All you ever (and never) wanted to know about the Four - or Five - Children [or Sons or Daughters] (or: Midrash Haggadah: The Creation of the Four [or Five] Children - Texts, Art, Discussion Questions)

(6) Teach the youth in their [individualized] way; He will not swerve from it even in old age.

(4) They mixed him a second cup, and here the son questions his father. If the son lacks the intelligence to ask, his father instructs him: On all other nights we dip once, on this night we dip twice? On all other nights we eat hametz or matzah, on this night only matzah. On all other nights we eat roasted, stewed or boiled meat, on this night only roasted. He begins with shame and concludes with praise; and expounds from “A wandering Aramean was my father” (Deuteronomy 6:20-25) until he completes the whole section.

(Context: Meaning of the Commandments)

(17) Be sure to keep the commandments, decrees, and laws that the LORD your God has enjoined upon you. (18) Do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with you and that you may be able to possess the good land that the LORD your God promised on oath to your fathers, (19) and that all your enemies may be driven out before you, as the LORD has spoken. (20) When, in time to come, your child asks you, “What mean the decrees, laws, and rules that the LORD our God has enjoined upon you?” (21) you shall say to your children, “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and the LORD freed us from Egypt with a mighty hand." (22) The LORD wrought before our eyes marvelous and destructive signs and portents in Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his household; (23) and us He freed from there, that He might take us and give us the land that He had promised on oath to our fathers. (24) Then the LORD commanded us to observe all these laws, to revere the LORD our God, for our lasting good and for our survival, as is now the case.

What does the wise son say? "What mean the decrees, laws, and rules that the LORD our God has enjoined upon us?”, you, likewise open to him in the Laws of Pesach, "[After eating] the Paschal lamb, one does not follow up with reveling (or ‘dessert') (Mishnah Pesachim 10:8).

What does the wise son say? "'What are these testimonies, statutes and judgments that the Lord our God commanded us?' (Deuteronomy 20:6)" And accordingly you will say to him, "'It was with a mighty hand that the LORD brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondageץ"

What does the wise [son] say? "'What are these testimonies, statutes and judgments that the Lord our God commanded you?' (Deuteronomy 6:20)" And accordingly you will say to him, as per the laws of the Pesach sacrifice, "We may not eat an afikoman [a dessert or other foods eaten after the meal] after [we are finished eating] the Pesach sacrifice (Mishnah Pesachim 10:8)."

(Context: Sacrifice of Pesach lamb in Eretz Yisrael)

(21) Moses then summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go, pick out lambs for your families, and slaughter the passover offering. (22) Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and to the two doorposts. None of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning. (23) For when the LORD goes through to smite the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, and the LORD will pass over the door and not let the Destroyer enter and smite your home. (24) “You shall observe this as an institution for all time, for you and for your descendants. (25) And when you enter the land that the LORD will give you, as He has promised, you shall observe this rite. (26) And when your children ask you, ‘What is this worship to you?’ (27) you shall say, ‘It is the passover sacrifice to the LORD, because He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but saved our houses.’” The people then bowed low in homage.

What does the wicked son say? "What is this worship to you?’ "to you" and not to him. Because he disassociated himself from the congregation and denied the foundation (of the faith), you, likewise, blunt his teeth and tell him, "And you shall explain to your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I went free from Egypt." For me and not for you. Had you been there, you would not have been redeemed.

What does the wicked son say? "'What is this worship to you?' What is this toil that you make us toil each and every year?" Since he excluded himself from the collective, accordingly you say to him, "'And you shall explain to your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I went free from Egypt." 'For me' did He do and not for 'that man.' If 'that man' had been there, he would not have been worthy of ever being saved from there."

What does the wicked [son] say? "'What is this worship to you?' 'To you' and not 'to him.' And since he excluded himself from the collective, he denied a principle [of the Jewish faith]. And accordingly, you will blunt his teeth and say to him, "'For the sake of this, did the Lord do [this] for me in my going out of Egypt' (Exodus 13:8)." 'For me' and not 'for him.' If he had been there, he would not have been saved.

(1) And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying: (2) ’What mean ye, that ye use this proverb in the land of Israel, saying: The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are set on edge? (3) As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. (4) Behold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine; the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

In those days, they shall no longer say, “Parents have eaten sour grapes and children’s teeth are blunted.” But every one shall die for his own sins: whosoever eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be blunted.

