Numbers and the Haggadah
Why are numbers and counting so prominent during the Pesach Seder? Some customs even sing a song at the end of the night counting elements of our tradition. Join Rabbi David Sedley as he explores the relationship between the Seder and numbers and how all this counting enhances the main mitzvah of telling the Pesach story.
Access our full pre-Pesach Seder 2024 special program schedule HERE.
Numbers and the Haggadah: The Number Four (and Five)
The number four features prominently in the haggadah. Four questions and four sons. In this class we focus on the four cups of wine drunk during the seder, and look at various explanations of the importance of the number four.
We also look at the dangers of even numbers. And then consider the concept of adding a fifth cup to the seder night.
Numbers and the Haggadah: Numbers and the Haggadah
Rabbi David Sedley lives in Jerusalem with his wife and six children. He was born and raised in New Zealand before making Aliya in 1992. He left Israel temporarily (for eight years) to serve as a communal Rabbi in Scotland and England and returned to Israel in 2004. His latest book is "The Elephant of Deliberate Forgetfulness: and other unexpected interpretations of the weekly Torah reading". He has also translated Rabbeinu Yonah's commentary on Pirkei Avos and is the co-author of Sefiros: Spiritual Refinement Through Counting the Omer (both Judaica Press). Over the years Rabbi Sedley has worked as a journalist, a translator, a video director and in online reputation management. He also writes a weekly Torah blog on the Times of Israel.