The articles in this column are transcriptions and adaptations of shiurim by Rav Joseph Ber Soloveitchik, zt”l. The Rav’s unique perspective on Chumash permeated many of the shiurim and lectures he presented at various venues over a 40-plus-year period. His words add an important perspective that makes the Chumash in particular, and our tradition in general, vibrant and relevant to our generation.
Rambam (Hilchos Chametz U’Matzah 7:1) says, “On the night of the 15th of Nissan one is obligated to retell the miracles that Hashem did for our forefathers, as it says, “Zachor es hayom hazeh asher yetzasem miMitzrayim” – similar to “Zachor es yom haShabbos l’kadsho.” Why does Rambam compare Pesach night to Shabbos?
Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael, quoted by Rashi, derives the obligation of sippur yetzias Mitzrayim from the verse “L’maan tizkor es yom tzayscha mayeretz Mitzrayim kol yemei chayecha.” The verse of “Zachor es hayom hazeh” that we mentioned in the first paragraph is the basis for the obligation to mention yetzias Mitzrayim daily as part of Krias Shema.
Rambam (Hilchos Krias Shema 1:3), however, does the opposite, deriving the obligation to incorporate mentioning yetzias Mitzrayim within Krias Shema from the verse “L’maan Tizkor,” leaving the verse of “Zachor es hayom hazeh” for the basis of sippur yetzias Mitzrayim.
Why do Mechilta and Rashi derive the obligation from a different source? After all, the Mishnah (Berachos) that discusses the interpretation of the verse of “L’maan Tizkor,” where Rabbi Eliezer and Ben Zoma derive the obligation to mention yetzias Mitzrayim by day and by night, appears to agree with Rambam. Apparently Rashi and Mechilta were of the opinion that “L’maan Tizkor” is explanatory and not obligatory. It explains the frequency with which the mitzvah of “Zachor es hayom hazeh” is to be fulfilled. We derive from “L’maan Tizkor” that we must mention it twice daily.
Rambam followed the lead of a different midrash – Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Mechilta and Rambam both refer to two obligations: “V’higadta l’bincha,” and you will relate to your son, which expresses the obligation to teach all children according to their capabilities. “Zachor es hayom hazeh” teaches that even an individual must relate the stories of the exodus to himself – beino L’bein atzmo. Though Rambam and Mechilta differ in the order that they quote the verses, they agree that the main obligation to retell the stories of the Exodus on this night derives from “Zachor es hayom hazeh” and is supplemented with the verse of “V’higadta l’bincha.”
Where do we find that the word Zachor means Sippur? Apparently this question bothered Rambam as well, who added the words “like it says regarding Shabbos: ‘Zachor es yom haShabbos’ ” on his own, as they do not appear in Mechilta. Rashi and Ramban (Chumash) translate the word Zachor as constant engagement in the act of remembering. One is obligated to constantly think about Shabbos, to anticipate it with great yearning. Rashi quotes the famous opinion of Shamai (Beitza 16a) that one should always put aside the best things for Shabbos. There is a constant obligation to think about Shabbos. Ramban agrees with Rashi, and says that based on this, Mechilta notes that the obligation to always think of Shabbos is why we number the days of the week relative to Shabbos. Ramban explains that the mitzvah of kiddush on Shabbos is the peulas or maaseh mitzvah, the tangible action relative to the mitzvah. The kiyum hamitzvah, the complete fulfillment of the mitzvah of “Zachor es yom haShabbos,” is accomplished when one has spent the previous week in anticipation of Shabbos, and culminates his anticipation with kiddush.
Prayer is another area where we distinguish between kiyum hamitzvah and maaseh mitzvah. There is a constant obligation to pray, yet the maaseh mitzvah occurs when one prays thrice daily. Another example is the obligation to constantly maintain the yoke of heaven, ol malchus shamayim, however the maaseh mitzvah happens twice daily with the recitation of Krias Shema.
