Haggada Source Sheet

(20) Tomorrow, when your child asks you: What are the precepts, the laws and the regulations that the Holy One our God commanded you? (21) Then you are to say to your child: we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Holy One took us out of Egypt with a strong hand; (22) God placed signs and wonders against Egypt and Pharaoh and all his house, before our very eyes.

And it will be, when your children say to you: What does this service mean to you?

Then say: it is the Pesach offering to God, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt, dealing a blow to the Egyptians and rescuing our houses. The people did homage and bowed down.

And you are to tell your child on that day, saying:

It is because of what God did for me, when I went out of Egypt.

It shall be for you as a sign upon your hand and a reminder between your eyes, in order that God's instruction (Torah) may be in your mouth, that by a strong hand did the Holy One bring you out of Egypt.

A In every generation, every one of us needs to see ourselves as if we personally had gone out of Egypt, as the Torah says: “And you are to tell your child on that day, saying: It is because of what God did for me, when I went out of Egypt.’”

B Therefore it is our duty to thank, praise, laud, glorify, exalt, honor, bless, extol, and adore God, Who performed all these miracles for our ancestors and us; bringing us out of slavery into freedom, from sorrow into joy, from mourning into festivity, from darkness into great light, and from servitude into redemption. Therefore let us say before God, Hallelujah!

"The Holy One took us out from Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, with great awe-inspiring acts and with signs and wonders, and brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now--here, I have brought the best part of the fruits of the soil that you have given me, Holy One!"

A They pour a second cup of wine. And here the child questions their parent. And if the child is not able to understanding to ask, then the parent teaches them how to ask:

B Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights, we eat leavened and unleavened bread, but on this night, we eat only unleavened bread. On all other nights, we eat all kinds of vegetables, but on this night, we eat only bitter herbs. On all other nights, we eat meat roasted, stewed or boiled, but on this night, we eat only roasted meat. On all other nights, we dip vegetables once, but on this night, we dip vegetables twice.

C The parent instructs according to the child's ability to understand; beginning with the story of Israel’s shame and concluding with Israel’s glory, and expounds from “My father was a wandering Aramean” until he completes the whole passage.