מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל תּוֹרָה לְסַפֵּר בְּנִסִּים וְנִפְלָאוֹת שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם בְּלֵיל חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּנִיסָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יג ג) "זָכוֹר אֶת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר יְצָאתֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם" כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ ח) "זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת". וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁבְּלֵיל חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות יג ח) "וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר בַּעֲבוּר זֶה" בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר מֻנָּחִים לְפָנֶיךָ. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בֵּן. אֲפִלּוּ חֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים חַיָּבִים לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרִים וְכָל הַמַּאֲרִיךְ בִּדְבָרִים שֶׁאֵרְעוּ וְשֶׁהָיוּ הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח: According to a biblical positive command, we must tell on the night preceding the fifteenth day of Nisan all about the miracles and wonders that were performed for our forefathers in Egypt. As it is stated (Exodus 13:3), "Remember this day that you went out of Egypt"; just as it is stated (Exodus 20:8), "Remember the day of the Shabbat." And from where [do we know] that [the remembering] is on the night of the fifteenth? [Hence,] we learn to say (Exodus 13:8), "And you shall recount to your son on that day, saying, 'Because of this'" - at the time that there is matsa and bitter herbs (being 'this') laying in front of you. And [this is the case] even though he does not have a son. Even great scholars are required to tell about the exodus from Egypt. Anyone who relates at length about the events that occurred deserves praise.
מִצְוָה לְהוֹדִיעַ לַבָּנִים וַאֲפִלּוּ לֹא שָׁאֲלוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יג ח) "וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ". לְפִי דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל בֵּן אָבִיו מְלַמְּדוֹ. כֵּיצַד. אִם הָיָה קָטָן אוֹ טִפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר לוֹ בְּנִי כֻּלָּנוּ הָיִינוּ עֲבָדִים כְּמוֹ שִׁפְחָה זוֹ אוֹ כְּמוֹ עֶבֶד זֶה בְּמִצְרַיִם וּבַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה פָּדָה אוֹתָנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וַיּוֹצִיאֵנוּ לְחֵרוּת. וְאִם הָיָה הַבֵּן גָּדוֹל וְחָכָם מוֹדִיעוֹ מַה שֶּׁאֵרַע לָנוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם וְנִסִּים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לָנוּ עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ הַכֹּל לְפִי דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל בֵּן: It is one's duty to inform the children even if they ask no questions, as it is written: "You shall tell your son" (Exodus 13:8). The father should instruct his son according to the child's understanding. For example, he should say to one small or foolish: "My son, all of us were slaves in Egypt, like this maidservant or like this manservant, and on this night God redeemed and liberated us." If the son is grown up and intelligent, he should inform him about everything that happened to us in Egypt, and about the miracles that were wrought for us by our teacher Moses; all in accordance with the son's understanding.
וְצָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת שִׁנּוּי בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְאוּ הַבָּנִים וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ וְיֹאמְרוּ מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת עַד שֶׁיָּשִׁיב לָהֶם וְיֹאמַר לָהֶם כָּךְ וְכָךְ אֵרַע וְכָךְ וְכָךְ הָיָה. וְכֵיצַד מְשַׁנֶּה. מְחַלֵּק לָהֶם קְלָיוֹת וֶאֱגוֹזִים וְעוֹקְרִים הַשֻּׁלְחָן מִלִּפְנֵיהֶם קֹדֶם שֶׁיֹּאכְלוּ וְחוֹטְפִין מַצָּה זֶה מִיַּד זֶה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בִּדְבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ. אֵין לוֹ בֵּן אִשְׁתּוֹ שׁוֹאַלְתּוֹ. אֵין לוֹ אִשָּׁה שׁוֹאֲלִין זֶה אֶת זֶה מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה. וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיוּ כֻּלָּן חֲכָמִים. הָיָה לְבַדּוֹ שׁוֹאֵל לְעַצְמוֹ מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה: On the first night of Pesaḥ, one should introduce some change at the table, so that the children who will notice it may ask, saying: "Why is this night different from all other nights?" And he in turn will reply: "This is what happened." In what manner, for example, should he introduce a change? He may distribute parched grain or nuts to the children; remove the table from its usual place; snatch the unleavened bread from hand to hand, and so on. If he has no son, his wife should ask the questions; if he has no wife, they should ask one another: "Why is this night different?"—even if they are all scholars. If one is alone, he should ask himself: "Why is this night different?"
