The one who doesn’t know how to ask, you (aht) open it for him: Why does the Haggadah use the word Aht, ‘you,’ the feminine form of this word instead of ahtah, the masculine word for ‘you?’ The father is weakened like a woman by his failure to teach his son about the commandments when he was young and by his son’s lack of knowledge. The word Aht may be a reference to a woman’s obligation to teach her children the story of the Exodus. Even though she is not obligated to teach her children Torah, she is obligated to teach them about the Exodus, for we have said, “Whoever increases the telling of the story of the Exodus is praiseworthy.” Also, by teaching this child about the Exodus, he will not be incited by his older and wicked brother.

You shall tell it to your child: There are a number of issues here. The answer to the One who doesn’t know how to ask is different from the other children; the question isn’t directly addressed to him. Also, in the verse, “You shall tell your child on that day saying (leimor),” the word, leimor, is unnecessary. Further, why don’t we wait until this child is older and then teach him about the Exodus? The father is fearful lest the wicked child come to incite his younger brother and mislead him. Therefore the Torah instructs the parents to tell (Haggadah) the story of the Exodus to this child. Haggadahimplies not just to tell, but to draw the heart of the child closer to Torah through the story. “Leimor, saying…” this word implies that when you talk to this child SAY to him: “If you are incited to leave the ways of Torah like your wicked brother, I will have to say to you what I said to him: God did this for me and not for you! If the wicked child had been in Egypt, he would not have been worthy of being redeemed. ”¹⁰⁸. That is why we answer the child who doesn’t know how to ask with the same verse that we used for the wicked child. Another explanation of why this verse is quoted for the child who doesn’t know how to ask: The Mishnahsays after the Mah Nishtanah, “If the child does not know how to ask, let his father (mother?) teach him.” The answer to the fourth child, then, is a reference to this statement: “You open the matter for him (since he can’t do so for himself), as it says, ‘You shall teach your child…’” Another explanation: The Torah should have said Aht tagid lo,“You tell him,” echoing the language of the proof text. Why does the Haggadah use the word p’tach, literally “open?” The Talmud says you should hold the interest of the young children by giving them roasted nuts and other treats, literally – keep his interest by opening his mouth with treats and puzzles that will interest him.

footnotes: ¹⁰⁸ Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz, Sh’nei Luchot Hab’erit

The four children and the four promises of redemption: The four children correspond to the four languages of redemption in Exodus, Chapter 6. “I will bring you out,” corresponds to the wise child. This term is an allusion to the haste with which our ancestors left Egypt. They did not stay one more second than they had to. “I will bring you out,” then, is a reference to the liberation from the forty nine gates of impurity and how Israel was redeemed through the sparks of holiness. “I will save you” corresponds to the wicked child. The Haggadah says had he been in Egypt, he would not have been saved, and he would have been among those who died during the plague of darkness. “I will redeem you” corresponds to the simple child. Just as a slave is redeemed from his master, so in the answer to the simple child we say, “With a mighty hand he took us out of the house of bondage.” “I will take you” corresponds to the young child who cannot ask for himself. Like a young child, this one has to be taken by hand and taken to a safer place.