Комментарий к Шмот 13:14

כי ישאלך בנך מחר WHEN THY SON ASKETH THEE מחר — There is a usage of the word מחר that refers to “now” (i. e. to the period of time that is nearest to “now” viz., to-morrow), and there is another usage of מחר that refers to a day following after the lapse of some time, as, for example, this מחר here and as, for example, (Joshua 22:27) “That your children may not say to our children in time to come (מחר)” which occurs in the chapter about the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:14:1).

מה זאת?, a reference to the unusual legislation of having to redeem the firstborn impure animal donkey seeing that its body could not have been sanctified due to its inherent impurity. Similarly, the need to break this animal’s neck as an alternative to redeeming it sounds peculiar to the son who is asking.

והיה כי ישאלך בנך, "It will be when your son enquires of you, etc." The Torah means that when your son observes you perform the ceremony of redeeming a firstborn he will ask you the reason for that commandment. In that event you are obligated to explain the meaning of the commandment. If the son does not ask you, you are not obligated to answer him except on the night of the Passover. This is the reason the Torah added the word מחר, "tomorrow;" This means that even if your son will ask you already tomorrow you are immediately obligated to tell him the reason for this commandment. The Torah adds the word לאמור to indicate that what is meant is a situation when your son expects an answer to his question. If the son, however, simply asks מה זאת, i.e. "what is this all about?" a derisive way of questioning, then you are under no obligation to answer him at that time.

כי בחוזק יד הוציאנו ממצרים, “for with a strong hand did He take us out of Egypt.” Having said this as a kind of “headline,” the Torah now continues to describe how this “hand” of G’d manifested itself. It was primarily the simultaneous killing of the firstborn that resulted immediately in the release of the Israelites. The contrast with the earlier plagues, which did not result in the release of the Israelites, is clear to anyone. This is why I perform sacrificial rites on every anniversary of that event.

V. 14. מחר, davon מחיר, der Tausch, der Tauschwert, מחר: der statt des heutigen eintretende Tag, morgen. Wo es aber nicht den morgenden Tag bezeichnet, da bedeutet es eine von der jetzigen verschiedene Zeit. So וענתה בי צדקתי ביום מחר (Bereschit 30, 33), wenn ich aus dem Dienst treten werde. מחר יאמרו בניכם לבנינו (Josua 22, 24), wenn die Geschichte unserer Gegenwart vergessen sein wird. So auch hier: wenn die Spuren der Knechtschaft und der Erlösung aus der unmittelbaren Wahrnehmung geschwunden sein werden. — מה זאת, was bedeutet diese bevorzugende Weihe der Erstgebornen? — בחזק יד, mit Gewalt, wider Willen und mit Brechung der Macht des uns festhaltenden Herrn. — הוציאנו: Wir waren alle Sklaven, sind alle nur durch Gott wieder Menschen geworden und gehören daher alle mit allem in gleicher Weise Gott an.

?מה זאת, “what is the significance of this?” Seeing that your son observes that neither a gentile nor an uncircumcised Israelite is permitted to partake of the Passover meat, something that sets the festival of Passover apart from all other festivals, he is entitled to ask the reason for this. An alternate explanation: the words: מה זאת, do not refer to Passover and the unleavened bread, the reason for which we have already read about. However, the son asks, on the new concept of redeeming something that was perceived as sacred for something that was perceived as secular; you, the father, are to answer him in the words of the Torah that we imitate what G-d had done with the firstborn sons and beasts of the Israelites in Egypt on that night when He exempted them from execution at His hands. In exchange for being saved, we offer a sacrifice.

מה זאת WHAT IS THIS? — This is the question of a dull child who has not sufficient understanding to question very profoundly and who therefore asks in an indefinite fashion, “What is this?” In another passage (Deuteronomy 6:20) it states, “[When thy son asketh thee…], What mean the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments … [which the Lord our God hath commanded you?]” This, however, is the question of a wise son. The Torah in mentioning four different explanations of the Passover sacrifice-rite to be given by a father to his children, is speaking in reference to four different types of son: the wicked son (12:25 and in the second half of 13:8), and one who has not sufficient understanding how to ask (in the first half of 13:8), and one who asks in an indefinite manner (13:14), and one who asks in a wise fashion (Deuteronomy 6:20) (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:14:1; Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 10:4).

בחוזק יד הוציאנו ה' ממצרים, due to the urgency with which the Egyptians wanted to get rid of us (12,33) we left Egypt traveling in coaches, just as the family of Yaakov had arrived in Egypt hundreds of years ago in coaches supplied by Pharaoh himself. Both the coaches materialised miraculously, as well as the many donkeys needed to transport the new found riches of the people. Seeing that the donkeys had therefore had a constructive part to play in the redemption of the Israelites, this is reflected in their not being treated like all other impure beasts. This degree of minor sanctity accorded the firstborn donkey may be redeemed in exchange for a pure animal, so that the donkey can then be used in the regular way.

The question need not necessarily be exactly "what is this all about?" Any question whose upshot appears to be that the questioner wants to be told what our tradition is all about is to be answered forthwith. It is clear therefore that the Torah does not speak of the night of the Passover but of the commandment to sanctify the firstborn of the womb. When our sages (Mechilta) comment that the four occasions when the Torah cites the sons as asking refer to four different types of children this is all homiletics.