[Avodah] Vihgadto Levincho

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

In the thread "Vihgadto Levincho", R' SBA asked:
> Till what age (of the son)is this mitzvah? Eg, if the father
> is 70 and his son 50, is he still mechuyev to tell him about
> Yetzias Mitzrayim?

R' Micha Berger extended the question:
> Why is there no haqpadah to go to your father's home for
> Pesach? Isn't it the only way he can fulfil his chiyuv? What's
> the matir for saying it's only if they are already at the
> table rather than obligating us to go to his table?

Several times in years past, I've asked a related question: If everyone's chiyuv is satisfied by simply listening to the leader read the Hagada, then how do they get relieved of the chiyuv to tell it themselves? "Shomea k'oneh" would seem to NOT be the mechanism, because while in many mitzvos we find the acharonim reminding us of the importance of "kavana l'hotzi and kavana latzeis", I never saw such a thing in the context of Maggid.

What these questions have in common, is confusion over what it really is that we are obligated to do, and how we are obligated to do it. I would like to offer an answer to all of these questions, based on the Halichos Shlomo of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach.

I will now quote directly from the Halichos Shlomo, Hilchos Pesach 9:31.

--- Halichos Shlomo begins here ---

"If many are assembled (mesubim) together, there is no chiyuv on each one of them to tell the Sipur Yetzias Mitzraim to his children himself, but it is sufficient (dai b'kach) for one of the assembled to tell it to all of them."

Note 62 there says: "Because the ikar chiyuv on the father is that his children will hear the Sipur Yetzias Mitzraim on this night, and since they are hearing the story properly, it is enough. He doesn't even have to appoint the storyteller as his shaliach for this; rather he is yotzay automatically (m'mayla)."

Note 213 there says: "In RZSA's handwritten notes, he explains the pesukim "Tell your child on that day... and it will be a sign upon your arm..." to mean that the ikar form of the mitzvah is the telling to children, but really, the obligation falls on every person also in regards to himself, to review and study (lachzor ul'shanen) the Sipur Yetzias Mitzraim on this night with all its many details. End quote. (And occasionally, those at the table could tell that RSZA was quietly explaining to himself (mefaresh bayno l'vayn atzmo) the first words of the Hagadah in spoken Yiddish: Avadim - knecht, hayinu l'faro - zaynen mir geven tzu Paro, etc.)"

Note 214 there says: "And that's how they acted in RSZA's home when his descendants (tze'etza'av) were with him. RSZA alone would explain the story at length as needed (marchiv b'sipur k'fi hatzorech) as above... A questioner once asked about his own practice, which was to split up the reading of the hagada, so that each one would read a portion with the others listening, and even the children would read portions of the Hagada. RSZA answered that as long as the ikar portions were being read by the adult family members, there is no objection (ayn l'ar'er) against the practice."

--- Halichos Shlomo ends here ---

In note 214, I think the word "descendants (tze'etza'av)" is significant. It seems clear that (in RSZA's view) the father can sit quietly while his child hears the story from the grandfather. Or even from someone else entirely. The father is yotzay because he has made sure that the child does hear the story.

If so, then perhaps now I can suggest an answer to the questions of RSBA and RMB. Adult children are not required to go to the seder of the elderly parent, *provided* that the adult child will go to a seder somewhere, and hear the hagada there. If the elderly parent has given his children a strong enough chinuch that he is confident that his child will indeed attend a seder somewhere, then he has done his duty.

And if, for some reason, the elderly parent fears that the child might *not* attend a seder, chalilah, well, then, if they're not neviim, they're at least benei neviim: Isn't it the standard practice among all Jews everywhere to beg such a child to come home for Pesach?

Akiva Miller
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