Q&A: The Commandment to Tell of the Exodus from Egypt
The Commandment to Tell of the Exodus from Egypt
Question
Hello, honorable Rabbi, does the commandment to tell of the Exodus from Egypt apply only at night or also during the day? And if so, then why only at night? Also, if I said “Passover offering, matzah, and bitter herbs,” but I said it as part of the seder without really concentrating or specifically intending to fulfill the commandment of telling the story of the Exodus from Egypt, what is the law? Thank you, and happy holiday.
Answer
On the seder night it applies only at night. Presumably because the Exodus took place at night.
It depends on the question of whether commandments require intention. But presumably you said it for the sake of the commandment even if you did not explicitly and consciously intend it. The context indicates that, like an unspecified act done for its proper purpose.