📋 Shiur Overview
Summary of the Learning Session: The Rambam’s Nusach of the Haggadah
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A. General Introduction Regarding the Rambam’s Nusach of the Haggadah
The Rambam’s Approach: The Rambam brought a nusach of the Haggadah at the end of Hilchot Chametz U’Matzah.
Explanation: The Rambam did not innovate the nusach of the Haggadah — he merely copied the nusach that was available to him, just as he did with the nusach of the prayers and the Torah reading. Therefore, one should not ask questions on this nusach as if it were the Rambam’s innovation — it is simply a nusach that he transmitted.
Innovations:
1. Customs in the Nusach: The Rambam brings customs in his nusach of the Haggadah. The answer why: There are minhagei geulah (customs of redemption) that people adopted, and the Gemara doesn’t spell everything out — we only know that Hallel was recited, and Kriat Yam Suf is mentioned in the Gemara.
2. The Printer’s Influence: In our editions of the Rambam’s Haggadah, the printer inserted things from his own nusach (a non-Eretz Yisrael nusach). One must look at an original Rambam, not in our siddurim that “went back against the Rambam.” An example: The story of Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua in Bnei Brak is not present in the Rambam’s original nusach of the Haggadah — no trace of it.
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B. “Ha Lachma Anya D’Achalu Avhatana B’Ara D’Mitzrayim — Bivhilu Yatzanu MiMitzrayim”
1. The Language “Bivhilu”
The Rambam’s Words: In the nusach of the Haggadah it states “Bivhilu yatzanu miMitzrayim.”
Explanation: “Bivhilu” is the Targum (Aramaic) of “b’chipazon” — this section “Ha lachma anya” is in Aramaic, and is attributed to the period of the Geonim.
Innovations:
1. “Bivhilu” means more than simply fast. It also means suddenly, with anxiety and confusion. Proofs: “Adam bahul al mamono” — a person who is anxious about his money; “Nafsho bam behalah” — anxiety in the soul; “Vayavhilu l’havi et Haman” — there it means quickly/hurried. What we call “behalah” in our language is a mashal (metaphor) — because when one rushes there is often anxiety. The innovation: The Jews were happy when they left Egypt, but there was also anxiety involved — a mixture of joy and behalah.
2. The Language “Sha’ata” as a Sign of the Rambam’s Nusach: The fact that this section uses “sha’ata” (Aramaic, = hashta, this year) is taken as a sign that this section comes from the Rambam’s nusach of the Haggadah, where “sha’ata” is used.
3. The Mix of Languages: The entire section “Ha lachma anya” jumps around between Aramaic and Lashon HaKodesh without clear consistency. “Ha lachma anya” is Lashon HaKodesh; “Kol dichfin yeitei v’yeichol” is Aramaic; “L’shanah haba’ah” is Lashon HaKodesh, but “b’ara d’Yisrael” is Aramaic. This is characterized as “a kind of undeveloped language.”
4. Why Aramaic? An explanation is brought: So that the angels should not understand — because they would say “we are not worthy of redemption,” therefore one speaks in a language they don’t understand.
2. The Verse in Parshat Re’eh — Source of “Ha Lachma Anya”
Explanation: “Ha lachma anya” is built on the verse in Parshat Re’eh (Devarim 16:3): “Lo tochal alav chametz shivat yamim tochal alav matzot lechem oni ki b’chipazon yatzata mei’eretz Mitzrayim l’ma’an tizkor et yom tzeitcha mei’eretz Mitzrayim kol yemei chayecha.” This is the only verse that states “lechem oni,” and the Targum of “ki b’chipazon” is “bivhilu” — which connects the “Ha lachma anya” with the “bivhilu yatzanu.”
3. Why Do We Place So Much Importance on the Chipazon?
Innovations:
1. The chipazon shows poverty. This is the main innovation: A poor person has no time to wait, he lives from hand to mouth. The fact that the dough didn’t have time to rise is a matter of poverty — one couldn’t wait, one didn’t have the luxury of time. This connects the chipazon with the lechem oni with the kol dichfin.
2. Perhaps the final redemption will also be quick — this is a possible reason why we emphasize the chipazon.
4. “Lechem Anya” — What Does It Mean?
Explanation: “Lechem anya” means bread that poor people eat — a kind of poor bread. A normal person doesn’t want to eat such bread; this is bread that poor people used to eat because they had nothing better. Rishonim/Acharonim bring that this is a kind of bread that poor people used to eat.
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C. “Kol Dichfin Yeitei V’Yeichol, Kol Ditzrich Yeitei V’Yifsach”
1. The Special Connection to Lechem Oni
Innovations:
1. First Explanation: Because our forefathers had “lechem oni” — they ran out with half-baked bread — we should also take in paupers and destitute people. The poverty experience of Yetziat Mitzrayim creates a special obligation of compassion.
2. Second Explanation: “Lechem oni” means bread that poor people eat — it fits very well that we say “kol dichfin” — for whom do we expect this bread? For the poor, this is their bread. We show them “look, this is your bread.”
2. Two Types of Guests
Innovation: The two expressions speak of two different types of people:
– “Kol dichfin yeitei v’yeichol” — people who are simply hungry, even complete amei ha’aratzot who know nothing of Pesach. They just want to eat. This is physicality.
– “Kol ditzrich yeitei v’yifsach” — honest Jews who want to make a korban Pesach / observe Pesach properly, but have nowhere. This is spirituality. One notes that by “kol ditzrich” it states “yeitei v’yifsach” (he should come and participate in the Pesach), not “kol ditzrich l’fisach” — which shows it is a different category.
Innovation (continued): The two “hashta/l’shanah haba’ah” also correspond to the two types of people:
– For the first (the hungry, am ha’aretz): “Hashta avdei, l’shanah haba’ah bnei chorin” — he doesn’t know of any Eretz Yisrael, he just wants to no longer be a slave. We tell him: next year you won’t need to beg for bread.
– For the second (the honest Jew): “Hashta hacha, l’shanah haba’ah b’ara d’Yisrael” — he wants a proper Pesach in Eretz Yisrael.
Counter-opinion: Perhaps the simple explanation is that both expressions refer to the same person — it’s a double expression as we find in many places.
