The Four Children "On One Foot":
In the Haggadah for the Passover Seder, we read about Four Children (sometimes translated as the Four Sons): The Wise, The Wicked, The Simple, and The One Who Doesn't Know How To Ask.
The Four Children in the Haggadah
בָּרוּךְ הַמָּקוֹם, בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בָּרוּךְ שֶׁנָּתַן תּוֹרָה לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּרוּךְ הוּא. כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה בָנִים דִּבְּרָה תוֹרָה: אֶחָד חָכָם, וְאֶחָד רָשָׁע, וְאֶחָד תָּם, וְאֶחָד שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִשְׁאוֹל.
Blessed be the Place [of all], Blessed be God; Blessed be the One who Gave the Torah to God’s people Israel, Blessed be God. Corresponding to four children did the Torah speak: one [who is] wise, one [who is] evil, one who is innocent, and one who doesn't know to ask.
Step 1: The Bible
(כה) וְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־תָבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֧ן יְהֹוָ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֵּ֑ר וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־הָעֲבֹדָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃ (כו) וְהָיָ֕ה כִּֽי־יֹאמְר֥וּ אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בְּנֵיכֶ֑ם מָ֛ה הָעֲבֹדָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לָכֶֽם׃ (כז) וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֡ם זֶֽבַח־פֶּ֨סַח ה֜וּא לַֽיהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּ֠סַ֠ח עַל־בָּתֵּ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם בְּנׇגְפּ֥וֹ אֶת־מִצְרַ֖יִם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּ֣ינוּ הִצִּ֑יל וַיִּקֹּ֥ד הָעָ֖ם וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃
(13) But every firstling donkey you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. And you must redeem every male first-born among your children. (14) And when, in time to come, a child of yours asks you, saying, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall reply, ‘It was with a mighty hand that יהוה brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage. (15) When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, יהוה slew every [male] first-born in the land of Egypt, the first-born of both human and beast. Therefore I sacrifice to יהוה every first male issue of the womb, but redeem every male first-born among my children.’
Step 2: The Mechilta
(א) … ארבעה בנים הם, אחד חכם ואחד רשע ואחד תם ואחד שאינו יודע לשאול. חכם מה הוא אומר, מה העדות והחקים והמשפטים אשר צוה ה' אלהינו אותנו, אף אתה פתח לו בהלכות הפסח אין מפטירין אחר הפסח אפיקומן. רשע מה הוא אומר, מה העבודה הזאת לכם, לכם ולא לו. ולפי שהוציא את עצמו מן הכלל כפר בעיקר, אף אתה הקהה את שניו ואמור לו – בעבור זה עשה ה' לי בצאתי ממצרים (שמות יב). לי ולא לך אילו היית שם, לא היית נגאל. תם מה הוא אומר, מה זאת – ואמרת אליו בחוזק יד הוציאנו ה' ממצרים מבית עבדים. ושאינו יודע לשאול, את פתח לו – שנאמר והגדת לבנך ביום ההוא וכו'.
(1) …There are four children: a wise child, a wicked child, a simple child, and one who does not know how to ask. What does the wise child say? "What are the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments that the L-rd our G-d commanded us?" — you, likewise, "open" to him in the halachot of Pesach — "we don’t eat after the afikomen." What does the wicked child say? (Exodus 12:26) "What is this (Pesach) service to you?" "to you" and not to them. Because they disassociated themselves from the congregation and denied the foundation (of the faith), you, likewise, blunt their teeth and tell them (Ibid. 13:8) "Because of this (that) the L-rd wrought for me when I went out of Egypt." For me and not for you. Had you been there, you would not have been redeemed. What does the simple child say? (Ibid. 14) "What is this?" And you shall tell them (Ibid.) "With might of hand did the L-rd take us out of Egypt from the house of bondage." And the one who does not know how to ask, you open for them, as it is written (Ibid. 8) "And you shall tell your child on that day, etc."
