Chametz U'Matzah - Text of the Haggadah

The text -- As mentioned in the introduction, the Rambam composed the Mishneh Torah with the intention of providing our people with clear directives concerning the performance of all the mitzvot. Hence, he also includes in this work the text of all necessary prayers and legal documents.

the Haggadah -- The main body of the Haggadah was composed early in our nation's history. Some authorities attribute it to the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah, who composed it together with the other prayers and blessings they authored. Large portions of the Haggadah are found verbatim in the Mishnah, Pesachim, Chapter Ten, and reference is made there to other sections that are not explicitly quoted.

However, as obvious from the discussion in that chapter, the precise text of the Haggadah was a matter of debate and question throughout the Talmudic period. A few centuries after the completion of the Talmud, Rav Amram Gaon composed a text of the Haggadah that was accepted internationally, throughout all Jewish communities. Approximately sixty years later, his successor, Rav Saadia Gaon, composed a Haggadah with some changes and emendations. These two texts served as the basis for the Rambam's Haggadah and for the subsequent texts published by other Sages. Only minor differences exist between the Haggadah we use today and that composed by Rav Amram Gaon.

customarily recited...in the time of exile -- as stated in Halachot 8:3-5, there are certain differences between the text we recite and that recited when the Paschal sacrifice may be offered.

One begins, [pouring out] the second cup -- After reciting kiddush, washing one's hands, and partaking of the karpas, as mentioned in Halachah 8:1-2.

It must be noted that the Rambam prescribes that yachatz, the breaking of the afikoman, be performed directly before eating the matzah and not before beginning the recitation of the Haggadah, as is our custom.

In haste, we left Egypt -- This statement, half in Hebrew and half in Aramaic, refers to Deuteronomy 16:3. This line is not included in the Haggadot of Rav Amram or Rav Saadia Gaon, nor is it found in most subsequent Haggadot.

This is the bread of affliction -- This passage is not explicitly mentioned in the Talmud. However, Ta'anit 20b records that before the Seder, Rav Huna would open his door and announce: "Whoever is needy, let him come and eat."

In contrast to the rest of the Haggadah, this passage is recited in Aramaic. Among the explanations for this practice are:

a) This enabled the passage to be understood by all participants, since Aramaic was the common language of the time (Tosefot Rid, Manhig). Accordingly, the Ramah (Orach Chayim 473:6) relates that he would translate the passage into Yiddish at his Seder.

b) The angels do not understand Aramaic, and hence they will not accuse us of being unworthy of redemption (Ritbah).

c) The demons do not understand Aramaic, and thus they will not accept our invitation to the Seder (Rashi, HaPardes). This reason is questioned, because Pesach is a ליל שימורים (a protected night), on which the demons have no power to harm a Jew.

This year -- Our Haggadot (and that of Rav Amram Gaon) state השתא, "now." However, Rav Saadia Gaon's Haggadah also uses the Hebrew הא שתא, "this year." However, unlike the Rambam, he employs that expression for both clauses.

Why is this night different from all other nights? -- The practice of asking the four questions is explicitly mentioned in the Mishnah, Pesachim 116a.

On all other nights, we are not required to dip even once -- Note the commentary on Halachah 8:2 regarding the order of the questions.

On all other nights, we eat either sitting upright or reclining -- As explained in the commentary on Halachah 2, this question is not mentioned in the Talmud. Hence, some commentaries maintain that it was added in later generations. Nevertheless, the fact that the Rambam includes it together with the question concerning roasted meat appears to indicate that he maintains that this question had been asked during the time the Temple was standing.

We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt -- Pesachim 115a mentions the beginning of this passage within the context of the discussion of the requirement to begin the description of the Exodus by telling of our people's roots. See also the commentary on Halachah 7:4.

elders -- This expression is not included in the text of the Haggadah quoted by many authorities, including the Shibolei HaLeket and the Avudraham. Some manuscripts of the Mishneh Torah also omit it. Similarly, in Sefer HaMitzvot, Mitzvah 157, the Rambam makes statements similar to those of this passage without mentioning this expression.

Once Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah, Rabbi Akiva, and Rabbi Tarfon -- There is no explicit mention of this passage in the Talmud, although a somewhat parallel story is related in the Tosefta, Pesachim, Chapter 10.

Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah -- Berachot 12b quotes these statements without any reference to the gathering in Bnei Brak.

said to them -- This phrase is not mentioned in our text of the Haggadah. Its inclusion answers a question frequently raised: Why does the Haggadah mention this concept, which deals with the mitzvah to recall the Exodus from Egypt each day, on the Seder night? The recollection of the Exodus at the Seder is of a different nature entirely.

However, this addition clarifies the issue: This was one of the subjects discussed by the Sages in Bnei Brak.

Blessed be the Omnipresent -- The use of the word מקום as a name for God is based on Bereshit Rabbah 68:9: "He is the place of the world and the world is not His place."

who has given the Torah to Israel; blessed be He -- Our text of the Haggadah employs a slightly different version, mentioning four expressions of blessing to parallel the four sons.

The Torah speaks of four sons -- This passage is found with certain emendations in the Jerusalem Talmud and in the Mechiltah.

that God, our Lord, has commanded you -- Both the aforementioned sources state "has commanded us," preventing comparison between the wise and wicked sons. Nevertheless, the Rambam (as well as Rav Amram Gaon and Rav Saadia Gaon) found it more appropriate to quote the verse from the Torah verbatim.

reply to him, [teaching him] the laws of Pesach... -- Our text of the Jerusalem Talmud includes this as the answer to the simple son. Other commentaries (See P'nei David, Simchat HaRegel) give this as the answer to the wicked son.

dessert -- The literal meaning of the Greek word afikoman--see the Rambam's commentary on the Mishnah, Pesachim 10:8.

you should blunt his teeth and tell him...- Exodus 12:27 states that the question asked by the wicked son should be answered differently: "It is the Passover service to God..." The Zevach Pesach explains that the Haggadah implies, in addition to the reply given in the Torah, that he be reprimanded strongly, "blunt his teeth..."

The simple son -- the Jerusalem Talmud uses the expression: "the foolish son."

"You shall tell your son on that day." -- This verse, both the answer to the son who does not know how to ask and the source for the mitzvah to relate the story of the Exodus, serves as a transition between the passage of the four sons and the narrative of our redemption. (See also Halachah 7:1.)

"it is because of this." -- The word זה (this) is always used to refer to a clearly visible entity, as Menachot 29a comments on Exodus 12:2. Similarly, in this context, "this" refers to a situation where symbols of the Exodus, the matzah and the maror, are visibly present before us.

In the beginning, our ancestors were worshipers of other gods -- Pesachim 115a quotes this passage as reflecting the principle that the narrative of the Exodus must begin by relating our people's roots. (See Halachah 7:4.) It must be noted that the Rambam chooses slightly different phraseology from that employed in other Haggadot.

Blessed be He Who keeps His promise to Israel -- This passage is found in the Haggadot of Rav Amram Gaon and Rav Saadia Gaon. However, its origins are unknown.

the Holy One, blessed be He, calculated the end of [our bondage] -- i.e. counting the 400 years of oppression from the birth of Isaac, for during that entire time, the Jews were "strangers in a land that is not their own." The Egyptian exile itself lasted only 210 years. See Rashi, Exodus 12:40.

"An Aramean sought to destroy my father..." -- This and the verses that follow are part of the וידוי ביכורים recited when the Jews would bring their first fruits to Jerusalem. Pesachim 116a requires the person reciting the Haggadah to "expound from 'An Aramean sought to destroy my father' until he completes the entire passage." This implies that the exegesis of the verses found in the Haggadah was already extant at that time.

The commentaries quote the Sifri as the source for these interpretations though our text of the Sifri contains only portions of this passage. [The passage is found in the Mechiltah d'Rashbi in its entirety. However, some authorities maintain that it was a later addition.] Nevertheless, other early collections of Midrashim, such as Lekach Tov, Midrash HaGadol, and the Yalkut Shimoni, include the complete text.

"I made you as numerous as the plants of the field..." -- Though the verse has no explicit connection to the Exodus, the commentaries explain that it describes the situation of the Jews in Egypt in metaphoric terms.