3. “Kol Dichfin” — Source and Practical Matters
Innovations:
1. Source: “Kol dichfin yeitei v’yeichol” is a Gemara in Masechet Ta’anit — it doesn’t specifically refer to Pesach. The language was taken from there.
2. Distinction between “kol dichfin” and “kol ditzrich”: “Kol dichfin” means whoever is hungry; “kol ditzrich” means whoever has what to eat but doesn’t have matzah or four cups etc. This connects with the Mishnah “afilu ani shebeYisrael” — that one must ensure every Jew has the needs of Pesach.
3. The Custom: One would lift the table, open the door, and say everyone should come eat. Practical question: “And now the neighbors are gentiles” — it’s a problem, one must give to the gentiles before Pesach so they shouldn’t come. Therefore, one only says it (without actually opening the door).
4. Practical Question: When one says “kol dichfin yeitei v’yeichol,” one isn’t eating yet — one is still at the second cup, and one must still recite the Haggadah for two hours!
5. Rashi’s explanation on “kol dichfin” — “because there is no measure for maror” — is mentioned, but it’s said this is not the simple meaning.
4. “Yeitei V’Yifsach” — Language
Question: What does “yeitei v’yifsach” mean? We don’t make a korban Pesach! Is “Pesach’ing” a verb like “Purim’ing”? One notes that we say “Pesach’dig” but not really “Pesach’n” as a verb like “Purim’en.”
5. “Dichfin” vs. “Dichfan”
Question: The language “dichfin” (with a yud) is unusual — “dichfan” would be the simple language for hunger. This remains an open question.
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D. “Hashta Avdei, L’Shanah Haba’ah Bnei Chorin”
1. To Whom Are We Speaking?
Explanation 1: We are speaking to the poor people whom we invited in. The host sits at the Seder, takes in poor guests, and must appease them (as the Rambam said). We say to the poor person: “You are my guest today, but next year you yourself will be a free person.” These are words of encouragement for the guest — he shouldn’t be embarrassed.
Question on this explanation: We are all poor and slaves today! One doesn’t need to lie to make the poor person feel good — we are truly all servants in exile.
Answer: It’s not a lie — we are truly all servants. “Hashta avdei” applies to everyone, not just to the poor person.
2. Slavery — What Does It Mean?
Innovation: Slavery doesn’t primarily mean physical suffering and beatings, but rather the lack of freedom — not being independent. “Avdut l’Mitzrayim” doesn’t mean that we were beaten (though that also happened), but that we weren’t free people. One distinguishes between the last two years in Egypt (which was like a concentration camp) and the general state of slavery that lasted longer — which was simply a lack of independence.
[Digression: Parable of America] Everyone who works must work approximately two days a week for the government (taxes). In Egypt too, one had to build roads — but the roads were for the Egyptians, not for the Jews. “L’shanah haba’ah bnei chorin” means: we will have our own roads, not Egyptian roads.
3. “L’Shanah Haba’ah B’Ara D’Yisrael” — Source
Innovation: “B’Nisan nigalu” — “l’shanah haba’ah” specifically means the time of Nisan, not just a calendar year. But it’s noted that the proofs for this are weak.
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E. “Shloshah Devarim” — Pesach, Matzah, and Maror
The Rambam’s Words (in the Halachot): “Kol shelo amar shloshah devarim elu lo yatza yedei chovato, v’elu hen: Pesach matzah u’maror” — Pesach “al shem shepasach,” merorim “al shem shemirru Mitzrayim,” matzah “al shem shenig’alu.”
Innovation: In the Rambam, the section about matzah appears twice — once in the halachot (earlier) and once in the nusach of the Haggadah (“u’magbiah ha’matzah v’omer matzah zu she’anu ochlim”). The first time is in the halachot, and the second time is when he breaks the matzah at the Seder.
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F. Mah Nishtanah
1. The Rambam’s Order of the Four Questions
Explanation: The Rambam’s order of the four questions is different from our customary nusach. He begins with “matbilin” (dipping karpas), then matzah, then maror — which follows the order of the night (first one dips karpas, then eats matzah, then maror).
Innovations:
1. Regarding heseibah it’s noted that heseibah is “the entire time” — not a single action at a specific time, therefore it has no specific place in the order.
2. Difference in Nusach: By matzah it states “kulo matzah” (one eats only matzah); by maror it doesn’t state “kulo maror” — only a bit; by heseibah it states “kulanu mesubin” — even non-Jews.
2. Who Says Mah Nishtanah?
Innovation: According to the Rambam, the head of the household (not the children) says Mah Nishtanah. He says everything — he asks and he answers, “matchil bigenut u’mesayem b’shevach.” This is different from our custom where the children ask Mah Nishtanah. The Rambam understands that this is a nusach — one must say the entire nusach. In the Rambam, there are no special questions from children in the nusach itself at all.
Distinction: The law of “sho’alin v’dorshin” — that the son asks — is an external halachah, not part of the nusach of the Haggadah itself. Just like “omer hakorei” — the nusach is one thing, and the law of question-answer is a separate halachah.
3. What Is the Source for “Mah Nishtanah”?
Main Question: What is the verse-source for the specific form of “Mah nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot”?
Innovations:
1. “Ki yishalcha bincha” is the source for questions in general — but the verse speaks of a normal question: “What is this?” (What is matzah? What are tefillin?). But “Mah nishtanah” is a completely different type of question — not “what is this?” but “why is this night different from all other nights?” This is a “special nusach” — a specific formulation that must have a source.
2. According to the simple “ki yishalcha,” one doesn’t need to do anything special — simply by doing the mitzvah, the son will ask. But Chazal made enactments (chatifat matzah, karpas, other changes) in order “sheyish’alu” — which shows they wanted a specific type of question, not just “what is this?”
3. Searching for a Source: One goes through various verses: “V’hayah ki yomru aleichem mah ha’avodah hazot lachem” (the wicked son), “V’higadta l’vincha bayom hahu” (she’eino yodei’a lish’ol), “V’hayah ki yishalcha bincha machar leimor mah zot” (Va’etchanan), “Shomer mah milailah,” “Mah yom miyomayim,” “Mah yeled yom” — but none of them is the direct source. The question remains open.
