05.d+The+Four+Personalities

=The Four Personalities= בָר􏰅ְך הַּמָקֹום. ּבָר􏰅ְך ה􏰅א. ּבָר􏰅ְך ׁשֶּנָתַן ּתֹוָרה לְעַּמֹו יִׂשְָראֵל. ּבָר􏰅ְך ה􏰅א ּכְנֶגֶד אְַרּבָעָה בָנִים ִדּּבְָרה תֹוָרה.ּ אֶחָד חָכָם, וְאֶחָד ָרׁשָע, וְאֶחָד ּתָם, וְאֶחָד ׁשֶאֵינֹו יֹוֵדעַ לִׁשְאֹול: חָכָם מַה ה􏰅א אֹומֵר? מָה הָעֵֹדת וְהַחִֻקּים וְהַּמִׁשְּפָטִים, אֲׁשֶר צ􏰅ִָה יְיָ אֱֹלהֵינ􏰅 אֶתְכֶם? וְאַף אַּתָה אֱמָר–לֹו כְהִלְכֹות הַּפֶסַח: אֵין מַפְטִיִרין אַחַר הַּפֶסַח אֲפִיקֹומָן:ּ רׁשָע מַה ה􏰅א אֹומֵר? מָה הָעֲבָֹדה הַּזֹאת לָכֶם? לָכֶם וֹלא לֹו. 􏰅לְפִי ׁשֶהֹוצִיא אֶת-עַצְמֹו מִן הַּכְלָל, ּכָפַרָ 􏰅ר זֶה, עָׂשָה יְיָ לִי, ּבְצֵאתִי מִּמִצְָריִם, לִי וְֹלא–לֹו. אִּל􏰅בָעִָקּר. וְאַף אַּתָה הְַקהֵה אֶת–ׁשִּנָיו, וֶאֱמָר-לֹו: ּבַעֲבּ הָיָה ׁשָם, ֹלא הָיָה נִגְאָל: תָם מַה ה􏰅א אֹומֵר? מַה ּזֹאת? וְאָמְַרּתָ אֵלָיו: ּבְחֹזֶק יָד הֹוצִיאָנ􏰅 יְיָ מִּמִצְַריִם מִּבֵית עֲבִָדים:ּ וְׁשֶאֵינֹו יֹוֵדעַ לִׁשְאֹול, אַּתְ ּפְתַח לֹו. ׁשֶּנֶאֱמַר: וְהִּגְַדּתָ לְבִנְָך, ּבַּיֹום הַה􏰅א לֵאמֹר: ּבַעֲב􏰅ר זֶה עָׂשָה יְיָ לִי, בְצֵאתִי מִּמִצְָריִם:ּ

//Four times the Torah bids us to tell our children of the Exodus from Egypt. Four times the Torah repeats: “And you shall tell your child on that day....” From this our tradition infers that there are four different kinds of people (and our Haggadah presents its third four). We see each of these around us, and, indeed, within us. To each we respond in a different manner, according to his or her question, situation and need.//

The active participant represents the best and wisest in us, understanding the urgency of commitment, love, and wonder and delving deeply into the experience. This person explores not only the words, symbols and foods, but uses the values of the Seder to shape daily life. Our hope for liberation depends on encouraging these qualities. When we actively seek justice, beauty and truth, we become free and can begin to move ahead. The one who passively observes the Seder and scoffs at the efforts of others displays the worst in us. For this person, the Seder has no meaning. This passivity would have kept us in Egypt, enslaved by apathy and indifference. The shy and those enclosed in their own private worlds of simple questions need us for support and encouragement. We can show how to ask learn and act. This simple ignorance threatens our peace, freedom and security. Those who are too young to ask will sit puzzled by our efforts here tonight. Our enthusiasm can show them the importance of what we do here at the Seder.

A fellow asked his buddy: //“Which is worse, ignorance or apathy.”// The buddy responded: //“I don’t know and I don’t care.”//

The Ballad of the Four Children 12
‡ to the tune of Clementine Said the parents to their children, “From your bondage you’ll cut loose, You will eat your fill of matzah, you will drink four cups of juice. Now these parents had four children, yes their kids they numbered four, One was wise and one was wicked, one was simple and a bore. And the fourth was sweet and winsome, was so young and also small, While the other asked the questions, this one could not speak at all. Said the wise one to the parents, “Would you please explain the laws... Of the customs of the Seder, will you please explain the cause?” And the parents proudly answered, “’Cause our forebears ate in speed, Ate the Pesach lamb ’ere midnight, and from slavery were freed. “So we follow their example, and ’ere midnight we must eat The afikoman (O so tasty!) which will be our final treat.” Then did sneer the child so wicked, “What does all this mean to you?” And the parents’ voice was bitter, as their grief and anger grew. “If yourself you don’t consider as a child of Yisrael, Then for you this has no meaning, you could be a slave as well.” Then the simple child said simply, “What is this?” And quietly, The good parents told their offspring. “We were freed from slavery.” But the youngest child was silent, and just could not ask at all, but with eyes all bright with wonder, listened to the details all. Now dear children heed this lesson, and remember evermore, What the parents told their children, told their kids that numbered four. Every Seder tells a story that belongs to you and me, You and I were slaves in Egypt. Now we’re blessed with liberty.