2020/5780
One of the main passages of Magid is the discussion of the Arba Banim- the four sons. There is the smart son (Chacham), the wicked son (Rasha), the simple son (Tam), and the son who is unable to ask questions (SheEino Yodea LiShol). Simply understood, these each represent different types of people, “KeNeged Arba Banim”. But upon deeper investigation, we can see that the character traits that are used are not, in fact, mutually exclusive. It is not impossible for a smart person to be mean and brash. Nor is it impossible that one who keeps his mouth shut is also an astute intellectual. Rather, each category may be different finished products as a result of different outcomes or paths that a single person may take.
Thus, we can now better understand the passage of the Arba Banim by comparing it to a winding river. At the start, there is a long stretch of the river with almost no current. This is where the youngest son resides; we ask a question and answer for him, to continue his interest along the metaphorical river. Towards the middle of the river, there is a fork along the riverbed. One way will eventually lead to a waterfall and the other way will lead to calm waters. The simple son sees this fork and is unsure which way he should go. Therefore, the parents give him an easy question which can lightly push him in the right direction. This may not seem like a giant push, but a small nudge in the right direction will have him safe and secure in the long run. Finally, at the edge of the river the smart son, having chosen the right path, is safe in the calm part of the river while the wicked son is about to fall off the waterfall. There is still hope for this son but we must act quickly and with decisive and impactful actions.
Additionally, preceding the Arba Banim passage, we recite, “Baruch HaMakom, Baruch Hu. Baruch SheNatan Torah LeAmo Yisrael, Baruch Hu”. How come “Baruch'' is recited four times when only one time does it involve an action? Even more so, the recitation of the phrase “Baruch Hu” is entirely superfluous on both occasions! Why is it written this way? Perhaps we can answer that the two dilemmas are connected to each other and to the Arba Banim passage. Each time that we recite the word “Baruch” represents one of the four sons. If we look at the sons as a progression, then the Chacham would be represented by “Baruch HaMakom”; the most praiseworthy phrase in that passage corresponding to the most praiseworthy of the four sons. Additionally, the youngest son, the one who is unable to ask, is represented by Baruch SheNatan Torah. That was our first real moment as Klal Yisrael, the child is young, and just getting started on his path of Judaism.
This leaves the simple son and the wicked son who are both represented by recitations of Baruch Hu. Nevertheless, it is odd that the simple son and the wicked son are given the same language in the passage. However, this phenomenon may be explained using a famous quote by Sam Waterson: “If you aren't moving forward, you're falling back”. The simple son may not be actively participating in something bad, but by not doing something positive, he reveals his true aspirations in life: to remain where he is now.
For better or worse, we all have a lot of time on our hands nowadays. In Europe, laundry would take a full day to do. Getting firewood to cook with, would take several hours. Imagine going back in time and telling those hard-working Jews that in the future, one could do laundry and cook dinner with 5 minutes of work, and have the remaining time to do whatever a person wanted. Rav Ephraim Wachsman used to say, “Of course you would memorize Shas Kulah, and, of course, you would be an expert in Rambam and know the Ibn Ezra cold” he would say. In the beginning of Sefer Bereishit, when it talks about people living for almost a thousand years, people used to imagine what it would be like to live for that long, but now we have that time! Even more so, amidst this horrible virus, we have hours and hours, every day, to do with as we please!
Therefore, it is up to each person to do the right thing and make the right decisions. Do we want to end up on the bottom of that waterfall? Or maybe roll the dice, and do nothing good but nothing bad; be the “Tam” who merits the same fate as the Rasha. Instead, we must strive to be the Chacham who knows how to utilize his strengths to the best of his ability. It is up to each individual to choose the right path for themselves and be the best “son” of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. May we all have a safe and healthy Pesach, filled with Torah and happiness.