אָמַ֣ר שֹׁמֵ֔ר אָתָ֥ה בֹ֖קֶר וְגַם־לָ֑יְלָה אִם־תִּבְעָי֥וּן בְּעָ֖יוּ שֻׁ֥בוּ אֵתָֽיוּ׃ (ס)
Penjaga itu berkata: “Pagi datang, dan juga malam. Jika kamu hendak bertanya, bertanyalah; kembalilah, datanglah!”
Ramban
AND ‘ELOKIM’ (G-D) SAID. The word Elokim means “the Master of all forces,” for the root of the word is e-il, meaning force, and the word Elokim is a composite consisting of the words e-il heim, as if the word e-il is in a construct state, and heim, [literally] “they,” alludes to all other forces. Thus Elokim means “the Force of all forces.” A secret will yet be disclosed in connection with this.43See Ramban, Exodus 20:3.
If so, the simple correct explanation of the verse is as follows: In the beginning44Ramban thus indicates his opinion that the word bereshith is not in a construct state. This is contrary to Rashi, as explained above. G-d created the heavens means He brought forth their matter from nothing; and the earth means that He brought forth its matter from nothing. And the earth, includes all the four elements,45Fire, wind, water, and earth. [not merely the land] as in the verse, And the heaven and the earth were finished,46Genesis 2:1. which includes the entire lower sphere, and in Praise the Eternal from the earth, ye sea-monsters, and all deeps,47Psalms 148:7. and as in many other verses. Now with this creation, which was like a very small point having no substance, everything in the heavens and on the earth was created. The word eth —[eth hashamayim ve’eth ha’aretz] — is like “the essence of a thing.” The Sages have always set it forth as serving to include,48Pesachim 22b. since it is derived from the expression, The morning ‘atha’ (cometh), and also the night.49Isaiah 21:12. And so did our Rabbis say:50Bereshith Rabbah 1:19. “‘Eth hashamayim (the heavens)’ — eth includes the sun, moon, stars and constellations. ‘Ve’eth ha’aretz (and the earth)’ — ve’eth includes the trees, herbs, and the Garden of Eden.” These include all created things which are corporeal.
Now after having said that with one command G-d created at first the heavens and the earth and all their hosts, Scripture returns and explains that the earth after this creation was tohu, that is, matter without substance. It became bohu when He clothed it with form. Then it [Scripture] explains that in this form was included the form of the four elements: fire, water, earth, and air. The word ha’aretz (the earth) includes these four elements. In this verse, the element of fire is called “darkness”51And darkness was upon the face of the deep. So also explained in the Moreh Nebuchim, II:30: “By Choshech the element fire is meant, nothing else.” Ramban’s reasoning on this point is also found there. because the elemental fire is dark. Were it red, it would redden the night for us. The element of water with which the dust was kneaded is here called “deep.”51And darkness was upon the face of the deep. So also explained in the Moreh Nebuchim, II:30: “By Choshech the element fire is meant, nothing else.” Ramban’s reasoning on this point is also found there. This is why the waters of the oceans are called “the deeps,” as it is written, The deeps cover them;52Exodus 15:15. The deeps were congealed;53Ibid., 8. The deep was round about me.54Jonah 2:6. The bottom of the ocean is also referred to as “deep:” And He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up, and He led them through the depths, as a wilderness;55Psalms 106:9. He led them through the deep as a horse in the wilderness.56Isaiah 63:13. And the element air is here called “spirit.”57And the spirit of G-d hovered over the face of the waters.
Now it is already known that the four elements fill up the whole space with matter.58“This sphere in its totality is composed of the celestial orbs, the four elements and their combinations; there is no vacuum whatever therein, but the whole space is filled up with matter.” (Guide of the Perplexed, Friedlander’s translation, I, 72.) That which stands still is the sphere of earth. The waters surround the earth, the air encompasses the waters, and the fire envelopes the air.59From the language of Rambam, ibid. It is to be noted that Ramban follows Yehudah al Charizi’s translation of Rambam’s philosophic work and not that of Shmuel ibn Tibbon. See my Hebrew work, The Life of Ramban, pp. 23-24, on the far-reaching significance of this point. Scripture thus states that the earth took on form, and the fire above enveloped the intermingled waters and dust, and the wind blew and rose in the darkness and hovered over the waters.
It appears to me that this [primeval] point, [which G-d created out of absolute nought], which took on form and became bohu, is what the Sages call:60Yoma 54b. This “foundation rock” is the stone on which the Ark of the Covenant rested in the Holy of Holies in King Solomon’s Temple. “‘The rock of foundation’ from which the world was founded.”
