Enough for What?
And Moshe said to the nation: Remember this day that you went forth from Egypt from the huse of bondage. For with a mighty hand Hashem took you forth from this. And do not eat leavened bread. (Sefer Shemot 13:3)
Maimonides cites the above passage as the Torah source for the commandment to retell the story of our redemption from Egypt on the night of Pesach.[1] This commandment – sipur – is the focus of Pesach seder. In his Sefer HaMitzvot, Maimonides enumerates the components of this mitzvah. We must include the following elements in our discussion:
He adds that the more one discusses our redemption, the greater the fulfillment of the mitzvah.[2]
It is clear from Maimonides’ comments that fulfillment of the commandment is not completed by simply providing an historical account of the events of our exodus from Egypt. The recounting must focus on the role of Hashem in the events, His administration of judgment and justice, and on thanksgiving. In other words, the mitzvah does not focus on our emergence as a nation as much as upon Hashem’s role and our debt to Him.
How many elevating acts of goodness did the Omnipresent do for us! (Pesach Hagadah)
Maimonides’ comments provide an explanation for one of the more enigmatic components of the Hagadah. This is a recitation of fifteen verses introduced by the above phrase. Each verse describes a kindness that Hashem performed on our behalf. The verses are sequential describing these kindnesses in the order in which they occurred. Each verse ends with the declaration dayanu – it would be enough for us!
This composition presents a number of difficulties. Seemingly, the phrase dayanu means that we would have been satisfied with any one of the kindnesses mentioned in the fifteen verses even were it not followed by the subsequent kindnesses. This interpretation makes sense in regard to some of the verses. For example, the first verse states that if Hashem had taken us forth from Egypt but not punished the Egyptians it would have sufficed for us. However, other verses are more difficult to understand. A subsequent verse states that if Hashem had parted the waters of the Reed Sea but had not brought us through it upon dry land, it would have been sufficient for us. How would the parting of the sea sufficed for us, had we not passed through it and escaped the pursuing Egyptians? Similarly, another verse states that if Hashem had brought us to Sinai but not given us the Torah it would have sufficed for us. It is certainly true that at Sinai the people observed the presence of Hashem expressed upon the mountain. But this was a prelude to Revelation and the presenting of the Torah to the Jewish people. How would the Sinai experience sufficed for us without receiving the Torah?
Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitcvhik Zt”l suggests an interpretation of the dayanu verses that responds to these questions. His reinterprets the dayanu refrain in a manner that corresponds with Maimonides’ descriptions of the components of sipur. He explains that the dayanu refrain does not mean that any one of these kindnesses would have sufficed for us without the subsequent kindnesses. Instead, it means that each and every element of our deliverance requires our recognition of the kindness of Hashem and deserves or suffices to require our thanksgiving.
In other words, we do not satisfy our obligation to thank Hashem for our redemption by simply thanking Him for our deliverance and our return to the Land of Israel. Instead, we are required to recognize each kindness of Hashem that we experienced along our journey from oppression to freedom and independence. We must respond to recognition of each of these kindnesses by offering out thanks to Hashem.[3]
Rav Soloveitchik’s interpretation of the dayanu verses is consistent with Maimonides description of the elements of sipur. Maimonides explains that this mitzvah combines the recounting of our redemption with thanksgiving. The dayanu verses emphasize the thanksgiving element of sipur and acknowledge each step in the process of our redemption and ensuing journey as deserving its own thanksgiving.
Therefore, we are obligated to give thanks, to extol, to praise, to glorify, to exult … the One Who did for our fathers and for us all these miracles. He brought us forth from bondage to freedom, from sorrow to happiness … and let us say before Him a new song of prasie. Hallelu-h! (Hagadah)
Typically, thanksgiving is combined with praise. The Hagadah provides an example of this principle. After completing the narrative portion of the Hagadah, we recite the paragraph beginning with the above phrase. Also, this paragraph reflects Maimonides’ comments. We have completed our retelling the story of our redemption and we than acknowledge that the events we have just discussed obligate us to offer thanksgiving and praise to Hashem. In other words, we do not fulfill our obligation of sipur though a dry recounting of the events. We must be inspired by the account and recognize the presence of Hashem in the shaping of our nation and in the freedom that we each enjoy today. This inspiration must move us to offer praise and thanksgiving to Hashem.
