avodim hoyinu

Avodim hoyinu

Why did hashem have to take us out. And why should chachomim be different.

1 If hashem wouldn’t have taken us out then we would have still been slaves to pharaoh. Meaning we would not have been allowed to go out on our own until the end of the 400 years. But because hakodosh BH took us out and made us holy. Hekdesh takes away from shibud and therefore we could go out.

2 Even if a slave runs away he still needs a ‘get’. Therefore if hashem wouldn’t have taken us out from pharaoh and stopped him having control over us then we would have been beholden to pharaoh for a get.

3 If hashem wouldn’t have taken us out we would still be slaves our children and grandchildren. Meaning that till then until the 50th degree of tuma we were forced slaves, avodim. But if we would have stayed we would have been voluntary slaves, meshubodim,to pharaoh and ourselves and children and grandchildren would not have wanted to leave.

4 If hashem wouldn’t have taken us out meaning if he would have sent angels they would not have succeeded since pharaohs magic was stronger. And therefore it carries on even if we are chachomin etc where magic has no power we still have to tell about the yetsias mitsraim.

5 Hashem gives a person ‘nisyonos’ as long as he can ‘bear’ them. Whereas if they are ‘too great’ hashem has to help him to overcome them. That means until hashem saw that we would end up and our children and grandchildren in Egypt he expected us to overcome them. When it was too ‘late’ he had to take us out.

6 Even if we are chachomim. It says that yosef specially did not buy up the land of the priests to show that they are free of work. That is why the children of Levi did not have to work. One might think therefore they do not have tell the yetsiat mitsraim, so the hagada says the opposite, if anything they have to tell more. The reason is because to explain that the slavery stopped there is not that much to tell. But to explain what tumas mitsraim is, that the chachomim understand a lot better.

6 We eat five things by night. Maror is for being avodim. Pesach is for pharaoh who made himself an idol and the idea is to ‘burn’ or roast the idol. Matso is for the mitsriyim like it says they were thrown out of Egypt. The two dippings. Charoses if for the strong hand which like it does to the maror, takes their strength away. Karpas is for the outstretched arm which means like it says they went out of Egypt proud with their heads held high. And karpas is eaten before the meal derech chairus.

7 Avodim hoyinu. Meaning we were slaves which sounds like of our own accord. Not that we were forced to be, like it says pharaoh enticed them to be.

8 Chachom nevonim it does not mention tora. Only by yodim which is daas. We say ‘ato chonein leodom daas’ which refers to Jews and l’enosh bina. Even non Jews. What is termed daas is only given to Jewish people to understand the torah.

9 Why did it need hashem to take us out. It says ;r’foain hashem inerofai’. Heal us hashem and we will be healed. Meaning if it comes from an angel the illness can come back’ only if it is healed by hashem it wont come back. Here as well hashem took us out and there is no way we can go back to be slaves of pharoah.

10 If hashem wouldn’t have taken us out meaning with nissim like he gave us the manna in the wilderness. Then pharaoh could have said we are ‘meshubad’ to him because he fed us and we cant be without him. But since hashem showed that he could feed us in the midbar that shows we could manage without him.

11 Avodim hoyinu. This was a punishment for the Israelites but we don’t mention why what their sin was. Because this night the kitrug was great. And we add that not only is the kitrug great for plain people but even for chachomin etc it is also great and they should only tell about the going out and not what caused the slavery.

12 The reason they had to go out was because they reached the 49th degree and if they would have got to the 50th degree moshe rabenu who only reached the 49th degree in kedusha would not have been able to take them out. But R Akiva who reached the 50th degree in kedusha would have been able and therefore maybe he doesn’t have to retell it. Therefore it says even chachomim etc like R Akiba still have a mitsva to retell it.

13 We were slaves to pharaoh because we sold yosef. And to Egypt because of Abraham in the ‘bris bain habsorim’. Hashem took us out with a strong hand from pharaoh and with an outstretched arm from Egypt. And that is the answer to the ma nishtana why there are two signs of slavery and two signs of freedom.

14 We only mention we were taken out of Egypt and not that he brought us to Israel. Because we mainly commemorate the saving of our soul not the guf. And we prove that even in the galut the tanoim who were after the churban still retold yetsiat mitsraim.

15 We, our children and grandchildren. Meaning that if hashem wouldn’t have taken us out we would be to blame for the 50th degree of tuma for ourselves our children and grandchildren. Because it says a sinner gets punished till three generations for his sins (if his children also carry on).

16 Why is someone praiseworthy the more one tells. It says that hashem made all the wonders ‘l’maan tsaper’. The Israelites at that time were not worthy of all these wonders, but they were made so that we should tell. Therefore the more one ‘tells’ , the more one has a part of yetsiat mitsraim. Because that was the only reason we were taken out with wonders.

17 Even if we are chachomim it is still a mitsva. Meaning even if we have nothing to add to the story, so one might think one is potur. On that we say mitsva. It is still a mitsva. And the proof that tanoim were alone without talmidim and they still retold the story all night.