The purport of the verses is thus: In the beginning G-d created the heavens from nought, and He created the earth from nought. The earth, when created, was tohu and then it became bohu, and in these there were “darkness” [i.e., fire, as explained above], water, dust and the wind blowing upon the water. Thus everything was created and made. The reason why ruach (wind) is attached to the name of G-d [as it says, and the spirit of God] is that it is the least substantial of all elements61Although fire is thinner than wind, since the element of fire is alluded to in the verse by the word “darkness,” as explained above, it would not be fitting to attach it to the name of G—d. (Bachya). and is above them, hovering upon the face of the waters only by command of the Holy One, blessed be He.
In case you seek information concerning the creation of the incorporeal angels, you will not find it explained in the Torah. The Sages, however, have explained concerning them that they were created on the second day, so that you should not say that they assisted in the creation of the world.62Bereshith Rabbah 3:11. But if you will merit and understand the secret of the word bereshith and why Scripture does not begin by saying, “G-d created in the beginning,” you will know that, in the way of truth,63A reference to the true wisdom of the Cabala which enables one to grasp the mysteries of the Torah. Scripture tells about the lower creations and alludes to the higher ones and that the word bereshith refers covertly to the Emanation called Wisdom, which is the head of all beginnings, as I have mentioned. This is why they translated bereshith in the Jerusalem Targum to mean “in wisdom,” and the word is adorned in the Torah with a crown on the letter beth.64The adornment on the top of the letter beth hints at the Kether (Crown) above, from which all emanations issue. It is also referred to as Ein Sof (the Infinite). See my Hebrew commentary, p. 15.
If so, the simple correct explanation of the verse is as follows: In the beginning44Ramban thus indicates his opinion that the word bereshith is not in a construct state. This is contrary to Rashi, as explained above. G-d created the heavens means He brought forth their matter from nothing; and the earth means that He brought forth its matter from nothing. And the earth, includes all the four elements,45Fire, wind, water, and earth. [not merely the land] as in the verse, And the heaven and the earth were finished,46Genesis 2:1. which includes the entire lower sphere, and in Praise the Eternal from the earth, ye sea-monsters, and all deeps,47Psalms 148:7. and as in many other verses. Now with this creation, which was like a very small point having no substance, everything in the heavens and on the earth was created. The word eth —[eth hashamayim ve’eth ha’aretz] — is like “the essence of a thing.” The Sages have always set it forth as serving to include,48Pesachim 22b. since it is derived from the expression, The morning ‘atha’ (cometh), and also the night.49Isaiah 21:12. And so did our Rabbis say:50Bereshith Rabbah 1:19. “‘Eth hashamayim (the heavens)’ — eth includes the sun, moon, stars and constellations. ‘Ve’eth ha’aretz (and the earth)’ — ve’eth includes the trees, herbs, and the Garden of Eden.” These include all created things which are corporeal.
Now after having said that with one command G-d created at first the heavens and the earth and all their hosts, Scripture returns and explains that the earth after this creation was tohu, that is, matter without substance. It became bohu when He clothed it with form. Then it [Scripture] explains that in this form was included the form of the four elements: fire, water, earth, and air. The word ha’aretz (the earth) includes these four elements. In this verse, the element of fire is called “darkness”51And darkness was upon the face of the deep. So also explained in the Moreh Nebuchim, II:30: “By Choshech the element fire is meant, nothing else.” Ramban’s reasoning on this point is also found there. because the elemental fire is dark. Were it red, it would redden the night for us. The element of water with which the dust was kneaded is here called “deep.”51And darkness was upon the face of the deep. So also explained in the Moreh Nebuchim, II:30: “By Choshech the element fire is meant, nothing else.” Ramban’s reasoning on this point is also found there. This is why the waters of the oceans are called “the deeps,” as it is written, The deeps cover them;52Exodus 15:15. The deeps were congealed;53Ibid., 8. The deep was round about me.54Jonah 2:6. The bottom of the ocean is also referred to as “deep:” And He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up, and He led them through the depths, as a wilderness;55Psalms 106:9. He led them through the deep as a horse in the wilderness.56Isaiah 63:13. And the element air is here called “spirit.”57And the spirit of G-d hovered over the face of the waters.