This paragraph is immediately followed by the recitation of the first two paragraphs of Hallel. The balance of the Hallel is recited after completing the Pesach meal. After completion of Hallel we recite Hallel HaGadol. This composition from Psalms consists of twenty six short verses. Each verse acknowledges a kindness of Hashem and ends with the phrase “for His kindness is eternal”. Most of the verses describe kindnesses that were performed by Hashem in redeeming us from Egypt and in giving us possession of the Land of Israel. However, these verses are preceded and seceded by verses that are not related to this theme. We begin Hallel HaGadol by giving praise to Hashem as Creator. We acknowledge His creation of the heavens with His understanding, His creation of the sun, the moon, and the stars. Hallel HaGadol closes with recognizing that Hashem provides sustenance to all flesh and that He is the L-rd of the heavens.
This is an odd combination of verses. Most of the verses are related to the journey of our people from bondage to independence in the Land of Israel. Why are these passages preceded and seceded by the acknowledgment of Hashem as Creator?
There are number of possible explanations. One is that the combination of verses communicates the message that Hashem is the L-rd of the entire universe. He is its creator and He rules the entire expanse of the vast universe that He created. Yet, despite His infinity and His exulted sovereignty over the vast expanse of the entire universe, He guides the destiny of our people. Hashem, Who created the universe is also our redeemer from Egypt. In other words, Hallel HaGadol juxtaposes the omnipotence of Hashem to His kindness to the Jewish people. Apparently, this juxtaposition adds an element to our thanksgiving. What is this element?
What can we say before You Hashem, our G-d and the G-d of our fathers! Are not all the mighty as naught before You and men of repute as if they never were! And the wise are as without understanding and those with understanding are without intelligence. For their abundant actions are meaningless and their lives are empty before You. And the superiority of the human over the beast is naught for all of their actions are emptiness.
But we are Your nation, the children of Your covenant, the children of Avraham, Your beloved. That You swore unto him at Mount Moriah. The descendants of Yitzchak his only son who was bound upon the altar. The congregation of Yaakov, Your firstborn son. That from Your love for him and Your rejoicing in him You called his name Yisrael and Yeshurun. (Daily morning prayer)
This same juxtaposition is even more evident in the above prayer. It is its focus. We begin by comparing ourselves to Hashem. We acknowledge all of our wisdom and accomplishments are insignificant and even meaningless when we compare ourselves to Hashem. But we then recognize that despite our relative insignificance, Hashem has chosen us as His nation.
In the context of this prayer the message of the juxtaposition emerges. When we offer thanksgiving to
Hashem, our objective is to acknowledge two truths. First, we recognize a kindness that He has performed for us. Second, we recognize that we have no claim to this kindness. Our descriptions of Hashem's greatness add this second element. We describe His greatness. Our own relative insignificance is either implicit or actually overtly noted - as in the above prayer. We follow with our thanksgiving. The juxtaposition communicates that we have no claim upon Hashem and we cannot explain or comprehend the mystery of His kindness to us.
Hallel HaGadol communicates this same message. Verses thanking Hashem for His kindness to us are preceded and seceded by verses that extoll His greatness as Creator. These introductory and concluding verses give context to our thanksgiving. We give thanks for kindnesses that we cannot begin to explain and understand.
Pesach is the most widely observed of our festivals. Its themes of liberation and freedom from oppression resonate with Jews and even with non-Jews. It reminds us of the potential of human beings and the right of the individual to pursue one’s dreams and strive to achieve one’s aspirations. These themes are important and deserve our confirmation. However, for us, Pesach is much more than an endorsement of these universal values. These values are a celebration of the greatness of humanity as expressed in the potential of the individual. Our observance of Pesach is not a celebration of humanity. Instead, it is designed to bring us closer to Hashem. It directs us to consider the role that Hashem has played in the emergence of the Jewish people. It implores us to consider the wonder of our relationship with Hashem. He is the creator and sovereign of the universe. Yet, He has guided our history and shaped our destiny. It inspires us to draw closer to Hashem and to welcome him into our lives.
[1] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Mishne Torah, Hilchot Hametz u’Matzah 7:1.
[2] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Sefer HaMitzvot, Mitzvat Aseh 157.
[3] Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, Quoted by Rav Yisrael Chait, Author’s personal notes.