Advanced Search

Four in the Haggadah


Question:

I am responsible for answering questions at the Passover Seder, but one that was asked of me I can't answer. Why is there so much significance to the number four in the Haggada: For example: Four questions, four sons, four glasses of wine.



AskTheRabbi.org answered:

The "four" concept relates to the four promises God made to Moses in the verse: "I will take you out of the forced labor in Egypt, and free you from their slavery; I will liberate you ... and I will take you to be My own nation." (Exodus 6:6-8). Each of the four phrases in this verse describes a unique stage of redemption.

Four represents exile, being scattered to the "four corners of the earth." Correspondingly there are four levels of redemption from exile.

Four also represents growth, spreading out in all four directions. Passover is the time of the birth of the Jewish nation, who are to fulfill God's blessing to Yaakov to "spread out to the west, east, north and south." (Genesis 28:14) Pesach is also in the spring, a time when God's blessings are seen to increase in the world.


Similar Questions
Pesach
Chametz After Pesach
Elijah at the Seder
Tefillin on Chol Hamoed
Pesach Matza vs. Regular Matza
Pesach Menu - Then and Now
Delivering Pizza
Why Isn't Moshe's Mentioned in the Haggadah?
Memorizing the Ten Plagues
Kosher Dog Food
Yizkor on Joyous Holidays
Reclining at the Passover Meal
600,000 Jewish Souls
The Passover Haggadah
Selling Chametz
An Insight into the Meaning of Dayenu
When Erev Pesach Occurs on Shabbat
Nuts and Corn on Passover
Cleaning Can Opener
Is Brewer's Yeast Chametz?
Storing Pesach and Chametz Utensils
Starting the Pesach Seder Early
Helping the Needy Celebrate Passover
Substitute for Shank Bone
Refilling Wine Cups After Mentioning the Ten Plagues
Which Sea Did the Israelites Cross?
Meaning of the "Four Cups"
Middle Matzah for Afikomen
Passover: Four for Freedom
Passover With My Friend and Fido
Disposal of Extra Haggadahs
Grape Juice for Four Cups
Egg-Matza
Advice for Pesach Cleaning
Exile in Egypt
Festivals on Shabbat
Exodus - Reality vs. Holywood
Passover Inspiration
Order of the Seder
Refund for Shabbat and Yom Tov Expenses
Molasses on Passover
Counting Jewishly
Two Day Festivals in the Diaspora
Women and Pesach
Passover
Number of Jews in Exodus
Should the Hagadah be Recited in Hebrew?
Special Clothing at the Seder
Shabbat HaGadol
I Came Out of Egypt
Matza
Plagues
Numbers & Their Significance
Ten
Torah Numbers
The Significance of 666 in Kabalah
What is a Minyan?
Number Six
Significance of 60
Significance of Forty
Forty Years Old
Pesach Feature Questions
I Came Out of Egypt
Passover: Four for Freedom
Order of the Seder
Selling Chametz
Helping the Needy Celebrate Passover
Passover
Matza
Meaning of the "Four Cups"
Two Day Festivals in the Diaspora
The Passover Haggadah
Have a question?
Gateways - Your Key to Jewish Continuity

AskTheRabbi.org is a service of the Gateways Organization © 2013
Technical problems? Please contact the AskTheRabbi Support team