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G. “Avadim Hayinu L’Pharaoh B’Mitzrayim”
The Rambam’s Nusach: “Avadim hayinu l’Pharaoh b’Mitzrayim vayotzi’einu Hashem Elokeinu misham” — and it doesn’t state “u’misham hotzi’anu Hashem Elokeinu” as a separate addition, because he already said “matchil bigenut” — this begins with disgrace.
Innovation: “V’ilu lo hotzi haKadosh Baruch Hu et avoteinu miMitzrayim” — this is connected with “V’hi she’amdah” — that it’s still relevant today, “anu u’vaneinu” would have been enslaved. This relates to the later law of “lir’ot et atzmo” — that everyone must see himself as if he himself went out.
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H. “Va’afilu Kulanu Chachamim… Mitzvah Aleinu L’Saper BiYetziat Mitzrayim”
The Rambam’s Words: “Va’afilu kulanu chachamim, kulanu zekeinim, kulanu yod’im et haTorah, mitzvah aleinu l’saper biYetziat Mitzrayim.”
Innovation: The source of “va’afilu kulanu chachamim” comes from the question of the wise son — the wise son asks “mah ha’edot v’hachukim v’hamishpatim,” and from this we learn that even wise people must tell about Yetziat Mitzrayim. The Rambam already mentioned this source earlier (in chapter 7). The Korban Tziyon is mentioned.
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I. “Kol HaMarbeh L’Saper BiYetziat Mitzrayim Harei Zeh Meshubach”
Innovations:
1. Source: The source is the story of Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua etc. who sat in Bnei Brak — this is the proof that one is praiseworthy when one elaborates.
2. Question: Perhaps they were simply great tzaddikim, not specifically about this?
3. Answer: The very fact that the story is told shows it’s a praise — because one only tells things that show praise of the sages, as the Rambam says “mitzvah l’saper b’shivchan shel chachamim.”
4. Important Innovation: In the Rambam’s original nusach of the Haggadah, the story of Rabbi Eliezer is not present (as mentioned above). What we find in our editions is from the printer.
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J. [Digression: “Achakeh Lo B’Chol Yom Sheyavo”]
Innovation in Explanation: “Achakeh lo b’chol yom sheyavo” does not mean “I wait that he should come today” — it means “I wait today that he should come.” Simple Hebrew translation — the waiting is every day, not that it must specifically be today. Even the nusach that the siddur has, which doesn’t appear anywhere else, doesn’t mean that Mashiach must come today.
📝 Full Transcript
The Rambam’s Nusach of the Haggadah: “Bivhilu Yatzanu MiMitzrayim” and the Matter of Lechem Oni
The Rambam’s Nusach Haggadah — A Copyist, Not an Innovator
Speaker 1: Okay, so we had in the Haggadah. The Haggadah is not a commentary, just the nusach Haggadah. Just as he does with prayers, kriat haTorah, so he did in another place. That’s all.
Nu nu. He claims that there are other things, let’s see. There are… six, in short, four. Yes, the nusach, nusach hatefillah, nusach.
Why did he also bring the customs? There are people who made the minhagei geulah. What is this thing? The Gemara doesn’t say. The Gemara says “keshem she’amdu Moshe v’Aharon,” we need to say what to do. We need to stand with our plans, to know this. We only know that Hallel was said, alone, it says in the Gemara before kriat Yam Suf.
Ah, we need to change a few more, remove the shortcuts. I mean, it’s not a big problem. I don’t see many issues. Okay.
Customs and the Zohar
Speaker 1: In any case, customs, customs, customs. The Zohar says, “minhag Yisrael bizman hagalut kach hu.” Yes. “Mesaper al kol shanah veshanah.” The Haggadah begins “bechol shanah veshanah,” as one says. “Bivhilu yatzanu miMitzrayim.” Yes, “bechipazon yatzanu.”
The Importance of Chipazon in the Haggadah
Speaker 1: It’s interesting that we talk so much on Pesach about the chipazon and chalak. Matzah is about “shelo hispik.” It’s interesting why the ba’al haggadah began with the chipazon of yetziat Mitzrayim. Who talks about this? I ask. I say, I don’t know who talks about this. It’s interesting to me. Who talks so much about the chipazon? I say, at the Seder we don’t talk so much about it. We begin with “bivhilu yatzanu,” and the matzah is “al ki bechipazon yatzanu me’eretz Mitzrayim shelo hispik betzekam shel avoteinu.” It’s interesting, but what’s the important thing? Why does the chipazon concern me so much?
Nu nu. We need to know. Perhaps the final redemption will also be quick, which we need to think about the Rebbe’s reasons. Nu nu. Perhaps there are simple ta’amei hamitzvot. Or on the contrary, simple practical reasons. But we need to think, we need to know the reasons.
Discussion: The Language “Bivhilu” in Targum
Speaker 2: Okay. Bivhilu doesn’t appear in the Targum?
Speaker 1: The Rambam’s nusach, the Rambam was not mechadesh the nusach. The Rambam’s nusach, the Rambam was not mechadesh the nusach. I told you, Rav Rabinovitch, he won’t ask about this, this is not the Rambam, this is just, what’s it called? This is just the nusach that the Rambam was me’atek. It’s simply me’atek, it’s his, but he didn’t… It doesn’t say about the bivhilu here.
Speaker 2: Ha lachma anya da, 106. In other places it doesn’t say it.
Speaker 1: What is the translation of “bechipazon” in the Targum? What does it say? Isn’t “bivhilu” a lashon haTargum? I ask you, I don’t know. What does Torat HaAdam say? What does the person say?
Speaker 2: The whole piece is in Aramaic. Why is it in Aramaic? He says it came from the… from the… from the zman haGeonim, or something.
Speaker 1: What is milachem? I don’t have a Haggadah here. Does it only say in the Rambam’s Haggadah? In normal Haggadot it doesn’t say it?
Speaker 2: I thought that bivhilu he says makes it like how the children left Mitzrayim.
Speaker 1: Why shouldn’t we also make the behalah today?
Speaker 2: Ah, about what it sweeps away the table? Mesalek al kol shinui ve’omer? I don’t know. I thought it says somewhere.
What Does “Bivhilu” Mean — More Than Just Quick
Speaker 1: “Bivhilu” appears in a verse, actually, in Ezra. “Uvivhilu liYerushalayim,” I don’t know. “Bivhilu” means Rashi says there. I guess he means here is, I don’t know.