Now it is already known that the four elements fill up the whole space with matter.58“This sphere in its totality is composed of the celestial orbs, the four elements and their combinations; there is no vacuum whatever therein, but the whole space is filled up with matter.” (Guide of the Perplexed, Friedlander’s translation, I, 72.) That which stands still is the sphere of earth. The waters surround the earth, the air encompasses the waters, and the fire envelopes the air.59From the language of Rambam, ibid. It is to be noted that Ramban follows Yehudah al Charizi’s translation of Rambam’s philosophic work and not that of Shmuel ibn Tibbon. See my Hebrew work, The Life of Ramban, pp. 23-24, on the far-reaching significance of this point. Scripture thus states that the earth took on form, and the fire above enveloped the intermingled waters and dust, and the wind blew and rose in the darkness and hovered over the waters.
It appears to me that this [primeval] point, [which G-d created out of absolute nought], which took on form and became bohu, is what the Sages call:60Yoma 54b. This “foundation rock” is the stone on which the Ark of the Covenant rested in the Holy of Holies in King Solomon’s Temple. “‘The rock of foundation’ from which the world was founded.”
The purport of the verses is thus: In the beginning G-d created the heavens from nought, and He created the earth from nought. The earth, when created, was tohu and then it became bohu, and in these there were “darkness” [i.e., fire, as explained above], water, dust and the wind blowing upon the water. Thus everything was created and made. The reason why ruach (wind) is attached to the name of G-d [as it says, and the spirit of God] is that it is the least substantial of all elements61Although fire is thinner than wind, since the element of fire is alluded to in the verse by the word “darkness,” as explained above, it would not be fitting to attach it to the name of G—d. (Bachya). and is above them, hovering upon the face of the waters only by command of the Holy One, blessed be He.
In case you seek information concerning the creation of the incorporeal angels, you will not find it explained in the Torah. The Sages, however, have explained concerning them that they were created on the second day, so that you should not say that they assisted in the creation of the world.62Bereshith Rabbah 3:11. But if you will merit and understand the secret of the word bereshith and why Scripture does not begin by saying, “G-d created in the beginning,” you will know that, in the way of truth,63A reference to the true wisdom of the Cabala which enables one to grasp the mysteries of the Torah. Scripture tells about the lower creations and alludes to the higher ones and that the word bereshith refers covertly to the Emanation called Wisdom, which is the head of all beginnings, as I have mentioned. This is why they translated bereshith in the Jerusalem Targum to mean “in wisdom,” and the word is adorned in the Torah with a crown on the letter beth.64The adornment on the top of the letter beth hints at the Kether (Crown) above, from which all emanations issue. It is also referred to as Ein Sof (the Infinite). See my Hebrew commentary, p. 15.
Midrash BeChiddush
One might ask, why do the sages, ob’m,36Of blessed memory - this abbreviation will be used throughout this essay. arrange the Haggadah with questions and answers?37Rabbi Foa is not only talking about the Mah Nishtanah. Other questions appear in the Haggadah as well: the four sons and Rabban Gamliel’s statement as well as Echad Mi Yodea. He also quotes the Talmud where we are told the Seder must begin with a question. See Note below as well. We are taught: “If he has a son, etc, if he has a wife she should ask him, and if not, he should ask himself.38BT See Pesachim 116a. This is not the first time that Rabbi Foa appears to paraphrase the Talmud text. I believe this is the passage he is quoting: תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: חָכָם בְּנוֹ — שׁוֹאֲלוֹ. וְאִם אֵינוֹ חָכָם - אִשְׁתּוֹ שׁוֹאַלְתּוֹ, וְאִם לָאו - הוּא שׁוֹאֵל לְעַצְמוֹ, וַאֲפִילּוּ שְׁנֵי תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים שֶׁיּוֹדְעִין בְּהִלְכוֹת הַפֶּסַח — שׁוֹאֲלִין זֶה לָזֶה. When a person studies something difficult and then arrives at a satisfying solution, the answer stays with him and never leaves him.
