The Sixteen Sons?
The wise one, what does he say? “What are the testimonies, the statutes and the laws which the L-rd, our G-d, has commanded you?” You, in turn, shall instruct him in the laws of Passover, [up to] `one is not to eat any dessert after the Passover-lamb.’
The wicked one, what does he say? “What is this service to you?!” He says to you,' but not to him! By thus excluding himself from the community he has denied that which is fundamental. You, therefore, blunt his teeth and say to him: "It is because of this that the L-rd did for me when I left Egypt"; for me’ - but not for him! If he had been there, he would not have been redeemed!”
The simpleton, what does he say? “What is this?” Thus you shall say to him: “With a strong hand the L-rd took us out of Egypt, from the house of slaves.”
We are All Four Sons
One of the most interesting features of the Haggadah we recite Passover night at the Seder is the section concerning the Four Sons: the chochom-wise; rasha-wicked or rebellious; tam-simple; and the she’aino yodai’ah lishol-does not know how to ask.
The truth is that each one of us possesses elements of all four sons. There are times when we act wisely and there are times when we exhibit a rebellious streak. There is also a hint of simplicity even in the most scholarly and intelligent individual and there are times when we are clueless, befuddled or lose interest to the point of indifference.
The Four Dimensions of the Wise Son
One can go a step further. It may be proposed that each one of these four sons (and daughters as well; the word son is used generically here to mean child) possesses elements of the other three personality types.
Let’s start with the chochom:
The chochom within the chochom is one whose faculty of chochma dominates his personality.
The attribute of chochma is associated with bittul-self-abnegation. He is in touch with chochma the highest, most subtle and receptive faculty to the Divine soul.
This heightened receptivity to G-d possessed by the ultimate chochom inspires complete submission to G-d’s will. He does not see the need to understand G-d’s commandments.
When he asks “what are all the testimonies, statutes and judgments that G-d commanded you” he is questioning why there are divisions amongst the various commandments. Some are rational, others are not. For the chochom there is no need to discover a rational basis for any of the commandments since they are all, by definition, divine supra-rational commands to which one must submit; like them, understand them, or not.
His argument and challenge to us is: why philosophize about the Mitzvos; just do them!
The rebellious rasha within our chochom is one whose passion for the Divine is unrestrained. As a result, he cannot fathom either the need for a physical world or our concomitant obsession with physical expressions of service to G-d.
Since he is a genuine chochom he observes all of the commandments to their minutest details. He is repelled by the way other people get carried away with ceremonies and rituals. Precisely because he is a chochom, in touch with the higher spiritual realms, he does not feel comfortable in the physical domain. He is passionate about his Judaism but he thrives on the passion rather than on the doing.
The simple tam within the chochom is in touch with his childish innocence. He doesn’t believe in asking questions and he has no need or desire to understand. He just wants to know what do to. This is not because he is “simple.” No, he is truly a chochom but he also values the state of simple faith and devotion to G-d. As the famous medieval sage known as the Rivash said, “I pray like a child,” meaning that he eschewed the deep meditations of the Kabbalists. This chochom’s unsullied personality necessitates the simplest response.
The unknowing she’aino yodai’ah lishol within the chochom reaches even more deeply into his soul’s innermost layer, which transcends knowledge. He neither rejects knowledge (since he is a chochom) nor is he oblivious to it (as is the tam), but rather he reaches beyond it. He masters, incorporates and integrates all the levels of knowledge and then recognizes that the commandments transcend all of these explanations.
It may be suggested that this chochom allows his transcendent level to influence and find expression within his wisdom.
The Four Dimension of the Rebellious Son
Likewise there are four dimensions within the rasha:
The chochom within the rasha is the rebellious person who uses his brilliant mind to find ways of getting around the law. The Talmud speaks of a scholar who can find 150 rational reasons to justify something that is unmistakably wrong. Without his chochma he could never get away with all of his rebellious acts.
The rasha within the rasha is one who sins just to show his utter contempt for the Torah. Whereas the first category of rasha may transgress for the sheer pleasure of it, the rasha within the rasha does so out of spite and unmitigated evil. The Biblical monarch Nimrod was described in rabbinic literature as “he knows his master and intends to rebel against him.” The same epithet was applied to the wicked nation Amalek.
