In the section of Maggid, it says: "ויתנו עלינו עבודה קשה כמה שנאמר ויעבידו מצרים את בני ישראל בפרך"—and they burdened us with hard labor, as Scripture relates (ibid. 1, 13): “The Egyptians enslaved Bnei Yisrael with crushing (backbreaking) labor.” Expounding on this passuk, the Gemara presents two interpretations (Sotah 11b): "רבי אלעזר אמר בפה רך, רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר בפריכה"—Rabbi Elazar said this means with a soft mouth (“peh rach,” indicating that they were initially spoken to gently and persuasively); Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmeini said this means (literally) with crushing labor. Rashi comments: “With a soft (gentle) mouth” means that they initially enticed them with kind words and good pay until they got them accustomed to labor. So, in reality, both interpretations were true. Initially, the Egyptians enticed them with kind words and financial reward, but, in the end, they forced them to perform backbreaking labor as slaves.
With this understanding, we can explain a statement in the Mishnah (Pesachim 116b) presented in the Haggadah: "בכל דור ודור חייב אדם לראות את עצמו כאילו הוא יצא ממצרים"—in each and every generation, one is obligated to view himself as though he has departed from Mitzrayim. As explained, in Mitzrayim, they lured Yisrael into their trap initially by speaking to them kindly and persuasively. In similar fashion, in every generation, the yetzer hara initiates its trap slowly with gentle persuasions— "בפה רך"—so that a Jew will become a bit lax in his service of Hashem. Ultimately, the Jew becomes so lax that he actually sins. Then, it punishes the Jew with afflictions—"בפרך"—G-d, help us. This is the meaning of the statement (B.B. 16a): "הוא שטן, הוא יצר הרע, הוא מלאך המות"—he is the Satan; he is the yetzer hara; he is the Malach-Hamaves—they are one and the same.
The Gemara explains its multiple personalities as follows (ibid.): "במתניתא תנא, יורד ומתעה, ועולה ומרגיז, נוטל רשות ונוטל נשמה"—a Tanna taught in a Baraisa: It descends and lures people into sin; it ascends and incites (G-d’s wrath against the sinner); it takes permission (to kill the sinner) and takes his soul. Rashi explains that at first when it descends to lure and mislead people, it is called the “yetzer hara”; afterwards, when it ascends to prosecute the person before the heavenly court, it is called the “Satan”; subsequently, when it receives permission from above to kill the sinner and it descends to take his neshamah, it is called the “Malach Hamaves.” In short, the yetzer hara itself comes initially to entice a Jew "בפה רך"—with gentle persuasions; it then ascends to present its accusations and prosecute the Jew; finally, it descends to inflict the punishment "בפרך"—with pain, and suffering, and even death—may the Merciful One save us!
פֶֶּסַַח Vowelized with a Segol Alludes to בְְּפֶֶּה רַך whereas ָסַַחפֶּ Vowelized with a Kamatz Alludes toבְְּפָָרֶך
We can suggest that HKB”H gave us the mitzvah of Korban Pesach to combat these two approaches of the yetzer hara—initially "בפה רך" and subsequently "בפרך". This mitzvah aimed at atoning for the sins committed by our ancestors in Mitzrayim, as it is written (ibid. 12, 21): "משכו וקחו לכם צאן למשפחותיכם ושחטו הפסח"—draw away and take for yourselves sheep for your families and slaughter the Pesach offering. They expounded in the Mechilta: Withdraw your hands from the practice of avodah-zarah and take for yourselves sheep for the sake of performing a mitzvah.
Now, we find the name of this korban— "פסח"—vowelized two different ways. When it appears in the middle of a passuk, the vowel under the letter “pei” is a “segol” (three dots forming a triangle pointing downward); as such, it is pronounced “pesach.” But when it appears at the end of a passuk, the vowel under the “pei” is a “kamatz”; as such, it is pronounced “pasach.” We can propose that when the vowel is a “segol,” it alludes to the yetzer’s initial approach בְּפֶּה רַך, which is also vowelized with a “segol.” Just as this vowel is only used in the middle of a passuk; so, too, this tactic is only used by the yetzer as an intermediate step. In contrast, at the end of a passuk, when the vowel is a “kamatz,” it alludes to the yetzer hara’s ultimate goal—to inflict punishment itself on the sinner בְּפָרֶך, which also has a “kamatz.”
