Who Knows Four? The Haggadah in Four Parts

I was recently sitting down with a Religious School student to do some pre-Passover learning. I posed the question: “Can you tell me the whole Exodus story in four sentences?” He replied, perfectly, with a question: “Why four? Why not six?” Exactly. Now we begin.

Many of us are aware of the number four’s central place in the Passover Seder–Four cups of wine/grape juice, four questions, four children, etc. In fact, the entire holiday season is beholden to this number. For instance, there are four names for Passover (Hag Ha-Matzot, Ha-Aviv, Ha-Pesach, and Z’man Heiruteinu). The are four special Shabbatot leading up to Passover, and the Torah recounts four days of protection, found in Exodus 12:1-8.

A few years ago I decided to treat the Haggadah like a Where’s Waldo exercise and search out how often the number four presents itself. It turns out that a close read of the Haggadah reveals several more than the famous examples above.  It also turns out that slowing down and purposefully traveling through the Haggadah with a particular literary device unlocks the entirety of it.

So I’m going to give readers a quick glimpse to some of what I found. I cannot speak to the historically-layered authors’ original constructive intent, or mnemonic advantages–I’ll leave that to the dedicated Haggadah scholars.  But I do think this literary prompt helps all of us more fully grasp the brilliant structure of the religious tool used by more Jews than any other. I’ve put all the “fours” in bold.

The Seder begins with four parts leading up to Maggid:

1) Kadesh (Kiddush #1)

2) Urchatz (Washing)  

3) Karpas (Veggies)

4) Yachatz (Breaking Matzah, in which there are 4 pieces after the breaking for those who use 3 to begin with) 

Maggid (Telling the Story)

a) Ha Lachma Anya — Bread of Oppression (4 lines)  

b) 4 Questions — Ya… 4 (But also 3 in some versions, so the codified 4 seems intentional.)

c) Avadim Hayyinu — We were slaves (Kulanu 4 times. No matter how a) wise, b) understanding, c) old or d) how much Torah we know, all are obligated to tell story.)

d) Story of 5 rabbis in B’nei Brak (4 are visiting Rabbi Akiva in B’nai Brak — See Sanhedrin 32b)

e) Barukh HaMakom — Blessed Is God (4 times: a) barukh hamakom, b) barukh hu, c) Barukh she-natan Torah, d) Barukh Hu)

f) Four Children (Maggid #1)

g) Yachol M’Rosh Hodesh? Talmud Lomar… (Timing of Story telling)

h) Mitchila Ovdai Avodah Zarah (We were idol worshippers)

i) Ve-Hi She-Amda (God’s promise to protect us from destroyers in every generation)

k) 10 plagues (Ends with Rabbi Eliezer: Each plague was composed of 4 elements—wrath, indignation, trouble, deadly messengers–see Ps. 78:49-50–Rabbi Akiva thinks 5, but come on!)

n) Hayyav Adam Lir’ot — See ourselves as if we are coming out of Egypt, therefore… (4 actions – Freed us, bring us, give us, promised us/ancestors)

o) First 1/2 of Hallel (Songs of praise) 

p) Kiddush #2 (4 mentions of hebrew  “redemption/ga’al” in this long-version kiddush)

q) Shulhan Orekh (Meal)

r) Tzafun (Afikomen)

s) Barekh –Blessing after Meal

t) Kiddush #3 

u) Shefokh Hamatkha — pouring out our wrath (4 lines, kind of a book-end to Ha Lachma) 

v) Hallel + Wine #4 (2nd half of Hallel is remaining 4 Psalms. Inserted between 3rd & 4th Psalm is 1--Nishmat, 2–Ha’eil B’Ta’atzumot, 3--U’vmakalot, & 4--Yishtabakh Shimkha ) 

w) Nirtzah (Conclusion/Songs – Who Knows Four?) 

There you have it. Intentional? Maybe so, maybe not. Significant? To me it is. Each of the four versions of Maggid provide potential ways for exposing any kind of learner to the story. And, in classical rabbinic fashion, knowing the numerical hook helps me find my place in the Seder, writ large.

So this year, maybe ask participants if they can tell the story in four lines, or with four pieces of art, or four songs, or you name it. There’s redemption in capturing the heart of a religious moment in new ways.

Hag Sameah ve-Kasher!