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To my Dear Talmid R Immanuel shlita, It brought me much joy to hear that you are planning on publishing a commentary to the Haggadah in English entitled From Darkness to Destiny. In this work you draw on two qualities which have been characteristic of you since your days in our yeshiva: broad knowledge based on a wide range of sources, and clarity of presentation. It is my hope that this unique Haggadah will be of benefit to many, connecting them with the essence of this holy evening, as seen through the words of the greats of the generations. May you continue to teach and spread Torah, through the oral and written word, in a way which will help people appreciate both its greatness and its beauty, lehagdil Torah ulehaadirah. With Torah blessings

I received a sample of your wonderful work on the Pesach Haggadah, Together with the important haskamos for your sefer on sugyos in Shas I enjoyed it greatly, and I am certain that many others will benefit from your fine words and precious insights, which will bring anyone who reads them much pleasure, and encourage him towards pure and deep thoughts. It is my blessing to you that you may continue to write chidushim which will benefit the Torah community, and may you be counted among those who bring merit to the masses, whose righteousness endures forever. With heartfelt blessings,

Dedicated to my dear nephew

That he may be blessed with a long and healthy life A life inspired by the message of the Haggadah Stepping ever forward, together with his People Toward the final and complete redemption

In Loving Memory of

For transmitting the richness of our tradition with love and authenticity, and inspiring us to discover its treasures. Cary and Deborah Glastein Ian and Sophie Glastein Zack and Rita Carla Glastein

In Loving Memory of our Grandfather

Adolf Smajovics (Bumi Bacsi)
A source of infinite warmth, love, and ayin tovah Who survived to keep the Haggadah alive for us

. . . . .

PREFACE

eder night is a busy occasion. A lot of preparation goes into it, and a great deal of alertness and organization are required in order to ensure that the evening runs smoothly.

Frequently asked questions regarding the Seder include: What type of vegetable should I use for karpas? What time is chatzos? How big is a kezayis? What is preferable for maror: horseradish or lettuce? These questions certainly need to be answered, for they are the building blocks of the Seder, and the mitzvos associated with them need to be fulfilled correctly. A less frequently asked question regarding the Seder is: What is meant to happen to me at the Seder? All the pieces of Seder night the numerous mitzvos, the various steps of the Haggadah, and the many sections of Maggid are all expressing and developing certain fundamental concepts within Judaism. They are pointing towards an experience whose impact should reverberate throughout the entire year: The Exodus Experience. As we proceed to engage in each step of the evening, we should be seeking to tap into this experience. Alongside everything that we put into the Seder, this is what we should be looking to take out from it. This Haggadah, based on shiurim given over many years, draws from a wide variety of sources, each one with its unique flavor and insight, yet at the same time unified by a common theme. The goal is to draw out an appreciation

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of what the exile in Egypt was all about, what it means for us to have left there, and why we need to leave there again every year.

About the commentary

A significant portion of the Maggid section takes the form of drashos expositions on verses. As a rule, where the commentary discusses the theme of the exposition, the comment will be in the main body of the text. Where the comment focuses more on the methodology of the exposition, it will be found in the footnotes to that section. At the end of the Haggadah there are five essays that explore certain key themes and concepts that relate to Seder night specifically and to Pesach generally. It is my hope that this work will bring added meaning and insight to the Seder experience, and that this Pesach will represent a decisive step towards our ultimate redemption. Immanuel Bernstein Jerusalem, 5774

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

any people contributed to the publication of this Haggadah. R Jonathan Taub, R Avraham Yitzchak Jacobs, Jordan Gross, Yaakov Cohen, and Reuven Fox reviewed portions of the manuscript and offered valuable comments and suggestions. A special thank you to Mr. Zev Lewis for his encouragement and support throughout this venture. My thanks to R Yaakov Blinder for allowing me to use his excellent translation of the Haggadah. I would like to thank Rabbis Yaacov Haber and Doron Kornbluth at Mosaica Press for their expert handling of the manuscript, and the entire staff of Mosaica Press for creating this beautiful volume. Each year, as I approach the Seder, the Sedarim of my childhood invariably come to mind. The blend of festivity and serenity that my parents zl instilled in those evenings is something that I try to recapture each year and transmit to my family. Seder night was undoubtedly a highlight of our year growing up, and it is to my brothers and sisters with whom I shared those special times that I dedicate this Haggadah with love. And lastly, to my dear wife Judy, who is the reason I am able to devote myself to learning, teaching, and writing. Thank you.

