יניח הכוס מידו ויגלה אֶת הַמצות. The wine cup is put down and the matzot are uncovered.
צֵא וּלְמַד מַה בִּקֵּשׁ לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי לַעֲשׂוֹת לְיַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ: שֶׁפַּרְעֹה לֹא גָזַר אֶלָּא עַל הַזְּכָרִים, וְלָבָן בִּקֵּשׁ לַעֲקֹר אֶת־הַכֹּל. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי, וַיֵּרֶד מִצְרַיְמָה וַיָּגָר שָׁם בִּמְתֵי מְעָט, וַיְהִי־שָׁם לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל עָצוּם וָרָב. צֵא וּלְמַד GO [to the verse]
AND LEARN
what Laban the Aramean
sought to do to our father Jacob:
Pharaoh condemned only the boys to death,
but Laban sought to uproot everything,
as it is written:
“AN ARAMEAN SOUGHT MY FATHER'S DEATH,
AND HE WENT DOWN TO EGYPT
AND RESIDED THERE,
JUST A HANDFUL OF SOULS;
AND THERE HE BECAME A NATION –
LARGE, MIGHTY, AND GREAT.”
וַיֵּרֶד מִצְרַיְמָה – אָנוּס עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר. וַיָּגָר שָׁם. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹא יָרַד יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ לְהִשְׁתַּקֵּעַ בְּמִצְרַיִם אֶלָּא לָגוּר שָׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה, לָגוּר בָּאָרֶץ בָּאנוּ, כִּי אֵין מִרְעֶה לַצֹּאן אֲשֶׁר לַעֲבָדֶיךָ, כִּי כָבֵד הָרָעָב בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן, וְעַתָּה יֵשְׁבוּ־נָא עֲבָדֶיךָ בְּאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶן. “AND HE WENT DOWN TO EGYPT” –
Compelled by what had been spoken.
“AND RESIDED THERE” –
From this, learn that our father Jacob went down
not to be absorbed into Egypt,
but only to reside there for a time.
As it is said:
“They said to Pharaoh,
‘We have come to reside in this land,
for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks,
for the famine is heavy in the land of Canaan;
and now, if you please,
let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.’”
בִּמְתֵי מְעָט. כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: בְּשִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ יָרְדוּ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ מִצְרָיְמָה, וְעַתָּה שָׂמְךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם לָרֹב. “JUST A HANDFUL OF SOULS” –
As it is said:
“Your ancestors were but seventy souls
when they went down to Egypt –
and now the LORD has made you
as many as the sky has stars.”
וַיְהִי שָׁם לְגוֹי. מְלַמֵד שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְצֻיָּנִים שָׁם. גָּדוֹל עָצוּם – כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ וַיַּעַצְמוּ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד, וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ אֹתָם. “AND THERE HE BECAME A NATION” –
From this, learn that Israel was distinct there.
“LARGE, MIGHTY” –
As it is said:
“And the children of Israel were fertile,
and they swarmed,
and grew more and more numerous
and strong, and the land was filled with them.”
וָרָב. כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: רְבָבָה כְּצֶמַח הַשָּׂדֶה נְתַתִּיךְ, וַתִּרְבִּי וַתִּגְדְּלִי וַתָּבֹאִי בַּעֲדִי עֲדָיִים, שָׁדַיִם נָכֹנוּ וּשְׂעָרֵךְ צִמֵּחַ, וְאַתְּ עֵרֹם וְעֶרְיָה. וָאֶעֱבֹר עָלַיִךְ וָאֶרְאֵךְ מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת בְּדָמָיִךְ, וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי, וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי. “AND GREAT” –
As it is said:
“I let you grow wild like meadow plants,
and you grew and matured and came forth in all your glory,
your breasts full and your hair grown,
and you were naked and exposed.”
Some add:
“And I passed by you
and saw you wallowing in your own blood –
and I said to you, ‘In your blood, live!’
and I said, ‘In your blood, live!’”
