One of the key points of the Passover story is that the moment of liberation, the instant when everything changed and the Israelites went from slaves to free people, happened at midnight. Unlike our clock-based world, the ancient rabbis understood midnight to be the mid-point between sunset and sunrise, the furthest point from dawn and dusk, the part of the night when there is the least light. We can imagine that this was a time of deepest despair for the Israelites, who had already seen nine plagues fall upon Egypt without bringing freedom any closer. And it can be a time of despair and spiritual emptiness for us, as we dream of being freed from the burdens we carry but still feel their weight on our backs. The song Karev Yom – “Bring the day!” – that we traditionally sing at the seder expresses our longing for physical and spiritual redemption, and it holds out the hope that freedom can come to us at the very moment when it seems furthest away. Even in the midst of difficult times, may our celebration of Passover lighten our burdens and bring hope to our hearts this year.