The Four Questions: The Answers One should further examine the answers given to the four children found in the Torah. The answer to the wise child in the Haggadahis the not the one found in the Torah. The Torah states, “You shall say to your children, “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and Adonai freed us from Egypt with a mighty hand… then the Lord commanded us to observe all these laws.” (Deut. 6:21-24) The answer in the Haggadahis completely different from the one in the Torah. Also it is not clear why the answer in the Haggadahfocuses on the law: “One may not eat anything after the Passover offering.” The answer that the Torah gives to the wicked child is also difficult. The Torah states, "You shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord because He passed over the house of the Israelites in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but saved our houses.’” (Ex. 12:26) Instead the Haggadahfocuses on a different verse (the one which is given to the child who does not know how to ask), “It is because of this which the Lord did for me…” (Ex. 13:8) Further, what is the sin of the child who does not know how to ask? The answer given to the silent child begins, “It is because of this which the Lord did for me...” This implies that God did it for someone else but not for him. Furthermore, the wise child also says, “Which the Lord our God commanded You?” Why do we interpret the question of the wicked child, “for you” but not “for him,” but we do not interpret the question of the wise child, “who commanded you,” similarly? Finally, why do the answers to the wise and the wicked children contain the expression v’af atta, “and additionally you (shall say to him)?” The answers to the simple child and the one who does not know how to ask does not contain tis expression. This is the intent of the interpreter of the Haggadah: the Torah’s answer to the wise child, “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt…” is not essentially an answer to his question. This child wants to know about all the “testimonies, statutes, and ordinances.” He wants to fully understand the significance of all the commandments in the Torah. He already knows about the story of exile and redemption. The main part of the answer to this child is found afterwards, “then Adonaicommanded us to observe all these laws and to revere Adonai, our God.” Because he is a wise child, he knows that “All these laws” include the laws of Passover whether contained in the written Torah or in the Oral tradition. “Give instruction to the wise and he will grow wiser.” (Prov. 9:9) “We were slaves” is merely the beginning of the answer and the reason that God gave us all the laws of Passover.” The wise child knows the reasons for Passover, so we say to him, Af attah, “Additionally you are commanded not to eat after the Passover offering…” Since he wishes to add to his understanding all the laws of Passover, we do not hold back, teaching every last law of Passover, just as the verse in the Torah stated, “All these laws.” The Haggadahchose to mention the very last law among the laws of Passover, “One may not eat anything after the Passover offering.”¹contains the statement “One may not eat anything after the Passover offering.” This is not only the final statement in the Mishnahbut also the last law in the observance of Passover. This implies that one must teach this child everything regarding Passover from beginning to end. When the wise child says, “Which the Lord our God commanded you - etchem,” he is not excluding himself from the community of faith, like he wicked child who says, “to you,” *lachem.*Just the opposite. He includes himself in acting the of God’s sovereignty when he says, “The Lord our God.” When he uses the word etchem(commanded you) and not otanu(commanded us), he speaks wisely. For God gave the commandments to his ancestors who went forth from Egypt, and they received the commandments for themselves and their offspring for all time. Therefore he says, “commanded you.” The wise child is speaking to those who were adults when he was still a minor (and not yet commanded). When he reached the age of adulthood he asked his father to teach him what God had commanded him and his offspring after him to do. This is a fitting explanation – it is not necessary to offer overly complicated explanations. The wicked child, on the other hand, speaks with derision when he says, “What is this rite to you (lachem)?” In other words, “what is this important to you?” or “what do you gain from doing this?” By asking in this way he removes himself from this community of faith because he doesn’t want to bother himself with rituals; they are of little importance in his eyes. That is why when we answer the wicked child, we begin with the expression, *af atta.*¹implies that we must answer these two children in a way that goes beyond the literal answer that the Torah gives. Just as he continues to mock others who perform these rituals, hoping others will become sinners, af attah, so too should you add to the Torah’s answer by saying, “It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord,” and thereby set his teeth on edge by stating the verse that is used for the one who does not know how to ask. In this way you answer him measure for measure. Answer him in the same manner that he answer you. He said “You and not me;” you answer him by saying, “Me and not you.” This is the meaning of af atta, “In addition you should say…” In addition to what the Torah says you should also say… For the simple child and the one who does not know how to ask, one does not have to say af atta“in addition you should say,” because we do not add anything to the answer which the Torah gives. Just recite the verse that is found in the Torah. Why do we speak to the child who does not know how to ask in the same way we speak to the wicked child? He is not so different from the wicked child; he appears to reject his connection to the community of Israel. He has not yet become cynical nor is he trying to cause others to sin like the wicked one. The fact that he does not ask questions regarding the commandments, however, suggests that he doesn’t feel a sense of connection to the commandments. By answering him, “It is because of this which the Lord did for me,” we hope to increase his desire to accept the commandments and to recognize the great power in them since it was through them that we experienced redemption. If he listens, fine. And if he doesn’t than he is no better than the wicked child; if he had been in Egypt he would not have been redeemed. Now we have explained the matter of the four children.

footnotes: ¹ The very last Mishnah of chapter ten in Pesachim ¹ Just as he asks caustically give him a caustic answer. The expression af attah