but say to yourselves. Because the rasha is not asking a
those
legitimate question, he seeks no answer, he derides our
asked with a smirk need to be
service and calls it simply work, toil. The rasha seeks to
answered on this night. The Torah
weaken our standing and commitment to serving God.
presents an ideal, the Haggadah presents a realistic
He receives no answer as it is not an answer that he
educational model.
wants.
questions
that
are
When we have learned how to
We still use the rasha’s comments, not as a springboard
encourage all types of questions
for discussion but as a challenge to loudly and clearly
we will have supplied the best
reaffirm our connection and enthusiasm with Divine
possible education for all of
service. So even the rasha has a purpose, even he must
our children and fulfilled
year in and year out grace our table so that he can
our obligation to transmit
make his snide comments and we can make the same
not the dry details of the story but the
declaration.
excitement of the event in which we ourselves
Interestingly, in the Haggadah the rasha does receive a direct answer, because the Haggadah educates us to answer even the most problematic of questions, even
take part.
Ă&#x;
Rav Gideon Weitzman is the Rabbi of Beit Knesset Merkaz Modiin.
]
Spring 2009
| Nissan/Iyar 5769 | Volume 6, Issue 2
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