מִתְּחִלָּה עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָיוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וְעַכְשָׁיו קֵרְבָנוּ הַמָּקוֹם לַעֲבדָתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹאמֶר יְהוֹשֻעַ אֶל־כָּל־הָעָם, כֹּה אָמַר יקוק אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: בְּעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר יָשְׁבוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם מֵעוֹלָם, תֶּרַח אֲבִי אַבְרָהָם וַאֲבִי נָחוֹר, וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֱלֹקִים אֲחֵרִים.
וָאֶקַּח אֶת־אֲבִיכֶם אֶת־אַבְרָהָם מֵעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר וָאוֹלֵךְ אוֹתוֹ בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן, וָאַרְבֶּה אֶת־זַרְעוֹ וָאֶתֵּן לוֹ אֶת־יִצְחָק, וָאֶתֵּן לְיִצְחָק אֶת־יַעֲקֹב וְאֶת־עֵשָׂו. וָאֶתֵּן לְעֵשָׂו אֶת־הַר שֵּׂעִיר לָרֶשֶׁת אתוֹ, וְיַעֲקֹב וּבָנָיו יָרְדוּ מִצְרָיִם.
From the beginning, our ancestors were idol worshipers [prayed to statues]. And now, God has brought us close to God's worship, as it is stated (Joshua 24:2-4), "Yehoshua [Joshua] said to the whole people, so said the Lord, God of Israel, 'Over the river did your ancestors dwell [live] from always, Terach the father of Avraham and the father of Nachor, and they worshiped other gods.
And I took your father, Avraham, from over the river and I made him walk in all the land of Canaan [Land of Israel] and I increased his seed [descendants] and I gave him Yitzchak. And I gave to Yitzchak, Ya'akov and Esav; and I gave to Esav, Mount Seir [an area probably in Jordan today] in order that he inherit it; and Yaakov and his sons went down to Egypt.'"
1. This text from the hagadah seems very strange. Why in the world would this be included? What does it have to do with the Exodus from Egypt? Jot down some ideas.
(א) מתחילה עובדי ע״ז היו אבותינו מאמר זה בא במשנה וגמרא פסחים (קט״ז א׳), וצריך באור לאיזו כונה ומטרה בא כולו בעניני ההגדה, אשר אין לו כל יחש לענין יציאת מצרים. ואולי אפשר שרצה להקדים הסבר כללי על מה זה נגזר על ישראל בכלל כל ענין שעבוד מצרים וכל הקורות אותם שם. והנה ידוע, דמחלה הבאה לאדם בתולדה מירושת אבות, שגם הם היו נגועים בה — מחלה כזו קשה יותר לרפאות מאשר מחלה הבאה לאדם ממקור גופו שלו עפ״י סבה שונה, ולמחלה כזו דיה רפואה קלה בערך. והנה לוא היו ישראל עובדי ע״ז רק מרגשות נפשם במקרה ככל המקרים הי׳ באפשר לרפאם בקל ע״י עונש קל, ושבו לתעודתם ולקדושתם. אבל מכיון שהם היו שקועים בע״ז עפ״י מסורת אבותיהם נשרש חטא זה בדמם ובנפשם והיו צריכים לרפואה עקרית וארוכה ונכבדה, כדי לעקר חטא זה מיסודו ושרשו ולזכך נשמתם, ורפואה זו הי׳ שעבוד מצרים וכל הנסתעף מזה, עד מתן תורה והכניסה לא״י. זהו שאמר בהתחלת הספור משעבוד ישראל במצרים, כי סבות כל קושי זה באה לרגלי שקועם של ישראל בע״ז עפ״י מסורת מאבותיהם עוד מזמנו של תרח, והי׳ חטאם קשה ורפואתם קשה, כפי שנתבאר.
(1) At first our fathers were idolaters: This passage describes the events which preceded the sojourn [temporary stay] in Egypt. At first glance, however, it does not appear to be relevant to the Passover story. Why does the Haggadah discuss our idolatrous ancestors when it is about to tell the story of the Exodus? Yet this passage helps understand Israel’s experience in Egypt. The statement “At first...” explains why it was necessary for Israel to be subjected to such a harsh decree while they were in Egypt. The harsh decree of slavery and oppression was necessary in order to cure Israel of the disease of idolatry which was so deeply rooted in its soul. Rabbi Epstein explains that there are two types of physical (and spiritual) illnesses: illnesses that are a product of bodily weaknesses or accidents, and those that are genetic and part of the very make-up of the individual. The first type of illness can be cured with a medical intervention [the act of interfering with a likely outcome] while the second cannot be cured so easily. When the Haggadah tells us that our ancestors were idolaters for generations, it is explaining that we had a more deep seated illness that needed a harsher and more radical cure. Israel did not simply sin; they worshipped false gods. Idolatry was rooted in Israel’s blood and soul. A harsh sojourn in Egypt was necessary to purify Israel of idolatry. This purification continued through the time of the Exodus, the giving of the Torah at Sinai and the journey in the wilderness. Israel was only cured when they reached the border of the land of Israel. This statement, explains why Israel needed to be in Egypt and to be enslaved in the first place.
Text 3 seems to suggest that God intended to punish us and in order "to purify" us from the sin of idolatry (worshiping false gods).
1. In your opinion, is this moral and/or logical? Why/why not?
2. Is punishment by God for sin as a general rule moral and/or logical? Why/why not?
3. Is there a difference between the idea of God punishing for sin and parents or teachers punishing for misbehaviour? Why/why not?
It was taught... that the parent begins their answer with disgrace and concludes with glory. ... What is the meaning of the term: With disgrace? Rav said that one should begin by saying: At first our forefathers were idol worshippers [prayed to false gods], before concluding with words of glory. And Shmuel said: The disgrace with which one should begin his answer is: We were slaves.
Text 5 discusses a disagreement between two Rabbis - Rav and Shmuel. Both agree that the telling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt should begin with disgrace and end with glory. Rav says the disgrace is spiritual - we worshipped idols, and freedom came from coming to know and worship God. On the other hand, Shmuel says the disgrace is physical - we were slaves in Egypt and then we were freed.
1. What do you think should be the main point of the retelling of the story of the Exodus? Telling the story of the key event in the history of the Jewish people as one of physical freedom or one of spiritual freedom? Why?
2. Why would a nation choose to stress their disgraceful origins (whether as idol-worshippers or as slaves)? What might Jewish tradition be trying to teach through presenting this particular origin story?
(1) Degradation and Exaltation [elevating someone in status or power]: Once our ancestors were idolaters: (Page 75b – 76b) There is a well-known controversy... between Rav and Samuel concerning the nature of the redemption. ... We should begin with ‘degradation’ and end with ‘exaltation’ in telling the story of the Exodus. Rav says that this means we should begin by speaking about how our ancestors worshipped idols while Samuel claims that we should begin by speaking about the enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt. Rabbi Jehiel Danziger explains that even though we may begin with our own degradation, we will be transformed and conclude with praise and exaltation through the story and our actions. This is not just our ancestor’s degradation that we are speaking about but our own as well. What is ‘our degradation’? According to Rav, we are speaking about all forms of idolatry that we are guilty of today. ... Through our telling of the story we will be able to attain complete repentance [sincere regret] on this night.
Text 7 seems to suggest that we are still in Exile (in an imperfect world, before the Messiah has come) because we still worship idols -- maybe not statues of false gods but other people and things.
1. Can you think of people or things which you or others worship? (Perhaps think of things which start with "I" or people who start with "T".)
2. Are there any problems might be caused by such worship?
3. What will be the focus of liberation/freedom that you stress in your family's seder? Why?