Many texts of the Haggadah also include the previous verse from Ezekiel: "And when I passed by you, I saw you weltering in your blood..." Rav Ya'akov Emden relates that he and his father, the Chacham Tzvi, would recite this verse even though he did not find it in other texts. (His statement is slightly questionable. There are some earlier texts of the Haggadah, such as Siddur HaAri zal, which do include it.)

"I will pass through... and I will slay... I will execute... I, God." -- Our text of the Haggadah contains a further elaboration of this verse, showing how each use of the word "I" is intended to exclude God's use of an intermediary to execute judgement.

Rabbi Yehudah coined abbreviations for them: detzach, adash, b'achav. -- This concludes the exegesis of the verses of the וידוי ביכורים in the Sifri.

Our Haggadot (and similarly, those of Rav Amram Gaon and Rav Saadia Gaon) continue with a number of other passages:

a) Statements by Rabbi Yossi HaG'lili, Rabbi Eliezer, and Rabbi Akiva concerning the number of plagues with which the Egyptians were punished;

b) Passages recounting the extent of God's generosity to the Jewish people.

The first group of statements have their source in the Mechiltah. Rav Avraham, the Rambam's son, relates that his father did not include them in his text of the Haggadah because they were not popularly known. Nevertheless, it was his custom to recite them at the Seder.

The source for the second grouping of passages is less clear. They are not explicitly found in any Midrash.

Rabban Gamliel would say -- This passage and the remaining passages until the blessing, asher ge'alanu, are explicitly mentioned in the Mishnah, Pesachim 116a,b. (See also Halachot 7:5, 8:4 and the commentary, which mentions the change in the order there.)

has not fulfilled his obligation -- to relate the story of the Exodus. See Halachah 7:5.

In every generation -- This passage is found in Pesachim 116b. However, in contrast to the Talmud and our text of the Haggadah, the Rambam's text omits quoting Exodus 13:8: "And you shall tell your son..." Apparently, the Rambam had a different text of the Mishnah, which omitted this verse. This difference in texts is also the source for the Rambam's statements, Halachah 7:6: "In every generation, a person is obligated to present himself..." See the commentary on that halachah.

He brought us out from there -- Ravvah, Pesachim, ibid., requires reciting this verse.

Therefore, we are obliged to thank, praise, laud, glorify, exalt, magnify, adore, and give eternal praise -- With slight textual differences, this entire passage is found in Pesachim 116b. (See also Halachah 8:5).

Halleluyah! Servants of God,... [one continues reciting the Psalms] until... the flintstone into a stream of water — The Hallel was recited both while slaughtering the Paschal sacrifice and while eating it. To commemorate the latter recitation, we recite the Hallel at the Seder.

We divide the Hallel into two portions (see Pesachim, ibid. and Halachah 8:5):

the first, containing Psalms referring to the Exodus from Egypt, we recite before the meal;

the second, containing Psalms referring to the Messianic redemption (see Pesachim 118a), is recited after the meal.

Blessed are You, God, our Lord, King of the universe, who redeemed us and redeemed our ancestors... -- This blessing is quoted from Pesachim 116b. The first portion was also recited while the Temple was standing.

So too, God, our Lord and Lord of our fathers, enable us to reach --This portion of the blessing, composed by Rabbi Akiva, represents a prayer for our redemption and the rebuilding of the Temple. (See Pesachim, ibid., Halachah 8:5.)

other festivals -- The word "other" can also imply "of a different nature"--i.e., we pray for the Messianic redemption, when our festivals will be of an entirely different nature.

we shall eat of the sacrifices -- the Chaggigah offering

and of the Paschal offerings -- The Chaggigah offering was not sacrificed when Pesach began on Saturday night. Accordingly, it is our custom to reverse the order of these sacrifices on such an occasion. However, the Rambam does not mention such a practice.

Then, we shall sing a new song for our redemption -- The Mechiltah (see also Tosefot, Pesachim, ibid.) notes that the Bible mentions nine songs sang by the Jewish people as a collective entity. In each case, the Hebrew for song, שירה, is used in the feminine gender, for our redemption was not complete. In contrast, the song to be sung to greet Mashiach will be a

שיר חדש, a new song. The masculine gender is used because the Messianic redemption will represent the complete and ultimate liberation of our people. May it come speedily in our days.