Blessed is the Omnipresent—blessed is He! Blessed is the One who gave the Torah to His people Yisrael—blessed is He! The Torah speaks of four types of sons—one who is wise, one who is wicked, one who is simple, and one who does not know how to ask.
We find a wonderful chiddush on the Haggadah in the Orchos Chaim—authored by Rabeinu Aharon hakohen of Lunil, ztz”l—and in the Kol Bo. This chiddush should provide enormous moral support to all parents, who unfortunately have to deal with children that do not abide by the ways of the Torah—may Hashem help us! In this passage, the author of the Haggadah mentions the term "ברוך" four times; he intended to teach us that one should express his gratitude to HKB”H for all four types of children, even the one who appears to be a “rasha.” Let us paraphrase their vital, sacred message:
The four sons the Torah speaks of represent four types of behavior that are prevalent in human nature. With regard to each one, it says “baruch,” indicating that it is appropriate to bless and praise for the good and the opposite. As David said (Tehillim 34, 2): “I shall bless Hashem at all times.”
The statement: “It is appropriate to bless and praise for the good and the opposite”—clearly refers to what we are taught in the Mishnah (Berachos 54a): "חייב אדם לברך על הרעה כשם שמברך על הטובה"—a person is obligated to bless Hashem for the bad just as he blesses Hashem for the good. The Gemara elaborates (ibid. 60b): "אמר רבא לא נצרכה אלא לקבולינהו בשמחה"—Rava said: This statement is necessary only to teach us to accept (everything, even misfortunes) with “simchah.” Rashi comments: He should recite the berachah on his punishment (suffering) with a sincere heart. Accordingly, the Orchos Chaim and the Kol Bo are teaching us that this applies even to someone who, chas v’shalom, has a wayward child. Now, if Rava is teaching us to accept a child who is a “rasha” with “simchah,” this applies all the more so if the child falls into the category of “tam” or “she’eino yodeiah lishol.”
But where does the author of the Haggadah deduce this incredible chiddush from? We can suggest that it is from the question of the wicked son recorded in the Torah (Shemos 12, 26): "והיה כי יאמרו אליכם בניכם מה העבודה הזאת לכם, ואמרתם זבח פסח הוא לה' אשר פסח על בתי בני ישראל במצרים בנגפו את מצרים ואת בתינו הציל, ויקוד העם וישתחוו". And it shall be that when your children will say to you, “What is this service to you?” You shall say, “It is a Pesach offering to Hashem, Who skipped over the houses of Bnei Yisrael in Egypt, while He smote the Egyptians, but He spared our households,” and the people bowed and prostrated themselves. Rashi comments: The people bowed on account of the tidings of the redemption, and the coming into the land, and the tidings of the sons which they would have.
Thus, it states explicitly that they expressed their gratitude to Hashem for all their children, even the “rasha.” Clearly, this must be because of their firm emunah that they would succeed in influencing them to mend their ways by performing sincere teshuvah—just as Hashem influenced all of Yisrael to perform teshuvah after sinking to the forty-ninth level of tumah in Mitzrayim, elevating them from the depths of tumah to the heights of kedushah. Thus, it should be evident that if parents accept upon themselves this daunting task given them by HKB”H—to embrace this child and influence him to perform teshuvah—HKB”H will assist them and assure their success. This was true of “Nachum Ish Gam Zu.” The Gemara (Ta’anis 21a) recounts how he would utter "גם זו לטובה"—this, too, is for the good—with regards to every mishap. As a result, miracles were performed on his behalf; and, indeed, everything turned out to be for his benefit.
Four selected Mamrim from the New Hagadah Shel Pesach "Shvilei Pinchas" in Hebrew
Eliyahu HaNavi Who Is Destined to Reconcile the Hearts of Fathers with Their Children Instituted the Practice to Recite 'ברוך' Four Times Even for the Wicked Son
It gives me great pleasure to add an important point regarding the reason the author of the Haggadah mentioned the term "ברוך" four times in relation to the four sons. In the introduction to the Pesach Haggadah Tzemach Menachem, the esteemed Rabbi Aharon Menachem Mendel of Radzymin, ztz”l, presents a tremendous chiddush. It was transmitted by word of mouth from generation to generation in the name of Rabbi Bunem of Peshischa, zy”a, that Eliyahu HaNavi Zachur LaTov compiled and arranged the Pesach Haggadah based on the fact that throughout the Tanna D’Vei Eliyahu he employs the phrase "ברוך המקום ברוך הוא" more than thirty times.
