'A Theory of Justice,' John Rawls, 1971, pp. 136-137
The idea of the original position is to set up a fair procedure so that any principles agreed to will be just. The aim is to use the notion of pure procedural justice as a basis of theory. Somehow we must nullify the effects of specific contingencies which put men at odds and tempt them to exploit social and natural circumstances to their own advantage. Now in order to do this I assume that the parties are situated behind a veil of ignorance. They do not know how the various alternatives will affect their own particular case and they are obliged to evaluate principles solely on the basis of general considerations.
It is assumed, then, that the parties do not know certain kinds of particular facts. First of all, no one knows his place in society, his class position or social status; nor does he know his fortune in the distribution of natural assets and abilities, his intelligence and strength, and the like. Nor, again, does anyone know his conception of the good, the particulars of his rational plan of life, or even the special features of his psychology such as his aversion to risk or liability to optimism or pessimism
בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה, כָּל מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לִקְרוֹת, קוֹרֵא. וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִקְרוֹת, מַקְרִין אוֹתוֹ. נִמְנְעוּ מִלְּהָבִיא, הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ מַקְרִין אֶת מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ וְאֶת מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ:
Originally all who knew how to recite would recite while those who did not know how to recite, others would read it for them. But when they refrained from bringing, they decreed that they should read the words for both those who could and those who could not.
הָעֲשִׁירִים מְבִיאִים בִּכּוּרֵיהֶם בִּקְלָתוֹת שֶׁל כֶּסֶף וְשֶׁל זָהָב, וְהָעֲנִיִּים מְבִיאִין אוֹתָם בְּסַלֵּי נְצָרִים שֶׁל עֲרָבָה קְלוּפָה, וְהַסַּלִּים וְהַבִּכּוּרִים נִתָּנִין לַכֹּהֲנִים:
The rich would bring their bikkurim in baskets overlaid with silver or gold, while the poor used wicker-baskets of peeled willow-branches, and the baskets and the bikkurim were given to the priest.
גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מוֹלִיכִין בְּבֵית הָאֵבֶל עֲשִׁירִים בִּקְלָתוֹת שֶׁל כֶּסֶף וְשֶׁל זָהָב וַעֲנִיִּים בְּסַלֵּי נְצָרִים שֶׁל עֲרָבָה קְלוּפָה וְהָיוּ עֲנִיִּים מִתְבַּיְּישִׁים הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ הַכֹּל מְבִיאִין בְּסַלֵּי נְצָרִים שֶׁל עֲרָבָה קְלוּפָה מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹדָן שֶׁל עֲנִיִּים
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מַשְׁקִין בְּבֵית הָאֵבֶל עֲשִׁירִים בִּזְכוּכִית לְבָנָה וַעֲנִיִּים בִּזְכוּכִית צְבוּעָה וְהָיוּ עֲנִיִּים מִתְבַּיְּישִׁין הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ הַכֹּל מַשְׁקִין בִּזְכוּכִית צְבוּעָה מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹדָן שֶׁל עֲנִיִּים
בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מְגַלִּין פְּנֵי עֲשִׁירִים וּמְכַסִּין פְּנֵי עֲנִיִּים מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיוּ מוּשְׁחָרִין פְּנֵיהֶן מִפְּנֵי בַצּוֹרֶת וְהָיוּ עֲנִיִּים מִתְבַּיְּישִׁין הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ מְכַסִּין פְּנֵי הַכֹּל מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹדָן שֶׁל עֲנִיִּים
בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מוֹצִיאִין עֲשִׁירִים בְּדַרְגֵּשׁ וַעֲנִיִּים בִּכְלִיכָה וְהָיוּ עֲנִיִּים מִתְבַּיְּישִׁין הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ הַכֹּל מוֹצִיאִין בִּכְלִיכָה מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹדָן שֶׁל עֲנִיִּים
The Sages taught: Originally, when the meal after the burial would be brought to the house of the mourner, the wealthy would bring the meal in baskets of silver and gold, and the poor would bring it in baskets of peeled willow branches. And the poor were embarrassed. So the Sages instituted that everyone should bring the meal in baskets of peeled willow branches, for the dignity of the poor.
The Sages taught: Originally, when they would serve wine in the house of the mourner, the wealthy would do so in cups made from white glass, and the poor would serve this wine in cups of colored glass. And the poor were embarrassed. So the Sages instituted that all should serve drinks in colored glass, for the dignity of the poor.
At first they would uncover the faces of the wealthy who passed away and cover the faces of the poor, because their faces were blackened by famine. And the poor were embarrassed. So the Sages instituted that everyone’s face should be covered, for the dignity of the poor.
At first the wealthy would take the deceased out for burial on a dargash, and the poor would take the deceased out on a plain bier. And the poor were embarrassed. So the Sages instituted that everyone should be taken out for burial on a plain bier, due to the honor of the poor.
וַיְהִ֗י כְּדַבֵּ֤ר אַהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּפְנ֖וּ אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְהִנֵּה֙ כְּב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה נִרְאָ֖ה בֶּעָנָֽן׃
And as Aaron spoke to the whole Israelite community, they turned toward the wilderness, and there, in a cloud, appeared the Kavod of the Eternal.
וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ בִגְדֵי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֑יךָ לְכָב֖וֹד וּלְתִפְאָֽרֶת׃
Make holy clothes for your brother Aaron, for kavod and tiferet (beauty).
מַגִּיד
מגלה את המצות, מגביה את הקערה ואומר בקול רם:
הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא דִּי אֲכָלוּ אַבְהָתָנָא בְאַרְעָא דְמִצְרָיִם. כָּל דִכְפִין יֵיתֵי וְיֵיכֹל, כָּל דִצְרִיךְ יֵיתֵי וְיִפְסַח. הָשַּׁתָּא הָכָא, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. הָשַּׁתָּא עַבְדֵי, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין.
The Recitation [of the exodus story]:
Uncover the matzot, raises the Seder plate, and says out loud:
This is the bread of poverty that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Anyone who is famished should come and eat, anyone who is in need should come and partake of the Pesach sacrifice. Now we are here, next year we will be in the land of Israel; this year we are slaves, next year we will be free people.