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How to Tell a Story

A. Who says we need to tell a story?
Exodus 12, 8: And you shall tell your child on that day saying; because
of this (Matza)  the L-rd has done for me as I went out of Egypt

B. How do we tell it?
1. Whoever elaborates more on the story of the Exodus, the better
(Haggadah)

2. He begins with the derogatory and ends with the complementary.
(Mishnah)

C. Where do we begin and where do we end? What is the theme?

1. From "The Aramean attempted to destroy my father" until he finishes
the whole story. (Mishnah)
a. We go until "The L-rd took us out of Egypt with many plagues.."
b. The original story goes until the entry to Israel.

2. Rav in the Talmud: Avadim Hayinu
a. We go until we say "and Hashem took us out."
b. The text in the Torah goes until the present, in Israel.

3. Samuel in the Talmud: We at first were idolaters and now we worship
G-d.

4. You will work for Egypt as slaves 400 years and later go out with
great wealth. (G-d to Abraham.)


5. Rabban Gamliel says we must tell the story through the matza and
maror and the Paschal sacrifice.

6. Some say (in the Jerusalem Talmud) that the four cups correspond to
a. the four kingdoms
b. the four "cups" mentioned re. Joseph and the butler.

D. What are each of the above stories about?
(Beginning-   End    Theme)

1. The Aramean attempted to destroy my father-
The L-rd took us out of Egypt with many plagues. Freedom from oppression

2. The Aramean attempted to destroy my father-
the entry to Israel.       Survival
3. Avadim Hayinu, we were slaves-
Hashem took us out Freedom from slavery
4. Avadim Hayinu, we were slaves-Israel.   Independence
5. We at first were idolators - now we worship G-d. Religious revival
6. You will work for Egypt as slaves 400 years -
 later go out with great wealth    Success
7. Maror-(charoset) - Paschal sacrifice- matza  Transformation
8. Egypt, Babylonia, Greece, Rome    Ultimate redemption
9.  Joseph and the butler- Joseph's bones were  with them at the sea  Resurrection

Timeline:

---|--------------|------------------|-------------|--------------|--------------|-------|

Terach       Laban      Joseph    slavery    Exodus  Sea  Sinai


-----|-------------|--------------------|

Israel  today  redemption