He explains magnificently that the reason Eliyahu HaNavi compiled the Haggadah is because the geulah from Mitzrayim was a preparation and antecedent of the future geulah. As the Gemara teaches (R.H. 11b): "בניסן נגאלו, בניסן עתידין ליגאל, מנלן, אמר קרא ליל שימורים [הוא לה'], ליל המשומר ובא מששת ימי בראשית". In Nissan, they were redeemed; in Nissan, they are destined to be redeemed. From where do we know this? The Torah says (Shemos 12, 42): “It is a night of anticipation,” a night that has been anticipated since the six days of creation and onward.
Along these lines, it is written (Michah 7, 15): "כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות"—as in the days you left the land of Mitzrayim, I will show it wonders.
Elsewhere, we find an explicit, illuminating passuk (Malachi 3, 23): "הנה אנכי שולח לכם את אליהו הנביא לפני בוא יום ה' הגדול והנורא, והשיב לב אבות על בנים ולב בנים על אבותם"—behold, I send you Eliyahu HaNavi before the coming of the great and awesome day of Hashem. And he will turn back the hearts of fathers with their sons and the hearts of sons with their fathers. Therefore, Eliyahu HaNavi himself compiled the Pesach Haggadah recounting the incredible miracles associated with “yetzias Mitzrayim” to trigger the future geulah that he himself will come to herald.
With this in mind, the Tzemach Menachem explains the rationale for the accepted Jewish minhag presented in the Chok Yaakov to pour a fifth cup along with the fourth cup in honor of Eliyahu HaNavi. It is also customary to open the door in his honor and welcome him into our homes to show Eliyahu that we have fulfilled all of our obligations with great joy—everything that he outlined for us in the Haggadah. Thus, it is now time for Eliyahu HaNavi, z”l, to fulfill the task assigned to him—to come and inform us of the arrival of the complete geulah—swiftly, in our times; and that we should be privileged to be in Yerushalayim next year with our righteous Mashiach!
אליהו בארבע: Eliyahu HaNavi Is Destined to Heal and Rectify All of the Four Sons
It appears that this is why Eliyahu HaNavi instituted that we recite on the night of the Seder the formula: "ברוך המקום, ברוך הוא, ברוך שנתן תורה לעמו ישראל, ברוך הוא"—mentioning the term "ברוך" four times. Thus, we express our gratitude to HKB”H for all four sons, even the “rasha.” After all, HKB”H promised us: “Behold, I send you Eliyahu HaNavi before the coming of the great and awesome day of Hashem. And he will turn back the hearts of fathers with their sons and the hearts of sons with their fathers.” In other words, Eliyahu will influence even the children who have strayed to return by performing teshuvah. Therefore, it was fitting for him to teach us to recite the word "ברוך" four times for each of the four sons.
This explains fantastically the pronouncement in the Gemara (Berachos 4a): "אליהו בארבע"—Eliyahu in four. Now, the gematria of אליה"ו equals ב"ן (son), consistent with the fact that Eliyahu returns every son to his Father in Heaven. Therefore, the pronouncement "אליהו בארבע" indicates that Eliyahu, whose name has the same gematria as the word for son— ב"ן—is “in four”—or fourfold—meaning that he will return all four categories of sons to the path of righteousness.
The Megaleh Amukos (Chayei Sarah) points out that four times 52 (אליה"ו) equals the gematria of 208 (פינח"ס); and we know that Pinchas is Eliyahu. This alludes to the fact that Pinchas zealously rescued all four categories of sons from sinning, when they were tempted to emulate the licentious behavior of Zimri ben Salu, one of the princes of Yisrael. Similarly, le’asid la’vo, as Eliyahu, he will once again save and rectify all four sons, as it states: “והשיב לב אבות על הבנים ולב בנים על אבותם”. At that time, even the “chacham” will be privileged to learn Torah from him. For, as we know, this is alluded to by the term תיק"ו, which is an acronym for ת'שבי י'תרץ ק'ושיות ו'איבעיות—Tishbi (Eliyahu/Pinchas) will answer and resolve all outstanding difficulties and questions.
