Telling the Story of the Exodus

The story from the Haggadah about the Rabbis of Bnei Brak who observed the mitzvah of the story of the Exodus from Egypt until morning.

Telling the Story of the Exodus (Hebrew: סיפור יציאת מצרים) is a Torah commandment to tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt on the night of the 15th of Nisan every year. This commandment is the basis and the central motive for reciting the Passover Haggadah on the Seder night. The commandment applies to every person from Israel and includes all the stories mentioned in the Scripture about the miracles performed for the Children of Israel when they left Egypt.

The Source and Essence of the Commandment

The commandment is based on the verse: And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, 'This is done because of what the Lord did for me when I came up from Egypt.'

The Mishna rules on this verse: In every generation, a person is obligated to see themselves as if they themselves went out from Egypt... Therefore, we are obligated to give thanks, to praise, to laud, to glorify, to exalt, to honor, to bless, to raise up, and to acclaim the One who did all these miracles for our ancestors and for us: Taking us out from slavery to freedom, from grief to joy, from mourning to a festival day, from darkness to great light, and from subjugation to redemption. And let us say before Him: Hallelujah.

The Time of Fulfilling the Commandment

Unlike the commandment of remembering the Exodus from Egypt, the commandment of recounting has a specific date. Thus, the Mekhilta de-Rabbi Yishmael that the commandment of recounting the Haggadah to the son needs to be when it is possible to say "because of this" (Ba'Avur Ze) and to point to the symbols of exile and redemption, that is when matzah and maror are placed on the table, namely on the Seder night. According to this determination, other decisors also proceeded, and emphasized that from the beginning of the night there is a commandment to recount.

How to Fulfill the Commandment

A father teaches his son "Why is this night different", from the Haggadah of Szyk, Poland, 1935

The Mishnah details several guiding rules for fulfilling the commandment to recount the Exodus from Egypt, which are implemented on the Seder night and in the Passover Haggadah, particularly in the section "Maggid" dedicated to the story of the Exodus from Egypt:

• The story needs to be told through a method of question and answer, assuming that this is a preferred way to pass the story from generation to generation.
• "Start with disgrace and end with praise", meaning one should tell the sequence of events, from the trouble to the redemption. Some say this is intended to recognize the greatness of the miracle and salvation, and some emphasize that the matter is intended to arouse sensitivity and consideration for the convert and anyone who needs help and mercy.
• Saying "Pesach, Matzah, and Maror" along with an explanation for fulfilling these commandments. Meaning, the story should be connected to the fulfillment of the holiday's commandments.
• "In every generation, a person must see himself as if he himself left Egypt as it is said, And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, 'Because of this, the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.'" Rambam phrases it "In every generation, a person is obligated to show himself as if he himself now came out from the bondage of Egypt." Based on this principle, various customs developed, aimed at illustrating the Exodus from Egypt during the Seder night.
• Praise and gratitude - Among the commandments of recounting the Exodus from Egypt is to conclude with praise, gratitude, and song to God for taking the Children of Israel "from slavery to freedom, from sorrow to joy, from mourning to festivity".