Text of the Mishnah (Berachot 1:5)
“It is a mitzvah according to the law of the Torah mention the exodus from Egypt at night...
Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya said: I have approximately seventy years, and even though I've held this opinion for a long time, I never had the privilege of demonstrating that there is an obligation biblical mention the exodus from Egypt at night until Ben Zoma interpreted it by saying:
‘For you to remember the day in which you came out of Egypt all the days of thy life’ (Devarim / Deuteronomy 16:3).‘The days of your life’ refers to the day;
‘All the days of thy life’ also includes the nights.The sages, however, interpreted:
‘The days of your life’ refers to this world;
‘All the days of thy life’ includes the days of the Messiah.”
I. Context of the Mishnah
This teaching belongs to the Treaty Berachotthat opens the order Zeraim of the Talmud. Berachot is primarily concerned with the recitation of the Shema and blessings in general.
The Mishnah 1:5 concludes the first section of the treatise, dedicated to the time and content of the Shemashowing how it's structured spiritually the day jewish: from night to day (following the biblical order “And there was evening and there was morning”).
The inclusion of the Exodus from Egypt (Yetzíat Mitzráim) within the Shema evening shows the centrality of this event as pilar theological and narrative of the jewish identity.
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II. Central theme: Remember the Exodus at night
The Mishnah discusses whether the obligation of remember the exodus from Egypt applies only day (such as tefillin, or tzitzit, which are visible) or by the night.
Ben Zoma, based on the exegesis, textual, extends the obligation of the night, while the Wise interpret the verse in key messianicnot chronological.
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III. Biblical foundation
Key verse:
“...so that you remember the day you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.”
(Devarim 16:3)
- Ben Zoma: “The days of your life” → days; “all” → nights.
- Jajamim (Wise): “The days of your life” → this world; “all” → days of the Messiah.
The difference lies in how to interpret the word “kol” (all):
- Ben Zoma: extended temporarily (day + night).
- Wise: extended escatológicamente (this world + messianic era).
IV. Exegesis of talmudic (Talmud Berachot 12b)
In the Talmud, this Mishnah discusses in depth:
- The story connects with the recitation of the third paragraph of the Shema (Numbers 15:37-41)where is mentioned the out of Egypt.
- It is determined that the mention night the Exodus is mandatoryalthough the practice accurate (which text to use) was subject to debate.
The Talmud also elaborates on the expression of R. Elazar ben Azarya (“I have about seventy years...”) that can be literal or allegorical, as explained below.
V. Interpretation of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya
1. “I have about seventy years...”
The Talmud (Berachot 28a) relates that R. Elazar ben Azarya was appointed head of the Sanhedrin to the 18 yearsand miraculously his hair turned white to inspire respect, looking like a man of 70.
The phrase alludes to both your intellectual maturity early as to the spiritual authority required to sustain an interpretation halachic own.
2. “I never had the merit to prevail...”
This expression (לא זכיתי) does not mean defeat, but the lack of confirmation halachic of your posture.
R. Elazar, I sensed that I remember night was biblical, but lacked test text to the interpretation of Ben Zoma.
VI. Ben Zoma: Hermeneutics and method
Ben Zoma, one of the Tanaím (sages of the Mishna), is noteworthy for its approach midráshico-language.
Their method consists in extract sense halachic of particles additional (as a “kol”).
This type of interpretation reflects the principle that no word in the Torah is superfluous, and each one has normative implications, or spiritual.
VII. Dimension halachic
Conclusion legal:
The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Jaím 67:1) encoding that should be mention of the Exodus of Egypt, both day and night, confirming the position of Ben Zoma as normative.
Mention is made:
- In the the third section of the Shema (“Ani Adonai Eloheichem asher hotzeiti etjem me eretz Mitzráim...”).
- Both in the Shema in the morning as in the Shema night.
VIII. Dimension theological and symbolic
- Memory and freedom:
Remember the Exodus is not only recall an historical fact, but to reaffirm the founding experience of spiritual freedom.
The daily remembrance —day and night— symbolizes that the redemption divine is continuouseven in moments of darkness. - Duality of light and darkness:
Mention the Exodus night teaches us that the faith and redemption do not rely on the light of the day.
Even in the “night” —physical or existential, the believer says that God releases. - Messianic dimension:
The Sages interpret “all the days of your life” as the inclusion of the messianic age, suggesting that the remembrance of the Exodus will continue to apply even in times of future redemption.
According to the Midrash (Berachot 12b), the final redemption does not override the Exodus, but the transcends and perpetuates.
IX. Interpretations of the commentators classic
Rashi
He explains that the mitzvah of remembering the Exodus integrates with the Shemanot as an addition from outside, but as an essential part of the testimony of faith.
Rambam (Maimonides Sefer HaMitzvot, mitzvah 157)
Defines this obligation as a remember the exodus from Egypt every day and every night, showing that it is an independent obligationnot only derived from the Shema.
Meiri
Stresses that R. Elazar ben Azarya alludes to the confirmation of social and halachic your idea, not to be mere theory.
Ra daly
Emphasizes the difference between custom accepted and biblical mandate, clarifying that R. Elazar accepted the habit before having a base text for the declaration of the de oraita (of the Torah).
X. contemporary Perspective
Modern studies observed that this Mishnah reflects a debate on the sacralization of the time.
The fact that the Exodus will remember day and night shows a transition from the judaism of the Temple (centered in space) toward rabbinic judaism (centered in time and memory).
Authors such as Heschel (The Sabbath, 1951) and Yerushalmi (Zakhor, 1982) emphasize that the sacred time replaces the sacred space as the axis of the spirituality of jewish post-temple.
Remember the Exodus at all times transforms every-day —and every night— in a microcosm of the redemption.
XI. General conclusion
The Mishnah Berachot 1:5 sets fundamental theological principle of judaism:
the memory constant of the divine release.
This is not only a rule of the liturgy, but of a worldview spiritual:
freedom is not an event, but a permanent state of consciousness.
“As well as the day and night will never cease, nor should cease the memory of the redemption.”
— (Paraphrase of the Maharal of Prague, Guevurot Hashem cap 61)