What we usually call behalah is apparently a mixture of when one rushes there is what we call behalah, nafsho bam behalah. Which it says yes, it’s not even lashon hakodesh even, “vayevahilu lehavi et Haman.” “Vayevahilu” means quickly, hurried. But no, what I’m saying that we call behalah is something like anxiety, something a behalah. Nafsho bam behalah, one says in the she’elot. So apparently it’s a mixture, because when one rushes there is often anxiety.
Because the Jews were very happy when they left Mitzrayim, but there was anxiety. It was happy.
Speaker 2: Yes, but it means something like confusion, no? Adam bahul al mamono.
Speaker 1: Why didn’t he encounter it then my previous source? An empty eye that he is… The danger is bivhilu. Bivhilu is the Targum of chipazon. Why didn’t he encounter the shaygetz earlier? I don’t understand why we shouldn’t encounter it. So apparently it’s actually more than just quick. So apparently something… bivhilu yatzata me’eretz Mitzrayim. So the language… so it’s correct, bivhilu doesn’t mean only quick. Bivhilu can yes mean also suddenly. Because we say “shelo hispiku betzekam shel avoteinu,” we rushed so much that we couldn’t orient ourselves, we couldn’t…
Okay. Anyway, it’s a language. What is this? Bivhilu yatzu. It’s not correct, it’s halfway Aramaic and halfway lashon hakodesh. Bivhilu is the Targum of chipazon. It’s the Targum of chipazon. It’s strange.
The Rambam’s Nusach of “Sheloshah Devarim”
Speaker 1: I know now why I’m looking back, but earlier the Rambam’s said “Kol shelo amar sheloshah devarim elu lo yatza yedei chovato, ve’elu hen: Pesach matzah umaror”. Pesach he explains, he says in the kingdom, “al shem shepasach.” Marorim “al shem shemareru Mitzrayim.” Matzah “al shem shenigalu.”
The tzedakah appears there three times in the Rambam. The correct one is the first time. The second time he says “yes, what you can, and then come in addition.”
Speaker 2: Why is there in the nusach that he says it twice?
Speaker 1: No, it’s not twice. Not only here in the nusach, we also take it up, but before that it already appeared once. It appeared once before tzedakah. Yes, “umagbiah hamatzah ve’omer matzah zo she’anu ochlim.” But it didn’t appear the first time in the Rambam. The second time he needs to say when he breaks, and when he breaks the second.
Okay, we don’t know what the “rabihu” is. If you know, you can still say.
Discussion: “Metzarichin Lehotzi” and the Dispute
Speaker 2: Okay. What does “metzarichin lehotzi” mean? How does he enter? What does it mean in the Haggadah?
Speaker 1: He brings on the Seder that one should learn after Pesach, late at night on Pesach. Ah, apparently… there is a dispute whether one should say the story of yetziat Mitzrayim on the korban Pesach. Ah, how is the Haggadah, does it mean with “mishehu ish”? It’s an… uhm… where is the ervah?
“Ha Lachma Anya” and the Verse in Parshat Re’eh
Speaker 1: Okay, apparently I can tell you a pshat now. Apparently this piece goes together with “ha lachma anya,” right? “Ha lachma anya.” You need to have an explanation on the verse of… not “bechipazon” he says. There is a verse, it says in Parshat Re’eh, “Lo tochal alav chametz shivat yamim tochal alav matzot lechem oni ki bechipazon yatzata me’eretz Mitzrayim lema’an tizkor et yom tzeitcha me’eretz Mitzrayim kol yemei chayecha”. Okay? This verse is the only verse where it says “lechem oni.” And “ha lachma anya” comes to say this. It’s certain that the “bechipazon”… it says “lechem oni ki”… is the Targum of… lechem oni ki bechipazon. So something comes, I don’t know why we remembered this verse now, but for some reason I see that we’re building on this verse. True? Correct? I already know what.
The Connection of “Kol Dichfin” to Lechem Oni
Speaker 1: Okay. It’s interesting, because it seems that the matter of kol dichfin has something also to do with lechem oni. And when we say poor people, we are all poor people, one poor person should care for the other. I don’t know, just, just. It’s interesting.
Or perhaps because our grandfathers had lechem oni, there is perhaps a mitzvah of kol dichfin. It seems that here besides the usual law of… it’s already a chiddush to say, but besides the usual law of hachnasat orchim and tzedakah, there is perhaps a special matter for Pesach, that because it’s lechem oni, because our grandfathers ran out with half-baked bread, we should also bring in poor people.
But the Ramban said that this is the pshat of “zecher tov avdecha Yeshua.” And we see when we talk about lechem oni, we say immediately… It’s interesting, because a normal person finds it hard to eat the bread. Who likes the bread? The poor. The poor eat the bread, this is poor bread. That’s what the translation is, I don’t know, that could be.
Speaker 2: We say, we connect this together with Rishonim or Acharonim, that it’s a type of bread that the poor eat.
Speaker 1: So it fits very well that you say, for whom should we expect this? The poor. This is their bread. Look, I have the bread that the poor eat.
Speaker 2: No, that’s not what I meant to say. I meant to say mainly the other thing.
Speaker 1: But you mean to say that we need to call the poor people because we need to remember…
Chipazon Shows Poverty
Speaker 1: But I want to say that it has to do specifically with the chipazon and with the fact that it didn’t have time for the dough to rise. This is something a matter that shows poverty. A poor person doesn’t have time to wait, he lives from hand to mouth.
Ha Lachma Anya — Continuation of Discussion
Lachma Anya — Pshat in the Concept
Speaker 1: It’s interesting, truly, a normal person finds it hard to eat the bread. Who likes the bread? The poor. The poor eat the bread, they don’t have any bread. That’s what the translation is, I only know. They say that we connect circles in Rishonim or Acharonim, that the type of bread that has to be eaten. So it fits very well! But for whom should we expect this? The poor! This is your bread! Look, I have the bread that the poor eat! Yes, but that’s not what I meant to say. You mean to say mainly the other thing?
