We are familiar with the seder, we do it every year. We even have the order which we sing every year to start it off. Kadesh, urchatz karpas yachatz... I present here a way to categorize the Seder into four essential motifs. Each one contributes to the overall impact of what Seder night is trying to achieve:
1. Wonder
2. Recollection
3. Application
4. Gratitude
Each one is a building block. The first, wonder, is not only about keeping the children awake, much more. Once wonder is engendered, the story must be told. The Mishnah is very clear that a story must be told and even directs us how to tell that story. It is not enough, though, to recall an ancient event and thus the third element of the Seder night must be applying that story to our daily lives. Finally, once we have engendered wonder, told our story and applied it to our lives, we should be filled with awe, joy, and most of all gratitude to God for that great event then and its resonance throughout history.
1. Wonder--Almost every aspect of the 'seder' (including having a seder) is made to engender wonder
Karpas...
-
- Wearing white at the seder
- Giving out nuts to kids at beginning of seder
- Singing the order of the seder
- A Seder plate
- ורחץ
- כרפס
- יחץ
- Having three matzot instead of two
- הא לחמא עניא—the whole paragraph forces us to ask
- Four cups of wine
- Bracha of geula
- מרור
- כורך
- אפיקומן
- נרצה
* To whom is directed this command to elicit wonder? Children only?
Plato. "Wonder is the beginning of philosophy"
Aristotle "For men were first led to study philosophy, as indeed they are today, by wonder"
Wordsworth:
My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold
My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.
Samuel Coleridge
Wordsworth approach succeeds "by awakening the mind's attention from the lethargy of custom"
(א) מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל תּוֹרָה לְסַפֵּר בְּנִסִּים וְנִפְלָאוֹת שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם בְּלֵיל חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּנִיסָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יג ג) "זָכוֹר אֶת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר יְצָאתֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם" כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ ח) "זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת". וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁבְּלֵיל חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות יג ח) "וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר בַּעֲבוּר זֶה" בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר מֻנָּחִים לְפָנֶיךָ. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בֵּן. אֲפִלּוּ חֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים חַיָּבִים לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרִים וְכָל הַמַּאֲרִיךְ בִּדְבָרִים שֶׁאֵרְעוּ וְשֶׁהָיוּ הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח:
(ב) מִצְוָה לְהוֹדִיעַ לַבָּנִים וַאֲפִלּוּ לֹא שָׁאֲלוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יג ח) "וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ". לְפִי דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל בֵּן אָבִיו מְלַמְּדוֹ. כֵּיצַד. אִם הָיָה קָטָן אוֹ טִפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר לוֹ בְּנִי כֻּלָּנוּ הָיִינוּ עֲבָדִים כְּמוֹ שִׁפְחָה זוֹ אוֹ כְּמוֹ עֶבֶד זֶה בְּמִצְרַיִם וּבַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה פָּדָה אוֹתָנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וַיּוֹצִיאֵנוּ לְחֵרוּת. וְאִם הָיָה הַבֵּן גָּדוֹל וְחָכָם מוֹדִיעוֹ מַה שֶּׁאֵרַע לָנוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם וְנִסִּים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לָנוּ עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ הַכֹּל לְפִי דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל בֵּן:
(ג) וְצָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת שִׁנּוּי בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְאוּ הַבָּנִים וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ וְיֹאמְרוּ מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת עַד שֶׁיָּשִׁיב לָהֶם וְיֹאמַר לָהֶם כָּךְ וְכָךְ אֵרַע וְכָךְ וְכָךְ הָיָה. וְכֵיצַד מְשַׁנֶּה. מְחַלֵּק לָהֶם קְלָיוֹת וֶאֱגוֹזִים וְעוֹקְרִים הַשֻּׁלְחָן מִלִּפְנֵיהֶם קֹדֶם שֶׁיֹּאכְלוּ וְחוֹטְפִין מַצָּה זֶה מִיַּד זֶה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בִּדְבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ. אֵין לוֹ בֵּן אִשְׁתּוֹ שׁוֹאַלְתּוֹ. אֵין לוֹ אִשָּׁה שׁוֹאֲלִין זֶה אֶת זֶה מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה. וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיוּ כֻּלָּן חֲכָמִים. הָיָה לְבַדּוֹ שׁוֹאֵל לְעַצְמוֹ מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה:
(1) According to a biblical positive command, we must tell on the night preceding the fifteenth day of Nisan all about the miracles and wonders that were performed for our forefathers in Egypt. As it is stated (Exodus 13:3), "Remember this day that you went out of Egypt"; just as it is stated (Exodus 20:8), "Remember the day of the Shabbat." And from where [do we know] that [the remembering] is on the night of the fifteenth? [Hence,] we learn to say (Exodus 13:8), "And you shall recount to your son on that day, saying, 'Because of this'" - at the time that there is matsa and bitter herbs (being 'this') laying in front of you. And [this is the case] even though he does not have a son. Even great scholars are required to tell about the exodus from Egypt. Anyone who relates at length about the events that occurred deserves praise.