Rambam says “Zachor es yom haShabbos” teaches that in each generation the peulas hamitzvah of sippur yetzias Mitzrayim on Pesach night brings us to the kiyum hamitzvah b’lev, and internal fulfillment of reliving the experience as if we ourselves are departing Egypt this moment. There is a vast difference here between first and second hand experience when retelling a story. We are like a child who relives an event when relating it to a parent. Similar to realizing the internal fulfillment to remember Shabbos all week through the recitation, or act, of Kiddush Friday night, the internal fulfillment to relive the Exodus becomes tangible through the recitation of the Haggadah on Pesach night.
We express the obligation to relive the Exodus events at various points in the Haggadah. We personally express our thanks for the Exodus at the beginning of Maggid, saying had Hashem not taken us out of Egypt we would have remained enslaved to Pharaoh. At the conclusion of Maggid we say Lefikach, therefore we are obligated to praise Hashem, and begin to recite Hallel. Why not recite Hallel earlier in Maggid when we mentioned our recognition that tonight marks our personal exodus as well from slavery? Because we have not yet relived the experience of the Exodus. One must experience the miracles first hand to recite Hallel. Only after we have related the stories and have come to view ourselves as participants in the great Exodus from slavery can we recite Hallel. Only then have we attained Zachor, to experience it completely.
We now understand an enigmatic statement in the Haggadah: “Yachol meiRosh Chodesh….” Why would I think that the obligation to relive the Exodus experience should begin on Rosh Chodesh? After all, the Torah says “Vhigadta l’bincha bayom hahu,” and you shall relate to your son on that day, the 15th of Nissan; there is no written obligation to retell the story any earlier. However, comparing the obligation to retell the story on the night of Pesach to the mitzvah of Zachor by Shabbos, we can understand this statement. Since there is a kiyum hamitzvah regarding Shabbos to begin thinking about Shabbos on the first day of the week, perhaps the same obligation exists to prepare for and initiate thinking about the special night of Pesach from the beginning of the month. The Haggadah tells us, therefore, that we begin thinking about Pesach only when we have Pesach, matzah and maror in front of us, on the night of Pesach itself.
The concept of Zachor common to both Shabbos and Pesach expresses itself in kiddush. What is kiddush? Rambam (Hilchos Shabbos 29:1) explains it as words of praise and designation. The mitzvah of Shabbos is to express the uniqueness of the day of Shabbos. There aren’t seven days in a week: there are six days and Shabbos. The equation of “Zachor es hayom hazeh asher yetzasem miMitzrayim” and “Zachor es yom haShabbos l’kadsho” relates to this aspect of uniqueness. Just like Shabbos is different from all other days, Pesach night is different from all other nights of the year. Kiddush on the night of Pesach establishes the uniqueness of the night.
Tosafos in Pesachim says that there is no tosfos Yom Tov Pesach night and one may not recite kiddush or eat matzah before nightfall. Many ask on Tosafos: Why doesn’t the concept of augmenting Yom Tov apply also to Pesach based on the Gemara that Rav would pray tefillas arvis l’Shabbos and recite kiddush before sundown on Friday evening. Even if we enjoin eating matzah before nightfall on the fifteenth of Nissan, why should we forbid reciting kiddush before sundown? May someone recite kiddush earlier and wait till nightfall to drink the cup of wine? We need four cups of wine on the night of Pesach. Since kiddush is a part of sippur yetzias Mitzrayim we must wait till nightfall to include it as part of the Seder. The kiddush text on Pesach night, mentioning the memorial to the Exodus from Egypt, supports this restriction.
Tosafos opinion is that the four cups of wine are the medium through which Chazal instituted the various blessings and obligations related to the Seder. Chazal say four cups of wine were instituted and each is associated with a mitzvah. All four cups include some reference to yestzias Mitzrayim, including the third cup recited over bircas hamazon. Kiddush on Pesach night, like kiddush on Shabbos night, proclaims the uniqueness of the night and is integrally connected with sippur yetzias Mitzrayim. Therefore, we must wait till nightfall to integrate kiddush with Sippur.