Based on this, we can explain the practical impact of a teaching in the writings of the Arizal (Sha’ar HaKavanos, Pesach, Drush 3). He asserts that פסח is an abbreviation for פֶּה סָח—a mouth that speaks. This alludes to the fact that we are obliged to open our mouths and recount the events of “yetzias Mitzrayim. Now, in keeping with our current discussion, we can suggest that פֶּה סָח implies that one is obliged to teach the members of one’s household that the Egyptians trapped Yisrael by enticing them and enslaving them initially בְּפֶּה רַך—i.e., they promised to pay the people of Yisrael handsomely to persuade them to work for them; ultimately, of course, they were forced to perform backbreaking labor under miserable conditions as slaves without pay. This will help our children comprehend the tactics of the yetzer; it sets its trap with gentle persuasion, so that it can ultimately inflict true suffering and punishment.
It gives me great pleasure to suggest an allusion to this in HKB”H’s prefatory remarks to Yisrael prior to Matan Torah (ibid. 19, 5): "ועתה אם שמוע תשמעו בקולי ושמרתם את בריתי והייתם לי סגולה מכל העמים כי לי כל הארץ"—and now, if you hearken well to Me and you will keep My covenant, you will be a treasure (“segulah”) to Me from among all the peoples. The Shem MiShmuel (Nitzavim 5676) writes in the name of the esteemed Rabbi David of Lelov, zy”a: “You will be a ‘segulah’ like the vowel ‘segol’—such that even if you turn (rotate) it to any side (in any direction), it maintains its shape.
In keeping with what we have discussed, we can suggest that this alludes to the fact that every Jew must strive to overcome the yetzer hara while it is just beginning to set its trap—when its approach is associated with a “segol” under the letter “pei”—namely, בְּפֶּה רַך. We must not be duped and enticed by its subtle, tactical lies. This will save us from ultimately becoming its true victims with a “kamatz” under the “pei”—namely, בְּפָרֶך. If we succeed, we will merit being a “segulah” among the nations.
We Open the Door after Drinking the Third Cup to Evoke the Merit of Rachel Imeinu Who Opened the Door for Leah
It is a prevalent, time-honored, Jewish minhag to open the front door of one’s house before reciting "שפוך חמתך". This is brought down by our esteemed possek the Rama (O.C. 480): There are some who say that "שפוך חמתך" should be recited prior to "לא לנו", and to open the door to commemorate that it is “leil shimurim” (Night of Protection; a night of fulfillment of anticipations). In the merit of this emunah, Mashiach will come, and HKB”H will pour out His wrath on those who deny (disavow) Hashem; this is the prevalent practice.
I would like to present to our royal audience a novel rationale for the minhag to open the door and recite "שפוך חמתך" specifically after drinking the third cup of wine. Both the Maharal of Prague in Gevuros Hashem (Chapter 60) and the Shela hakadosh (Maseches Pesachim) write that drinking the four cups of wine was instituted to symbolize the four Imahot—Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel, and Leah—because women are compared to fine wine, as we find in the passuk (Tehillim 128, 3): "אשתך כגפן פוריה בירכתי ביתך"—your wife is like a flourishing vine in the inner chambers of your home.
In his sefer Sifsei Da’as (Tzav 178), the Kli Yakar adds a pertinent tidbit related to the following teaching in the Gemara (Pesachim 108a): "בין הכוסות הללו אם רצה לשתות ישתה, בין שלישי לרביעי לא ישתה"—between these cups (the first and the second, or the second and the third), if one wishes to drink (more wine), he may drink; between the third and fourth (cups), he may not drink (more wine). He suggests a fascinating rationale for this ruling: The reason being that the third and fourth (cups) represent Rachel and Leah, who were married to one husband.