(10) If the ax has become dull and he has not whetted the edge, he must exert more strength. Thus the advantage of a skill [depends on the exercise of] prudence.

(20) Elisha ben Abuya says: One who learns as a child is compared to what? To ink written on new parchment. And one who learns as an elder is compared to what? To ink written on scraped parchment. Rabbi Yose bar Yehuda, man of Kfar HaBavli, says: One who learns from young ones is compared to what? To one who eats unripe grapes and drinks wine from its press. And one who learns from elders is compared to what? To one who eats ripe grapes and drinks aged wine. Rebbi says: Do not look at the jug but rather at what is in it. For there are new jugs full of old, and old that do not have even new within them.

(20) "unripe grapes": which have not completely ripened and [so] set the teeth on edge. So [too], the wisdom of the child is not completely ripened and [so] his words are not accepted and don't sit well with the heart.

(Context: Redemption of the First Born)

(10) You shall keep this institution at its set time from year to year. (11) “And when the LORD has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and has given it to you, (12) you shall set apart for the LORD every first issue of the womb: every male firstling that your cattle drop shall be the LORD’s. (13) But every firstling ass you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. And you must redeem every first-born male among your children. (14) And when, in time to come, your son asks you, saying, ‘What is this?' you shall say to him, ‘It was with a mighty hand that the LORD brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage. (15) When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD slew every first-born in the land of Egypt, the first-born of both man and beast. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD every first male issue of the womb, but redeem every first-born among my sons.’

What does the simple son say? "What is this?" And you shall tell him, "It was with a mighty hand that the LORD brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage."

What does the stupid [son] say? "What is this?'" And accordingly you will teach him the laws of the Pesach sacrifice, that "We may not eat an afikoman [a dessert or other foods eaten after the meal] after [we are finished eating] the Pesach sacrifice (Mishnah Pesachim 10:8) so that a person should not get up from one eating group to another eating group.

What does the innocent [son] say? "'What is this?' (Exodus 13:14)" And you will say to him, "It was with a mighty hand that the LORD brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage.'"

(Context: Observing the seven-day matzah festival)

(5) So, when the LORD has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall observe in this month the following practice: (6) “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a festival of the LORD. (7) Throughout the seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten; no leavened bread shall be found with you, and no leaven shall be found in all your territory. (8) And you shall explain to your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I went free from Egypt.’

And he who does not know how to ask, you open for him, as it is written (Ibid. 8) "And you shall tell your son on that day, etc."

And [regarding] the son who doesn't know to ask, you will open [the conversation] for him first. Rabbi Yosa said, "The Mishna said, 'and if the son has no understanding [in order to ask questions], his father teaches him [to ask].'"

And [regarding] the one who doesn't know to ask, you will open [the conversation] for him. As it is stated (Exodus 13:8), "And you will speak to your son on that day saying, for the sake of this, did the Lord do [this] for me in my going out of Egypt."

Blessed is the Place [of all], Blessed is He; Blessed is the One who Gave the Torah to His people Israel, Blessed is He. Corresponding to four sons did the Torah speak; one [who is] wise, one [who is] wicked, one who is innocent and one who doesn't know to ask.

…In the case of the Exodus, the Torah did not short shrift, but instead gives each person an individual answer to his or her questions. And therefore, one opens with “Blessed is God,” calling God “Place,” because a “Place” is where something stands, and it is larger (i.e., more inclusive than what is in it). God is the “Place of the world,” because God can include all (who are in it)…

(translation: Dr. Elana Stein Hain / Rabbi Yonah Hain)

He used to say:Beloved is man for he was created in the image [of God]. Especially beloved is he for it was made known to him that he had been created in the image [of God], as it is said: “for in the image of God He made man” (Genesis 9:6). Beloved are Israel in that they were called children to the "Place," i.e. God (Banim la-Makom). Especially beloved are they for it was made known to them that they are called children of the All-Present, as it is said: “your are children to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1). Beloved are Israel in that a precious vessel was given to them. Especially beloved are they for it was made known to them that the desirable instrument, with which the world had been created, was given to them, as it is said: “for I give you good instruction; forsake not my teaching” (Proverbs 4:2).