Step 3: The Jerusalem Talmud
הלכה: תַּנֵּי רִבִּי חִייָה. כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה בָנִים דִּיבְּרָה תוֹרָה. בֶּן חָכָם בֶּן רָשָׁע בֶּן טִיפֵּשׁ בֶּן שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִשְׁאָל. בֶּן חָכָם מָהוּ אוֹמֵר. מָ֣ה הָֽעֵדֹ֗ת וְהַֽחֻקִּים֙ וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֛ה יְי אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ אוֹתָנוּ. אַף אַתָּה אֱמוֹר לֹו. בְּחוֹזֶק יָ֗ד הֽוֹצִיאָ֧נוּ יְי מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים׃ בֶּן רָשָׁע מָהוּ אוֹמֵר. מָ֛ה הָֽעֲבוֹדָה הַזֹּ֖את לָכֶֽם. מַה הַטּוֹרַח הַזֶּה שֶׁאַתֶּם מַטְרִיחִין עָלֵינוּ בְּכָל־שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה. מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהוֹצִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִן הַכְּלָל אַף אַתָּה אֱמוֹר לוֹ. בַּֽעֲב֣וּר זֶ֗ה עָשָׂ֤ה יְי לִ֔י׃ לִי עָשָׂה. לְאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ לֹא עָשָׂה. אִילּוּ הָיָה אוֹתוֹ הְאִישׁ בְּמִצְרַיִם לֹא הָיָה רָאוּי לְהִיגְּאֵל מִשָּׁם לְעוֹלָם. טִיפֵּשׁ מָהוּ אוֹמֵר. מַה־זֹּ֑את. אַף אַתְּ לַמְּדוֹ הִילְכוֹת הַפֶּסַח. שֶׁאֵין מַפְטִירִין אַחַר הַפֶּסַח אֲפִיקוֹמָן. מַהוּ אֲפִיקוֹמָן. שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא עוֹמֵד מֵחֲבוּרָה זוֹ וְנִכְנַס לַחֲבוּרָה אֲחֶרֶת. בֶּן שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִשְׁאָל אַתְּ פְּתַח לוֹ תְחִילָּה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵה. מַתְנִיתָא אָֽמְרָה כֵן. אִם אֵין דַּעַת בַּבֵּן אָבִיו מְלַמְּדוֹ.
HALAKHAH: Rebbi Ḥiyya stated “The Torah spoke about Four Children, a wise child, a wicked child, a stupid child, and a child who does not know how to ask. What does the wise child say? What are the testimonials, the ordinances, and the laws, that the Eternal, our God, commanded us? Also you shall tell them, with a strong hand did the Eternal lead us out of Egypt, the house of slaves. What does the wicked child say? What does this service mean to you? What is this exertion which you impose on us every year? Since they excluded themselves from the community, also you shall tell them, because of this did the Eternal do for me when I left Egypt. For me, God did it, for that child God did not do it. If that child had been in Egypt, they would not have been worthy ever to be redeemed. What does the stupid child say? What is this? Tell them the rules of Passover, that one may not eat after the afikomen. What does that mean? That one not leave one group and join another group [to keep eating]. With the child who does not know how to ask, you have to begin and initiate with them.” Rebbi Yose said, that is what the Mishnah says, “if the child does not know how to ask, their parent instructs them.” [regarding the Ma Nishtana].
Step 4: The Haggadah
חָכָם מָה הוּא אוֹמֵר? מָה הָעֵדוֹת וְהַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֶתְכֶם. וְאַף אַתָּה אֱמוֹר לוֹ כְּהִלְכוֹת הַפֶּסַח: אֵין מַפְטִירִין אַחַר הַפֶּסַח אֲפִיקוֹמָן:
רָשָׁע מָה הוּא אוֹמֵר? מָה הָעֲבוֹדָה הַזּאֹת לָכֶם. לָכֶם – וְלֹא לוֹ. וּלְפִי שֶׁהוֹצִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִן הַכְּלָל כָּפַר בְּעִקָּר. וְאַף אַתָּה הַקְהֵה אֶת שִׁנָּיו וֶאֱמוֹר לוֹ: "בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה ה' לִי בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם". לִי וְלֹא־לוֹ. אִלּוּ הָיָה שָׁם, לֹא הָיָה נִגְאָל:
תָּם מָה הוּא אוֹמֵר? מַה זּאֹת? וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו "בְּחוֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ ה' מִמִּצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים".
וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִשְׁאוֹל – אַתְּ פְּתַח לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר, בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה ה' לִי בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם.
What does the wise [child] say? "'What are these testimonies, statutes and judgments that the Lord our God commanded you?' (Deuteronomy 6:20)" And accordingly you will say to them, 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)."
What does the evil [child] say? "'What is this worship to you?' (Exodus 12:26)" 'To you' and not 'to them.' And since they excluded themselves from the collective, they denied a principle [of the Jewish faith]. And accordingly, you will blunt their teeth and say to them, "'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 them.' If they had been there, they would not have been saved.
What does the simple [child] say? "'What is this?' (Exodus 13:14)" And you will say to them, "'With the strength of [God’s] hand did the Lord take us out from Egypt, from the house of slaves' (Exodus 13:14).'"
And [regarding] the one who doesn't know to ask, you will open [the conversation] for them. As it is stated (Exodus 13:8), "And you will speak to your child on that day saying, for the sake of this, did the Lord do [this] for me in my going out of Egypt."
Bonus Step: The Ballad of the Four Sons
Said the father to the children
"At the Seder you will dine,
You will eat your fill of matzoh,
You will drink four cups of wine."
Now this father had no daughters,
But his sons they numbered four,
One was wise, and one was wicked,
One was simple and a bore.
And the fourth was sweet and winsome,
He was young and he was small,
While his brothers asked the questions,
He could scarcely speak at all.
Said the wise one to his father
"Would you please explain the laws.
Of the customs of the Seder
Will you please explain the cause?"
And the father proudly answered
"As our fathers ate in speed,
Ate the Pascal lamb 'ere midnight,
And from slavery were freed"
"So we follow their example,
And 'ere midnight must complete,
All the Seder, and we should not
After twelve remain to eat."
Then did sneer the son so wicked,
"What does all this mean to you?"
And the father's voice was bitter
As his grief and anger grew.
"If yourself you don't consider,
As a son of Israel
Then for you this has no meaning,
You could be a slave as well!"
Then the simple son said softly,
"What is this?" and quietly
The good father told his offspring
"We were freed from slavery."
But the youngest son was silent,
For he could not speak at all,
His bright eyes were bright with wonder
As his father told him all.
Now, dear people, heed the lesson
And remember evermore,
What the father told his children
Told his sons who numbered four!
Context: This was composed by Ben Aronin, the Educator at Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago in the 1950s and 1960s. He published this first in his haggadah in 1954.
Bonus Step 2: The Chocolate Seder
Appendix: Other Texts
20) When your son asks you in time to come, saying: ‘What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which the LORD our God has commanded you? (Yatchon = Etchem, you plural)
אֲרֵי יִשְׁאֲלִנָךְ בְּרָךְ מְחָר לְמֵימָר מָא סָהֶדְוָתָא וּקְיָמַיָא וְדִינַיָא דִי פַקִיד יְיָ אֱלָהָנָא יָתְכוֹן
Yatchon = Etchem (You, plural)
(Onkelos is an early Aramaic translation of the Torah, attributed to 2nd century CE)
כנגד ארבעה בנים דברה תורה. כי כל כך רצה לקיים ענין סיפור יציאת מצרים בזרעינו, שהפריש להגיד ולספר לכל בן ובן כפי מה שהוא.
Hashem was so intent on maintaining the story of the Exodus in our offspring, that he differentiated [the four types of children] and recounted the story for each child, as they are (i.e., each at their own level).
