The Wicked Son
 
Moshe Ben-Chaim
 
 
Question: Hello Rabbi, I have a question about the Passover Haggadah. Specifically, in the story of the 4 sons, the Haggadah advises us to reply to the "wicked son" or "wicked child" by "hak-heh et shinav" or "hak-heh b'shinav". I know that shinav means his teeth. What does this phrase mean as a coherent whole? There are different translations out there.
Thank you very much.
 
 
Mesora: It means to answer with "displayed" anger and contempt for his view that there are many acceptable forms of Judaism. as he says, "what are these regulations for you"? He is stating in other words, you have one system and I have another - but both are viable. This position must be fought tooth and nail, as any acceptance of another form of Judaism (as he suggests) as Conservatism and Reform and Chassidism, is a dilution of the pure Judaism which we were commanded not to alter, add or subtract from.


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