Four Cups, Four Mothers

FOUR CUPS: These are parallel to the four languages of redemption which were mentioned regarding the Exodus from Egypt: I will remove you, I will save you, I will redeem you, I will remove you - stated in Parshat Vaera.

The four mothers correspond to the four cups (of wine at the seder.)

Sarah is the first cup, (over which we say) "Who has chosen us from among the nations." Just as Abraham our ancestor chose from among the nations and converted the men, so too Sarah converted the women.

Rebecca is the cup of storytelling. (In the telling of the Passover story,) we begin with degradation and end with praise, and that is how she began. The haggadah begins with "our ancestors were idol worshippers"-- that refers to Esav, (Rebecca's firstborn.) And she ended with Jacob, who corresponds to the line in the haggadah "And now we have been brought close (to God.)"

And also we begin with the degradation of "we were slaves in Egypt"-- so too Esav was a slave forever, as it says in the Torah "the older will serve the younger." And Jacob is Israel, as it says in the Torah "For you have struggled, etc."

Rachel is the cup (over which we recite) the Prayer After Meals, because Joseph her son fed all of the house of Israel, and she was the core (of Israel). As it says in the Talmud, any blessing that comes to a man is because of his wife (and Rachel was the wife of Israel.)

Leah is the fourth cup, over which we blessings of song (Hallel) ... we say all types of praise because of Leah, who said in the Torah (when she gave birth to her fourth child, Judah) "This time, I will praise God." And from her came pleasant songs, since our teacher Moses, may he rest in peace (was her descendant, and sang the song of the Sea.)