וְצָרִיךְ לְהַתְחִיל בִּגְנוּת וּלְסַיֵּם בְּשֶׁבַח. כֵּיצַד. מַתְחִיל וּמְסַפֵּר שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה הָיוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בִּימֵי תֶּרַח וּמִלְּפָנָיו כּוֹפְרִים וְטוֹעִין אַחַר הַהֶבֶל וְרוֹדְפִין אַחַר עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים. וּמְסַיֵּם בְּדַת הָאֱמֶת שֶׁקֵּרְבָנוּ הַמָּקוֹם לוֹ וְהִבְדִּילָנוּ מֵהָאֻמּוֹת וְקֵרְבָנוּ לְיִחוּדוֹ. וְכֵן מַתְחִיל וּמוֹדִיעַ שֶׁעֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרַיִם וְכָל הָרָעָה שֶׁגְּמָלָנוּ וּמְסַיֵּם בַּנִּסִּים וּבַנִּפְלָאוֹת שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לָנוּ וּבְחֵרוּתֵנוּ. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּדְרשׁ מֵ(דברים כו ה) "אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי" עַד שֶׁיִּגְמֹר כָּל הַפָּרָשָׁה. וְכָל הַמּוֹסִיף וּמַאֲרִיךְ בִּדְרַשׁ פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח: And one must begin with disgrace and conclude with praise. How is that? He begins and recounts that in the beginning, our ancestors at the time of Terach and before him, were heretics, erring after emptiness and pursuing idolatry. And he concludes with the true religion that the Omnipresent brought us close to Him, separated us from the nations and brought us close to His unification. And likewise does he begin and lets it be known that we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and all of the evil that he did to us. And he concludes with the miracles and with the wonders that were done for us and with our freedom. And that is that he should expound from "My father was a wandering Aramean" (Deuteronomy 26:5), until he finishes all of [that] section. And anyone who adds and speaks at length in expounding this section, he is surely praiseworthy.
כָּל מִי שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ בְּלֵיל חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ וְאֵלּוּ הֵן. פֶּסַח מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר. פֶּסַח עַל שׁוּם שֶׁפָּסַח הַמָּקוֹם עַל בָּתֵּי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יב כז) "וַאֲמַרְתֶּם זֶבַח פֶּסַח הוּא לַה'" וְגוֹ'. מָרוֹר עַל שׁוּם שֶׁמֵּרְרוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים אֶת חַיֵּי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם. מַצָּה עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנִּגְאֲלוּ. וּדְבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ כֻּלָּן נִקְרָאִין הַגָּדָה: Anyone who has not said these three things on the night of the fifteenth has not fulfilled his obligation, and these are them: The Passover sacrifice; matsa; and marror. The Passover sacrifice for the sake of (to commemorate) that the Omnipresent passed over the homes of our ancestors in Egypt; as it is stated (Exodus 12:27), "And you shall say, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, etc.'" Bitter herbs [to commemorate] that the Egyptians embittered the lives of our ancestors in Egypt. Matsa [to commemorate] that they were delivered. And these thing are called Haggadah (Recounting).
בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר חַיָּב אָדָם לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ יָצָא עַתָּה מִשִּׁעְבּוּד מִצְרַיִם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו כג) "וְאוֹתָנוּ הוֹצִיא מִשָּׁם" וְגוֹ'. וְעַל דָּבָר זֶה צִוָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּתּוֹרָה וְזָכַרְתָּ כִּי עֶבֶד הָיִיתָ כְּלוֹמַר כְּאִלּוּ אַתָּה בְּעַצְמְךָ הָיִיתָ עֶבֶד וְיָצָאתָ לְחֵרוּת וְנִפְדֵּיתָ: In every generation, one must show himself as if he personally had come out from the subjugation of Egypt; as it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:23), "And He took us out from there, etc." And regarding this, the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded in the Torah (Deut. 5:15, 15:15, 24:22), "Remember that you were a slave" - meaning to say, as if you yourself had been a slave, came out to freedom, and were redeemed.
לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁסּוֹעֵד אָדָם בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה צָרִיךְ לֶאֱכל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת וְהוּא מֵסֵב דֶּרֶךְ חֵרוּת. וְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בֵּין אֲנָשִׁים בֵּין נָשִׁים חַיָּב לִשְׁתּוֹת בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה אַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת שֶׁל יַיִן. אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין לוֹ מֵהֶם. וַאֲפִלּוּ עָנִי הַמִּתְפַּרְנֵס מִן הַצְּדָקָה לֹא יִפְחֲתוּ לוֹ מֵאַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת. שִׁעוּר כָּל כּוֹס מֵהֶן רְבִיעִית: Hence when a person eats on that night, he must eat and drink while he is reclining in the way of freedom. And each and every one - whether man or woman - is obligated to drink four cups of wine on this night. We do not lessen them for him. And even for a poor person that is sustained from charity do we not lessen the four cups for him. The requisite amount of each of these cups is a reviit.
אֲפִלּוּ עָנִי שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יֹאכַל עַד שֶׁיָּסֵב. אִשָּׁה אֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה הֲסִיבָה. וְאִם אִשָּׁה חֲשׁוּבָה הִיא צְרִיכָה הֲסִיבָה. וּבֵן אֵצֶל אָבִיו וְהַשַּׁמָּשׁ בִּפְנֵי רַבּוֹ צְרִיכִין הֲסִיבָה. אֲבָל תַּלְמִיד בִּפְנֵי רַבּוֹ אֵינוֹ מֵסֵב אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נָתַן לוֹ רַבּוֹ רְשׁוּת. וַהֲסִיבַת יָמִין אֵינָהּ הֲסִיבָה. וְכֵן הַמֵּסֵב עַל עָרְפּוֹ אוֹ עַל פָּנָיו אֵין זוֹ הֲסִיבָה. וְאֵימָתַי צְרִיכִין הֲסִיבָה בִּשְׁעַת אֲכִילַת כְּזַיִת מַצָּה וּבִשְׁתִיַּת אַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת הָאֵלּוּ. וּשְׁאָר אֲכִילָתוֹ וּשְׁתִיָּתוֹ אִם הֵסֵב הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח וְאִם לָאו אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ: Even a poor person among Israel should not eat until he reclines. A woman does not need to recline; but if she is an important woman, she does need to recline. And a child with his father; and a butler in front of his master need to recline. But a student in front of his teacher may not recline unless his teacher gave him permission. And reclining of the right [side] is not reclining. And likewise one who reclines on his back or on his face - it is not reclining. And when do we need reclining? At the time of eating a kazayit of matsa and drinking these four cups. And if he reclines [during] the rest of his eating and drinking, he is surely praiseworthy. But if not, he does not need [to do so].
אַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת הָאֵלּוּ צָרִיךְ לִמְזֹג אוֹתָן כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה שְׁתִיָּה עֲרֵבָה הַכֹּל לְפִי הַיַּיִן וּלְפִי דַּעַת הַשּׁוֹתֶה. וְלֹא יִפְחֹת בְּאַרְבַּעְתָּן מֵרְבִיעִית יַיִן חַי. שָׁתָה אַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת אֵלּוּ מִיַּיִן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מָזוּג יָצָא יְדֵי אַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת וְלֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חֵרוּת. שָׁתָה אַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת מְזוּגִין בְּבַת אַחַת יְדֵי חֵרוּת יָצָא יְדֵי אַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת לֹא יָצָא. וְאִם שָׁתָה מִכָּל כּוֹס מֵהֶן רֻבּוֹ יָצָא: [Regarding] these four cups, one must mix them in order that the drink be pleasant - it is all according to the wine and according to the opinion of the drinker. One should not have less than a reviit of undiluted wine in all four of them (together). [If] one drank these four cups from wine that was not mixed, he has fulfilled the [obligation to drink] the four cups, but he has not fulfilled [the obligation to drink in a way that expresses] freedom. [If] one drank them all at once, he has fulfilled [the obligation to drink wine as an expression of] freedom, but he has not fulfilled the [obligation to drink] four cups. And if he drank the majority of each cup, he has fulfilled [his obligation].