שִׁבְעָה דְבָרִים בַּגֹּלֶם וְשִׁבְעָה בֶחָכָם. חָכָם אֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר בִּפְנֵי מִי שֶׁהוּא גָדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ בְחָכְמָה וּבְמִנְיָן, וְאֵינוֹ נִכְנָס לְתוֹךְ דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ נִבְהָל לְהָשִׁיב, שׁוֹאֵל כָּעִנְיָן וּמֵשִׁיב כַּהֲלָכָה, וְאוֹמֵר עַל רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן וְעַל אַחֲרוֹן אַחֲרוֹן, וְעַל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא שָׁמַע, אוֹמֵר לֹא שָׁמָעְתִּי, וּמוֹדֶה עַל הָאֱמֶת. וְחִלּוּפֵיהֶן בַּגֹּלֶם:
Seven things are [found] in an unformed person and seven in a wise person. A wise person does not speak in front of someone who is greater than him in wisdom or in number; and he does not interrupt the words of his fellow; and is not impulsive in answering; and he asks to the point and answers as is proper; and he speaks to the first [point] first and the last [point] last; and about that which he has not heard [anything], says, "I have not heard [anything]"; and he concedes to the truth. And their opposites [are the case] with an unformed person.
(ז) נִתַּאי הָאַרְבֵּלִי אוֹמֵר, הַרְחֵק מִשָּׁכֵן רָע, וְאַל תִּתְחַבֵּר לָרָשָׁע, וְאַל תִּתְיָאֵשׁ מִן הַפֻּרְעָנוּת:
(7) Nitai of Arbel says: "Distance [yourself] from a bad neighbor, do not befriend an evildoer and do not despair of punishment."
(ב) וְאַל תִּתְחַבֵּר לָרָשָׁע. שֶׁכָּךְ אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים, כָּל הַמִּתְדַּבֵּק לָרְשָׁעִים אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה כְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם נוֹטֵל שָׂכָר כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם. לְמַה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְנִכְנָס לְבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל בּוּרְסִי, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא לָקַח מִמֶּנּוּ כְּלוּם, מִכָּל מָקוֹם רֵיחַ רַע קָלַט וְהוֹצִיא עִמּוֹ:
(2) "do not befriend an evildoer": As thus stated the sages, "Anyone who clings to evildoers - even though he does not act like them - gets retribution similar to them. To what is this matter like? To one who enters the house of a tanner - even though he doesn't take anything with him, nonetheless, he absorbed the foul smell and brings it out with him."
ויגדלו הנערים ויהי עשו איש ידע ציד איש שדה ויעקב איש תם ישב אהלים
When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the outdoors; but Jacob was a mild man who stayed in camp.
אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדֹרֹתָיו אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים הִתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹחַ׃
This is the line of Noah.—Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked with God.—
(ג) דבר אחר וכל בכור בניך תפדה מנין שאם לא פדאו אביו הוא יפדה את עצמו. תלמוד לומר וכל בכור בני (קסב) אפדה. רבי יוסי הגלילי אומר הואיל ואמרה תורה פדה את בניך ולמד את בניך תורה, אם למדת על תלמוד תורה שאם לא למדו אביו (קסג) מלמד הוא את עצמו. כך אם לא פדאו חייב לפדות את עצמו. לא אם אמרת בתלמוד תורה שהוא שקול כנגד הכל שאם לא למדו אביו מלמד הוא את עצמו. תאמר בפדיה שאינה שקולה כנגד הכל לפיכך אם לא פדאו אביו לא יפדה את עצמו. והרי מילה תוכיח שאינה שקולה כנגד הכל שאם לא מלו אביו מל הוא את עצמו. כך אם לא פדאו אביו הוא יפדה את עצמו. לא אם אמרת במילה שחייבין עליה כרת שאם לא מלו אביו הוא מל את עצמו. תאמר בפדיה שאין חייבים עליה כרת לפיכך אם לא פדאו לא יפדה את עצמו. אמרת הפרש. אדון בנין אב מבין שלשתם. לא הרי מילה כהרי תלמוד תורה ולא הרי תורה כהרי מילה ולא זה וזה כהרי פדיה ולא הרי פדיה כהרי זה וזה. הצד השוה שבהן (כל) שהוא מצות האב על הבן אם לא עשה לו אביו יעשה הוא לעצמו. אף כל מה שהוא מצות האב על הבן אם לא עשה לו אביו הוא יעשה לעצמו. מכאן אמרו חייב אדם מן התורה למול את בנו ולפדותו וללמדו תורה וללמדו אומנות ולהשיאו אשה. רבי עקיבא אומר אף ללמדו שייט. רבי אומר (קסד) אף ישוב מדינה. והיה כי ישאלך בנך מחר לאמר יש מחר עכשיו ויש מחר לאחר זמן. מחר לאמר מה זאת הרי מחר לאחר זמן. מחר יהיה האות הזה הרי מחר עכשיו. מחר אנכי נצב על ראש הגבעה הרי מחר עכשיו. מחר יאמרו בניכם לבנינו הרי מחר לאחר זמן. מה העדות והחקים והמשפטים נמצאת אומר ארבעה בנים הם אחד חכם ואחד טפש ואחד רשע ואחד שאינו יודע לשאול. חכם מהו אומר מה העדות והחקים והמשפטים וגו' אף אתה אמור לו כהלכות הפסח ואמור לו אין מפטירין אחר הפסח אפיקומן. טפש מהו אומר מה זאת ואמרת אליו בחוזק יד הוציאנו. רשע מהו אומר מה העבודה הזאת לכם. לכם ולא לו ולפי שהוציא את עצמו מן הכלל כפר בעיקר אף אתה תוציאו מן הכלל ואמור לו בעבור זה עשה ה' לי בצאתי ממצרים לי ולא לו אילו היה שם לא היה נגאל. ושאינו יודע לשאול את פתח לו שנאמר והגדת לבנך ביום ההוא.
