Difference between revisions of "Obligation to Tell the Story of the Exodus/2"
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<p>Celebrating the first night of Pesach without a recounting of the story of the Exodus seems unfathomable today, but it is possible that until the time of the Rambam there was no consensus that there is any Biblical obligation to do so.  Many Geonim do not count telling the story as a distinct commandment in their Books of Mitzvot, apparently assuming that remembering the event sufficed.  Others do assume that a verbal retelling is necessary, but only if a child who is present questions.  It is first the Rambam who asserts that even without children, it is incumbent upon every individual to verbally retell the story.  In the post-Maimonidean era, the Rosh raises a third approach to the commandment, suggesting that it is action oriented.  The story is retold through eating the Pesach sacrifice and thereby re-enacting the original Pesach. These various understandings of the obligation reflect distinct approaches to learning and service of God in general: intellectual, verbal and experiential. It might be that a combination of all three modes is the ideal way to fulfill the obligation..</p></div> | <p>Celebrating the first night of Pesach without a recounting of the story of the Exodus seems unfathomable today, but it is possible that until the time of the Rambam there was no consensus that there is any Biblical obligation to do so.  Many Geonim do not count telling the story as a distinct commandment in their Books of Mitzvot, apparently assuming that remembering the event sufficed.  Others do assume that a verbal retelling is necessary, but only if a child who is present questions.  It is first the Rambam who asserts that even without children, it is incumbent upon every individual to verbally retell the story.  In the post-Maimonidean era, the Rosh raises a third approach to the commandment, suggesting that it is action oriented.  The story is retold through eating the Pesach sacrifice and thereby re-enacting the original Pesach. These various understandings of the obligation reflect distinct approaches to learning and service of God in general: intellectual, verbal and experiential. It might be that a combination of all three modes is the ideal way to fulfill the obligation..</p></div> | ||
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<approaches> | <approaches> | ||
<category>No Biblical Obligation | <category>No Biblical Obligation | ||
− | <p>There is no Biblical obligation to tell the story of the Exodus on Pesach night.  The verses which seem to obligate one are understood to refer to either cognitive actions, other days of the year, or parts of other obligations .</p> | + | <p>There is no Biblical obligation to tell the story of the Exodus on Pesach night.  The verses which seem to obligate one are understood to refer to either cognitive actions, other days of the year, or parts of other obligations.</p> |
<mekorot>Perhaps R. Saadia, Bahag, R. Eliyahu HaZaken, R. Shelomo b. Gabirol, Yereim,<fn>None of these count telling the story as a distinct commandment in their ספרי מצוות, suggesting that they did not view it as a Biblical obligation.  However, it is difficult to know for certain how to understand the omission.</fn> <multilink><a href="Ritvaהגדהשלפסחרגהיהאומר" data-aht="source">Ritva</a><a href="Ritvaהגדהשלפסחרגהיהאומר" data-aht="source">הגדה של פסח "ר"ג היה אומר"</a><a href="R. Yom Tov b. Ashbel (Ritva)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yom Tov b. Ashbel</a></multilink><fn>He, too, is not explicit, but his language, "כי לא מצינו שהקפיד הכתוב באמירה כל שנזכור נפלאות הבורא" suggests that he believes that there is an obligation to remember, but not to verbally retell the story and Hashem's miracles.</fn></mekorot> | <mekorot>Perhaps R. Saadia, Bahag, R. Eliyahu HaZaken, R. Shelomo b. Gabirol, Yereim,<fn>None of these count telling the story as a distinct commandment in their ספרי מצוות, suggesting that they did not view it as a Biblical obligation.  However, it is difficult to know for certain how to understand the omission.</fn> <multilink><a href="Ritvaהגדהשלפסחרגהיהאומר" data-aht="source">Ritva</a><a href="Ritvaהגדהשלפסחרגהיהאומר" data-aht="source">הגדה של פסח "ר"ג היה אומר"</a><a href="R. Yom Tov b. Ashbel (Ritva)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yom Tov b. Ashbel</a></multilink><fn>He, too, is not explicit, but his language, "כי לא מצינו שהקפיד הכתוב באמירה כל שנזכור נפלאות הבורא" suggests that he believes that there is an obligation to remember, but not to verbally retell the story and Hashem's miracles.</fn></mekorot> | ||
<point><b><a href="Shemot13-3-8" data-aht="source">Shemot 13:3</a> – "זָכוֹר אֶת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה"</b> – This approach might dismiss this verse as a source for the obligation on several grounds:<br/> | <point><b><a href="Shemot13-3-8" data-aht="source">Shemot 13:3</a> – "זָכוֹר אֶת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה"</b> – This approach might dismiss this verse as a source for the obligation on several grounds:<br/> | ||
