Parshas Pekudei (HaChodesh) 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Mar 27
- 2 min read
Chodesh Nisan and Relevant Halachos of Pesach (5)
Sippur Yetzias Mitzrayim. The Yom Tov of Pesach is soon upon us and it is appropriate to discuss the mitzvah of "סיפור יציאת מצרים", which is similar to the mitzvah of Talmud Torah. It might even be part of Talmud Torah and some (1) say that the reason why we don’t make a beracha on "סיפור" is because the Birchas HaTorah we said in the morning exempts it. In other words, there is a mitzvah of Talmud Torah which can be fulfilled all year with any topic one learns or teaches, but on Pesach night(s) the mitzvah is to learn and teach the topic of יציאת מצרים.
The Mitzvah of Haggadah and its Details. This mitzvah is learned from the posuk (2) "והגדת לבנך ביום ההוא" and obligates one to tell his son about יציאת מצרים on the nights of Pesach. Chazal (3) learn from other sources that this mitzvah is not only relevant for a son but also to anyone else who might be present. Even if one finds himself alone on the night of Pesach, he must “tell himself” by reciting the Haggadah. This mitzvah includes:
1) Praising Hashem and thanking Him for the miracles and the freedom (4), which we fulfill by saying Hallel, Nishmas, Hallel Hagadol, etc. towards the end of the Seder.
2) Having matza and maror in front of us when we tell over the story so we can explain the mitzvos that we fulfill that night.
3) Saying it with such feeling as if we are from those who actually left Mitzrayim (5) (as beneficiaries of those miracles with the freedom and the Torah that we have merited).
4) Saying the Haggadah in a question-answer format as it was originally composed by the Baal Haggadah (6).
5) Saying all the details of our exodus and comparing our holy and dignified situation to the low status we were in before the miracles. This is known as, "מתחיל בגנות ומסיים בשבח" (7).
Learning the Laws of Pesach. The Mechilta is at the end of Parshas Bo, from whence the Poskim infer that learning the laws of Pesach is also a fulfillment of the mitzvah of "סיפור יצי"מ". From this, the Shulchan Aruch writes (או"ח תפא:א) that even after we conclude our Seder, one should continue to talk about the miracles and learn Hilchos Pesach.
(1) סדר הערוך א:נט:ה (2) שמות יג:ח (3) עיין ספר המצות קנז (4) שם (5) פסחים קטז: (6) מנחת חינוך כא (7) פסחים קטז.