In the middle of the Maggid section we arrive at the seemingly tangential story of Rabbi Eleazar ben Azaria and the discussion about the midrashic basis for the obligation to mention Yetzias Mitzrayim at night. There was a debate as to whether one is obligated to mention the exodus from Egypt only during the daytime, or during day and night. This obligation is fulfilled during Krias Shema, and if we rule that it is only during the daytime, there is no reason for the third perek of Shema in Krias Shema at night.
Ben Zoma gives a derasha based on Devarim 16:3:
“Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for in haste didst thou come forth out of the land of Egypt; that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.”
לֹא-תֹאכַל עָלָיו חָמֵץ, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תֹּאכַל-עָלָיו מַצּוֹת לֶחֶם עֹנִי: כִּי בְחִפָּזוֹן, יָצָאתָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם–לְמַעַן תִּזְכֹּר אֶת-יוֹם צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ.
The word Kol, or all, is seemingly superfluous, and informs us that yes, we must remember Yetziat Mitzrayim both during the day and at night.
20 years ago on a Heritage trip to Poland, the program leader shared an interpretation that resonates deeply, particularly now during the war in Israel.
The previous segment of the Haggadah describes a group of Rabbis sitting in Bnei Brak, being mesaper biYetziat Mitzrayim all that night. Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria was a member of this group and the Haggadah tells us he was like one who is 70 years old.
There is a “famous” interpretation about harei ani keven shivim shana—that Rabbi Eleazar ben Azaryah was only 17 at this time, and thus he is only like he is 70. (This relates to the incident with Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Yehoshua, with Rabbi Eleazar ben Azaryah’s beard turning white overnight.)
There is a deeper connection between these two segments of the Haggadah.
The night the rabbis were sitting in Bnei Brak was not any Seder night. On that night, Rabbi Akiva and the others were planning the Bar Kochba revolt against Rome.
Harei ani kven shiviim shana is reference to the 70 year galus after the destruction of the First Temple. This was a very challenging time in our history between the two Batei Mikdash. It was a 70 year period after the First Temple was destroyed, and before we came back to rebuild. The debate was actually about how to observe Pesach and the Seder night. The whole night is about redemption from Egypt and yet the Jewish people were for the first time back in galus!
And as such a person, with a destroyed Temple, he wasn’t zocheh to understand the point of mentioning Yetziat Mitzrayim at “night,” or during a time of exile. But the derasha tells us that even at such times, one should remember the prior redemption.
As we head into Pesach, amidst this war, we pray that it be over speedily, with all of our soldiers are returning home safely to their families, and to remember, not just God’s miraculous redemption of our people from Egypt, but His ever constant love and hashgacha over us today, especially during these times of galus.
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