The tam within the rasha uses guile and deception to advance his nefarious goals by feigning innocence and righteousness. Our Sages point to Esau as an example of one who asks pious sounding questions to cover up his true agenda. This is the hypocrite who feigns piety and integrity so that he can con people. The rasha-tam puts a face of innocence on the pursuit of his evil ways.
The she’aino yodai’ah lishol within the rasha is arguably the lowest level of rasha because he has lost his conscience. The three preceding dimensions of the rasha may know that what they are doing is wrong. They might even have a guilty conscience and exhibit some degree of remorse for their evil. But this last element of the rasha is the innermost sociopath who feels nothing. He has transgressed so many times that he is finally devoid of every ounce of sensitivity.
The Four Dimensions of the Simple Son
The chochom within the category of the tam is the simple son who may also be a brilliant scholar. This is a tragic modern phenomenon. One can be a brilliant scientist, philosopher, physician and lawyer etc., but lack even the most rudimentary knowledge of Judaism. In a way, he is worse than someone who is illiterate. The illiterate person at least knows that he is limited and will accept what others teach. The oxymoronic “knowledgeable ignoramus” however thinks he knows and understands everything and is qualified to make statements about G-d, religion and Judaism without the slightest understanding of these subjects.
The rasha within the tam is the uncouth and ignorant person, devoid of any substance; he is like an animal that will trample anything in its path. While the generic rasha will consciously trample everything holy, the rasha/tam combination does the same because he doesn’t have the maturity and sophistication to know that there is something wrong with his action.
The tam within the tam is the truly simple person who doesn’t trample anyone or anything. He just never had the opportunity nor does he possess the requisite intelligence to know what is right and what is wrong.
This is the traditional Talmudic era am ha’aretz, who is ignorant and earthy. The Talmud records the way the typical am ha’aretz despised his scholarly brethren. The great sage Rabbi Akiva, who began life as an am ha’aretz, recounted the days when he had nothing but contempt for the elite class of scholars. The tam can and does resist the message of Judaism because he legitimizes, institutionalizes and even places ignorance on a pedestal.
The she’aino yodai’ah lishol within the tam’s simplicity is natural and pure. Its simplicity may be a product of a failed education and or limited intelligence. Ironically, this individual is so pure, innocent and honest that he is the most receptive to our message to him. This is the simple Jew of whom the Ba’al Shem Tov spoke when he extolled their virtue as going way beyond that of the scholar.
According to the Ba’al Shem Tov, the simplicity of the simple Jew mirrors G-d’s utter “simplicity; i.e., G-d’s essence which defies categorization or description.
The Four Dimensions of the One Who Cannot Even Ask
The chochom within the she’aino yodai’ah lishol deliberately refrains from asking questions. He does not want anyone to realize that he does not have an answer, which would damage both his reputation and self-image as a chochom. In truth, he is not a chochom, he is really a she’aino yodai’ah lishol. He knows exactly how to avoid being challenged and for that he needs to use wisdom.
Alternatively, he is the one who thinks he knows it all and therefore does not need to research or question anything. The true chochom is always asking questions because he understands that he does not know. The she’aino yodai’ah lishol is not aware that he does not know, and lacks even the modicum of knowledge necessary to ask questions.
The rasha within the she’aino yodai’ah lishol knows his own ignorance. He grasps that if he asked questions he would learn what he needs to know. In that case, he would be able to put that knowledge into practice. However, the rasha remains willfully ignorant. Ignorant people cannot be faulted for non-observance but they can and should be faulted for not trying to become knowledgeable. Militant ignorance is a subversive form of rebellion.
The tam within the she’aino yodai’ah lishol is endowed initially with intelligence but because he refuses to ask questions—out of fear of embarrassment—he eventually loses it. He degenerates from chochom to tam.
The she’aino yodai’ah lishol within the she’aino yodai’ah lishol is the ultimate ignoramus who tragically lacks the intelligence to ask questions. He is not wired to think critically.
All Welcome at the Seder
Each and every one of these 16 personality types is both welcome and present at the seder table. No matter which level one is at, when Moshiach takes us out of exile no Jew will be left behind. From the ultimate chochom to the ultimate she’aino yodai’ah lishol and everyone between, we will all be liberated from this exile. We will also be joined there by the proverbial fifth son, the one who does not even show up for the Seder.
From the book Light from the Future: Haggadah Shel Pesach by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