The Exodus from Egypt is the root and essence of all the commandments. Therefore, “Even if we are all sages, all discerning, elders,and knowledgeable about the Torah, it is incumbent upon us,” to analyze the Exodus with all our intellectual tools in order that it be completely set in our minds and not leave us. Concerning p’shat, one might say, “A verse never leaves its literal meaning.”39BT Shabbat 63a, Yevamot 24a, Rashi - ואע"ג דדרשינן ליה לדרשא מידי פשוטו מיהו לא נפיק לגמרי: Even though we interpret a verse homiletically, it still has its literal meaning. Because Scripture states, “And when, in time to come (machar), your child asks you, saying, ‘What does this mean,” (Ex. 13:14) and also, “And when your children says to you, ‘What do you mean by this rite,’” (Ex. 12:26) it would appear that questions are preferable in the eyes of God. The word machar does not mean ‘tomorrow's here but (as translated above) ‘some time later.’ It implies that the answer to the child will come whenever it will come because God wants the child to find the answers to his/her own questions. That is why the sages saw fit to fashion Haggadah in the form of a question (and answer). Or it might be because they understood that any question is fitting to God, as we see from the simple child who asks, “What is this?” Therefore, they organized the Seder so that even a single person who is a scholar must ask himself, even if there is no basis for asking. Anyone who asks should not be embarrassed to do so.
Why do we ask these questions rather than others? If the purpose of the questions is to teach us about the subjugation as with the case of matzah and maror, then why ask, “Why…do we recline?” And if the purpose of the questions was to teach about both slavery and freedom, why doesn’t the passage also mention drinking four cups of wine? We are all obligated to drink four cups of wine, as we are taught in the Mishnah, “Even a poor person, should not have less than four cups of wine.”40Mishnah Pesachim 10:1 There is yet another reason to ask about wine. (According to the Mishnah) We just poured the second cup of wine before reciting the Mah Nishtanah.41As the Seder is presented in the Mishnah. The child should be asking questions about the things that they have just seen and not things that they are going to do after reciting the Haggadah.
(Amnam) However, Mah Nishtanah can be explained in the way we interpreted the first passage in the Haggadah. The leader of the Seder comes to comfort those who are suffering through this long exile. The leader asks, “Why is this exile which is also called, “this night,” different from other nights/exiles?” As is written, “Morning has come and also night,”42Isaiah 21:12 See Abarbanel (Is.21:12) of all the exiles that have passed. (He then explains the way that this “night” is different from all the other “nights.”)43In other words, the four statements that follow, “How is this night different,” are not answers to the question but explanations of how this night/exile is different.
1. “Know that during the other nights/exiles through which we have passed, we consumed chametz and matzah, after being redeemed. Chametz and matzah are allusions to the good and evil inclination; that is, one who is ruled by a good or an evil inclination. But when we escape the exile on this night/exile, it will be because we are entirely ruled by the good inclination and the evil inclination will be completely banished. Thus, the shin on the word sh’bechol means bishveel - ‘because’ or ‘for the sake of:’ because of other nights/exiles we continue to eat chametz and matzah but at the end of this night/exile, there will only be matzah/the good inclination.
2. There is another reason why this night/exile is longer than all other exiles. “On all the other nights/exiles we ate all types of vegetables…” This can be understood based on Perek HaSefinah: (Baba Batra ch.5) “In the world to come, every righteous person will be burned by embarrassment at the size of the canopy of the other.”44Baba Batra, Ch. 5, BT 75a Rabbi Ḥanina said: This teaches that each and every one is burned from embarrassment at the size of the canopy of the other, and says: Woe for this embarrassment, woe for this disgrace, that I did not merit a canopy as large as his. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכׇּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נִכְוֶה מֵחוּפָּתוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ אוֹי לָהּ לְאוֹתָהּ בּוּשָׁה אוֹי לָהּ לְאוֹתָהּ כְּלִימָה
3. This is referring to a type of jealousy that is permitted in this world. It is the type of jealousy that increases a sage's desire for wisdom.45When scholars are jealous of the level of knowledge of their colleagues it causes them to work harder to increase their level of understanding. This is the type of jealousy which the righteous experience in the Garden of Eden from the canopy of his fellow. It will not be considered the bad type of jealousy that causes pain from the honor bestowed on his fellow. Rather the sage experiences pain because he did not increase his commandments and good deeds in this world so that he would merit what his colleague merits in the world to come. Because of this suffering he will n0w merit a greater reward. This is what is stated: On all other nights/ exiles we eat all other all types of vegetables (yirakot/יְרָקוֹת); that is, that cause us to experience jealousy, both good and bad, for jealousy causes a person's face to pale (morikot/מוֹרִיקָה).46The word yirakot is connected to morikot both come from the same root hebrew word - yarak “But on this night, maror,” we experience (good) jealousy which is like maror because there is no vegetable as bitter as maror.47It is referring to kinat sofrim - the jealousy that a sage feels at the level of good deeds and commandments of his fellow.
