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The Evil Child

Our sources put prime on questions. But the rasha's question is not accepted. Why? Compare the questions and answers of the children. The answer is similar to the one who does not know how to ask, the question is similar to the wise son. What is "to set the teeth on edge" (Jeremiah and Ezekiel)? The unripened state of the rasha. What to make of the answer? What is the ikkar that he gave up? The internal unconnectedness with the community and its history.

פסחים קח:–קט.

תנו רבנן: הכל חייבין בארבעה כוסות הללו, אחד אנשים ואחד נשים, ואחד תינוקות. אמר רבי יהודה: וכי מה תועלת יש לתינוקות ביין? אלא, מחלקין להן קליות ואגוזין בערב פסח, כדי שלא ישנו, וישאלו.

Pesachim 108b-109a

Our sages taught: Everyone is obligated in the four cups of wine – men, women and children. Rabbi Yehudah said: Of what benefit is wine for children?! Rather, we distribute dried grain and nuts to them before Passover, so that they

will not sleep and they will ask questions.

חכם, בנו שואלו ואם אינו חכם אשתו שואלתו ואם לאו הוא שואל לעצמו ואפילו שני תלמידי חכמים שיודעין בהלכות הפסח שואלין זה לזה:

If one's child is wise, the child asks him. If the child is not wise then one's spouse asks him. If not, he asks himself. Even two Torah scholars who know the laws of Passover ask each other.

בָּרוּךְ הַמָּקוֹם, בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בָּרוּךְ שֶׁנָּתַן תּוֹרָה לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּרוּךְ הוּא. כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה בָנִים דִּבְּרָה תוֹרָה: אֶחָד חָכָם, וְאֶחָד רָשָׁע, וְאֶחָד תָּם, וְאֶחָד שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִשְׁאוֹל.

חָכָם מָה הוּא אוֹמֵר? מָה הָעֵדוֹת וְהַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֶתְכֶם. וְאַף אַתָּה אֱמוֹר לוֹ כְּהִלְכוֹת הַפֶּסַח: אֵין מַפְטִירִין אַחַר הַפֶּסַח אֲפִיקוֹמָן:

רָשָׁע מָה הוּא אוֹמֵר? מָה הָעֲבוֹדָה הַזּאֹת לָכֶם. לָכֶם - וְלֹא לוֹ. וּלְפִי שֶׁהוֹצִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִן הַכְּלָל כָּפַר בְּעִקָּר. וְאַף אַתָּה הַקְהֵה אֶת שִׁנָּיו וֶאֱמוֹר לוֹ: "בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה ה' לִי בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם". לִי וְלֹא-לוֹ. אִלּוּ הָיָה שָׁם, לֹא הָיָה נִגְאָל:

תָּם מָה הוּא אוֹמֵר? מַה זּאֹת? וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו "בְּחוֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ ה' מִמִּצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים".

וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִשְׁאוֹל - אַתְּ פְּתַח לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר, בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה ה' לִי בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם.

Blessed is the Place [of all], Blessed is He; Blessed is the One who Gave the Torah to His people Israel, Blessed is 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?' (Exodus13:14)" 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 your son on that day saying, for the sake of this, did the Lord do [this] for me in my going out of Egypt."

פחד יצחק של הרב יצחק הוטנר זצ״ל

פסח ד

ואף ברשע אין בה בתשובה על שאלתו קיום הענין של דרך שאלה ותשובה דבודאי אין שאלתו של הרשע מצטרפת לקיום מצות סיפור דרך שאלה ותשובה, דרק דרך שאלה דנתנה לשאול מתקיים דין זה מה שאין כן שאלה של כפירה שאינה אלא חוצפה של אפיקורסות גרידא, באופן דלענין דין שאלה ותשובה שאלתו של הרשע הוי כמאן דליתא, והגדה לאחרים יש כאן, דרך שאלה ותשובה אין כאן.

Pachad Yitzhak Pesach No. 4

In the case of the Rasha, the father’s answer to him does not fulfill the requirement of question-and-answer, for the question of the Rasha certainly does not contribute to fulfillment of the mitzvah by means of question-and-answer. Only a question genuinely asked as a question contributes to fulfillment of the mitzvah. Such is not the case with a question of kefirah, which is nothing more than the hutzpah of apikorsut. Thus the Rasha fails to satisfy the definition of a question for the purpose of the question-and-answer requirement, though the aspect of telling others is still fulfilled.