(3) Another Explanation "And first born of your children you shall redeem" (Exodus 13:13) Where [is the following law sourced: Regarding the redemption of the firstborn son from a priest.] If his father did not redeem him, he should redeem himself. It was taught saying: "And all first born of my sons I will redeem" (Exodus 13:15). Rabbi Yosei the Galilean says since the Torah said "Redeem your sons" and "Teach your sons Torah", if you learn regarding the study of Torah that if his father did not teach him he teaches himself. So to if [his father] did not redeem him he is obligated to redeem himself. [This is] not [so] if you said regarding the study of Torah that it is equal in weight to everything such that if his father did not teach him [Torah] he teaches himself. You should say regarding redemption which is not equal in weight to everything if his father did not redeem him he should not redeem himself. Behold circumcision will prove [that even regarding a law that is not equal in weight to everything if the father did not do it for the son, the son must do it for himself. Circumcision which it is not equal in weight to everything [this concept still applies:] if his father did not circumcise him he circumcises himself. So to if his father did not redeem him he should redeem himself. [This is] not [so] if you said regarding circumcision [that one who is not circumcised] is cut off [from the Jewish people] and if his father did not circumcise him he circumcises himself. You should say regarding redemption in which [one who is not redeemed] is not cut off [from the Jewish people] that if he was not redeemed he should not redeem himself. [This is of course not true] [We must] explain [these commandments through a general principle from which all three can be understood [separately]. [The laws of ] circumcision do not apply to Torah study and Torah study does not apply to circumcision and neither of them apply to redemption and redemption does not apply to either of them. The common principle between them is that they are all a commandment for the father to do for his son, [but] if the father did not do for his son the son shall do for himself. Accordingly anything that is a command for the father to do for his son [but] if the father did not do for his son the son shall do for himself. From here they said a person is obligated from the Torah to circumcise his son, to redeem him, to teach him Torah, to teach him a craft and to marry him off. Rabbi Akiva says even to teach him to swim. Rebbi says even manners. "It will be when your son will ask you tomorrow saying" (Exodus 13:14) there is a 'tomorrow' [that refers to] now [literally the next day] and there is a 'tomorrow' [that refers to] a [long] time from now. "Tomorrow the sign shall come to pass" (Exodus 8:19) this is a 'tomorrow' for now. "Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill" (Exodus 17:9) This is a 'tomorrow' for now. "Tomorrow your children will say to our children" (Joshua 22:24) This is 'tomorrow' for a [long] time from now. "What mean the decrees, laws and rules" (Deuteronomy 6:20) is found to be saying that there are four sons: one wise, one simple, one wicked, and one who does not know to ask. The wise one, what does he say? "What are the decrees, laws and rules etc." Accordingly you answer him about the laws of Passover and say to him "We do not have desert after the Passover sacrifice" (Mishna Pesachim 10:8). The simple one, what does he say? "What is this?" You shall say to him "With a strong hand he took us out" (Exodus 13:14). The wicked one, what does he say? What is this work for you? For you and not for him and since he takes himself out of the collective, his is a heretic. Accordingly you take him out of the collective and say to him, "It is because of what the LORD did for me when I went free from Egypt." (Exodus 13:8) for me and not for him. If he was there [in Egypt] he would not have been freed. And the one who does not know to ask you open for him as it says "You shall tell your son on that day" (ibid).
