The Wicked Son's Haggadah

Blessed be the Place [of all], Blessed be He; Blessed be the One who Gave the Torah to His people Israel, Blessed be He. Corresponding to four sons did the Torah speak; one [who is] wise, one [who is] evil, one who is innocent and one who doesn't know to ask.

What does the wise [son] say? "'What are these testimonies, statutes and judgments that the Lord our God commanded you?' (Deuteronomy 6:20)" And accordingly you will say to him, as per the laws of the Pesach sacrifice, "We may not eat an afikoman [a dessert or other foods eaten after the meal] after [we are finished eating] the Pesach sacrifice (Mishnah Pesachim 10:8)."

What does the evil [son] say? "'What is this worship to you?' (Exodus 12:26)" 'To you' and not 'to him.' And since he excluded himself from the collective, he denied a principle [of the Jewish faith]. And accordingly, you will blunt his teeth and say to him, "'For the sake of this, did the Lord do [this] for me in my going out of Egypt' (Exodus 13:8)." 'For me' and not 'for him.' If he had been there, he would not have been saved.

What does the innocent [son] say? "'What is this?' (Exodus 13:14)" And you will say to him, "'With the strength of [His] hand did the Lord take us out from Egypt, from the house of slaves' (Exodus 13:14).'"

And [regarding] the one who doesn't know to ask, you will open [the conversation] for him. As it is stated (Exodus 13:8), "And you will speak to your son on that day saying, for the sake of this, did the Lord do [this] for me in my going out of Egypt."

(1) According to a biblical positive command, we must tell on the night preceding the fifteenth day of Nisan all about the miracles and wonders that were performed for our forefathers in Egypt. As it is stated (Exodus 13:3), "Remember this day that you went out of Egypt"; just as it is stated (Exodus 20:8), "Remember the day of the Shabbat." And from where [do we know] that [the remembering] is on the night of the fifteenth? [Hence,] we learn to say (Exodus 13:8), "And you shall recount to your son on that day, saying, 'Because of this'" - at the time that there is matsa and bitter herbs (being 'this') laying in front of you. And [this is the case] even though he does not have a son. Even great scholars are required to tell about the exodus from Egypt. Anyone who relates at length about the events that occurred deserves praise.

(4) And one must begin with disgrace and conclude with praise. How is that? He begins and recounts that in the beginning, our ancestors at the time of Terach and before him, were heretics, erring after emptiness and pursuing idolatry. And he concludes with the true religion that the Omnipresent brought us close to Him, separated us from the nations and brought us close to His unification. And likewise does he begin and lets it be known that we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and all of the evil that he did to us. And he concludes with the miracles and with the wonders that were done for us and with our freedom. And that is that he should expound from "My father was a wandering Aramean" (Deuteronomy 26:5), until he finishes all of [that] section. And anyone who adds and speaks at length in expounding this section, he is surely praiseworthy.