4. Further, “On all other nights we do not even dip once…” Dipping/matbilim is related to tevilah/immersing. This is meant to suggest that the troubles of the other nights of exile did not require us to immerse ourselves even once, while the suffering of this exile requires two immersions, one for the body and one for the soul which takes place in Gehinnom.48Originally the name of a location outside of the old city of Jerusalem, Gehinnom later came to be associated with Hell, or the place to which we go to make atonement for our sins after death. See: Gehenna - Wikipedia
5. Further, “On all other nights we eat either sitting or leaning…” There are those who experience part of the pleasure of the world to come such as people who rejoice in the Sabbath, which is one sixtieth of the world to come as well as those who participate in intimate marital relations. “But on this night, all of us lean…” since all of us will merit this rejoicing. And since all the things that have been mentioned need to be free from dross and impurity, God causes us to suffer and lengthens our exile so that this good will be experienced by all of us in the future.
(Od) It is also possible that the question (Mah Nishtanah) should be understood according to its plain meaning: “How is this night/exile different,” and it is answered with the differences that are mentioned, “On all other nights….” - all the other exiles, we eat chametz and matzah, etc… and the other differences that are mentioned here. The Maggid understands that this exile/night is different from the other nights/exiles because there are four things that cause suffering to those living through the present exile.49In other words, why are all these differences necessary on this night… First, we suffer because “there are those who rise up over us in every generation to destroy us;” if we were redeemed we would be free of such suffering. Secondly, during the present exile our evil inclination incites us and causes us to sin against our Creator; if we were redeemed we would certainly not be harmed by the evil inclination. As the sages say, in the future, the Holy One will capture the evil inclination and slaughter it.50Source is unknown. Third, during the present exile we do not receive an immediate reward for performing the mitzvot, and for most people waiting for a reward in the world to come is a, “Hope deferred that sickens the heart.” (Isaiah 21:12) Fourth, the wonders are hidden during this night/exile. The Haggadah frames the question according to these four causes that make the present night/exile so harsh. If you ask, “why is this night/exile so much more harsh than all the other nights/exiles,” it is because of these reasons.
1. During the other exiles God did not wait until we had completely removed the evil inclination ( compared to chametz) to redeem us, but during the present exile, redemption won’t come about until we completely remove the evil inclination. Rather, God knows that we are still consuming chametz - there are some who are sometimes ruled by the evil inclination and sometimes by the good inclination - this did not stop God from redeeming us in the past. But during the present exile/night, until we only consume matzah and we completely remove chametz/the evil inclination from our midst we will not be redeemed.
2. The other nights/exiles were different because we were allowed to eat all types of vegetables. That is, we experienced all types of bitterness from various sources. But during this night/exile, we cannot be redeemed until we experience the most harsh type of bitterness. It is a bitterness caused by the length of the exile and also because of the disgrace that we experience that is caused by the filth and refuse. (Lam. 3:45) Such bitterness clings to our souls and it is bitter beyond comparison.
3. Further, on all other nights/exiles we did not even have to immerse even once… Why is there such a big difference between this exile/night and all the other exiles/nights? During all the other exiles, there was no confusion about when we would be redeemed. During the exile in Egypt we knew that subjugation would not last more than four hundred years, and the Babylonian exile was only seventy years. This is the meaning of the expression, “We did not immerse (matbilin)” - this means we were not confused.51The connection between the words murbavim and matbilim - between immerse and confuse is not clear to me. The linguistic connection seems to be more related to the second expression תִּפָּ֣עֶם רוּח֔וֹ, “his spirit became agitated.” Maybe the idea here is that we are extremely agitated. Afilu pa’am achat,”Even one time” - this expression is borrowed from the expression tipa’em rucho, תִּפָּ֣עֶם רוּח֔וֹ, “his spirit became agitated.” (Gen. 41:8) But during the present exile, we are doubly agitated, firstly because we might not merit redemption and secondly, there might be other forms of suffering that will yet take place.