"When your children will say to you" They are ready to say to you: "What is this work to you". This is the wicked son who takes himself out of the collective. Accordingly you take him out of the collective and say to him "Because of this the Lord did for me" (Exodus 13:5) He did for me and not for you.
(א) והיה כי יאמרו אליכם בניכם מה העבודה הזאת לכם. בשורה רעה נתבשרו ישראל באותה שעה, שעתידה תורה להשתכח מבניהם. והן שואלין כך במזיד, כלומר לכם ולא לו, וזה אחד מארבעה בנים שדיברה תורה כנגדם, אחד חכם, ואחד רשע, ואחד תם ואחד שאינו יודע לשאול, וזה הרשע שמוציא את עצמו מן הכלל וכופר בבוראו:
"And when your children will say to you, What is this work for you?" (Exodus 12:26) At that time Israel was informed of bad tidings, for in the future their children would forget the Torah. [The child] is deliberately asking this way, meaning [What is this work] for you and not for him[self]. He is one of the four sons that the Torah spoke about, one wise, one wicked, one simple, and one who does not know to ask. This [verse] is the wicked one who removes himself from the collective and denies his creator:
(א) והגדת לבנך. יכול מראש חודש, יתחיל האב להגיד לבנו הלכות הפסח, ת״ל ביום ההוא, אי ביום ההוא יכול מבעוד יום, ת״ל בעבור זה, בשעה שמצה ומרור מונחים לפניך.
(ב) וצריך ליטול בידו מצה ולומר מצה זו שאנו אוכלים על שום מה כו׳, וכן מרור יטלנו בידו ויאמר מרור זה שאנו אוכלים על שום מה, על שם שמררו, אבל בבשר אסור ליגע ולומר פסח זה, שאין אנו אוכלין פסח בחוצה לארץ, ואסור לאדם לומר כבש זה יהיה לפסח, אלא יאמר כבש זה יהיה לנו לאכילה.
(ג) בעבור זה עשה ה' לי. כנגד ארבעה בנים דברה תורה, אחד חכם, ואחד רשע, ואחד תם, ואחד שאינו יודע לשאול.
(ד) לכל אחד ואחד נתנה תורה דרך להשיב כפי ענינו, שהרי העולם נברא בארבע מדות של בני אדם, אחד רשע, ואחד חכם, ואחד תם, ואחד שאינו יודע לשאול, וכל אחד ואחד נדרש בענינו, רשע מה הוא אומר, מה העבודה הזאת לכם, כלומר לכם ולא לו, ולפי שהוציא את עצמו מן הכלל שלא אמר לנו אלא לכם, בידוע שכפר בעיקר, לכך נאמר בעבור זה עשה ה׳ לי, כלומר לי ולא לו שאלו היה שם לא היה נגאל, אלא היה מת בשלשת ימי אפלה.
(א) "You shall teach your son" It could be from the first of the month, that the father should begin to teach his son the laws of Passover. It was taught saying "On that day" If it [must] be on that day, it could be from when the day begins [that the father should teach his son]. It was taught saying: "Because of this" [So the father must teach] at the time when unleavened bread and bitter herbs are sitting before [him].
(ב) He must pick up the unleavened bread and say "This is unleavened bread, why do we eat it? etc" Same for the bitter herbs. He should pick them up and say "These are bitter herbs, why do we eat them? because the made [our father's lives] bitter. But for the meat it is forbidden to touch and say "This is the pascal lamb", because we do not eat the pascal lamb outside of Israel and it is forbidden for a person to say this sheep will be for the pascal lamb, rather he should say this sheep will be our food.
(ג) "Because of this the Lord did for me" The Torah spoke about four sons, one wise, one wicked, one simple, and one who does not know to ask.
