NUMBER FOUR

In the Passover Seder we recently celebrated, the number four appears several times. Ma Nishtana, the four questions that children ask on Sedernight, which some commentators say should also be recited by adults because they are part of the Haggadah text. The typology of the 4 possible young people who may be present: Chacham, the intelligent one; Rasha, the wicked one; Tam, the simple, and She’eno yodea lish’ol, who doesn’t know how to ask a question. All this, and a few other things, can be seen from the 3 expressions that the Torah testifies were used by God to assure the Hebrews that He would bring them out of Egyptian bondage.

Even the instructive Vehigadeta, “and thou shalt tell him”—which gives its name to the Haggadah—is also repeated 4 times in the Torah. Why are there four expressions? Wasn’t one of them enough? Haniel Farber argues that one must read the biblical text carefully to discover that it is an evolution of freedom and salvation, a fact that in turn is reflected in the individual character of the different young people present around the Seder table. Even the word Pesach can be read as Pe Sach, mouth that speaks, and in this way the difference between this holiday and those of Shavuot and Sukkot that also commemorate the exodus from Egypt, without the support of a Haggadah, is highlighted.

Why is so much importance given to children that night? Perhaps because Egyptian slavery also had the characteristic of a “war on children.” Pharaoh’s edicts were directed against them. Since, according to the Midrash, his astrologers foretold that the savior of the Hebrews was about to be born, he ordered that all males be put to death immediately after birth. But the Hebrew midwives, who according to the Midrash were Moshe’s (Moses’) mother and sister, disobeyed Pharaoh’s edict. It should be noted that those who disobeyed the royal edict were women, who on many later occasions in history showed more courage than men.

When Pharaoh realized that his edict was not obeyed, he ordered all the males to be thrown into the river to suffer certain death there. It is obvious that Pharaoh’s main target was the new generations and, perhaps for this reason, when Moshe presented himself to the monarch he informed him that his intention to travel to the desert to serve God included children, because Judaism demands, above all, continuity. 

The validity of the present is conditioned by the promise of tomorrow. The first expression, Vehotseti, “and I will take them away” from the Egyptian yoke is the fundamental promise, because any progress and evolution in the religious field requires first the physical breaking of slavery, escape from the environment of servitude. 

The Chacham understands that, for emotional and spiritual growth, it is necessary to get out of the environment of slavery. The Rasha may also be intelligent, but he uses his intellectual gifts wrongly. The answer of physical freedom is insufficient for him, so the second expression, Vehitsalti, speaks of the salvation of the spirit, the possibility of regeneration, of a new prism is his appreciation of the environment. 

For the Tam, who is untainted by alien ideals, the promise of Vega’altipoints to the redemption of the soul, which rises above the idolatry in which Egypt was immersed. 

Finally, the She’eno Yode’a Lish’ol, who does not know how to ask a question, must feel that he is important to God. That is why, Velakachti Li, God says to him, “I will bring you closer to Me, for Me you have value as a human being whose soul also has an ingredient that comes directly from Me.”

It should be noted that there are two characters who appear momentarily, they do not stay for the Seder, but they are fundamental. They don’t stay for the full Seder meal  that is being celebrated that night, and yet they have a defining role in the history of the Hebrew people.

The first is Moshe, whose name appears only in a biblical quotation, because the author of the Haggada simply ignores his decisive participation in the Exodus account. The reason for this may be so that the facts are not confused. Moshe was God’s emissary to confront Pharaoh and convince the Hebrews of the benefits of freedom. But the one who produced the plagues that resulted in the Exodus, that was God. But, on the other hand, we should not forget the leadership of Moshe who consecrated his life, and even neglected his immediate family, to dedicate all his efforts for the benefit of the people.

The second character to appear momentarily on the night of the Seder is the prophet Eliyahu who will also announce the final coming of the savior, Mashiach.

The Seder therefore speaks of the past through the figure of Moshe, and of a redemptive future through the prophet Eliyahu.

Passover has 4 names: Chag HaAviv, the spring holiday; Chag HaCherut, the holiday of freedom; Pesach, the name of the Korban, sacrifice, and in remembrance of God’s bypassing the Hebrew homes when the firstborn were killed, and Chag HaMatsot, which is the usual name in the Torah. For the Matza, the bread of poverty, which the Hebrews ate in Egypt and in their haste to get out of slavery, without waiting for the dough to leaven. 

Although the number 4 is a pivot around which many things revolve such as the four cups of wine, the Seder was implanted as the most celebrated date in the Jewish world because its center is the family: the father who leads it, the mother who makes all the necessary preparations assisted by the rest of the family,  the participation of all diners. 

If you want to know what is the vital energy that allowed the survival of the Jewish people despite the vicissitudes of history, look carefully at who is around their table on the night of the Seder: the well-defined and conformed family is the greatest social and spiritual force of Judaism.