That we need to call the poor people, because… I remember that… but… I want but that it has to do specifically with the chipazon, and with the fact that it didn’t have time for the dough. This is something a matter that shows poverty, a poor person drags with his… a poor person drags with the matzot the lechem oni. I don’t know! I don’t know! Tell me the translation in the verse! How is the translation in the verse! Does it fit yes with the you can eat matzot? Because… no, it could be that the chipazon is already going on the lechem oni. What needs to be so. Matzot sit, because matzot is still so. The Rishon says in repetition, it’s not clear to me how the translation is in lechem oni. Not what is the translation in lechem oni, the translation in lechem oni. But why, both of them apparently don’t know what they mean. No. It’s something with a poor person. It’s not like that! Servants! What goes here before. Hello? But what makes a lot of sense! The time, that here our fathers ate in the land of Mitzrayim, and lechem oni, and yetziat Mitzrayim, that’s what from there you came with your Torahs, that the food is what was eaten in Mitzrayim kingdom, because there we ate, but it’s also not exactly to destroy oneself. Okay?
The Language of “Ha Lachma Anya” — Aramaic and Lashon HaKodesh
Speaker 1: Sha’ata, what is sha’ata? Sha’ata ochel? In Aramaic there is sha’ata, yes. Sha’ata means hashta, this year. Shalom al beit Yisrael, sha’ata ada, ah, sha’ata ada, sha’ata tatir. Right? But the next is sha’ata ada, and then he goes to sha’ata ochel.
The whole piece jumps around from Aramaic to lashon hakodesh, right? Ha lachma anya is all lashon hakodesh, right? Afterwards, leshanah haba’ah be’ara deYisrael. Ah, leshanah haba’ah, not lesha’ata. The rest of the piece he says it yes. One minute he says it yes, one minute he doesn’t say it. It’s not clear if he’s speaking in lashon hakodesh. It’s not a language at all, a kind of undeveloped language.
So this is certainly a piece that is also paired with my Haggadah, right? Why? How do I know that this is a piece from my Haggadah? Because he says sha’ata ochel. Okay, good. So what is the pshat? I don’t know. He said sha’ata avdei. So we’re actually called slaves? Or yes, even important slaves? I have a pshat, but not really slaves. In Mitzrayim it wasn’t yet really.
Slaves in Mitzrayim — What Does Slavery Mean?
Speaker 2: But in Mitzrayim is fine slavery, we had to work. And here we don’t have to work? If we want to have money there is a system. A slave is one who had to work.
Speaker 1: No, you’re going later to Mitzrayim. Okay, don’t go into this. We’ll talk about the choices.
The problem with Mitzrayim wasn’t that we had to work too much. It was that we were in exile.
Speaker 2: No, I’m not talking about the last times.
Speaker 1: The last two years Mitzrayim was a concentration camp. I already had this argument in other places, another time. Everyone has already forgotten, because that’s what I hold. Other people have also fought with me, and they said I have no sense, but that’s the truth.
The point is, avdut leMitzrayim, avdut leMitzrayim doesn’t mean, it’s bitter, avdut leMitzrayim doesn’t mean that we were beaten. That’s not the main problem. The second is that we weren’t bnei chorin, in other words, not independent. That’s the problem, that’s the meaning of avdim leMitzrayim, no less and no more.
By the way, here in America, every single person who works needs to work about two days a week for the state. Do you know what that’s called? That’s called taxes. Misim, government taxes. Again, every single person, every single person. Yes, yes, Mitzrayim also had to have nice streets, no problem. That’s called a slave. When who has the street? The goy, the Egyptian. And when leshanah haba’ah bnei chorin, whatever, we’ll have our streets, not Egyptian streets, but American streets. That’s the meaning of slavery, I’m making assumptions for you.
Certainly there was once a reality of real wickedness, we were beaten, but the problem wasn’t the wickedness and the beating. The problem was that there was no freedom. These are simple things. Even if someone will say that it was yes terrible, but the word is not the terribleness, the word is this. And today we are also back slaves.
“Hashta Avdei, Leshanah Haba’ah Bnei Chorin” — For Whom Are We Speaking?
Speaker 1: So what should we be? Hope that next year… So next year we’ll make Pesach. What should we make this year Pesach? Good to say it through?
Speaker 2: Huh?
Speaker 1: Agree? So what is the pshat of the Haggadah? Hello? Why should you make assumptions and ask questions? So I mean we were slaves. I don’t understand what you’re saying.
Speaker 2: We are today slaves, what it says in the Haggadah.
Speaker 1: Ha lachma anya, we really need to understand. Nu, certainly, certainly.
Ah, we really need to understand, very good. If together it doesn’t work, it’s fake. Next year we make a real Pesach, but this year is fake.
Like we have, do you remember we said, just by the way, it’s just to show. Do you remember we learned that we need to say “kemo eved zeh vechemo shevach zo”? We can point to ourselves, we don’t need to have any “kemo shevach zo.” But how do we see the bnei chorin? Next year we’ll see it.
I don’t know, the leshanah haba’ah, where does the nusach “leshanah haba’ah biYerushalayim” even come from? Is this a verse? Leshanah haba’ah, why next year?
Speaker 2: Okay, but next year is in order. We have the regalim hachayim.
Speaker 1: No.
It seems that also… no, it’s clearer that these are words of encouragement that we say for the poor people that we invite. We say to the poor people, “kol dichfin yeitei veyeichol”, but we are slaves. No, God forbid, but this year you’re my guest, next year you’ll be your own king. These are words of encouragement for the guest. The ba’al habayit sits at the Seder and he takes up every poor person, he’s really not a slave, he’s already now a ben chorin. We’re speaking to the poor person, first we must appease the poor person. We begin the Seder, we must appease the poor person, the first thing, just as the Rambam said. We appease the poor person, you see, poor person, next year you yourself will be a ben chorin. Beautiful pshat.
Speaker 2: Nu, maybe. But we are also all poor today, you don’t need to be ashamed. Everyone is poor.
