Monday, August 13, 2012

L'Hamtik haDaf by RPML: Brachos 10

At the conclusion of the daf we find the famous exegesis of Ben Zoma quoted at the beginning of the Pesach Hagadah. The verse says: “That you may remember the day when you come out of Egypt, all the days of your life.” From the words, “the days of your life” we derive the requirement to mention the Exodus during the days. From the extra word “all” we derive the requirement to mention the Exodus by night. The Sages’s interpr “the days of your life” as an obligation to mention the Exodus in our own era, with the superfluous “all” including a requirement to mention it even in the Messianic era.

Related: Why was Rabbi Akiva's Seder different from all other Seders?


The Maharal uses this passage to explain the basis of Midrashic exegesis. “The words ‘all the days of your life” are completely superfluous and had they been omitted the meaning of this verse would not have been affected in any way. According to the Midrashic perspective such superfluous words are intended to broaden the meaning of the verse (making it more inclusive,) so that it applies not only to the issue at hand (in this case, commemorating the Exodus on Pesach night) but also to the most closely associated issue, the requirement to commemorate the Exodus every day.

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