(ד) The Torah gave a way to answer each one according to his circumstance, for the world was created with four types of people, one wicked, one wise, one simple, and one who does not know to ask. Each one is derived from the verses in its circumstance. The wicked one, What does he say? What is this work for you? Meaning for you and not for him, and since he takes himself out of the collective by saying 'for you' and not 'for us' it is clear that he is a heretic. Therefore it is said "Because of this the Lord did for me" meaning for me and not for him. For if he was [in Egypt] he would not have been freed, rather he would have died in the three days of total darkness.
(א) והיה כי ישאלך בנך מחר. יש מחר לאחר זמן, ויש מחר בקרוב, כמו למחר יהיה האות הזה (שמות ח יט), מחר אנכי נצב (שם יז ט).
(ב) לאמר מה זאת. זו מדת התם שאינו חכם בדעת לשאול ואינו רשע לכפור, אלא הוא תם, ואינו יכול להבין ושואל מה זאת, ואמרת אליו בחזק יד הוציאנו ה' ממצרים, שאינו יודע לשאול את פתח לו שנאמר והגדת לבנך וגו׳ (שם ט יב).
(א) "When your son will ask you tomorrow" There is a 'tomorrow' for a later time, and there is a 'tomorrow' that will happen soon. For example "This sign will happen tomorrow" (Exodus 8:19) and "Tomorrow I will stand" (ibid 17:9)
(ב) "Saying what is this" This is the trait of the simple one who is not smart enough to ask and is not wicked enough to be a heretic, rather he is simple and is unable to understand, so he says "What is this?" You should say to him "With a strong hand he took us out of Egypt". [Regarding] the one who does not know to ask you open for him as it says "You shall teach your son etc" (ibid 9:12).
And when your children say (yomru) to you, ‘What is this worship to you?’ 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.
And you shall tell (ve-higadeta) your child on that day, ‘It is because of this that the LORD did for me when I went free from Egypt.’
And when, in time to come, your child asks you (yishalcha), saying, ‘What is this?’ you shall say to them, ‘It was with a mighty hand that the LORD brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage.
When, in time to come, your child asks (yishalcha) you, “What mean the decrees, laws, and rules that the LORD our God has enjoined upon you?” you shall say to your child, “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and the LORD freed us from Egypt with a mighty hand.
חָכָם מָה הוּא אוֹמֵר? מָה הָעֵדוֹת וְהַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֶתְכֶם. וְאַף אַתָּה אֱמוֹר לוֹ כְּהִלְכוֹת הַפֶּסַח: אֵין מַפְטִירִין אַחַר הַפֶּסַח אֲפִיקוֹמָן:
What does the wise [son] say? "'What mean the decrees, laws, and rules that the LORD our God has enjoined upon 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)."
רָשָׁע מָה הוּא אוֹמֵר? מָה הָעֲבוֹדָה הַזּאֹת לָכֶם. לָכֶם – וְלֹא לוֹ. וּלְפִי שֶׁהוֹצִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִן הַכְּלָל כָּפַר בְּעִקָּר. וְאַף אַתָּה הַקְהֵה אֶת שִׁנָּיו וֶאֱמוֹר לוֹ: "בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה ה' לִי בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם". לִי וְלֹא־לוֹ. אִלּוּ הָיָה שָׁם, לֹא הָיָה נִגְאָל:
What does the wicked [son] say? "'What is this worship to you?' (Exodus 12:26)" '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, ‘It is because of this that the LORD did for me when I went free from Egypt.’ (Exodus 13:8)." 'For me' and not 'for him.' If he had been there, he would not have been saved.
תָּם מָה הוּא אוֹמֵר? מַה זּאֹת? וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו "בְּחוֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ ה' מִמִּצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים".
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. (Exodus 13:14).'"
וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִשְׁאוֹל – אַתְּ פְּתַח לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר, בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה ה' לִי בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם.
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, ‘It is because of this that the LORD did for me when I went free from Egypt.’
(הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּפְרֹשׁ מִן הַצִּבּוּר
Hillel says: Do not separate yourself from the community.