Lecture on the Passover Haggadah – Text of the Haggadah, Mah Nishtanah, and Avadim Hayinu
Speaker 1: So, but if you really want to go off the path, to say it’s a lie to make the servant feel good. It’s not a lie, we are all servants. What does it say here? Does it say? It says in the Haggadah. We say it for the poor person. Hashta, this year there are indeed poor servants, there are Jews for whom I just said “kol dichfin yeitei v’yefsach”, but next year everyone will be free people, everyone will be… Okay, it’s an interpretation. I don’t know if it’s an interpretation. There was something, it says in the Haggadah according to custom, “kol dichfin yeitei v’yeichol”. Okay. “Kol ditzrich l’Pesach”? “Kol ditzrich l’Pesach”? I don’t know what that means. “Yeitei v’yefsach”? An interesting expression.
“Kol Dichfin Yeitei V’yeichol, Kol Ditzrich Yeitei V’yefsach” — Two Types of Guests
Speaker 2: And I should come to offer a Korban Pesach?
Speaker 1: No, “ditzrich l’Pesach”. “Yefsach” means to make a Korban Pesach. It can’t be, we don’t make a Korban Pesach. Who wants to “Pesach”? Do we also say who wants to “Shavuos”?
Speaker 2: No, it’s not. We don’t say. I haven’t heard that we say. Something we do say. Purim, one. Pesach is certainly a thing. A little. I can also hear “Purim-ing”. L’Pesach?
Speaker 1: No, not l’Pesach. I mean “Pesach-ing”. We usually say making Pesach-like. He certainly “Pesached”, no?
There are very many guests. “Kol dichfin yeitei v’yeichol”, apparently we’re talking about two people. We should also bring in the guests who are complete amei ha’aretz and don’t know anything about Pesach. They are hungry. “Kol dichfin”, everyone who is hungry should come in, non-Jews, Jews, amei ha’aretz. The second thing, “kol ditzrich”, someone who is indeed an honest Jew, and he wants to make a Korban Pesach, he wants to taste a Pesach properly.
Speaker 2: Nu nu.
Speaker 1: Why do we say “dichfin”? Why don’t we say “dichfan”? Because the dalet is a… It could be that the two is also, we’re speaking to two types of people. For the “kol dichfin” we say, you are slaves, next year you are free people. You don’t know about Eretz Yisrael or anything. For the Jews for whom we say “kol ditzrich l’Pesach”, the honest Jews, we say “b’ara d’Yisrael”. He also says “dichfin”. I feel it’s wrong “dichfin”. “Dichfan” means to say simply. “Dichfan” is the language of hunger.
But truthfully it’s a good interpretation that the “hashta hacha” two also goes up to the two people. The Jew who doesn’t know about Pesach, also doesn’t know about Eretz Yisrael. He wants one thing, he doesn’t want to be a slave anymore. We give him encouragement, next year you’ll be a free person, you won’t have to go begging for bread. For the honest Jews we say, you want to have a Korban Pesach with a Pesach properly. Peace upon Israel.
Speaker 2: I don’t know. I would say it’s the same.
Speaker 1: Yes, but you didn’t say it clearly.
Speaker 2: No, because it’s such a double expression, like all…
Speaker 1: Simply the interpretation is both.
“Kol Dichfin” and “Kol Ditzrich” – Physicality and Spirituality
I want one thing, I don’t want to be a slave anymore. We give him encouragement, next year you’ll be a free person, it’s not good to go there just as a free person. And for the honest Jews we say, you want to have a Korban Pesach with a Pesach according to halacha? Next year in Jerusalem.
Apparently, I don’t know. I haven’t yet said that it’s the same thing.
Speaker 2: Yes, because you didn’t say it clearly.
No, because it’s such a double expression. Like all…
Speaker 2: Yes, simply both is a double expression, they are two, kol dichfin and kol ditzrich. But one can perhaps make distinctions between them. Because one says kol ditzrich yeitei v’yefsach, we don’t say kol ditzrich l’Pesach.
That’s true, but when we have kol dichfin and it’s the same thing, we should have said kol ditzrich l’Pesach. It’s a different thing, he’s not coming because he’s hungry, he’s coming because he wants to observe the holiday. I need to find out where this comes from.
So one can say in Chassidus that one speaks of physicality and one speaks, one wants the spirituality of Pesach. He says next year in the land of Israel, you won’t be a free person, you’ll be in a place of holiness. Kol dichfin, simply a Jew is unfortunately hungry, that’s what we want to say, let’s bring in weak Jews, the mitzvah doesn’t concern them, but they’ll eat a meal with wine, with meat.
Apparently, let’s get down from here, but why do we say weak Jews? I don’t agree to say weak Jews. I won’t let you speak such a thing. Weak people, to say the language of a householder is praiseworthy. Praiseworthy Jews.
Speaker 2: Yes.
Says the holy Rema further. Okay, I don’t know, we need to learn better. No one says simply in meisav, the text of the Haggadah. The Chaver Maamar stopped saying anything for the people. And the commentators on the Haggadah, they should already bring meals, and all these things, yes.
Speaker 2: Ah, he says, he did bring on this.
Yes, he says that it’s written in Rav Amram and Rav Saadiah, and…
It must come from somewhere, the matter itself. It must be built on something. I’m trying to grasp what it’s built on.
Speaker 2: Ah, you see, he brings it indeed that it exists. We need indeed…
Discussion: The Practical Question of “Kol Dichfin Yeitei V’yeichol”
Speaker 3: I wanted to ask, the “kol dichfin” that we say, is indeed an interesting thing. We say “kol dichfin yeitei v’yeichol”, all the hungry should come eat. Rashi says, “because there is no measure for maror”. But that’s not the interpretation. We say “kol dichfin”, all hungry Jews, now one can already… even before the house, all the children are terribly hungry. Do we tell them, “all hungry children, you can already sit at the table”? We can’t! Now we say the Haggadah for two hours. Okay, we’ll eat karpas.
Ah, you’ve already eaten karpas. We’re holding at the second cup.
Speaker 4: Not sure.
Speaker 3: I was two years ago in the hospital, I was very creative with karpas. Karpas means vegetables with salt water. So, chicken soup was karpas. I wanted my wife to eat something, she woke up, I fed her a few spoonfuls. So, chicken soup is karpas, right? What is it? It’s vegetables that are cooked with salt water. And I even found a potato, I remember I gave her a little potato kugel, that was all salt. I noticed that all food is basically vegetables and salt water.
Yes, okay, we don’t have any terrible innovations here.
Mah Nishtanah – The Rambam’s Order
Okay, Mah Nishtanah. We need to find where there is the thing of “next year in the land of Israel”, a line before our siddurim.