4. Finally, “On all other nights we eat either sitting or leaning.” One who is leaning, does not have it in his mind to suddenly stand up, unlike the person who sits upright, without leaning. As the sages say, “If they were reclining, one recites a blessing (standing) on behalf of them all,”52Mishnah Berachot 6:6 See Sefaria Commentary by Rabbi Joshua Kulp: If they are reclining, one blesses for them all. If they are reclining, then they are eating a formal banquet together and one person can bless on behalf of them all. since it is their intention to remain together until the end of the meal. Therefore, when it says, “On all other nights we eat either sitting or leaning,” it means, sometimes they would sit without leaning as if they were prepared to rise in redemption and sometimes they would lean like ones who were napping, having despaired of being redeemed. As the sages say,53BT See Megillah 11b - 12a “Balshazar calculated and erred, Achashveros calculated and erred, Daniel calculated and erred, as it says, “In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, consulted the books concerning the number of years that, according to the word of Adonai that had come to Jeremiah the prophet, were to be the term of Jerusalem’s desolation— 70 years.”(Dan. 9:2) When they were close to the allotted time they would sit upright without leaning like someone who is ready to get up. While some regularly leaned when they ate, like the great majority of the Jewish people in Babylonia and in Spain,54Italics are mine - this comment is telling and meant to be a criticism of the Jews who left Spain - they were unprepared for redemption or for their exile. others were also sitting upright because they were prepared for the imminent redemption. “But on this night/exile all of us were leaning…” because we don’t know how long this exile will last.
To all of these matters we answer with light words55See Kohelet Rabbah 1:13:1 This one ate light foods and he was harmed… The answer provided by the Haggadah is easy to digest though it contains great depth. that includes many matters. We begin with, “We were slaves in Egypt…” In other words, all of this has happened because we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and God took us out from there before the allotted time with great strength and a mighty hand as shall be seen. Actually God wanted to wait so that God could remove all the oppressors so that the Israelites would never have to be in exile again.
The Exodus from Egypt is the root and essence of all the commandments. Therefore, “Even if we are all sages, all discerning, elders,and knowledgeable about the Torah, it is incumbent upon us,” to analyze the Exodus with all our intellectual tools in order that it be completely set in our minds and not leave us. Concerning p’shat, one might say, “A verse never leaves its literal meaning.”39BT Shabbat 63a, Yevamot 24a, Rashi - ואע"ג דדרשינן ליה לדרשא מידי פשוטו מיהו לא נפיק לגמרי: Even though we interpret a verse homiletically, it still has its literal meaning. Because Scripture states, “And when, in time to come (machar), your child asks you, saying, ‘What does this mean,” (Ex. 13:14) and also, “And when your children says to you, ‘What do you mean by this rite,’” (Ex. 12:26) it would appear that questions are preferable in the eyes of God. The word machar does not mean ‘tomorrow's here but (as translated above) ‘some time later.’ It implies that the answer to the child will come whenever it will come because God wants the child to find the answers to his/her own questions. That is why the sages saw fit to fashion Haggadah in the form of a question (and answer). Or it might be because they understood that any question is fitting to God, as we see from the simple child who asks, “What is this?” Therefore, they organized the Seder so that even a single person who is a scholar must ask himself, even if there is no basis for asking. Anyone who asks should not be embarrassed to do so.
Why do we ask these questions rather than others? If the purpose of the questions is to teach us about the subjugation as with the case of matzah and maror, then why ask, “Why…do we recline?” And if the purpose of the questions was to teach about both slavery and freedom, why doesn’t the passage also mention drinking four cups of wine? We are all obligated to drink four cups of wine, as we are taught in the Mishnah, “Even a poor person, should not have less than four cups of wine.”40Mishnah Pesachim 10:1 There is yet another reason to ask about wine. (According to the Mishnah) We just poured the second cup of wine before reciting the Mah Nishtanah.41As the Seder is presented in the Mishnah. The child should be asking questions about the things that they have just seen and not things that they are going to do after reciting the Haggadah.
(Amnam) However, Mah Nishtanah can be explained in the way we interpreted the first passage in the Haggadah. The leader of the Seder comes to comfort those who are suffering through this long exile. The leader asks, “Why is this exile which is also called, “this night,” different from other nights/exiles?” As is written, “Morning has come and also night,”42Isaiah 21:12 See Abarbanel (Is.21:12) of all the exiles that have passed. (He then explains the way that this “night” is different from all the other “nights.”)43In other words, the four statements that follow, “How is this night different,” are not answers to the question but explanations of how this night/exile is different.
1. “Know that during the other nights/exiles through which we have passed, we consumed chametz and matzah, after being redeemed. Chametz and matzah are allusions to the good and evil inclination; that is, one who is ruled by a good or an evil inclination. But when we escape the exile on this night/exile, it will be because we are entirely ruled by the good inclination and the evil inclination will be completely banished. Thus, the shin on the word sh’bechol means bishveel - ‘because’ or ‘for the sake of:’ because of other nights/exiles we continue to eat chametz and matzah but at the end of this night/exile, there will only be matzah/the good inclination.
