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"When your children will ask you, 'What is this service that you are doing for yourselves?' And you shall answer, 'It is the Passover offering that God passed over all Jewish households when he smote Egypt'" (Exodus 12:26-27).

Rashi (1040-1105) notes that the child referenced here is the "wicked son" of the four sons mentioned in the Passover haggadah. The "wicked son" removed himself from God's service when asking, "What is this service for you?" By separating himself, the wicked son is saying that he does not want a part of this religion.

The Kli Yakar (1550-1619) asks why the Passover haggadah responds harshly to the wicked son. In the aforementioned passage, the Torah simply tells us to answer: "It is the Passover offering that God passed over all Jewish households when he smote Egypt." However, the haggadah tells us: "Blunt his teeth and say 'Because of this, God did wonders for us in Egypt'" (Exodus 13:8), for us and not for him. If he (the wicked son) would have been there, he would not have been redeemed."

The Kli Yakar explains that, in the haggadah, there is only one wicked son. In the Torah, there is a group of wicked children. As the verse says, "And it shall be when your children will ask you..." These children are a reference to a movement that refuses to maintain the traditions and commandments of the Torah. These movements choose to follow Judaism on their terms. Their questioning is for the purpose of mocking Torah ideals, turning us astray, and influencing more people to come to their side.

When there is one rebellious son, as in the haggadah, we respond by "blunting his teeth" and isolating him from everyone else. But when it's a large part of the population, the Torah's answer is not for the "wicked," they are not interested in any answers; it's an answer for us. The Torah is strengthening our resolve by explaining to us the reason for the Passover offering. "And you shall say it is a Passover offering that God passed over all Jewish households when he smote Egypt." The Torah is instructing us to stand firm in our beliefs because the lure of influence toward false progressive ideas is very powerful.

Rabbi Chaim Lobel is spiritual leader of Young Israel of Aberdeen.
www.yiaberdeen.com