The Meaning of Telling the Exodus

בנוסח ההגדה ואלו לא הוציא הרי אנו ובנינו כו'.

In the text of the Haggadah: “Had He not taken us out, then we, our children…”

The Sefat Emet explains that this opening teaches the essential premise: our present condition is rooted in the primal redemption from Egypt.

ואפילו כולנו חכמים כו'.

“And even if we were all wise…”

This emphasizes that no level of wisdom exempts one from recounting the Exodus.

אח"כ הביא דרשה דבן זומא וחכמים שהוא הוכחה על ב' ענינים הנ"ל.

Afterward the Haggadah brings the dispute of Ben Zoma and the Sages, which serves as proof for the two matters mentioned above.

These two matters are: the ongoing obligation to recount the Exodus, and that the redemption remains relevant even in times of exile.

להביא הלילות הוא כשאנחנו בגלות אין למנוע עי"ז מלשמוח בסיפור יצ"מ.

To include the nights means that even while we are in exile we must not refrain from rejoicing in the story of the Exodus.

The Sefat Emet teaches that night symbolizes exile, yet even then we celebrate the redemption.

מטעם שמה לנו בהגאולה כיון שהגלנו מארצנו.

One might have argued: what value is redemption to us if we were later exiled from our land?

He rejects this thought by grounding our identity in the everlasting effect of the original redemption.

כי אדרבא לולי זה שהוציאנו ממצרים הי' משועבדים בלי תקוה.

On the contrary: had He not taken us out of Egypt, we would have remained enslaved without hope.

The Exodus established a permanent capacity for freedom, even when externally oppressed.

וז"ש הרי אנו שבעינינו אנו רואין השיעבוד וע"י גאולת מצרים יש לנו החירות.

Thus it says: “Behold, we ourselves see the bondage — yet through the Exodus we possess freedom.”

Our inner freedom is traced directly to the Divine act of redemption, independent of political circumstances.

שיכולין לעבוד ה' הגם שאנו בגלות.

For we are able to serve God even while in exile.

The essential freedom is spiritual—our ability to maintain divine service anywhere.

וכמו כן לימות המשיח שאז יהי' בחי' כולנו חכמים כו'.

Similarly, in the days of the Messiah, when the state of “we are all wise” will be realized…

Even then, heightened wisdom will not diminish the obligation to recount the Exodus.

אעפ"כ אין למנוע מסיפור יצ"מ.

Nevertheless, we must not refrain from telling the story of the Exodus.

Its significance transcends time and spiritual level.

כי ע"י יציאת מצרים יהי' אז התיקון ביתר שאת.

For through the Exodus, the future rectification will be even greater.

The original redemption is the root from which the ultimate redemption will blossom.

כמ"ש המרבה לספר ביצ"מ הרי זה משובח ודו"ק.

As it is said: “Whoever increases the telling of the Exodus is praiseworthy.”

The more one expands the story, the more one draws forth its ongoing redemptive power. Examine this well.

Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that recounting the Exodus is essential in all states—exile, wisdom, and even the messianic era—because the primal redemption continues to grant inner freedom and is the root of all future redemption.