blogs/rabbi-huberman

There is a section in the Passover Haggadah �" the summary of Pesach stories, rituals, songs, and prayers �" which has always troubled me.

It stems from the Biblical commandment to explain to our children the story of Passover and our journey to freedom.

Early in the Seder, we are introduced to a group of characters known as the Four Sons: the wise, the wicked, the simple, and the one who does not know how to ask.

We are commanded in the Torah to gather together, to roast a sacrificial lamb and eat it that evening �" all of it. No leftovers.

How do we ensure that the entire lamb is consumed? We would likely invite family and friends to join us �" and, in the process, recount the events and lessons of the Exodus story.

This eventually evolved into the Passover Seder.

I can imagine those early ancient Seders. Children gathered around the table, barely looking up from their latest game or obsession, and asking, “Why are we here?”

The Torah, foreseeing this generation gap, coaches parents, advising that “when your children ask you What do you mean by this rite?, you shall say, It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, because he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians.” (Exodus 12:26 �" 27)

Teaching children to respect tradition was not an easy task, and it's hardly less difficult now. It's one reason I believe the Haggadah categorizes “sons” into these four learning groups, each with a different way of absorbing history, tradition and ethical lessons.

Yet, as a child, this specific grouping of the four sons continuously troubled me.

I was the one in my Hebrew day school who was always distracted.