Pesach: Rabban Gamliel's Reasons in the Haggadah

AI summary (may contain mistakes)

Why does Rabban Gamliel's mishna give a reason for Pesach, matzah and maror? Doing the mitzvos of the Seder night is not enough without saying why, in question and answer. Pesach recalls Hashem's compassion in passing over, matzah is the bread of emunah and healing, and maror is suffering that purified. We learn that leaving Mitzrayim made us the Am Hashem for good, so even in golus the Seder reaches toward the final geulah.

Key points

• Rashi gives pesach two meanings, compassion and skipping over, and the korban recalls both.
• Bris milah and Korban Pesach, the only mitzvos aseh with kares, show a Yid's bond to Hashem.
• The Seder matzah recalls the hurried leaving, and the rest of Pesach recalls the matzah eaten in Mitzrayim.
• Maror comes last, since only after the yeshua can one see why the suffering came.
• Chad Gadya ends the Seder on a kasha, because a strong emunah can live with one.

In this shiur

1. 0:00Rabban Gamliel's mishna and pesach
2. 5:22Why protection from this makkah
3. 9:03Matzah and leaving in haste
4. 12:37The Zohar's two names for matzah
5. 15:00Maror and the purpose of suffering
6. 28:45Hashem or a malach at the last makkah
7. 30:51Karpas questions and Chad Gadya
8. 36:18Seeing oneself as leaving Mitzrayim
9. 40:21Five expressions and five golus

Topics

• Haggadah
• Korban Pesach
• Matzah
• Maror