2. There is another reason why this night/exile is longer than all other exiles. “On all the other nights/exiles we ate all types of vegetables…” This can be understood based on Perek HaSefinah: (Baba Batra ch.5) “In the world to come, every righteous person will be burned by embarrassment at the size of the canopy of the other.”44Baba Batra, Ch. 5, BT 75a Rabbi Ḥanina said: This teaches that each and every one is burned from embarrassment at the size of the canopy of the other, and says: Woe for this embarrassment, woe for this disgrace, that I did not merit a canopy as large as his. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכׇּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נִכְוֶה מֵחוּפָּתוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ אוֹי לָהּ לְאוֹתָהּ בּוּשָׁה אוֹי לָהּ לְאוֹתָהּ כְּלִימָה
3. This is referring to a type of jealousy that is permitted in this world. It is the type of jealousy that increases a sage's desire for wisdom.45When scholars are jealous of the level of knowledge of their colleagues it causes them to work harder to increase their level of understanding. This is the type of jealousy which the righteous experience in the Garden of Eden from the canopy of his fellow. It will not be considered the bad type of jealousy that causes pain from the honor bestowed on his fellow. Rather the sage experiences pain because he did not increase his commandments and good deeds in this world so that he would merit what his colleague merits in the world to come. Because of this suffering he will n0w merit a greater reward. This is what is stated: On all other nights/ exiles we eat all other all types of vegetables (yirakot/יְרָקוֹת); that is, that cause us to experience jealousy, both good and bad, for jealousy causes a person's face to pale (morikot/מוֹרִיקָה).46The word yirakot is connected to morikot both come from the same root hebrew word - yarak “But on this night, maror,” we experience (good) jealousy which is like maror because there is no vegetable as bitter as maror.47It is referring to kinat sofrim - the jealousy that a sage feels at the level of good deeds and commandments of his fellow.
4. Further, “On all other nights we do not even dip once…” Dipping/matbilim is related to tevilah/immersing. This is meant to suggest that the troubles of the other nights of exile did not require us to immerse ourselves even once, while the suffering of this exile requires two immersions, one for the body and one for the soul which takes place in Gehinnom.48Originally the name of a location outside of the old city of Jerusalem, Gehinnom later came to be associated with Hell, or the place to which we go to make atonement for our sins after death. See: Gehenna - Wikipedia
5. Further, “On all other nights we eat either sitting or leaning…” There are those who experience part of the pleasure of the world to come such as people who rejoice in the Sabbath, which is one sixtieth of the world to come as well as those who participate in intimate marital relations. “But on this night, all of us lean…” since all of us will merit this rejoicing. And since all the things that have been mentioned need to be free from dross and impurity, God causes us to suffer and lengthens our exile so that this good will be experienced by all of us in the future.
(Od) It is also possible that the question (Mah Nishtanah) should be understood according to its plain meaning: “How is this night/exile different,” and it is answered with the differences that are mentioned, “On all other nights….” - all the other exiles, we eat chametz and matzah, etc… and the other differences that are mentioned here. The Maggid understands that this exile/night is different from the other nights/exiles because there are four things that cause suffering to those living through the present exile.49In other words, why are all these differences necessary on this night… First, we suffer because “there are those who rise up over us in every generation to destroy us;” if we were redeemed we would be free of such suffering. Secondly, during the present exile our evil inclination incites us and causes us to sin against our Creator; if we were redeemed we would certainly not be harmed by the evil inclination. As the sages say, in the future, the Holy One will capture the evil inclination and slaughter it.50Source is unknown. Third, during the present exile we do not receive an immediate reward for performing the mitzvot, and for most people waiting for a reward in the world to come is a, “Hope deferred that sickens the heart.” (Isaiah 21:12) Fourth, the wonders are hidden during this night/exile. The Haggadah frames the question according to these four causes that make the present night/exile so harsh. If you ask, “why is this night/exile so much more harsh than all the other nights/exiles,” it is because of these reasons.
1. During the other exiles God did not wait until we had completely removed the evil inclination ( compared to chametz) to redeem us, but during the present exile, redemption won’t come about until we completely remove the evil inclination. Rather, God knows that we are still consuming chametz - there are some who are sometimes ruled by the evil inclination and sometimes by the good inclination - this did not stop God from redeeming us in the past. But during the present exile/night, until we only consume matzah and we completely remove chametz/the evil inclination from our midst we will not be redeemed.