Speaker 2: Ah, what is a hope, it’s a blessing, it’s a prayer. The grammar.
Yes, we need to find a verse. Okay, we need to find a verse.
Speaker 2: “Kol Yisrael” we also say.
It’s interesting, we see that the whole thing of the Exodus from Egypt was already loaded like today’s usual eating without eating kremsels. Yes, we’re now going to thank for the previous redemption. Generally in the land of Israel”, the first time they were redeemed.
Speaker 2: Ah, yes, makes sense.
It makes sense. Yes. What about the main interpretation? “Shegalanu v’yigienu”, further, further, yes. So we shouldn’t have the question of a written slave. Yes.
“Mah nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilos”. The Rambam’s order is different from the order we’re accustomed to. He begins with “matbilin”. Apparently he goes with the order of the night, first we dip the karpas, then we eat matzah, then we eat maror, but the reclining, when is the reclining? What we do all the time. Reclining is the whole time. Very good, we’ve already said the interpretation. There is presumably a version.
Okay, Mah Nishtanah. He perhaps has a different variant in the text, everything is as we know, I mean.
Speaker 2: Yes?
Yes. “Halailah hazeh kulo matzah”, we eat only matzah. “Halailah hazeh maror”, not “kulo maror”, a little. “Kulanu mesubin”, we’ve already said the interpretation, even not children of Israel. Very good.
Avadim Hayinu – Source and Structure
“Avadim hayinu l’Pharaoh b’Mitzrayim vayotzi’einu Hashem Elokeinu misham”. Okay, that’s a verse, right? “V’ilulei hotzi haKadosh Baruch Hu et avoteinu miMitzrayim”.
The Rambam’s Approach: Who Says Mah Nishtanah?
And the Rambam said that the head of the household doesn’t say Mah Nishtanah, right? According to the Rambam, everything, everything he says the whole thing. He asks and he says “matchil bigenut u’mesayeim b’shevach”. If he means the entire Haggadah, he says the whole thing, from the beginning, everything that’s written there. It’s interesting, the Mah Nishtanah… he doesn’t have any questions at all here.
Speaker 2: Yes, but that’s a good question.
But the Rambam understands that this is like a text, we need to say the entire text.
And perhaps it’s like “omer hakorei”. The entire law of the question, “shoalin v’dorshin”, doesn’t stand in the text, that’s an external law, it’s an external halacha. Okay.
“Avadim hayinu l’Pharaoh b’Mitzrayim”, and it doesn’t say “umisham hotzi’anu Hashem Elokeinu”, because he said “matchil bigenut”. “V’ilulei hotzi haKadosh Baruch Hu et avoteinu miMitzrayim”. It’s interesting, because for us, I mean, simply it’s a Mishnah, and also as we do, the children ask Mah Nishtanah. The Rambam doesn’t say that. He says that the son asks, he says that we need to answer him. So he answers him that “avadim hayinu”, and also that it should still be relevant today. This has to do with what’s written later, “to see oneself”, yes? That “we and our children” would have been enslaved.
Discussion: What is the Source of “V’afilu Kulanu Chachamim”?
Wait a minute, wait a minute. This is a piece… Yes, this is a piece of Haggadah, but what is the source of this piece of Haggadah? Perhaps this is the, this is actually what you already told me, this is actually the “v’hi she’amdah”, the “v’hi she’amdah v’hotzi’anu misham”. Okay.
And “v’afilu”, on what is this built? Wait a second.
Speaker 2: Yes?
Wait, let’s see. “V’afilu kulanu chachamim, kulanu zekeinim, kulanu yod’im et haTorah, mitzvah aleinu l’saper bitzi’at Mitzrayim”. Where does this come from? This is built on something, no? What is the source? When we go up, we’ve already learned earlier, yes? Let’s go back. The Rambam brought it earlier, right? He already said about the source, in the first chapter. Chapter 7? Apparently, what was the source?
Speaker 2: Yes, what is “minyan”?
Says the Korban Tzion, nu, minyan? This comes from something, somehow, the source of this is from the question of the wise son, right? Makes sense? Does what I’m saying make sense? That’s how I remembered that I said yesterday.
Okay, the entire piece “avadim hayinu” is actually built on the question of the wise son. The “Mah Nishtanah” I don’t know. Where does the idea come from of asking what is different this night from other nights? I need to find a source from a verse for this.
The Question of “Mah Nishtanah” – Searching for the Source
But this is more than that. There are indeed customs that are made so that he should ask this. The snatching of the matzah with the karpas should go in. The Sages made enactments of different things so that “they should ask”.
Understand, but what is the idea of this? I want to know.
Speaker 2: Yes, but I’m asking you something else.
I’m asking you something else. What is the “ki yishalcha” that specifically this type of question, “mah nishtanah halailah hazeh”? That’s my question. Where do we find…
Apparently it seems “ki yishalcha”, you don’t need to do anything special. Simply that you’re going to do the mitzvah, there will be a “ki yishalcha”. If you’re going to ask, what are the tefillin? What is the matzah? What is the mezuzah? It seems that the Sages weren’t happy that we need to do something else, something else special.
No, I’m not asking you about that. No, not necessarily. I’m asking you a different question. Where do we find… You understand, one can ask the question, or there can be two ways how one can ask. The normal question is, why do we eat matzah? That’s not the question. The question is something else: why is this night different from other nights? What is the special text? Where does this come from? Something is missing here.
Speaker 2: Nothing is missing.
You’re running to a different problem, I know. But this can be answered. I want to know what the “Mah Nishtanah” is. We need to find, this certainly has a source.
Speaker 2: Yes, yes.
We need to look carefully in the verse. Where is my book that has all the verses?
It’s certain that there isn’t on any mitzvah in the Torah where Hashem asks, yes? Pesikta isn’t enough.
The Lech Lecha stands on a verse. But it’s certain that there is a source.