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BEFORE WE START THE SEDER

So, why is this night different from all other nights?

Once a year, it is a mitzvah for us to tell a story. The recounting of the Exodus on Seder night, which constitutes the Maggid section of the Haggadah, is one of the 613 mitzvos of the Torah.1 We should note that remembering the Exodus from Egypt is actually a mitzvah every night of the year.2 If so, we may find ourselves asking a familiar sounding question: Wherefore is this night different from all other nights? What is it that distinguishes the mitzvah of discussing the Exodus on Seder night? Many commentators explain that there is a fundamental difference between the two mitzvos. The daily mitzvah is fulfilled by any reference however minimal to the Exodus from Egypt. On Seder night, however, the mitzvah is to tell the whole story from beginning to end.3 In the pages that follow, we will try and get a sense of the unique charac1 2 3 See Rambam Sefer Hamitzvos, Positive Mitzvah 157, and Hilchos Chametz Umatzah 7:12 for a discussion of the sources for this mitzvah. The source for this nightly obligation is mentioned in the Haggadah itself, in the section that begins . This definition of the mitzvah is also apparent from the formulation of the Rambam as found in the sources quoted above. Indeed, according to the Leil Shimurim (commentary to the Haggadah by R Yechiel Michel Epstein, author of Aruch Hashulchan), it is for this very reason that the Haggadah includes the discussion regarding the daily mitzvah. It is in order to bring out the point that the mitzvah on this night necessarily differs in this key respect. See also Emek Bracha, Haggadah sec. 1.

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teristics and atmosphere that define this special story. By way of introduction, let us consider for a moment one of the classic questions raised by the commentators.

Why is there no blessing recited on Maggid?

Having mentioned that the recounting of the Exodus is a positive mitzvah from the Torah, we encounter an interesting question. As a rule, every mitzvah has a blessing recited before its performance. Why, then, is there no blessing for this mitzvah? Answers to this question are many and varied. Here are two classic responses. The Maaseh Nissim4 answers by noting that the mitzvah of Maggid concludes with a blessing ( ) praising Hashem for taking us out of Egypt. While most mitzvos are preceded by a blessing, an exception to the rule is when the mitzvah itself takes the form of a blessing. For example, birkas hamazon, Kiddush, Havdalah, etc. are all mitzvos, and yet they have no blessing recited over them because they themselves are blessings. Hence, the mitzvah of Maggid, which also concludes with a blessing, does not have a blessing recited on it.5 A different answer is offered by the Sfas Emes. It is based on a principle regarding blessings that is found in a number of sources,6 namely that we do not make a blessing on a mitzvah whose performance would in any case be dictated by human intellect. Indeed, it is for this reason that most mitzvos bein adam lchaveiro (between man and his fellow) are not accompanied by a blessing. The Gemara7 recounts that Rav Nachman asked his servant Daru how a servant should react if his master sets him free and showers him with gifts. Daru responded that it is incumbent upon the servant to praise his master. From this story we can see that the basis of the mitzvah of recounting
4 5 Commentary to the Haggadah by R Yaakov Lorberbaum, author of the Nesivos Hamishpat There are two approaches found in the early commentators as to how to understand the nature of the blessing of . According to the Ritva, this blessing is not itself part of Maggid, but rather a blessing that is recited once Maggid has been concluded. This makes it analogous in nature to the blessing of , which is recited after we have finished saying Hallel. According to the Rashbam, the blessing of is actually the final part of Maggid, which assumes the form of a blessing. This would make it similar to Kiddush of Friday night where the Rabbis formatted the mitzvah of remembering Shabbos as a blessing. We will note that the Maaseh Nissims understanding of the blessing of as part of Maggid reflects that of the Rashbam. 6 See Rabbeinu Bachye on Bamidbar 15:38; Aruch Hashulchan, Choshen Mishpat 427:10; Torah Temimah on Shemos 24:30 7 Pesachim 115b

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