The Passover Hagadah
Maggid - Why is this Night Different?
by Rabbi Yehudah Prero
A question about Mah Nishtana was presented to the readers not too long
ago. The question, succinctly stated, is: If we do unusual things on the
Seder night to inspire the children to ask questions, why wo we have a Mah
Nishtana, which appears to spoonfeed the children these questions?
Thanks to the help of some readers of YOMTOV, as well as other
colleagues of mine (especially R' Aryeh Winter), I was directed towards the
explanation of the Ma Nishtana presented by the Malbim. Without getting into
the Malbim in great detail, the Ma Nishtana does not contain the questions we
expect the children to ask later on. Each child, according to his or her
level of comprehension, will ask questions when unusual events crop up during
the Seder. What the Ma Nishtana does do is present a clear contrast of the
two themes running throughout the Seder - slavery and freedom. The first two
questions deal with the symbols of slavery on this night - Matzo and Maror,
and the second two deal with symbols of freedom - dipping and reclining. This
contrast allows us to realize how much we owe Hashem for allowing the latter
part - our freedom - to occur. Hence, with this feeling of gratitude now
swelling up inside us, we are now fullly aroused and prepared to continue
with the telling of the story of our departure with the proper feeling and
emotion. This is why one must say the Mah Nishtana even when alone at the
Seder.
After we conclude the invitation contained in Ha Lachma, the Mah Nishtana,
the Four Questions, are asked. The Aruch HaShulchan, Rav Yechiel Epstein
writes that these four "questions" should not be asked, or intoned in an
inquisitive manner. Rather they are to be said in a tone of wonderment (as we
see in the Pasuk of "Mah Gadlu Ma'asecha Hashem - How great are your works,
Hashem! ). We are saying "Look how different tonight is from other nights: We
eat only matzo, we dip our food twice, we eat maror, and we recline!"
The Abarbanel comments that the Ma Nishtana is drawing our attention to a
very important point. Tonight, we act in ways that represent both slavery and
freedom. Our eating of the matzo and the maror commemorates the harsh and
bitter slavery, from which
we suffered greatly. Only moments after performing these commemorative
actions, we dip our foods and recline while eating. These are signs of
nobility and dignity. These are actions which represent our status as free
men, servants only to Hashem. The resulting question of "Why on this night do
we act in ways which are contradictory" yells out, begging for an answer.
The answer to this question is Avadim Hayinu L'Pharoah B'Mitzrayim, we were
slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. However, on the same night that we begun as
slaves, Hotzi'ainu Hashem Elokienu Misham, Hashem took us out from there, and
we became a nation of free men. Only one night in history, we were both
slaves, and free men. Contradictory actions on this night are very
appropriate.
Rav Yaakov Emden notes that there are two contradictory elements contained
in our enslavement. We were Avadim L'Pharoah, slaves to a king. A certain
level of dignity existed as our enslavement was to a king, and not the
Egyptians themselves. In fact, we see that the tribe of Levi was accorded
respect, in their not having to perform labor. This is cause for a
remembrance of our enslavement which is positive.
However, we were also slaves B'Mitzrayim, in Egypt. Mitzrayim was descended
from Cham, one of the sons of Noach. Because of the lack of respect and
disgrace that Cham showed
towards Noach, he was cursed. This curse was that Cham and his descendants
were to be eternal slaves. This meant that the B'nai Yisroel, by being slaves
in Egypt, were slaves of slaves. This is a great level of lowliness and
degradation. For this, we also have a
remembrance. Because of these two aspects, it is fitting to have
contradictory symbols during the Seder.