Searching for Sources for Texts of the Haggadah
Searching for the Source for “Mah Nishtanah Halailah Hazeh”
Speaker 1: But this can be answered. I want to know what the Mah Nishtanah is, we need to find, there is something a trace of the source. Yes, I want to ask about this night, no problem. Yes, yes. We need to look carefully in the verse. Where is my book that has all the verses? But certainly… I made a list of the sons’ questions, right? But I don’t know where I filed a Haggadah shel Pesach priorities, where is my list of the sons’ questions? There is certainly somewhere a source for the Mah Nishtanah halailah hazeh. I need to know what it is. What does it say here? There is written somewhere an expression from which it comes. Vayikshu… Master of the Universe. I don’t know where. I don’t have here the piece of the sons’ questions. It’s… I need to make a new book. The book isn’t worth anything. The book isn’t worth anything. I need to make a new book.
It’s a terrible contradiction. A Jew must always say that yesterday is worth nothing, he doesn’t know. Is a Mishnah in it… ah, here is a hole… V’hayah ki… v’hayah ki yomru aleichem mah ha’avodah hazot lachem. No, that’s not the verse. V’hayah ki yevi’acha, v’higadeta l’vincha bayom hahu. No, that’s also not the verse. Vayikshu Pharaoh, v’amarta… V’hayah ki yishalcha bincha machar leimor mah zot v’amarta eilav. No, that’s the verse in Va’etchanan. I don’t have here the verse in Va’etchanan. I don’t understand what’s going on with me. I have no patience. It’s not good, it’s not good. He can see that it’s not good.
Tzedakah, perhaps this piece I would have thought that we need to do a little differently. I did, I mean, differently. Okay, tzedakah.
“Vayikchu shulchan melachim aleihem”… no, “vayikchu shulchan melachim aleihem”, does this mean “chukim u’mishpatim”. “Va’amartem”… nu, not sure.
In short, it’s not clear where “mah nishtanah halailah hazeh” comes from. I don’t know. “Shomer mah milailah” there’s some verse. I don’t know. “Mah yom miyomayim”? Is there such a general line of verses? No. “Mah yom miyomayim”, something like that? No, that’s an expression from the Gemara. No? “Mah yom” or “mah lailah”? It must be, it must be some verse. No. “Mah yeled yom”? No. There’s no such verse. “Mah nichbad hayom”? No, I don’t know. “Mah e’eseh lahem”? No. I don’t know, I can’t find it. “Shomer mah milailah”, yes, that’s indeed a verse, yes. Nu, okay, help me.
Okay, anyways, let’s go back to where we’re holding. Nothing is taken care of. Okay.
The Source for “Kol Hamarbeh L’saper Harei Zeh Meshubach”
Speaker 1: So what is the source? In kol hamarbeh, will you also find a source for this? No, certainly. I said the Haggadah like this, it’s told to him. The story of Rabbi Eliezer, that’s the proof. That’s a story that someone did it this way. But for this, yes. Who says that about this they were praiseworthy? They were simply such great tzaddikim.
On the contrary, that we tell the story itself shows. Why don’t we tell a story? We tell things that show the praise of the Sages. Like the Rambam says, it’s a mitzvah to tell of the praise of the Sages. Ah, good, but…
The Rambam’s Original Text of the Haggadah
Speaker 1: By the way, in the Rambam there’s no mention of this. In my Haggadah there’s no mention of this. Ah, there it says, yes, no mention of this. I’ll tell you where it says. Don’t look in our texts. Our orders went back against the Rambam. We need to look in an original Rambam. Some other text, much is missing there.
The printer who printed what’s written in his book put in. Because he has an Eretz Yisrael text.
I don’t know what the source is. He doesn’t say a source? Is there such an Abudraham that has a verse for everything? No, here there is an Abudraham.
“Ha Lachma Anya” — Why in Aramaic
Speaker 1: Did you know why not in the holy tongue? So that the angels shouldn’t understand. They’ll say, we aren’t worthy of redemption. So they shouldn’t know about it.
Anyway, this is about lachma anya.
“Kol Dichfin Yeitei V’yeichol” — The Source from the Gemara
Speaker 1: Kol dichfin, he says, he brings from someone, the custom was, we lifted the table, we opened the door, and we said, everyone should come. And now, this year the neighbors are non-Jews… ah, there’s a problem. We need to give for the non-Jews for Pesach so they shouldn’t come. We just say.
Ah, kol dichfin yeitei v’yeichol is a Gemara. It’s very important, one must remember it. It’s found in Maseches Taanis. Kol dichfin yeitei v’yeichol is a Gemara. It doesn’t refer to Pesach. Kol dichfin is a Gemara, not about Pesach. It’s found in Maseches Taanis. He used to say, “Regarding the meal before Pesach, the meal of kol ditzrich.” He says what is “kol ditzrich”? It could be he’s not hungry, he has what to eat, he simply doesn’t have matzah or the four cups, etc. And certainly, ah, and all this is the Mishnah afilu ani shebeYisrael etc. Okay.
“Leshanah haba’ah b’ara d’Yisrael”
Speaker 1: Yes, next year we will be in the Land of Israel. I don’t know, I need to find a source for this. Leshanah haba’ah b’Nissan nigalu, stories. Ah, they say leshanah haba’ah means to say the time in Nissan. Yes, he says, he brings an explanation, it’s not particularly true, weak proofs. According to the people who say that one must hold every year… in practice, okay.
Digression: “Achakeh lo bechol yom sheyavo” — The Meaning of This Expression
Speaker 1: Yes, it doesn’t mean that. Okay, we’re not getting into details. I hold this way, and let someone else question it, let them be asked. In details. “Achakeh lo” doesn’t mean I’m waiting for it to come today, it means I’m waiting today for it to come. Simple Hebrew translation. Okay, umm… “Achakeh lo bechol yom sheyavo”, not perhaps yes. Yes. Just Hebrew translation. Even the version that the siddur made, which isn’t found anywhere, doesn’t mean that.
Remarks About the Book
Speaker 1: Umm… Okay, I’m skipping here. I want to get to the… how did he say it? I want to get to… I can’t learn in this book, everything is so extreme for him. Yes, you know what, it’s very difficult sometimes to… It’s printed normally. He puts the main words, then he brings the language? I don’t know. No, he simply puts many commentators on one page without making sense. It’s very difficult. Very difficult to read. It’s very difficult to read.
This is even worse than in the Chumash.
Even if it’s bigger, there’s much more space, yes. Not well done.
I already glanced at it, but only in the middle, you understand? It’s barely begun.