Mitzvat Sippur Yetziat Mitzrai'im -- Selected Sources

(3) And Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, on which you went free from Egypt, the house of bondage, how the LORD freed you from it with a mighty hand: no leavened bread shall be eaten.

Because of this Hashem did this for me. This should be understood: “For the sake of this service—i.e. the eating of the matzoh and the refraining from leaven bread, which were the first commandments that B’nei Yisrael received—Hashem performed for us miracles and took us out of Egypt.” In other words, Hashem only took B’nei Yisrael out of Egypt in order that they should serve Him, in keeping with the verse, “When you bring the people out of Egypt—you will serve Elohim on this mountain” (Shemos 3:12).

...

...

The 157th mitzvah is that we are commanded to tell about the Exodus from Egypt on the beginning of the night of the 15th686 of Nissan — with all the eloquence at our command. Praiseworthy is the person who gives lengthy discussion and description to the subject: how the Egyptians sinned against us, and what they subjected us to; how G‑d took revenge upon them; thanking G‑d (exalted be He) for all the kindness he has bestowed upon us. This is as the Sages said,1 "Everyone who discusses the Exodus from Egypt at length is praiseworthy."

The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),2 "And you shall tell your child [on that day, 'It is because of this that the L‑rd did for me when I left Egypt. ' "]

The Sages3 explain this verse: "'And you shall tell your child': One may think that [the discussion of the Exodus] must be from the first of the month. The Torah therefore says, 'on that day.' But 'on that day' could mean while it is yet daytime; the Torah therefore says, 'It is because of this.' The expression 'because of this' can only be said when matzah and maror are placed before you." This means that at the beginning of the night one is obligated to discuss [the Exodus].

The Mechilta4 says: "Since the verse5 says, 'when your son will ask you,' you might think that you are required to discuss it only when he asks, and not otherwise. Therefore the Torah tells you, 'And you shall tell your child,' even if he doesn't ask. I only know [of the obligation to discuss the Exodus] when the person has a child. How do I know [this obligation applies] when he is by himself or with others? The verse says,6 'And Moshe said to the people, "Remember this day" — that G‑d commanded us to remember the Exodus just as He commanded us,7 'Remember the Shabbos day to sanctify it. ' "

You are familiar with the expression [of the Sages8], "Even if all of us were wise, all of us understanding, all of us knowing the Torah, we would still be obligated to discuss the Exodus from Egypt."

The details of this mitzvah are discussed in the end of Pesachim.

Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.

From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.

FOOTNOTES

1. Haggadah.

2. Ex. 13:8.

3. In the Mechilta.

4.Of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.

5. Ex. 13:14.

6. Ex. 13:3.

7. Ex. 20:8.

8. Haggadah

(1) It's a positive commandment from the Torah to tell about the miracles and wonders that were done for our fathers in Egypt on the night of the 15th of Nisan, as it is said (Exodus 13:3) "Remember this day when you left Egypt." As it is said (Exodus 20:8) "Remember the Sabbath day." And from where [do we know] that it's on the 15th night? The verse says (Exodus 13:8) "And you shall tell your son on that nigh telling him because of this." And the time when the Matzah and Maror are in front of you. And even if he doesn't have a son. Even great sages are obligated to tell about leaving Egypt, and anybody who speaks at length about the things that happened and what was, that is praiseworthy.

(2) It's a mitzvah to make it known to children, even if they didn't ask, as it is said (Exodus 13:8) "and you shall tell your son." The father should teach according to the understanding of his son. How? If he is young or foolish, he should say to him, 'My son, we were all slaves like that handmaid, or like that servant, in Egypt, and on this night, the Holy One, blessed be He, redeemed us and brought us out to freedom.' And if the son is older and wise, he should teach him what happened in Egypt and about the miracles that were done for us through Moses--all is according to the understanding of his son.

(1) The Obligation to Recount the Exodus From Egypt--We are commanded to discuss the topic of the Exodus from Egypt on the night of the fifteenth of Nissan (the first night of Pesach). This doesn't require recitation of a specific formula; rather each person should discuss the topic according to his own power of expression; as part of this discussion, we also are commanded to laud and to praise Hashem, blessed be He, for all the miracles He performed for us there; as it is stated (Exodus 13:8), "And you shall tell your son" etc. Although the verse doesn't specify when this should be done, the Sages have already explained (Mechilta to the verse) that this obligation of retelling the events of the Exodus is applicable on the night of the fifteenth of Nissan, which is the time of the eating of the matzah. The Sages further explain (Mechilta of R' Shimon bar Yochai to the verse), regarding that which the verse states, "[and you shall tell] your son", that it does not mean that the mitzvah applies exclusively to relating these matters to one's son; rather, one can fulfill his obligation by discussing the Exodus even with any other person.

What does the evil [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, "'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.

What does the innocent [son] say? "'What is this?' (Exodus13:14)" And you will say to him, "'With the strength of [His] 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 him. As it is stated (Exodus 13:8), "And you will speak to your your son on that day saying, for the sake of this, did the Lord do [this] for me in my going out of Egypt."

In each and every generation, a person is obligated to see himself as if he left Egypt, as it is stated (Exodus 13:8); "For the sake of this, did the Lord do [this] for me in my going out of Egypt." Not only our ancestors did the Holy One, blessed be He, redeem, but rather also us [together] with them did he redeem, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:23); "And He took us out from there, in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He swore unto our fathers."