Rabbi Pinches Friedman Chag HaPesach 5778 Translation by Dr. Baruch Fox A Fantastic Interpretation of the Puzzling “Chad Gadya” HKB”H Creates Separation and Discord among Yisrael’s Enemies to Save Yisrael the “Lone Kid Goat” In honor of the auspiciously approaching festival of Pesach, In this piyut, the divine poet recounts the series of events it is fitting that we delight in exploring the deeper meaning of experienced by the solitary kid goat. First, the cat devours the “חד גדיא, חד גדיא, דזבין אבא the mysterious, sacred piyut that is sung throughout the Jewish little goat; then the dog bites the cat; the stick strikes the dog; One kid goat, one kid goat, that—בתרי זוזי, חד גדיא, חד גדיא” world at the conclusion of the seder: the fire burns the stick; the water extinguishes the fire; the ox father bought for two zuzim—“chad gadya, chad gadya.” drinks the water; the butcher slaughters the ox; the Malach HaMaves slaughters the butcher. Then the piyut concludes HKB”H comes and slaughters—“ואתא הקב”ה ושחט למלאך המות” with the amazing prophecy pertaining to the future geulah: No one knows who composed this sacred piyut. the Malach HaMaves. Nevertheless, it has been accepted universally throughout the Jewish world with the utmost kedushah as an integral, inseparable part of the Pesach Haggadah. This is substantiated I would like to present to our royal audience the insight by the fact that all our great luminaries have proposed HKB”H has granted me with His mercy and kindness. I wonderful, illuminating interpretations of this piyut—both will present an interpretation of this puzzling song that is exoteric and esoteric. The esteemed list includes the Gra of appealing and relevant to everyone. Like a midget sitting Vilna, the Chatam Sofer, the great Rabbi Aryeh Leib Tzintz atop a giant’s shoulders, I will rely on precious, illuminating of Plotzk (Pesach Haggadah Birkas HaShir), the great Rabbi introductions“That father from ouracquired” holy Rabbis, Refers zy”a. to Our Father Yonatan Eibschitz, the great author of the Ben Ish Chai, the in Heaven “for two zuzim” Refers to the Malbim and many other notable authors, whose merit should Pronouncement “Na’aseh V’nishma” protect us and all of Yisrael. In the preface to this mysterious “השיר הלזה :declaration סתום וחתום followingלא the נודע find כוונת we המחבר בו, ,HaShir ואף על Birkas פי in כן piyutרבים We will begin to shed some light on the subject by חיברו בו פירושים שונים לפי מה שיסבול פירוש הלשון, שאפילו לא כיון המחבר establishing a premise for the piyut. We know that the לאלו הפירושים, בחינת הדברים מצד עצמן נאמרו לאמר מצד תוכן הענין, על כן purpose of Yisrael’s difficult enslavement and galus in אמרתי גם אנכי לא אחשוך פי מלדבר בו אשר ישים ה’ בפי”. Mitzrayim was to purify them of the contamination of the “ואתכם לקח .This song is obscure; the author’s intent is not known nachash, so that they would merit receiving the Torah on Har but --ה’ ויוציא אתכם מכור הברזל ממצרים להיות לו לעם נחלה כיום הזה” Nevertheless, many have written interpretations of it Sinai. In the words of the Torah (Devarim 4, 20): based on its possible linguistic implications; even though, Hashem has taken you and withdrawn you from the iron the author may not have had these interpretations in crucible, from Mitzrayim, to be a nation of heritage for mind at all . Therefore, I, too, will not refrain from Him, as this very day. “iron crucible” is a vessel with which they refine gold. In other (״כור״) .saying what Hashem has placed in my mouth Rashi explains that an Chag HaPesach 5778 | 1 “My words, just like the impurities adherent to the gold need to Thus, we learn that in the merit of the pronouncement firstborn son.” be removed by means of melting in an iron crucible, so, too, “na’aseh v’nishma,” HKB”H awarded Yisrael the status of it was necessary to purify and refine the neshamot of Yisrael Conversely, HKB”H became their Father. It “דזבין אבא בתרי זוזי” from their adherent impurities, by means of the suffering and should now be apparent why the poet chose the scenario of: hard labor in Mitzrayim. This was the preparation necessary —because HKB”H, Who is Yisrael’s heavenly for them to receive the Torah. Father, acquired them to be His children, in the merit of their “chad gadya, chad gadya” twofold pronouncement “na’aseh v’nishma.” For this reason, Therefore, after we finish reciting the entire Haggadah— a lone, solitary people on earth, because the other nations they are portrayed as —they are telling, thanking and praising HKB”H for miraculously taking Yisrael out of Mitzrayim—the divine poet chose to begin the of the world did not deserve the status of children; they