Telling and experiencing the story of the Exodus

“L’ma’an tizkor et yom tzetcha me’eretz Mitzrayim kol y’mei chayecha” – “In order that you should remember the day that you left Egypt all the days of your life.”

Looking at the abovementioned verse, the Haggadah tells us that if it only included “the days [of your life]”, we would know that we must remember the Exodus each day. But since it says “all the days”, then as per the rules of talmudic exegesis that seek a reason for each additional word, this verse teaches that we must remember the Exodus each night as well.

To which the sages added that while the word “days” on its own would place an obligation upon us in this era of exile, the addition of the word “all” teaches that even in the messianic era, when we will have a new redemption to recall, we will still be required to remember the Exodus from Egypt.
From the first part of the aforementioned element of the Haggadah, we see that there is a daily requirement to remember the Exodus. We fulfil this in many ways – especially through the twice-daily recitation of the Shema, which concludes with the statement, “I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt.”

In fact, this mitzvah of remembering the Exodus each day is actually one of six matters to be constantly recalled – the others include Shabbat, the revelation at Sinai, the need to wipe out Amalek, and also the punishment of Miriam for evil speech and the fact that Israel ungratefully angered God by misdeeds, even as they were wandering in the desert just after leaving Egypt.

This all raises the question: why is this night different from all other nights when we are also required to remember the Exodus?
The answer lies in the very name of the Haggadah that we utilise on seder night to provide a framework for the purpose of remembering the Exodus saga. On all other nights, we are only enjoined to remember. On this night, we are enjoined “v’higadta” – “to tell” – which, by implication, involves others.