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 | + | <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. The various understandings reflect distinct approaches to learning and service of God in general: intellectual, verbal and experiential. Perhaps a mixture of the three methods is ideal.</p></div> |
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<point><b><a href="Devarim16-1-3" data-aht="source">Devarim 16:3</a> – "לְמַעַן תִּזְכֹּר אֶת יוֹם צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ"</b> – These sources would likely reject this verse as a source since the word "לְמַעַן" suggests that the remembering mentioned in the verse is not a commandment in and of itself, but simply the purpose of the obligation to eat matzah mentioned earlier.  In addition, the verse speaks of remembering rather than telling, and specifies that this commemoration should take place "כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ" rather than on Pesach night specifically.<fn>See <multilink><a href="MekhiltaDeRabbiYishmaelShemot13-3" data-aht="source">Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot</a><a href="MekhiltaDeRabbiYishmaelShemot13-3" data-aht="source">13:3</a><a href="Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot" data-aht="parshan">About Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot</a></multilink>.</fn></point> | <point><b><a href="Devarim16-1-3" data-aht="source">Devarim 16:3</a> – "לְמַעַן תִּזְכֹּר אֶת יוֹם צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ"</b> – These sources would likely reject this verse as a source since the word "לְמַעַן" suggests that the remembering mentioned in the verse is not a commandment in and of itself, but simply the purpose of the obligation to eat matzah mentioned earlier.  In addition, the verse speaks of remembering rather than telling, and specifies that this commemoration should take place "כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ" rather than on Pesach night specifically.<fn>See <multilink><a href="MekhiltaDeRabbiYishmaelShemot13-3" data-aht="source">Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot</a><a href="MekhiltaDeRabbiYishmaelShemot13-3" data-aht="source">13:3</a><a href="Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot" data-aht="parshan">About Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot</a></multilink>.</fn></point> | ||
− | <point><b><a href="Shemot12-21-27" data-aht="source">Shemot 12:27</a> / <a href="Shemot13-3-8" data-aht="source">13:8</a> – "וַאֲמַרְתֶּם זֶבַח פֶּסַח הוּא"/ "וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ... לֵאמֹר"</b> – These verses explicitly mention speech<fn>Even though "הגדה" can perhaps be done in non-verbal ways, the verses states "וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא <b>לֵאמֹר</b>", you must tell your child, "saying..."</fn> and clearly refer to Pesach night. However, as they both speak of the recounting as accompanying the eating of the Pesach sacrifice, these sources might suggest that the telling is subsumed under the larger mitzvah of eating, and therefore does not constitute its own obligation.  Alternatively, the recounting is simply the purpose of the eating and therefore is a קיום המצוה but not an independent obligation.  It should be noted as well that both verses only speak about telling the story to children who ask, and say nothing of | + | <point><b><a href="Shemot12-21-27" data-aht="source">Shemot 12:27</a> / <a href="Shemot13-3-8" data-aht="source">13:8</a> – "וַאֲמַרְתֶּם זֶבַח פֶּסַח הוּא"/ "וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ... לֵאמֹר"</b> – These verses explicitly mention speech<fn>Even though "הגדה" can perhaps be done in non-verbal ways, the verses states "וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא <b>לֵאמֹר</b>", you must tell your child, "saying..."</fn> and clearly refer to Pesach night. However, as they both speak of the recounting as accompanying the eating of the Pesach sacrifice, these sources might suggest that the telling is subsumed under the larger mitzvah of eating, and therefore does not constitute its own obligation.  Alternatively, the recounting is simply the purpose of the eating and therefore is a קיום המצוה but not an independent obligation.  It should be noted as well that both verses only speak about telling the story to children who ask, and say nothing of a case in which no one questions.</point> |
<point><b><a href="Shemot13-11-16" data-aht="source">Shemot 13:13</a> – "וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ"</b> – Though this verse directs one to verbally speak about leaving Egypt, its context is not Pesach, but the redemption of the first born.  Thus the verse says nothing about any obligation on Pesach night.</point> | <point><b><a href="Shemot13-11-16" data-aht="source">Shemot 13:13</a> – "וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ"</b> – Though this verse directs one to verbally speak about leaving Egypt, its context is not Pesach, but the redemption of the first born.  Thus the verse says nothing about any obligation on Pesach night.</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><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> |
Version as of 06:05, 12 May 2017
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. The various understandings reflect distinct approaches to learning and service of God in general: intellectual, verbal and experiential. Perhaps a mixture of the three methods is ideal.
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.