Page 15 - HaMizrachi #8 Pesach

Parenting

Rabbi Elisha Aviner

THE HAGGADAH:

EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS

abbi Eliyahu Dessler (in his did not say these three things on Pesach So what is our task at the Seder?
book Strive for Truth) gathered did not fulfill his obligation.” After
R a number of educational the lengthy discussion of things, it is Our efforts must be directed toward the
insights that emerge from the Passover important to emphasize the main points. “heart,” the experiential dimension, the
Haggadah: deep-hearted feeling. This is the work
8. Explanation and connection between of internalization. Specifically, by using
The Pesach Haggadah was compiled by the idea and the act: “Pesach [offering]… simple words in a simple style, without
the greatest sages of the Torah so that we why?” “Matzah...why?” over-sophistication, we can penetrate
ָ
could fulfill the mitzvah of ך ְנ ִ ב ְ ל ָּ ת ְ ד ַּג ִ ה ְ ו the heart, the hearts of each and every
“You shall tell your son.” It is therefore To implement these educational person, child or adult, sitting around the
possible to learn from it the ways of instructions, sensitivity and patience table, however smart they are.
teaching and educating children. are required for young children’s Seder
questions. There are moving stories Rav Dessler’s words, “the heart is the
For example: about great sages who were asked a simple person and has some childishness
simple question by a child at the Seder. about it” are fascinating.
1. Teaching through questions and These wise men did not give a quick,
answers. short answer, but took the questions One’s level of knowledge is not a
seriously, sat down, opened books and guarantee of a wise and mature heart.
2. The need for the children to ask Higher IQ does not guarantee high
questions ת ֹוק ֹוני ִּ ת ַ ה ּול ֲ א ְ ׁשִּי ֶ ׁש י ֵ ד ְּ כ – “so that answered calmly. emotional intelligence. There are those
the babies will ask.” Chazal told us that if there were no who deepen their faith and acquire
young children at the Seder, the adults great knowledge, but have no refined
3. Teaching through illustration – “this
matzah,” “this maror.” should ask themselves, using the text emotional feeling and lack a sense of
of the Haggadah. How could Chazal simple gratitude toward G-d. Touching
4. Depictions of life – “He will always establish the same text for children, simple, almost childish points may open
see ... as if he had left Egypt,” “If we adults and even scholars? Why should the gates of the heart and connect the
had not taken out ... we and our sons ... a scholar ask himself and give himself a entire person (and not only the mind)
would have been enslaved to Pharaoh in ‘childish’ answer? to the faith in G-d emanating from the
Egypt.” Exodus.
Rav Dessler answered: The mitzvah
5. Dayenu – to detail in small sections so of the night is to recall the truth of the This explains why some of the great
that the son can concentrate and look Exodus from Egypt to the heart. If the Jewish scholars were not involved
at each detail in its own right, because mind is the scholar, the heart is the with deep sophistication and great
a large matter consisting of several parts simple person and has some childishness innovations during the reading of the
is difficult to comprehend properly all at about it. The internalization of truth to Haggadah on the Seder night, but simply
once. the heart requires the same language read the Haggadah and incorporated
and style as the language and style with explanations in plain and clear language
6. ה ָּ מ ַ כ ְ ו ה ָּ מ ַּ כ ת ַ ח ַ א ל ַ ע – “all the more so” which we explain to a child. understood by all members of the
– to do more than all the parts together household. Only during the meal did
to affect the heart. In addition to these The work of Pesach night is not merely they go into more depth.
six educational elements emerging from intellectual. It is reasonable to assume
the Haggadah format, as enumerated by that one who reads the Haggadah every
Rabbi Dessler, we can add two more: year and studies the interpretations
and commentaries will not discover Rabbi Elisha Aviner teaches in yeshivot
7. Summarizing and emphasizing the intellectual innovations when he hesder and founded an organization to
main point: םי ִ ר ָ ב ְ ּ ד ה ָ ׁש ֹול ְ ׁש ר ַ מ ָ א אֹ ּ ל ֶ ׁש לֹ ּ כ rereads it (unless he is reading new help parents with adolescent education
ֹות ָ ב ֹוח י ֵ דְי א ָ צ ָי אלֹ ח ַ ס ֶ פ ְּ ב ּו ּ ל ֵ א – whoever interpretations of the Haggadah). aviner@neto.net.il

15