Four Children Interactive Instructions

Please use the below table and pictures to contemplate how you would artistically represent the four children

The Four Children

The The Rabbi Chiya ( Talmud 10:4) The Torah alludes in various places to four types The Torah alludes (in various places) of children: one wise, one wicked, one simple, to four types of children: the wise child, and one who does not know how to ask. the wicked child, the simple child, the child who does not know how to ask.

The Wise Child Deuteronomy 6:20-24 What does the wise child say? What does the wise child say? When your child asks you tomorrow: “What “What are the testimonies, the statutes, and the “What are the testimonies, the statutes, is our obligation to these testimonies, laws laws which the Lord your God has commanded and the laws which the Lord your God and regulations that the Lord our God has you.” (Deuteronomy 6:20) has commanded us?” (Deuteronomy commanded you?” Then you are to say to “You too must tell him some of the laws of 6:20) your child: We were slaves to Pharaoh in Pesach, up to (The ): And you shall say to him: Egypt, and the LORD took us out of Egypt “We do not proceed to any ‘’ (dessert of “By a mighty hand the Lord brought us with a strong hand; after dinner celebrations) after eating the out of Egypt, out of the house of The LORD placed signs and wonders, Paschal lamb.” (Tractate Pesachim X) bondage.” (Exodus 13:14) great and evil ones, on Egypt, on Pharaoh and all his house, before our eyes. And God took us out of there in order to bring us, to give us the land that God swore to our ancestors; So the LORD has commanded us to observe all these laws, to hold the LORD our God in awe, for our own good all the days to come, to keep us alive as we are this day.

The Wicked Exodus 12:22-27 What does the wicked child say? What does the wicked child say? Child Take a hyssop, dip it in the blood (of the “Whatever does this service mean to you?” “Whatever does this service (or work)

Pesach lamb) in the basin and touch the (Exodus 12:26) mean to you?” (Exodus 12:26) What is lintel cord and the two door posts… Emphasizing “you” and not himself! And since the drudgery that you bother us with When God sees the blood, the LORD will he excludes himself from the community and year in and year out? pass over the entrance...You are to keep rejects a major principle of faith, you should also Since he excludes himself from the this commandment as a law for you and “set his teeth on edge” and say to him: “It is community, similarly you should say to your children forever. because of that which the Lord did for me when I him (or regarding him), “It is because of Now it will be, when you come to the land went free from Egypt.” (Exodus 13:8) what the Lord did for me.” (Exodus which the LORD will give you, as “Me” and not him! Had he been there, he would 13:8) For “me” He did it, for “that promised, you are to keep this rite. not have been redeemed. person” (pointing to the wicked child) And when you children say to you: “What He did not do it. If “that person” had does this ritual mean to you?” been in Egypt, he would never have Then say: It is the sacrifice to the been worthy of being redeemed, not LORD, who passed over the houses of the ever. Children of Israel in Egypt, when God struck Egypt and our houses were rescued.

The Simple Exodus 13:11-14 What does the simple child ask? What does the simple child ask? Child It shall be when the Lord brings you to the “What is this?” (Exodus 13:14) “What is this?” (Exodus 13:14) land of the Canaanites, as God, promised And you shall say to him: You must teach him the laws of to you and your ancestors and gave it to “By a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Pesach, that “We do not proceed to you. Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” (Exodus afikoman (desert of after dinner Then you are to transfer every first born of 13:14) celebrations) after eating the Paschal the womb to the LORD...and every first lamb.” (Tractate Pesachim X) born of men, among your sons, you are to That means he should not leave one redeem. group of Pesach celebrants and join It shall be when your child asks you another. In other words, in the Temple tomorrow: “What does this mean?” era the Paschal lamb was to be eaten You are to say: By a strong hand the only in prearranged groups, and the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of a child must not run from one group to house of bondage. another.

The One Who Exodus 13:7-9 As for the child who does not know how to As for the child who does not know Doesn’t Know Matzot are to be eaten for seven ask, you should prompt him, as it is said: And how to ask, you should prompt him, How to Ask days...And you are to tell your child that you shall tell your son on the day, saying: “It is first. day, saying: because of that which the Lord did for me when I “It is because of what the LORD did for went free from Egypt.” (Exodus 13:8) me, when I went out of Egypt.”

It shall be for the sign on your hand and for a reminder between your eyes, in order that the LORD’s law may be in your mouth, that by a strong hand did the LORD bring you out of Egypt.