letters signed “Son of Sam.” The entire city mobilized to search for him.

Rav Reuven commented to his father “I hope that he does not turn out to be a Jew.” Reb Moshe immediately responded “I’m sure that he is not a Yid”.

Two weeks later he was finally caught and the name David Berkowitz was in headlines around the country. Rav Reuven notified Reb Moshe adding “Unfortunately he is a Jew.” Reb Moshe jumped out of his chair and said “Ich bin zicher az er iz nisht a koshereh Yid.” The very next day they found out that Berkowitz was not a Jew after all.

Reb Moshe ztz”l understood what a Jew is and knew that a Jew just cannot sink to the level of cruelty of a Son of Sam.

The Pesach Seder specifically underscores that important message. When we read the suffering that we as Jews have endured not only in Mitzrayim but bechol dor vador we are told to remember that we are different. We are malchus we are banim laMakom. And by seeing just how hated and reviled we are over the generations we begin to appreciate the uniqueness of a Yid.

The Klausenberger Rebbe ztz”l would say that he was able to sing Hallel on the Seder night in the Nazi Gehinnom because in spite of the barbaric and inhumane conditions he felt like royalty. He felt and knew that he was a Jew part of the Mamleches kohanim vegoy kadosh.

Imbibing that a Jew is malchus can be life-altering. Our bein adam l’chaveiro would be different. If every Jew or Jewess is a prince and princess just like me then I have to treat them as such.

Maybe that’s why the Seder night is the only time during the year that we say “Kol dichfin yeisei veyeichol” for we come to the realization that every Jew is royalty and therefore welcome in our homes.

And perhaps that’s why the Korban Pesach is shared by fellow Jews but cannot be eaten by a non-Jew: Vechol ben nechor lo yochal bo. No matter whether he is your best friend or the president of the United States. He may be prominent and accomplished but he is not royalty.

Only when we learn this lesson on the Seder night can we throw open our doors to all nations of the world and sing with confidence “Leshanah haba’ah b’Yerushalayim.”

Chag kosher vesamei’ach to all of Klal Yisrael.