וַיָּרֵעוּ אֹתָנוּ הַמִּצְרִים וַיְעַנּוּנוּ, וַיִתְּנוּ עָלֵינוּ עֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה. וַיָּרֵעוּ אֹתָנוּ הַמִּצְרִים – כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ פֶּן יִרְבֶּה, וְהָיָה כִּי־תִקְרֶאנָה מִלְחָמָה וְנוֹסַף גַּם־הוּא עַל שֹׂנְאֵינוּ וְנִלְחַם־בָּנוּ, וְעָלָה מִן־הָאָרֶץ. “AND THE EGYPTIANS DEALT CRUELLY WITH US
AND OPPRESSED US,
AND IMPOSED HARD LABOR ON US.”
“THE EGYPTIANS DEALT CRUELLY WITH US” –
As it is said:
“We must act wisely against [this people],
in case it grows great,
and when we are called to war
they may join our enemies,
fight against us,
and rise up to leave the land.”
וַיְעַנּוּנוּ. כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלָיו שָׂרֵי מִסִּים לְמַעַן עַנֹּתוֹ בְּסִבְלֹתָם, וַיִּבֶן עָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת לְפַרְעֹה אֶת־פִּתֹם וְאֶת־רַעַמְסֵס. “AND OPPRESSED US” –
As it is said:
“They placed taskmasters over [the people]
to oppress them under their burdens;
they built store cities for Pharaoh:
Pithom and Raamses.”
וַיִתְּנוּ עָלֵינוּ עֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה. כְּמָה שֶֹׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיַּעֲבִדוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּפָרֶךְ. “AND IMPOSED HARD LABOR ON us” –
As it is said:
“The Egyptians enslaved the children of Israel
with heavy labor.”
---
וַנִּצְעַק אֶל־יְיָ אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵינוּ, וַיִּשְׁמַע יְיָ אֶת־קֹלֵנוּ, וַיַּרְא אֶת־עָנְיֵנוּ וְאֶת־עֲמָלֵנוּ וְאֶת־לַחֲצֵנוּ. “AND WE CRIED OUT TO THE LORD,
GOD OF OUR ANCESTORS,
AND THE LORD HEARD OUR VOICE,
AND HE SAW OUR OPPRESSION
AND OUR LABOR AND SLAVERY.”
וַנִּצְעַק אֶל־יְיָ אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵינוּ – כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי בַיָּמִים הָרַבִּים הָהֵם וַיָּמָת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן־הָעֲבוֹדָה וַיִּזְעָקוּ, וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים מִן הָעֲבֹדָה. “AND WE CRIED OUT TO THE LORD,
GOD OF OUR ANCESTORS” –
As it is said:
“It came to be, as a long time passed,
that the king of Egypt died,
and the children of Israel
groaned under the burden of work,
and they cried out,
and their plea rose to God from amid the work.”
וַיִּשְׁמַע יְיָ אֶת־קֹלֵנוּ. כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת־נַאֲקָתָם, וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת־בְּרִיתוֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָם, אֶת־יִצְחָק וְאֶת־יַעֲקֹב. “AND THE LORD HEARD OUR VOICE” –
As it is said:
“And God heard their groans,
and God remembered His covenant
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
וַיַּרְא אֶת־עָנְיֵנוּ. זוֹ פְּרִישׁוּת דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים. “AND HE SAW OUR OPPRESSION” –
The separation of husband from wife,
as it is said:
“And God saw the children of Israel,
and God knew.”
וְאֶת־עֲמָלֵנוּ. אֵלּוּ הַבָּנִים. כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: כָּל־הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ וְכָל־הַבַּת תְּחַיּוּן. “AND OUR LABOR” –
[The killing of] the sons,
as it is said:
“Throw every boy who is born into the river,
and the girls let live.”
וְאֶת־לַחֲצֵנוּ. זֶה הַדְּחַק, כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְגַם־רָאִיתִי אֶת־הַלַּחַץ אֲשֶׁר מִצְרַיִם לֹחֲצִים אֹתָם. “AND SLAVERY” –
The forced labor that was pressed down on them,
as it is said:
“I have seen the slavery
that Egypt forced upon you.”
וַיּוֹצִאֵנוּ יְיָ מִמִצְרַיִם בְּיָד חֲזָקָה, וּבִזְרֹעַ נְטוּיָה, וּבְמֹרָא גָּדֹל, וּבְאֹתוֹת וּבְמֹפְתִים. “AND THE LORD BROUGHT US OUT OF EGYPT
WITH A STRONG HAND AND AN OUTSTRETCHED ARM,
IN AN AWESOME HAPPENING,
WITH SIGNS AND WITH WONDERS.”
