FROM RAGS TO RICHES
This Saturday night immediately after Shabbos Jews across the world will be sitting down with their family and friends at the Seder table. One of the mitzvos we will perform is the mitzvah of Magid in which we will discuss our exodus from Egypt.
There are many mitzvos that require speaking and reciting such as prayer, reading of Hallel, reading the Megillah and others. One can fulfill their obligation when reciting the necessary reading in Hebrew even if they do not understand the translation of what they heard or read. The mitzvah of Magid, however, is distinct from these other recitations. Magid must be done in the common language. If one does not understand Hebrew, they must read the translation.
Why is this mitzvah different from all the other mitzvos of the whole year?
Rabbeinu Bachya in the Chovos Halvavos explains that it is not sufficient for the Jew to fulfill the mitzvos alone. All of his heart and mind must be engaged in addition to his actions. The reason for this, he explains is because of the tremendous chesed HaShem performs for us on a continuous basis in spite of our being unworthy. Rabbeinu Bachya dedicates a complete section of his work describing in great detail many of those infinite kindnesses. At the beginning of this section he explains why people fail to recognize these kindnesses. He draws a parallel to two people who were saved by a magnanimous benefactor. The first was an infant that was found in a basket, who was apparently abandoned by his parents. Our benefactor took up the infant, cared for him, provided for him and raised him until he was a mature independent individual. The second person our benefactor saved was a businessman who was kidnapped by terrorists and was threatened to be killed. Our benefactor heard about his plight and arranged ransom to be paid and the businessman was released.
Rabbeinu Bachya points out that the businessman will have a much deeper sense of gratitude to the benefactor than the child, in spite of the fact that the child received much more than the businessman. The reason for this is because the child grew up with this kindness from the first moment of his infanthood. He therefore takes everything he gets for granted. Even once he ma-tures and looks back, he still lacks that deeper appreciation.
Pesach marks the birth of our people. The prophet Yechezkal depicts our exodus as an infant freshly born with nobody to care for it. We were wallowing in our blood and HaShem took us up, cared for us and raised us until we were grown and mature. We are that infant and HaShem is that benefactor. There was no future for us and we could hope for nothing. HaShem swooped down and elevated us to become the eternal people who carry His Presence. Is there any parallel to such kindness?
This is the story upon which our relationship with HaShem rests. We must spend a lifetime deepening that debt of gratitude towards Him and filling that debt with the acceptance of His Will. We must pass this on to our children so that they too should recognize their debt and fill it with their acceptance of His Will as well. The only way for us to fully appreciate His kindness is by making a celebration. Invite our family and friends, rejoice and talk about the wonderful kindness of our Benefactor. Reflect on where we were and what we have become! It is not a ritual of recitation, it is not even an exercise of remembering. It is a celebration. We must create an experience out of this event. Our Seder must become a memory that our children will never forget.
This is why our Seder is designed in a way that engages the children and the other participants. HaShem wants us to be involved.
The reason this mitzvah is different than all other mitzvos is because this is the mitzvah that engages us and brings to a new lev-el of commitment to HaShem for the kindness He did, for the kindness He does and for the kindness He continues to do.
Have a wonderful Shabbos Hagadol and a very successful Seder.
Paysach Diskind