(2) It is one's duty to inform the children even if they ask no questions, as it is written: "You shall tell your son" (Exodus 13:8). The father should instruct his son according to the child's understanding. For example, he should say to one small or foolish: "My son, all of us were slaves in Egypt, like this maidservant or like this manservant, and on this night God redeemed and liberated us." If the son is grown up and intelligent, he should inform him about everything that happened to us in Egypt, and about the miracles that were wrought for us by our teacher Moses; all in accordance with the son's understanding.
(3) On the first night of Pesaḥ, one should introduce some change at the table, so that the children who will notice it may ask, saying: "Why is this night different from all other nights?" And he in turn will reply: "This is what happened." In what manner, for example, should he introduce a change? He may distribute parched grain or nuts to the children; remove the table from its usual place; snatch the unleavened bread from hand to hand, and so on. If he has no son, his wife should ask the questions; if he has no wife, they should ask one another: "Why is this night different?"—even if they are all scholars. If one is alone, he should ask himself: "Why is this night different?"
If the directive is only about teaching your child why does the Rambam go out of his way to include all members of your household? even yourself? Clearly he is influenced by the Talmud and the Haggadah itself!
מחזיר את הקערה אל השולחן. המצות תִהיינה מגלות בִשעת אמירת ההגדה.
עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָיִם, וַיּוֹצִיאֵנוּ ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מִשָּׁם בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרֹעַ נְטוּיָה. וְאִלּוּ לֹא הוֹצִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם, הֲרֵי אָנוּ וּבָנֵינוּ וּבְנֵי בָנֵינוּ מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָיִם. וַאֲפִילוּ כֻּלָּנוּ חֲכָמִים כֻּלָּנוּ נְבוֹנִים כֻּלָּנוּ זְקֵנִים כֻּלָּנוּ יוֹדְעִים אֶת הַתּוֹרָה מִצְוָה עָלֵינוּ לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם. וְכָל הַמַּרְבֶּה לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח.
He puts the plate back on the table. The matsot should be uncovered during the saying of the Haggadah.
We were slaves to Pharaoh in the land of Egypt. And the Lord, our God, took us out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched forearm. And if the Holy One, blessed be He, had not taken our ancestors from Egypt, behold we and our children and our children's children would [all] be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt. And even if we were all sages, all discerning, all elders, all knowledgeable about the Torah, it would be a commandment upon us to tell the story of the exodus from Egypt. And anyone who adds [and spends extra time] in telling the story of the exodus from Egypt, behold he is praiseworthy.
מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן־עֲזַרְיָה וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וְרַבִּי טַרְפוֹן שֶׁהָיוּ מְסֻבִּין בִּבְנֵי־בְרַק וְהָיוּ מְסַפְּרִים בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם כָּל־אוֹתוֹ הַלַּיְלָה, עַד שֶׁבָּאוּ תַלְמִידֵיהֶם וְאָמְרוּ לָהֶם רַבּוֹתֵינוּ הִגִּיעַ זְמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שֶׁל שַׁחֲרִית.
