Devar/5770/Tsav
From RonWareWiki
< Devar | 5770
עברית
English
It is a positive Torah commandment to relate the miracles and wonders which were done for our forefathers in Egypt, on the night of the fourteenth of Nisan (Laws of Chamets and Matsah 7:1)
God willing, the holiday of matsot is approaching in a few days. Once again we will read the hagadah, once again we will drink the four cups of wine, once again we will eat our fill and consume our height in matsah. The telling of the hagadah is not just for small children: Even if he has no son, even if they were all great sages -- they are all required to tell the story of the exodus from Egypt (ibid. 2). But since everyone already knows the story, even small children -- for what purpose does the Torah command us to retell the exodus story each and every year?
Furthermore: It is a commandment to inform the children, even if they did not ask (ibid. 3) -- even if he had no children, nor any family whatsoever, he must inform someone: If he has no son, his wife must ask him; if he has no wife -- they must ask each other "How is this night different?", even if they were all sages. If he was alone, he must ask himself "How is this night different?" (ibid. 5). And the story may not be told in any manner, rather: one must begin with degradation, and end with praise (ibid. 6).
One may understand the idea behind retelling the hagadah every year, by looking at a different law: In each and every generation, one must present himself as if he himself just left the slavery of Egypt (ibid. 8). Just as in everything else, we learn and internalize through speech and repetition. If one doesn't repeat the story himself every year, it will become very difficult for him to feel that he himself just left Egypt. Even a solitary person must tell the story of the exodus, in order to feel the experience of being released from the bondage of Egypt. Likewise he must start the story with degradation -- that our forefathers were idolaters, and that we were enslaved in Egypt -- and end with praise to God, may His name be praised and exalted, Who took us out of Egypt with a strong arm and an outstretched arm. May it be His will to redeem us soon, and cause the House of David, His anointed, to flourish; amen!
| Top: Devar | Prev: Vayikra | Next: Shabbat-Pesach |