Pesach:

A thought on the Hagada

In the paragraph "Bechol Dor vaDor," the Mishna tells us that we should see ourselves as if we came out of Egypt, as it says "Asa Hashem *Li* beTzeisi miMitzrayim." Then it goes on to say, "Lo Es Avosein Bilvad Ga'al... Ela Af Osanu Ga'al Imahem Shene'emar."

It seems to me to be repetitive. Aren't both these Pesukim telling us the identical thing - that we should look at it, as if we, ourselves came out of Mitzrayim?!

I think that Peshat is as follows.

The first Derash is telling us how to perform the Sippur Yetzias Mitzrayim. We should nor relate it as a history of what happened to our ancestors, rather we must tell it in first person, as the Torah says, "Asa Hashem LI." But, that is not all. The Hagada goes further and says that we must do it in that way, not just as a dramatic technique, but we should realize that this is, in fact, the truth.

"veOsanu Hotzi Misham Lases Lanu Es haAretz Asher Nishba laAvosenu." The ultimate purpose of Yetzias Mitzrayim was to come to Eretz Yisrael and build the Beis Hamikdash and remain here eternally. This would have happened if it were not for Chet haMeraglim. The death of the Yotzei Mitzrayim in the Midbar created a break in the process. This left a flaw, which meant that the occupation of Eretz Yisrael would not be eternal until the coming of the ultimate Geula with Mashiach.
And so we are still waiting for the end of the story and the completion of Yetzias Mitzrayim.

In a similar fashion we say in Yomtov Musaf, "Mipnei Chataeinu Galinu Meartzenu." Even though we were not the generation which was actually driven out of Eretz Yisrael, we still say in first person, Galinu, we are part of the Galus.

So too, since the process of Yetzias Mitzratim is not yet complete, we are part of it and must say veOsanu Hotzi miSham, as the Pasuk continues, "Lases Lanu es haAretz," since the giving of the land will be IY"H to us when Mashiach comes, so too we are obliged to say that we were taken out of Mitzrayim.

Truly, we are Yotzei Mitzrayim.

Perhaps this is why Chachamim said Kol Yemei Chayecha leHavi Liymos haMashiach. Of course we will still mention Yetzias Mitzrayim then, because that is when the process of Yetzias Mitzrayim will finally be completed.

The Gemorra in Rosh Hashona and in Succa discusses the Halachic implications of the Beis Hamikdash being built Erev Pesach, or on the First day of Pesach or Motzei Yom Tov Rishon. Be'ezras Hashem we will all be together yet, here in Yerushaalyim this year to Makriv Korban Pesach beMoado, veNochal Min haZevachim uMin haPesachim.

Chag Kasher veSameach
Rav Segal