Q&A: Passover Haggadah
Passover Haggadah
Question
Hello Rabbi, what is the minimal text from the Haggadah such that if I did not read it on the Seder night, I have not fulfilled my obligation of the Haggadah?
In other words: which sections are indispensable for fulfilling the obligation?
Answer
Passover offering, matzah, and bitter herbs. Beyond that, there is a commandment to tell of the Exodus from Egypt, to begin with disgrace and end with praise. But the specific passages themselves are not a halakhic obligation, only custom. That usually bothers me, because the passages do not really tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt, and it seems to me to be an incorrect implementation of the commandment. But for now I go along with the custom.
Discussion on Answer
It seems there is also an obligation “to expound from ‘An Aramean sought to destroy my father’ until he completes the entire passage,” as explained in the Mishnah (Pesachim 10:5). According to Nadav Shenarav (in his book This Corner of the World), the entire focus of the Seder night is on fulfilling the promise of inheriting the Land, and not on the Exodus from Egypt; and therefore the Maggid chose verses from the declaration of first-fruits, in which a person’s status as a free man is emphasized more than in any other commandment, since only landowners are obligated in first-fruits.
Simply put, the intent is to tell the story from disgrace to praise.
Thank you very much, Rabbi. Wishing you a kosher and joyful Passover 💙