תני ר' חייה כנגד ארבעה בנים דיברה תורה בן חכם בן רשע בן טיפש בן שאינו יודע לשאול. בן חכם מהו אומר (דברים ו) מה העדות והחקים והמשפטים אשר צוה ה' אלהינו אותנו אף אתה אמור לו (שמות יג) בחזק יד הוציאנו ה' ממצרים מבית עבדים. בן רשע מהו אומר (שמות יב) מה העבודה הזאת לכם מה הטורח הזה שאתם מטריחין עלינו בכל שנה ושנה מכיון שהוציא את עצמו מן הכלל אף אתה אמור לו (שם) בעבור זה עשה ה' לי לי עשה לאותו האיש לא עשה. אילו היה אותו האיש במצרים לא היה ראוי להגאל משם לעולם. טיפש מה אומר (שם) מה זאת אף את למדו הלכות הפסח שאין מפטירין אחר הפסח אפיקומן שלא יהא עומד מחבורה זו ונכנס לחבורה אחרת. בן שאינו יודע לשאול את פתח לו תחילה א"ר יוסה מתניתא אמרה כן אם אין דעת בבן אביו מלמדו:
Rabbi Cheya taught, Corresponding to four sons did the Torah speak; a wise son, an evil son, an innocent son and a son 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 20:6)" And accordingly 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)" What does the evil son say? "'What is this worship to you?' (Exodus 12:26) What is this toil that you make us toil each and every year?" Since he excluded himself from the collective, accordingly you say to him, "'For the sake of this, did the Lord do [this] for me.' (Exodus 13:8) 'For me' did He do and not for 'that man.' If 'that man' had been there, he would not have been worthy of ever being saved from there." What does the innocent [son] say? "'What is this?' (Exodus13:14)" And accordingly you will teach him the laws of the Pesach sacrifice, that "We may not eat an afikoman [a dessert or other foods eaten after the meal] after [we are finished eating] the Pesach sacrifice, so that a person should not get up from one eating group to another eating group." And [regarding] the son who doesn't know to ask, you will open [the conversation] for him first. Rabbi Yosa said, "The Mishna said, 'and if the son has no understanding [in order to ask questions], his father teaches him [to ask].'"
(כט) בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם לֹא־יֹאמְר֣וּ ע֔וֹד אָב֖וֹת אָ֣כְלוּ בֹ֑סֶר וְשִׁנֵּ֥י בָנִ֖ים תִּקְהֶֽינָה׃ (ל) כִּ֛י אִם־אִ֥ישׁ בַּעֲוֺנ֖וֹ יָמ֑וּת כָּל־הָֽאָדָ֛ם הָאֹכֵ֥ל הַבֹּ֖סֶר תִּקְהֶ֥ינָה שִׁנָּֽיו׃ (ס)
(29) In those days they shall say no more: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ (30) But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man that eateth the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.
(א) וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־ה' אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) מַה־לָּכֶ֗ם אַתֶּם֙ מֹֽשְׁלִים֙ אֶת־הַמָּשָׁ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה עַל־אַדְמַ֥ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר אָבוֹת֙ יֹ֣אכְלוּ בֹ֔סֶר וְשִׁנֵּ֥י הַבָּנִ֖ים תִּקְהֶֽינָה׃ (ג) חַי־אָ֕נִי נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֣י ה' אִם־יִֽהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֜ם ע֗וֹד מְשֹׁ֛ל הַמָּשָׁ֥ל הַזֶּ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ד) הֵ֤ן כָּל־הַנְּפָשׁוֹת֙ לִ֣י הֵ֔נָּה כְּנֶ֧פֶשׁ הָאָ֛ב וּכְנֶ֥פֶשׁ הַבֵּ֖ן לִי־הֵ֑נָּה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַחֹטֵ֖את הִ֥יא תָמֽוּת׃ (ס)
(1) And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying: (2) ’What mean ye, that ye use this proverb in the land of Israel, saying: The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are set on edge? (3) As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. (4) Behold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine; the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

(כ) אלישע בן אבויה אומר, הלומד ילד למה הוא דומה, לדיו כתובה על ניר חדש. והלומד זקן למה הוא דומה, לדיו כתובה על ניר מחוק .רבי יוסי בר יהודה איש כפר הבבלי אומר, הלומד מן הקטנים למה הוא דומה, לאוכל ענבים קהות ושותה יין מגתו. והלומד מן הזקנים למה הוא דומה, לאוכל ענבים בשולות ושותה יין ישן. רבי אומר, אל תסתכל בקנקן, אלא במה שיש בו. יש קנקן חדש מלא ישן, וישן שאפלו חדש אין בו.

(20) Elisha ben Abuya says: One who learns as a child is compared to what? To ink written on new parchment. And one who learns as an elder is compared to what? To ink written on scraped parchment. Rabbi Yose bar Yehuda, man of Kfar HaBavli, says: One who learns from young ones is compared to what? To one who eats unripe grapes and drinks wine from its press. And one who learns from elders is compared to what? To one who eats ripe grapes and drinks aged wine. Rebbi says: Do not look at the jug but rather at what is in it. For there are new jugs full of old, and old that do not have even new within them.

(כ) ענבים קהות שלא נתבשלו כל צרכן ומקהות את השינים. כך חכמת הילד לא נתישבה כל צרכה ואין דבריו מתקבלים ומתישבים על הלב :

(20) "unripe grapes": which have not completely ripened and [so] set the teeth on edge. So [too], the wisdom of the child is not completely ripened and [so] his words are not accepted and don't sit well with the heart.

(כ) כמו אכילת ענבים שאינם מבושלות שבעודן בין שיניו ירגיש ברעוהם:

(20) [It is] like [with] the eating of grapes that are not ripe, their inferiority will already be felt when they are between his teeth.

(1) What does the wicked child say: This verse comes from Parshat Bo: "When your children ask you, 'What is this rite (avodah) to you?'" (Ex. 12:26) This verse is speaking about the wicked child who says lakhem, "to you," implying that the rite is for you and not for him. Speaking in the manner of a wicked person, he uses the word avodah, implying something that is a burden and troublesome. The wicked child says, "What is all the trouble with which you bother yourself all year?" He calls the service of God avodah, labor. Even though we find this word used for the sacrificial rites, we should presume that the wicked child has bad intentions since he removes himself from the community. Therefore you should "blunt his teeth." This means weaken his teeth as in the verse, "In those days they shall say no more, the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge." (Jer. 31:28) This means that he sees others eating and he is not able to eat the food. Tell him: "The Torah was speaking of you when it said, 'It is because of what the Lord did for me,' God did it for me and not for you!" If an evil person like you had been in Egypt, he would not have been redeemed.
Why do we apply this verse to the wicked child when it is the verse that is applied to the one who does not know to ask? The reason is that the one who does not know to ask is not so different from the wicked child. The wicked child does not delve into the deeper meaning in his questions or try to understand the commandments of the God; rather he sees them as something that a person simply does without explanation.

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