are piyut by extolling Yisrael’s virtues. They attained the status of merely servants and slaves to HKB”H. the Almighty’s children by accepting the Torah with the prefatory Eight Evil Forces that Seek “חד גדיא חד גדיא, דזבין אבא בתרי pronouncement of “na’aseh v’nishma.” The poet expresses this to Harm the Lone Kid Goat One kid goat, one kid goat, that father—זוזי, חד גדיא חד גדיא” merit with the opening refrain: bought with two zuzim. One kid goat, one kid goat. Following this sublime, majestic path, we will proceed “Chad gadya, chad gadya” to interpret the rest of this enigmatic piyut. Seemingly, the According to the esteemed Rabbi of Platzk, zy”a, in Birkat sequence of events described are surprising. After all, the cat HaShir: refers to Yisrael, who that devoured the “gadya” clearly represents one of Yisrael’s are compared to a vulnerable kid goat living precariously enemies seeking to exterminate them. That being the case, among seventy wolves—namely the seventy nations of the who is the dog that bites the cat that ate the “gadya”? Clearly, world—who are eagerly waiting to pounce on her and devour they are a solitary nation on earth. the dog is an impure animal representing one of the forces—“גוי אחד בארץ” her. This idea is conveyed by the passuk (Shmuel II 7, 23): of tumah. In fact, we learn in the Zohar hakadosh, in the HKB”H, Raiya Mehemna (Nasso 124a), that Eisav’s guardian angel is “בתרי זוזי” their Father in Heaven, acquired them as His holy people for “na’aseh v’nishma.” In anticipation of referred to as a dog. So, if he is one of Yisrael’s archenemies, a mere two zuzim: —in the merit of their twofold why did the dog bite the cat? He, also, wants to see Yisrael pronouncement “chad gadya, exterminated. receiving the Torah, they made this historic pronouncement chad gadya” and in its merit, they were privileged to become Therefore, it appears that aside from the “lone kid goat”— —the lone, chosen nation in the world; for, as we alluding to Yisrael as a lone, solitary nation in this world— know, the other nations refused to accept the Torah. and HKB”H, Who appears at the conclusion of the piyut to slaughter the Malach HaMaves—all of the other nefarious “אבא” as Let us embellish this thought. Why is HKB”H portrayed cat, dog, stick, characters mentioned by the poet are evil forces seeking to —“בניך חטאו לי” ? We have learned in the Gemara (Shabbas 89b) that fire, water, ox, butcher Malach HaMaves. your children have sinned against me. harm and destroy Yisrael. They include the le’asid la’vo, HKB”H will say to Yitzchak Avinu: Clearly, the cat anddog the “רבונו של עולם בני ולא בניך, בשעה שהקדימו לפניך נעשה לנשמע To which Yitzchak will Master of the Universe, stick represents—קראת להם בני בכורי, עכשיו בני ולא בניך” respond: and the are impure animals representing are they my children and not Your children? When they evil forces who seek to harm Yisrael. The uttered “na’aseh” prior to “nishma,” You called them “My forces of “din” that combat Yisrael. As the Zohar hakadosh Bilam became enraged—“ויחר אף בלעם ויך את האתון במקל” firstborn son.” Now, they are my children and not Your (Balak 208b) explains apropos the passuk (Bamidbar 22, children?! You called them and he struck the donkey with a stick 27): “My firstborn son, Yisrael,” because You foresaw that they Rashi comments: (Shemos 4, 22) —Bilam intended “דאיהו דינא קשיא were destined to proclaim before You at Sinai “na’aseh to impose the forces of “din” upon Yisrael. Therefore, he תקיפא” .v’nishma”—to accept Your burden lovingly, like sons specifically struck the donkey with a stick: —representing harsh, unforgiving “din.” Chag HaPesach 5778 | 2 fire : “They will recount the righteous deeds He performed for His unwalled cities in Yisrael”? HKB”H performed The represents the enemies of Yisrael, the exacting 14) they a charitable act on behalf of Yisrael by dispersing them—“שלחו באש מקדשך” agents of “din,” who burned down our two Batei Mikdash. As have sent Your Mikdash up in flames. water represents among the nations. the passuk states (Tehillim 74, 7): the “treacherous waters,” The The reason the other nations cannot unit namely the forces of evil that to exterminate Yisrael, chas v’shalom, is because of Hashem’s “פיזור לרשעים engulf Yisrael and attempt to drown them. In the words of chesed. He creates enmity and division among our enemies, as dispersal for the wicked is beneficial—הנאה להן והנאה לעולם” then the treacherous—“אזי עבר על נפשנו המים הזידונים” David HaMelech, if not for Hashem’s protection (Tehillim we have learned in the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 71b): waters would have engulfed our soul.