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<point><b><a href="Devarim6-20-25" data-aht="source">Devarim 6:21</a> – "וְאָמַרְתָּ לְבִנְךָ עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ"</b> – The context of this command is also unrelated to Pesach.  It speaks, instead, of a general obligation to explain to one's children that the reason to keep Hashem's commandments is the fact that He freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.</point> | <point><b><a href="Devarim6-20-25" data-aht="source">Devarim 6:21</a> – "וְאָמַרְתָּ לְבִנְךָ עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ"</b> – The context of this command is also unrelated to Pesach.  It speaks, instead, of a general obligation to explain to one's children that the reason to keep Hashem's commandments is the fact that He freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.</point> | ||
<point><b>"כל המספר" versus "כל המרבה לספר"</b> – In Seder R. Amram Gaon, the text of the haggadah reads, "וְכָל המספר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח ", instead of "וְכָל הַמַרְבֶּה לְסַפֵּר".  This might support the idea that many Geonim did not count the telling of the story as a Biblical commandment.  The very act of telling the story (not the elaboration upon it) is praised because it was not obvious that everyone would do so.</point> | <point><b>"כל המספר" versus "כל המרבה לספר"</b> – In Seder R. Amram Gaon, the text of the haggadah reads, "וְכָל המספר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח ", instead of "וְכָל הַמַרְבֶּה לְסַפֵּר".  This might support the idea that many Geonim did not count the telling of the story as a Biblical commandment.  The very act of telling the story (not the elaboration upon it) is praised because it was not obvious that everyone would do so.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>No blessing on haggadah</b> – This position would explain there is no blessing over the telling of the story in the | + | <point><b>No blessing on haggadah</b> – This position would explain there is no blessing over the telling of the story in the haggadah because there is no Biblical obligation to do so.</point> |
<point><b>Focus of the evening</b> – According to this position, the purpose of all that is done on Pesach might be to elicit an internal response.  One need not say anything out loud, but one should  think of the miracles of the Exodus and feel them in one's heart.</point> | <point><b>Focus of the evening</b> – According to this position, the purpose of all that is done on Pesach might be to elicit an internal response.  One need not say anything out loud, but one should  think of the miracles of the Exodus and feel them in one's heart.</point> | ||
</category> | </category> |
Latest revision as of 08:49, 4 March 2021
Obligation to Tell the Story of the Exodus
Exegetical Approaches
Overview
Celebrating the first night of Pesach without a recounting of the story of the Exodus seems unfathomable today, but it is possible that until the time of the Rambam there was no consensus that there is any Biblical obligation to do so. Many Geonim do not count telling the story as a distinct commandment in their Books of Mitzvot, apparently assuming that remembering the event sufficed. Others do assume that a verbal retelling is necessary, but only if a child who is present questions. It is first the Rambam who asserts that even without children, it is incumbent upon every individual to verbally retell the story. In the post-Maimonidean era, the Rosh raises a third approach to the commandment, suggesting that it is action oriented. The story is retold through eating the Pesach sacrifice and thereby re-enacting the original Pesach. These various understandings of the obligation reflect distinct approaches to learning and service of God in general: intellectual, verbal and experiential. It might be that a combination of all three modes is the ideal way to fulfill the obligation..
No Biblical Obligation
There is no Biblical obligation to tell the story of the Exodus on Pesach night. The verses which seem to obligate one are understood to refer to either cognitive actions, other days of the year, or parts of other obligations.
- זכירה בלב – The verse uses the verb "זָכוֹר" rather than "אמור" (or the like) and thus might refer to remembering in the heart and not recounting via speech.
- Heading – It is also possible that the phrase should be understood as a heading for what follows rather than an independent obligation. The nation is told to "commemorate the day you left Egypt" and the rest of the unit then explains how to do so: don't eat leavened bread, do the Pesach service, and celebrate Chag haMatzot for seven days.
- Obligation for the rest of the year – In addition, it is not clear if the verse refers to remembering specifically on Pesach or throughout the year. See Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael who reads this phrase as being the source for remembering the Exodus daily.3
Telling Through Eating
The obligation to tell the story of the Exodus does not necessitate a verbal retelling, but is rather fulfilled through the act of eating the Pesach sacrifice. By eating the lamb with matzah and maror, one re-enacts the original Pesach thereby effectively recounting the essence of the story.
Verbal Recounting
There is a Biblical obligation to verbally tell the story. This position subdivides regarding whether the obligation exists only if a child questions or even if not:
Only If Child Asks
The obligation only entails responding to a child who asks. Had there been no child, a parent would not have to recount the story.
Even Without Children
Every individual must tell the story of the enslavement and redemption, regardless of whether or not a child is present.