[Avodah] They and Them, or We and Us

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

I had been planning on beginning our Seder with something like the following, but now I'm having second thoughts, and I invite comments from the chevrah:

-begin-
I often hear people saying things like "The Bnai Yisrael left Mitzrayim", or "80% of them died during the Choshech." It drives me crazy when I hear such things. We should not say "Bnai Yisrael" and "them". We should be saying "we" and "us". For the rest of the year, I concede that this view might be a bit extremist, and that's why I stay quiet. But on this night, the whole point of which is to re-experience Yetzias Mitzrayim, as if we ourselves we were, I feel that it is very important to use these words. It will inevitably help us to get into that mindset, of "chayav adam liros es atzmo k'eelu hu yatza mimitzrayim", and I will gently correct anyone at the table who forgets this.
-end-

But upon reviewing the Hagada, I find that even on this night, even the Hagada itself does not go to the extreme that I've suggested. Just one example would be in the remark "shehayu Yisrael m'tzuyanim sham - Israel was distinctive there." It would have been so very simple for the Baal Hagada to write "shehayinu m'tzuyanim sham - *we* were distinctive there." But he did not.

So here's my question: Am I going overboard; should I drop this extremist idea? Or, if you think this is a good idea, how should I respond if anyone at my table points out that the Hagada itself doesn't go as far as I'm suggesting?

Thanks!
Akiva Miller

____________________________________________________________
Click to compare life insurance rates.  Great rates, quick and easy.
http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2131/fc/BLSrjnsHFB9HFGlx6nvySIQBF0szqePgDcpKinkjodOPCwYXQRtSJc2vBmg/