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Why does Rabban Gamaliel rule that one hasn't fulfilled sippur yetzias Mitzrayim without mentioning Pesach (פסח), matzah, and maror? The shiur explains Rashi (רש"י)'s reading of "baavur zeh"—the miracles were not merely to inspire awe but to bring us to fulfill mitzvos. Without connecting the narrative to the mitzvos we perform tonight, the obligation remains incomplete.
The shiur opens with a Mishna in Pesachim in which Rabban Gamaliel states that anyone who does not say three things on Pesach (פסח)—Pesach, matzah, and maror—has not fulfilled his obligation. The Ran in Sukkah is troubled by this formulation. The primary mitzvah (מצוה) of sippur yetzias Mitzrayim is to recount the miracles Hashem (ה׳) performed for us; why would failing to mention these three items constitute a failure to fulfill the mitzvah? The Ran therefore reinterprets the Mishna: one who omits them has not fulfilled the mitzvah "min hamuvchar"—at its highest level—but has still discharged the basic obligation. The Rambam (רמב"ם), however, cites the Mishna verbatim in Hilchos Chametz Umatzah: "Kol shelo yomar shlosha devarim elu lo yatza yedei chovaso"—he has not fulfilled his obligation at all. This is difficult, because the Rambam himself opens Perek Zayin by defining the mitzvah as "lesaper b'nisim u'vniflaos"—to recount the miracles and wonders. If the essence of the mitzvah is retelling the miracles, why does failure to mention Pesach, matzah, and maror constitute non-fulfillment?
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Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Shemos 13:8; Mishnah Pesachim 10:5
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