To me, there is a strong lesson for us as Americans in this account. We are unbelievably privileged to live in the most open and free society the world has probably ever seen. I say this because I think happiness is a result of action, not the cause. In my observation, the cause of happiness is having a meaningful purpose in one's life. I think Moses was right.
Freedom is critical, but it is only one piece of the equation.
Freedom is necessary, but if it comes as and end, instead of a means, it is useless and simply creates an endless searching for meaning all-too evident in our society. It's a result of my militant feminist side. Since then, there has always been an orange on my seder plate. Around the Year with the National Jewish Outreach Program. The Passover Anthology.