As we begin Sefer Shemos, it is appropriate to discuss the mitzvah of mentioning yetzias Mitzrayim. Every morning and evening, during Krias Shema, we mention yetzias Mitzrayim in the 3rd parsha. What is the source for this requirement?
The Hagaddah quotes the Mishna in Brochos (12b), which says that there is a machlokes if one is required to mention yetzias Mitzrayim at night, as we do in the morning. According to Rav Elazar Ben Azaryah and Ben Zoma, one must mention yetzias Mitzrayim at night, as we do in the morning. According to Chachamim, there is no such requirement.
The Source
Ben Zoma explains that the source for this requirement is from the words of the pasuk in Parshas Re’eh (16:3) לְמַעַן תִּזְכֹּר אֶת יוֹם צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ – “you shall remember the day that you left Egypt, all the days of your life.” Ben Zoma explains: יְמֵ י חַיֶּיךָ, הַיָּמִים. כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ, הַלֵּילוֹת. – “all the days of your life” comes to include the nights, as well. The Mishna continues with the opinion of Chachamim: וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ, הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ, לְהָבִיא לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ According to Chachamim, on the other hand, the pasuk teaches us that we will be required to continue to mention yetzias Mitzrayim even after Moshiach comes.
Thus, we have a machlokes if the word כֹּל teaches us that one is required to mention yetzias Mitzrayim at night, or that we will be required to continue to mention yetzias Mitzrayim even after Moshiach comes. The Vilna Gaon explains that this machlokes is dependent on the two ways to explain the word כֹּל. The word כֹּל can mean “the whole day,” or it can mean “all the days.” For example, a person can daven the whole day or daven every day. According to Ben Zoma, the word כֹּל means “the whole day” – to include even the night. According to Chachamim, it means “all the days” – even after Moshiach comes.
הַ מָּ שִׁ יח לִימוֹת לְ הָ בִ יא – to include the days of Moshiach
If we take a closer look at the Mishna, we will see a difference between the language used by Ben Zoma and that of Chachamim. Whereas Ben Zoma just says the word כֹּל means the nights, Chachamim add the expression “לְהָבִיא לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ – to include the days of Moshiach.” Why do they add the extra word לְ הָ בִ יא? Rav Akiva Eiger explains that the word לְ הָ בִ יא has the connotation of something that is being added on. The reason for this usage is because, as the Gemara tells us, when Moshiach comes, the mitzvah of mentioning yetzias Mitzrayim will still be performed, but it will no longer be at the forefront. The main focus will then be on the future miracles, but we will also make mention of the miracles of leaving Egypt. That is why the expression לְ הָ בִ יא is appropriate, because it will be something added on. According to Ben Zoma, on the other hand, the mitzvah at night is equal to the daytime mitzvah, and this expression לְ הָ בִ יא – something added on – does not fit.
The Times of Moshiach
The Brisker Rav offers another reason for the change in the expression. There is a big difference between the opinion of Chachamim, that we will be required to continue to mention yetzias Mitzrayim even after Moshiach comes, and that of Ben Zoma, that one is required to mention yetzias Mitzrayim at night. According to Chachamim, the same mitzvah will continue even after Moshiach comes. That is why the expression “לְ הָ בִ יא לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ” “to include the days of Moshiach” is used, which means that the times of Moshiach are also included in the requirement.
On the other hand, according to Ben Zoma, besides the daytime mitzvah of mentioning our exodus from the land of Egypt, there is an additional mitzvah to mention it at night, as well. This is a totally independent mitzvah, and, as we will see, each mitzvah has its own timeframe. The daytime mitzvah is only fulfilled during the day, and the nighttime mitzvah only at night. That is why the expression “לְ הָ בִ יא – to include” does not fit, since it is not included in the same mitzvah, but is rather an independent mitzvah.
SUMMARY
There is a machlokes tannaim if the mitzvah of mentioning yetzias Mitzrayim applies at night. We pasken that the mitzvah does apply at night, and we fulfill this mitzvah when reciting the 3rd paragraph of Shema.
by Rabbi Nachum Scheiner, Night Kollel & Morning Kollel