2. The other nights/exiles were different because we were allowed to eat all types of vegetables. That is, we experienced all types of bitterness from various sources. But during this night/exile, we cannot be redeemed until we experience the most harsh type of bitterness. It is a bitterness caused by the length of the exile and also because of the disgrace that we experience that is caused by the filth and refuse. (Lam. 3:45) Such bitterness clings to our souls and it is bitter beyond comparison.
3. Further, on all other nights/exiles we did not even have to immerse even once… Why is there such a big difference between this exile/night and all the other exiles/nights? During all the other exiles, there was no confusion about when we would be redeemed. During the exile in Egypt we knew that subjugation would not last more than four hundred years, and the Babylonian exile was only seventy years. This is the meaning of the expression, “We did not immerse (matbilin)” - this means we were not confused.51The connection between the words murbavim and matbilim - between immerse and confuse is not clear to me. The linguistic connection seems to be more related to the second expression תִּפָּ֣עֶם רוּח֔וֹ, “his spirit became agitated.” Maybe the idea here is that we are extremely agitated. Afilu pa’am achat,”Even one time” - this expression is borrowed from the expression tipa’em rucho, תִּפָּ֣עֶם רוּח֔וֹ, “his spirit became agitated.” (Gen. 41:8) But during the present exile, we are doubly agitated, firstly because we might not merit redemption and secondly, there might be other forms of suffering that will yet take place.
4. Finally, “On all other nights we eat either sitting or leaning.” One who is leaning, does not have it in his mind to suddenly stand up, unlike the person who sits upright, without leaning. As the sages say, “If they were reclining, one recites a blessing (standing) on behalf of them all,”52Mishnah Berachot 6:6 See Sefaria Commentary by Rabbi Joshua Kulp: If they are reclining, one blesses for them all. If they are reclining, then they are eating a formal banquet together and one person can bless on behalf of them all. since it is their intention to remain together until the end of the meal. Therefore, when it says, “On all other nights we eat either sitting or leaning,” it means, sometimes they would sit without leaning as if they were prepared to rise in redemption and sometimes they would lean like ones who were napping, having despaired of being redeemed. As the sages say,53BT See Megillah 11b - 12a “Balshazar calculated and erred, Achashveros calculated and erred, Daniel calculated and erred, as it says, “In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, consulted the books concerning the number of years that, according to the word of Adonai that had come to Jeremiah the prophet, were to be the term of Jerusalem’s desolation— 70 years.”(Dan. 9:2) When they were close to the allotted time they would sit upright without leaning like someone who is ready to get up. While some regularly leaned when they ate, like the great majority of the Jewish people in Babylonia and in Spain,54Italics are mine - this comment is telling and meant to be a criticism of the Jews who left Spain - they were unprepared for redemption or for their exile. others were also sitting upright because they were prepared for the imminent redemption. “But on this night/exile all of us were leaning…” because we don’t know how long this exile will last.
To all of these matters we answer with light words55See Kohelet Rabbah 1:13:1 This one ate light foods and he was harmed… The answer provided by the Haggadah is easy to digest though it contains great depth. that includes many matters. We begin with, “We were slaves in Egypt…” In other words, all of this has happened because we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and God took us out from there before the allotted time with great strength and a mighty hand as shall be seen. Actually God wanted to wait so that God could remove all the oppressors so that the Israelites would never have to be in exile again.
Or HaChaim
If we were to use a symbolic approach we could see in the seven lamps a hint at the seventy nations, each lamp representing 10 nations. The idea would be that the miraculous nature of the lamp in the centre represents the Jewish nation; the other lamps all focus on the Jewish people, who in turn represent the concept of מערב, West, a concept familiar to students of kabbalah. The fact that all the other lamps burn out symbolises the eventual disappearance of all the other nations, only Israel surviving. The fact that the lamps burned only at night are a reminder of our exile, which is called לילה. The time of redemption is referred to by our prophets as בקר, morning, compare Isaiah 21,12. At that time the lights of the nations will go out only Israel's light remaining. When kindling the candlestick, the priest doing so should also think that its light should face the front of the candlestick, i.e. he should think of the needs of the Jewish people and that G'd should turn His face towards them.
Or HaChaim
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were revealed Heb. נִבְעוּ. Jonathan rendered: were revealed, and it is an Aramaic expression: נִבְעוּ means “sought out.” Cf. (Isa. 21: 12) “If you will request, request (אִם תִּבְעָיוּן בְּעָיוּ).”