Why does our festival of freedom begin with the bread of affliction rather than a victory parade?

This source-based Hagut Yosef essay explores the question: Why does our festival of freedom begin with the bread of affliction rather than a victory parade? The canonical Hebrew article develops the theme through Torah sources and reflection on human life. This localized discovery layer preserves the source’s meaning and identity and does not add new halakhic, historical, psychological, medical, legal, political, scientific, or empirical claims beyond the Hebrew source.