I have always had a covert attraction to the "Wicked Child" of the Seder. Maybe
it was the totally-out-of-place pictures smack at the beginning of the Passover
Haggadah. Here we were celebrating the Exodus from Egypt, and there's a picture
of some ruffian (always with a cigarette) teasing our imagination. It seemed so
out of place. It made a profound impact on my young mind. Perhaps that's why I
became a rabbi. After all, I didn't want to turn out like that wicked son. On
the other hand, part of me definitely did; after all, he was so cool looking.
After years of study and concealed longing, I found that I was not alone in my "Wicked" appreciation. The four children of the Haggadah are actually taken straight out of the Bible. There are four different dialogues (okay, one is really a monologue) in four different places of how to respond to our children. And here is the amazing thing, in the Passover Haggadah we start with the Wise Son. But if we take a look in the Torah, the very first son who is given attention is the Wicked Son!
And it shall come to pass when you come to the land which G‑d will give you, according to His promise, that you shall keep this service of observing Passover. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say to you, "What the heck are you guys doing?" —Exodus 12:25-26 (paraphrased)
This refers to the wicked son. —Rashi
The entire family is together doing one thing; in walks this child and rejects whatever it is that is going on. Sounds to me like the archetypical teenager. (If you are a teenager, I mean no offense. Since you are reading this article, you are atypical.)
After years of study and concealed longing, I found that I was not alone in my "Wicked" appreciation. The four children of the Haggadah are actually taken straight out of the Bible. There are four different dialogues (okay, one is really a monologue) in four different places of how to respond to our children. And here is the amazing thing, in the Passover Haggadah we start with the Wise Son. But if we take a look in the Torah, the very first son who is given attention is the Wicked Son!
And it shall come to pass when you come to the land which G‑d will give you, according to His promise, that you shall keep this service of observing Passover. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say to you, "What the heck are you guys doing?" —Exodus 12:25-26 (paraphrased)
This refers to the wicked son. —Rashi
The entire family is together doing one thing; in walks this child and rejects whatever it is that is going on. Sounds to me like the archetypical teenager. (If you are a teenager, I mean no offense. Since you are reading this article, you are atypical.)
Why does the Torah start with this child? Of all of
the possible types of responses that our children may have through the
generations, this is the first one? And even before we leave Egypt, G‑d is
telling us that in the future, your kids will give you lip. I guess it is full
disclosure.
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