Day 2 of the Omer

הֲרֵי זֶה מְשׁוּבָּח — זֶה, מוֹרֶה עַל מַדְרֵגָה דִקְדוּשָּׁה, הִנֵה אֱלֹקֵינוּ זֶה — וְכָל הַמַּרְבֶּה כו' זֶה שֶׁלּוֹ הוּא מְשׁוּבָּח.

[The Haggadah states: Vechol harmarbeh lesaper biyetzias Mitzrayim, harei zeh meshubach — lit., “Whoever relates the story of the Exodus from Egypt at length, this [person] is praiseworthy.”]

[The word] zeh (“this”) denotes a distinct level of holiness, as implied by the phrase,1 Hinei Elokeinu zeh — “Behold, this is our G‑d.” When a person tells the story of the Exodus at length, his capacity to perceive G‑dliness [so that he can say “This is it!”]2 is praiseworthy.3

To Fill In the Background

The above-quoted verb lesaper (lit., “to relate”) shares a root with the Hebrew word for the luminous sapphire. Hence, on the non-literal level of interpretation known as derush, this verb implies an additional meaning — “to shine.”4 It is not enough to merely relate the story of the Exodus on Pesach night; the participants in the Seder must reach the point that they glow with the light of the Exodus.

In the Torah, the term zeh always denotes revelation, implying something so real that you can point your finger at it and say, “This is it.”5 The story of the Exodus can be relived in a personal way to the extent that every individual experiences it as a cogent reality.6