tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20223795.post5650499248443947401..comments2023-10-28T16:01:04.598+03:00Comments on Torah Thoughts: what you say and how you say itRafi G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00699851287106903971noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20223795.post-11046696767225910792010-03-29T18:06:28.364+03:002010-03-29T18:06:28.364+03:00Thanks. I'm glad I hadn't seen this one be...Thanks. I'm glad I hadn't seen this one before.Neil Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12797772082427806345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20223795.post-3203156413752493292007-04-05T06:40:00.000+03:002007-04-05T06:40:00.000+03:00For the chacham, tam and the son who know not how ...For the chacham, tam and the son who know not how to ask, their questions are answered right away (for the latter, there's no question per say, but we take care of him right away too by "at ptach lo.")<BR/><BR/>So, we find that the whole, long, elaborate maggid portion is really targeting the wicked son!!!<BR/><BR/>So, we go through the whole shpil and give all the attention to the wicked son before we finally answer with the words of the Torah at the very very end of maggid (in the section of "kol she lo amar shlosha dvarim elu bepesach lo yatzah.... pesach:...", where it quotes Exodus 12:27.)<BR/><BR/>The lesson to learn from this, it seems, that we should attempt to fulfill the prophecy "lo yidach mimeno nedach". We should not allow anyone to be left out of the Jewish fold. Some, unfortunately, are at a greater risk of being nedach/lost, and they need more attention. If that means giving over to them the whole maggid -- so be it.<BR/><BR/>On a related issue, "striking him on the teeth" is not an accurate translation (though I have seen similar phrases myself in a number of translated aggadot.) A more accurate translation, if I may, is "blunt his teeth": an expression meaning to blunt out the sharpness of his question. Removing the sting...<BR/><BR/>We exclaim, in his presence: "if he was <I>there</I> he would have not been redeemed." We tell him, in order words: You think you're a wise-guy? You think you can dis-associate yourself from your people and heritage? Think again -- you should know that <B>only</B> if you were <B>there</B> (in Egypt, before matan Torah) you would have not been redeemed. (And indeed you would have perished in the plague of darkness.) But since you're <B>here</B> after matan Torah, which binds us all and promises "lo yidach mimeno nedach" (i.e., no jew is a write-off) there's hope for you -- and you have no similarity to those Jews who perished <B>there</B> (during the plague of darkness). You are <B>here</B> and you will be redeemed in the final redemption!<BR/><BR/>By turning the tables around, on him, so to speak, we blunt his teeth and show him that despite his attitude, he cannot be considered septate from his people and Hashem. This compounded with telling him over all of maggid prompts him to reconsider his approach and say "halel" with the rest of the seder-attendees.<BR/><BR/>Chag Kasher Ve Sameach to you and Klal Yisrael.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com