Seder: a Taste of Freedom Part 1

Seder: Two Biblical Mitzvohs: 1. Higad’ta (tell over story of Exodus)
              2. Eat Matzoh

Higad’ta: Mitzvah to remember Exodus a whole year.
What is unique on Pesach night?
Ans: Remember vs. verbalize…..or…..response to a question (dialogue vs. monologue). 
Hence, Mah Nishtanah inserted.  Four verses allude to four sons.

Question #1: Why does Torah surmise that child(ren) will only have questions on Pesach, and no other holiday?
Question #2: Maggid actually begins, “This is the poor man’s bread that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt?”
Question #3: If Maggid is a Biblical Mitzvah, why no Bracha (blessing)?

Why thank G-d for taking us out of Egypt: He put us in there in the first place?
Analogy: Doctor who breaks crooked bone to reset it.
Question #4: Why thank doctor (G-d) whose improvement has no lasting value? We’re back in exile?
Proof from text itself: “Hungry…needy… now we are here…now we are slaves?”
Proof from Moses at Burning Bush: I will be (twice)….Send Moshiach.
Question #5: Why thank G-d: He was obligated by His promise?

“This is the poor man’s bread that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt.”
Two weeks notice for last meal of slavery. 
Later in Maggid: “Dough did not have time to rise.” (First meal of freedom)
Question #6: Which one was it?

Alter Rebbe answers #6: Two types of matzoh.  1. Lechem Oni - Poor Man’s Bread
    2. Michla D’heimnusa - Food of ַ
Two levels of faith: Child’s faith vs. Moses’ faith.
Example: Engaged: “My spouse is perfect…”
Until last plague most Jews stopped believing. Even those who did had simple child’s faith.
After plague of first born, they believed! But what a difference! 
1st matzah until midnight had to be guarded from chometz (spiritual negatives)
חמץ    vs.    מצה  Difference is ח vs. ה.
2nd matzah is after midnight which has no possibility (not the time) for it to become chometz. 

Going back to Question #1: Tonight has no consistent theme; this provokes the questions.
Question #2: We preface maggid with explanation of theme, which is not slavery or freedom.
It’s the ability to change. (Children ask the most embarrassing questions).
Question #3: No Bracha at beginning, but at end (similar to conversion).
Question #4: This ability to change had lasting, permanent value. Proof from text itself (next year we will be free).
Question #5: The ability to change had to occurr before they descended into the 50th level of spiritual abyss.

Part Two of the Journey next week.