Before the Clock Strikes Twelve: The Secret Life of the Afikoman Shabbat Hagadol 5770 Rabbi Yosie Levine The Jewish Center Four Jewish ladies are playing a game of cards in Miami Beach. The first lady sighs and says, "Oy..." The second lady nods, sighs, and says, "Oy vey!" The third lady says, "Oy veys meer!" The fourth lady chimes in: "Enough talk about the children already. Let's get back to the game." But on seder night, you can bet these same four ladies will be talking a lot about their children and grandchildren. And that’s as it should be. It’s a night that in many ways is dedicated to the younger generation. And it’s with the children – particularly the wise child – that I’d like to begin our conversation this morning. Let’s jump right into the Haggadah: 1 . נוסח ההגדה חכ מה הוא אומר : מה העדות והחקי והמשפטי אשר צוה ה ' אלהינו אתכ , א אתה אמור לו כהלכות הפסח אי מפטירי אחר הפסח אפיקומ . The wise one – what does he say? “What are the testimonies, statutes and laws which the Lord, our God, has commanded you?” You in turn shall instruct him with the likes of the laws of Passover: “One is not to eat any dessert after the Passover lamb.”
Let’s start with the question. We usually assume that he’s asking about the laws of Korban Pesach. But I’d like to challenge this fundamental assumption. Is this really the case? By way of background: there’s actually very little original material of the Haggadah. The selections of text that we have are all excerpted from earlier sources: Tanach, the mishna, ?s question come from’חכthe gemara and the medrash. So where does the :פרשת ואתחנIt’s taken from 2 . דברי פרק ו ( ) טז לא תנסו את יקוק אלהיכ כאשר You shall not try the LORD your God, as you 16 נסית במסה : .tried Him in Massah ) יז( שמור תשמרו את מצות יקוק You shall diligently keep the commandments of 17 אלהיכ ועדתיו וחקיו אשר צו : the LORD your God, and His testimonies, and His ( יח ) ועשית הישר והטוב בעיני יקוק למע .statutes, which He hath commanded you ייטב ל ובאת וירשת את האר הטבה And you shall do that which is right and good in 18 אשר נשבע יקוק לאבתי : ,the sight of the LORD; that it may be well with you ( יט ) להד את כל איבי מפני כאשר and that you may go in and possess the good land דבר יקוק : ,which the LORD swore unto thy fathers כ( ) כי ישאל בנ מחר לאמר מה העדת to thrust out all your enemies from before you, as 19 והחקי והמשפטי אשר צוה יקוק אלהינו .the LORD has spoken אתכ : When your son asks you tomorrow, saying: 'What 20