It happened once [on Pesach] that Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon were reclining in Bnei Brak and were telling the story of the exodus from Egypt that whole night, until their students came and said to them, "The time of [reciting] the morning Shema has arrived."
It is incumbent on all of us, not only children, to experience the wonder that is engendered by this holiday. The enormity of the events: the unlikely leader; the near-extinction; yet the uncanny capacity to hold on to their names, their identities, their connection to God; the battle against Pharaoh and against Egypt--all these factors form the foundation for our engaging in this mitzvah. Our Sages, in making the Pesach Seder wholly unique, different from any other holiday, heightened our awareness of these differences and prepared us for the next stage--to tell the story!
2. Recollection
It was taught in the mishna that the father begins his answer with disgrace and concludes with glory. The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the term: With disgrace? Rav said that one should begin by saying: At first our forefathers were idol worshippers, before concluding with words of glory. And Shmuel said: The disgrace with which one should begin his answer is: We were slaves.
How to tell a story? Start with shame and end with praise. Problem is while the Gemara offers two options for who's shame (Rav--originally we were idol worshipers; Shmuel--we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt), we are not told of the moment of praise or the subject! Whose praise?
In reality, there are two subjects (Israel or God) and two variables (shame and praise). All variables give us the following graph:
Shame of Israel, end with praise of Israel מתחיל בגנות ישראל ומסיים בשבח ישראל
Shame of God, end with praise of God מתחיל בגנות ה' ומסיים בגנות ה
Shame of Israel, end with praise of God מתחיל בגנות ישראל, מסיים בשבח ה
Shame of God, end with praise of Israel מתחיל בגנות ה' , ומסיים בשבח ישראל
The open nature of the Gemara's question leaves it to us and our own interpretation as we explore the 'story' that we are so clearly commanded to retell.
Rav and Shmuel each had a different perspective on when the story began.
Rav--a spiritual story
Shmuel--a physical one
In the end, the Haggadah paskens like both!!
When do you think the שבח took place?
Finally, what does it mean עד שיגמור כל הפרשה כולה?
Some commentators express that for the Tannaim who lived during the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, it was too hard for them to involve themselves in the final verse—the promise of the return to Eretz Yisrael, they therefore omitted it.
Rav David Tzvi Hoffman actually says that in the time of the Beit Hamikdash, when the children of Israel were in Eretz Yisrael, they DID recite this in the Haggadah!
In this light seeing as how we today are celebrating in Eretz Yisrael perhaps we should insert some drash on this final verse.
רש"י (ט) אל המקום הזה - זה בית המקדש
ספרי: ויביאנו אל המקום הזה בשכר ביאתנו אל המקום הזה נתן לנו את הארץ הזאת
א. קורמן, ספר הפרשה ותולדותיה: נשאלת השאלה, הרי אי אפשר להגיע לבית המקדש אם לא נכנסים תחלה ארצה? בית המקדש לא נבנה על הגבול אלא באמצע הארץ? יש מדרש המובא בתרגום יונתן ובעץ החיים שבזמן פסח מצרים ה' העלה את ישראל על עננים ממצרים למקום המקדש להקריב קרבנם. אחר כך החזירום דרך העננים למצרים. לכך נאמר 'המקום הזה'—בית המקדש ואח"כ ארץ הזאת.
3. Application
The Haggadah's agenda is to make sure we apply the lessons of the past to the challenges of today
The final component is a result of the previous three. Once the story is told and applied, we should be overcome with an overwhelming sense of
4. Gratitude
מוזגין כוס רביעי וגומרין עליו את ההלל
We pour the fourth cup and complete the Hallel
Next year, let us be in the built Jerusalem!
In Judaism gratitude is essential in recognising God's hand in the world. But we don't simply end with praising God, that in turn engenders a request, a yearning for more divine intervention, for God to save us today from our crises and for Him to help us build our ideal future--returning to Jerusalem and rebuilding of the Bet Hamikdash.