כָּל כּוֹס וְכוֹס מֵאַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת הַלָּלוּ מְבָרֵךְ עָלָיו בְּרָכָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ. וְכוֹס רִאשׁוֹן אוֹמֵר עָלָיו קִדּוּשׁ הַיּוֹם. כּוֹס שֵׁנִי קוֹרֵא עָלָיו אֶת הַהַגָּדָה. כּוֹס שְׁלִישִׁי מְבָרֵךְ עָלָיו בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן. כּוֹס רְבִיעִי גּוֹמֵר עָלָיו אֶת הַהַלֵּל וּמְבָרֵךְ עָלָיו בִּרְכַּת הַשִּׁיר. וּבֵין הַכּוֹסוֹת הָאֵלּוּ אִם רָצָה לִשְׁתּוֹת שׁוֹתֶה. בֵּין שְׁלִישִׁי לִרְבִיעִי אֵינוֹ שׁוֹתֶה: One recites a blessing over each and every one of these four cups on its own. [In addition:] One recites the sanctification of the day (Kiddush) over the first cup; one reads the Haggadah over the second cup; one recites the Grace over the Meal over the third cup; [and] one completes the Hallel and recites the blessing on the song over the fourth cup. And if one wants to drink between these cups, he may drink. [However,] between the third and fourth, he may not drink.
הַחֲרֹסֶת מִצְוָה מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים זֵכֶר לַטִּיט שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹבְדִין בּוֹ בְּמִצְרַיִם. וְכֵיצַד עוֹשִׂין אוֹתָהּ. לוֹקְחִין תְּמָרִים אוֹ גְּרוֹגָרוֹת אוֹ צִמּוּקִין וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן וְדוֹרְסִין אוֹתָן וְנוֹתְנִין לְתוֹכָן חֹמֶץ וּמְתַבְּלִין אוֹתָן בְּתַבְלִין כְּמוֹ טִיט בְּתֶבֶן וּמְבִיאִין אוֹתָהּ עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן בְּלֵילֵי הַפֶּסַח: Charoset is a commandment from the words of the Scribes (rabbinic), in remembrance of the clay with which they would work in Egypt. And how do we make it? We take dates or dried fig bulk or raisins and that which is similar to them and crush them. Then we put vinegar into it and add spices, such that it be like clay with straw. And we put it on the table on the [first two] nights of Passover.
אֲכִילַת מָרוֹר אֵינָהּ מִצְוָה מִן הַתּוֹרָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ אֶלָּא תְּלוּיָה הִיא בַּאֲכִילַת הַפֶּסַח. שֶׁמִּצְוַת עֲשֵׂה אַחַת לֶאֱכל בְּשַׂר הַפֶּסַח עַל מַצָּה וּמְרוֹרִים. וּמִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים לֶאֱכל הַמָּרוֹר לְבַדּוֹ בְּלַיִל זֶה אֲפִלּוּ אֵין שָׁם קָרְבַּן פֶּסַח: The eating of bitter herbs is not a commandment from the Torah on its own, but is rather dependent upon the eating of the Passover sacrifice. For it is a commandment to eat the meat of the Passover sacrifice over matsa and bitter herbs. And it is from the words of the Scribes (rabbinic) to eat bitter herbs by itself on this night, even [when] the Passover sacrifice is not there.
מְרוֹרִים הָאֲמוּרִים בַּתּוֹרָה הֵן הַחֲזֶרֶת וְהָעֳלָשִׁין וְהַתַּמְכָא וְהָחַרְחְבִינָא וְהַמָּרוֹר. כָּל אֶחָד מֵחֲמֵשֶׁת מִינֵי יָרָק אֵלּוּ נִקְרָא מָרוֹר. וְאִם אָכַל מֵאֶחָד מֵהֶן אוֹ מֵחֲמִשְּׁתָּן כְּזַיִת יָצָא וְהוּא שֶׁיְּהוּ לַחִין. וְיוֹצְאִין בְּקֶלַח שֶׁלָּהֶן אֲפִלּוּ יָבֵשׁ. וְאִם שְׁלָקָן אוֹ כְּבָשָׁן אוֹ בִּשְּׁלָן אֵין יוֹצְאִין בָּהֶן: The bitter herbs mentioned in the Torah are lettuce, endives, chervil, field eryngo, and marror. All five of these types of vegetables are called bitter herbs. And if he ate a kazayit from one of them or from [all] five of them, he has fulfilled [the commandment]. And that is so long as they are fresh. But if he boiled them, pickled them or cooked them, he has not fulfilled [the commandment] with them.