Passover

Understanding the Structure of the Pesach Haggadah

April 8, 2019
Download Audio file

The Gemara says we begin with the bad and end with the good: Shmuel holds we begin with עבדים היינו; Rav says we begin with מתחילה עובדי עבודה זרה היו אבותינו. We follow both:

  • The first “haggadah”, of Shmuel:begins with questions (מה נשתנה), proceeds to עבדים היינו (the bad) and ends with ברוך המקום (praise).
  • The second “haggadah”, of Rav, begins with the questions of the four sons, proceeds to מתחילה עובדי עבודה זרה היו אבותינו and ends with ברוך שומר הבטחתו לישראל (praise).
  • The third time: the story is told using the pesukim from bikkurim and conclude with the praise of Dayenu.
  • The fourth telling of the story is executed via the medium of Pesach, Matzah, and Maror and concludes with the praise of לפיכך and the first 2 paragraphs of Hallel

Why do we repeat the story four times?

Download the handout


Recorded at OU Israel’s L’Ayla Rosh Chodesh Nisan 5779 Women’s Event sponsored in memory of Mrs Linda Pruwer-Brachfeld, מרת חיה סאשא בת ר’ יוסף הלל.
L'Ayla Logo