Four Sons

Haggadah Section: -- Four Children

Blessed is the place. Blessed shall be the place and blessed shall be the time which has given us these clever and kind people, who open our eyes. There are four sons of the Torah. This is the business of four kinds of people, four classes- one wise, one wicked, one simple, one who does not know how to ask.

The wise one will say. What says the wise one? The wise one asks: What mean the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments which the Lord our G-d hath commanded you? What are the laws to discuss that G-d has given you? How can a G-d give such laws, that all of humankind shall trudge toward toil and barely have enough to keep their souls, and that a small part of them shall take all of what the rest have and waste and squander and live in a sea of pleasure?

This is what the villain says. The parasite says: What is your work?-what is your work, why should you not work? A person must work! Work makes life sweet! Work, work, children!

For you but not for him. But he commands us to work and besmirch ourselves. Only us. And only he sticks a finger in the cold water and lives from our labor! And when he rises above the community, he is an "atheist," he denies the fundamental truths that all people are born equal, and doesn't believe in human freedom; hence we have nothing to do with him. You should make him uncomfortable as well by quoting. You shall but show your teeth and say, "Remember, once upon a time we freed ourselves from the slave-houses, from Egypt, and we will surely free ourselves from our current yoke."

The simple one says. The simple unassuming person asks what is that: What comes between you? What are you arguing about? What are you shouting about? Why can't you talk over the matter amiably? And you shall say to him. You shall answer him By might of hand, that through our cry for help were we freed from Egypt and through our cry for help will we be freed again now.

As for he who knows not how to ask, you should prompt him. When someone doesn't know what to ask, you should tell him alone the entire story in brief, the entire story of our past and present servitude, and tell him thus:

(Leads into story of Exodus)

Source:  
A Bund Haggadah: Russian Social Democratic Worker's Party Pesakh Haggadah According to a New Mode (1900)

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