The four types of children we encounter in the Haggadah are based on four verses in the Bible that contain the theme of telling children about the Exodus from Egypt. Why does the Torah repeat this same injunction four times? From the standpoint of the sages, these verses cannot be repetitive since every word in the Torah is meaningful. Each verse must add something to our understanding of this obligation. The sages concluded that the four verses must refer to four types of people who we encounter in our daily lives. They are also found at the Seder table. Each asks about the significance of the Exodus and the meaning of the customs we enact on the night of the Pesach offering. Because they are different in intellect and temperament, each deserves an answer that will help him understand the story of the Exodus on his own level.
Three of the verses contain questions and answers, and the fourth is a statement, “You shall tell it to your child on that day, saying, ‘It is because of this which the Lord did for me on this day when I went forth from Egypt.’” The sages, however, part ways with the Torah once the questions are asked. In some cases, they drew on the Torah’s answers to these questions and in others the Haggadah formulates its own answers to the questions taken from the text of the Torah.
What does the Wise child say? The Haggadah gives an answer to the wise child that is different from the one that is found in the Torah in response to his question. Why does the Haggadah choose to ignore the Torah’s answer? The wise child’s question reflects a broader perspective than just the laws and customs of Passover. He asks, “What these testimonies, statutes, and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded you?” He is asking not only about the feast Passover, but about the meaning of the Torah as a whole. The three types of laws to which the wise child refers (“Testimonies, statutes, and judgments”) reflect the totality of types of commandments found in the Torah:
Eduyot Testimonies or laws that allow us to or bear witness to the presence of God and the Holy One’s manifold kindness to us. For instance, the Seder allows us to testify to the power of God’s redemption from Egypt and the Sukkah is a reminder of the Clouds of Glory that protected the Israelites in the wilderness.
Hukim Statutes are laws that have no apparent rationale and are observed as an expression of our obedience to God. By following these statutes, we show our complete and unquestioning obedience to God. We do them simply because God commanded us to do so.
Mishpatim Judgments are laws that regulate our treatment of our neighbor and fellow man. These laws testify to divine providence. They teach us that God wishes to influence our smallest every day actions including our treatment of our fellow human being.
To answer the wise child, then, we would literally have to quote the entire Torah and that, which would not be very practical. The answer in the Torah is different from the one in the Haggadah. The Torah assumes that the questioner is familiar with the Torah as a whole. It reminds the questioner that we observe these laws out of a sense of obligation and as an expression of gratitude to God for all His kind acts, and also because in observing them we gain eternal life (“The Lord commanded us to observe…for our continued survival as is now the case.”) The Haggadah for its part focuses on answering the question from the perspective of Passover, since this is the context in which the question is now being placed. In point of fact, the passage in the Torah is not about Passover in particular, but a general question about observing the Mitzvot in general.
Why does the Maggid choose to concentrate on this particular point of Jewish laws that “one should not eat after the Afikomen”?
Rather than dealing of the reason for Pesach, the Maggid answers the question of the wise child by concentrating on just on particular law of Pesach – “One may not eat after the Afikomen.” This law is but one example of all three categories of Mitzvot. There are many reasons given for this particular law in the Talmud and they reflect the three categories of laws to which the wise child has referred. So not only are there three types of laws in the Torah but each law can really be seen serving all three purposes:
Eduyot – The Passover sacrifice then is a way of testifying to the unity of God. We do not eat after the Afikomen as a way of insuring that a person only eats the Passover offering in one location. The reason for this is that the Pesach offering was meant to be an expression of our belief that there is one God and that all things come from him. When the Israelites ate the Passover offering in one location, they realized that the God who protected them was the same God who was striking the Egyptian firstborn. Unity of worship was an expression of the unity of God.
Mishpatim – This law also teaches us the importance of living within a community. We are also not allowed participate with two groups in consuming the Passover offering. Groups of people came together to consume the offering and one could only be a member of a single group offering. This law teaches us that division and divisiveness makes redemption impossible.
Hukim – The Passover offering must be consumed when we are already satiated. Even though Matzot must be consumed when one is hungry, the Passover sacrifice had to be consumed at the end of the evening so that it was eaten when one was no longer hungry.
By learning this one law, we are able to illustrate the rationale behind all three types of commandments in the Torah. The general is present in the specific and the specifics contain the general. The world is present in a single grain of sand.