וַיּוֹצִאֵנוּ יְיָ מִמִּצְרַיִם. לֹא עַל־יְדֵי מַלְאָךְ, וְלֹא עַל־יְדֵי שָׂרָף, וְלֹא עַל־יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ, אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּכְבוֹדוֹ וּבְעַצְמוֹ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְעָבַרְתִּי בְאֶרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה, וְהִכֵּיתִי כָל־בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מֵאָדָם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָה, וּבְכָל־אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם אֶעֱשֶׂה שְׁפָטִים, אֲנִי יְיָ. “AND THE LORD BROUGHT US OUT OF EGYPT” –
Not through an angel,
not through a seraph,
not through any emissary.
No, it was the Holy One, His glory, His own presence.
As it is said:
“I shall pass through the land of Egypt on that night;
I shall kill every firstborn son in the land of Egypt,
man and beast,
and I shall pass judgment on all the gods of Egypt:
I am the LORD.”
וְעָבַרְתִּי בְאֶרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה – אֲנִי וְלֹא מַלְאָךְ; וְהִכֵּיתִי כָל־בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ־מִצְרַים. אֲנִי וְלֹא שָׂרָף; וּבְכָל־אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם אֶעֱשֶׂה שְׁפָטִים. אֲנִי וְלֹא הַשָּׁלִיחַ; אֲנִי יְיָ. אֲנִי הוּא וְלֹא אַחֵר. “I shall pass through
the land of Egypt on that night” – I and no angel.
“I shall kill every firstborn son in
the land of Egypt” – I and no seraph.
“And I shall pass judgment on all
the gods of Egypt” – I and no emissary.
“I am the LORD” – It is I and no other.
בְּיָד חֲזָקָה. זוֹ הַדֶּבֶר, כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: הִנֵּה יַד־יְיָ הוֹיָה בְּמִקְנְךָ אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה, בַּסּוּסִים, בַּחֲמֹרִים, בַּגְּמַלִים, בַּבָּקָר וּבַצֹּאן, דֶּבֶר כָּבֵד מְאֹד. “WITH A STRONG HAND” –
This refers to the pestilence,
as it is said:
“You shall see the hand of the LORD
among your cattle in the field,
among your horses and donkeys and camels,
in the herd and in the flock,
bringing harsh, heavy pestilence.”
וּבִזְרֹעַ נְטוּיָה. זוֹ הַחֶרֶב, כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ, נְטוּיָה עַל־יְרוּשָלָיִם. “AND AN OUTSTRETCHED ARM” –
This refers to the sword,
as it is said:
“And His sword was drawn in His hand,
stretched out over Jerusalem.”
וּבְמוֹרָא גָּדֹל. זוֹ גִלּוּי שְׁכִינָה, כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: אוֹ הֲנִסָּה אֱלֹהִים לָבוֹא לָקַחַת לוֹ גוֹי מִקֶּרֶב גּוֹי בְּמַסֹּת בְּאֹתֹת וּבְמוֹפְתִים וּבְמִלְחָמָה וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה וּבְמוֹרָאִים גְּדוֹלִים כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה לָכֶם יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם בְּמִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֶיךָ. “IN AN AWESOME HAPPENING” –
This refers to the revelation of His Presence,
as it is said:
“Has any god ever tried to come
and take a nation out of the midst of another,
with trials
and with signs
and wonders,
in war
and with a strong hand,
with an outstretched arm,
inspiring great awe,
as the LORD your God has done all this
for you in Egypt,
before your eyes?”
וּבְאֹתוֹת. זֶה הַמַּטֶּה, כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאֶת־הַמַּטֶּה הַזֶּה תִּקַּח בְּיָדְךָ, אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה־בּוֹ אֶת־הָאֹתוֹת. “WITH SIGNS” –
This refers to the staff,
as it is said:
“Take this staff in your hand,
and with it you shall perform the signs.”
וּבְמֹפְתִים. זֶה הַדָּם, כְּמָה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנָתַתִּי מוֹפְתִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ — “AND WITH WONDERS” –
This refers to the blood,
as it is said:
“I shall make wonders
in the sky and on the earth –