One year, the Yismach Yisroel of Alexander zy’a came home on the night of the Seder and told those in the house, ‘Anyone who does not believe that even the biggest rasha can change on this night and become a complete tzadik is the rasha the Hagadah is talking about!’
On another year, when the Yismach Yisroel began his Seder he loudly declared, ‘‘Kadeish’. Make yourself holy. Don’t miss this opportunity to rise to lofty levels on this night. ‘Urchatz.’ Wash away your aveiros and get away from your lowliness. ‘Karpas.’ Look at the karpas. (He used potatoes for karpas.) It is a vegetable like all others, but it has one benefit. It’s leaves grow above ground, while the vegetable itself is hidden below the ground. All year long, no one pays much attention to it, but on the Seder night, it gets an honored place on the table. We can learn a lesson from it. Even if you are sunk under your aveiros all year, on this night you can uplift yourself to reach an honorable place.’