Pesach Publications- Part 5: Children's Haggada

00:00 This is behemshech in continuation to the earlier installment regarding the publishing of the Haggadah with the Rebbe's commentaries in the year Tav Shin Vav, nineteen forty-six. Firstly, to add an additional detail regarding the Rebbe's Haggadah, the edition which was published in Tav Shin Lamed Gimel, nineteen seventy-three. The Rebbe was then asked that since the commentaries on the bottom half of the page are wider than the Haggadah text itself on the top of the page, if the Haggadah text can be widened to match the bottom half of the page, that they both should have the same margins. The Rebbe responded not to do this. Instead, a design sort of a frame was placed on the two margins of the Haggadah text on every page of the Haggadah, so that the top and the bottom of the pages should have the same width. We now continue with installment number five, where we will discuss the Rebbe's directive to publish a special Haggadah for children. This was during the Farbrengen on Purim Tav Shin Mem Zayin, nineteen eighty-seven. The Rebbe stated the following. It is translated here in English by Sichas in English. To end with a quote, unquote new decree. In the past, we have discussed the necessity of every child owning a personal siddur, chumash, and a tzedakah pushka. Since it is now thirty days before Pesach, it would be very desirable to prepare Haggadahs for each child. Obviously, they should be made attractively with pictures, et cetera, in order to attract the children. In this

02:16 way, they will not only know the four questions, but also be able to answer them. May it be Hashem's will that even before the time comes for them to ask and answer these questions on Pesach, that there come the great answer to our biggest question, the inexplicable continuation of the exile with the arrival of Mashiach and the complete redemption. In the Yechidus, a general audience which took place for guests and people who were happy- having a simcha, bar mitzvah, chasuna, and they had the merit, the zchus, to go into Yechidus and receive the Rebbe's broches. This was on the sixteenth of Adar, and the Rebbe then continued on the same, mm, topic, and the Rebbe said as follows: The tailor has always stressed how the environment affects even the youngest child. In recent generations, even non-Jewish physicians have agreed with this. The profound effect on the child's development is also the reason for the recent s-stress on placing holy books in the child's room. Obviously, the intention was not j-to just place one book there as a way of fulfilling an obligation. The book should be of major importance in the room with a minimum of at least a chumash, a siddur, and a Haggadah. It is advisable to add a Tehillim, either by itself or bound together with a siddur. The child should have his own charity box, tzedakah pushka, as we have mentioned on many occasions. This is all part of the parents' awesome responsibility for the child's welfare, both physical and spiritual.

04:27 Although being a parent involves a great deal of effort, when one thinks how the essence of Hashem dwells within the child's heart, one feels lucky to have been given such a job. We now continue to a Sicha which the Rebbe delivered on Shabbos Parshat Ki Tisa, Parshat Porah, the Shabbos after Purim. The Rebbe added that in this is also included what was mentioned in the earlier Farbrengen that it would be noteworthy and appropriate that every child should have a Haggadah Shel Pesach in addition to a chumash, siddur, and a tzedakah pushka. Umatif, and more preferred be with pictures, et cetera. And this will contribute an increase by the children in all the matters of Chag HaPesach and the evening of the Seder with greater liveliness and excitement, and through them also to the parents. As it is stated, "Veheshev levov es avonim," that the hearts of the parents are changed al yedei bonim through the children. They have the effect and make an impact on their parents. Now we go on to a Sicha which the Rebbe delivered- Parshas Vayikra. A few weeks later, this was already the beginning of Cheshvan, few weeks before Pesach. And the Rebbe says as follows, "In conclusion, it is a proper time to once more mention the importance of making every Jewish home into a miniature sanctuary of tefillah, and gemillut hasadim, good deeds. This has a special connection with Pesach, when Hashem saw the holiness of Jewish homes and therefore passed over them. In particular, the children's rooms

06:41 should be made into miniature sanctuaries through having a Chumash, siddur, and a charity box for each individual child. And since Pesach is approaching, e-each should have his or her own Haggadah, as we have mentioned in the past. In this way, the children will be intrigued to ask many questions, including the four questions, which, as explained in the writings of the Arizal, correspond to the four worlds. And the main thing is that Hashem should finally answer the big question of the entire Am Yisrael and bring us out of exile with the arrival of Mashiach." As a result of the Rebbe's directive in regards to publishing Haggadahs, there was a campaign established in Eretz Yisrael to publish hundreds of thousands of Haggadahs for children, and they also had a list of questions for the Rebbe, and the Rebbe responded to each question individually. One of the questions was, could they add punctuation marks, commas or periods, and also enlarge the fonts of the Haggadah which will be published for the children? The Rebbe responded, "Only those which are already existing in the Siddur Tzedek El Tehillas Hashem," which means that the Tzedek El Siddur is the source for the text of the Haggadah, so there shouldn't be any other changes besides the punctuation marks or the size of the fonts. An additional question was asked, could they punctuate? Could they write vowels to the words of the Alter Rebbe which are instructing the person what to do between one section of the Haggadah and the second? The

08:52 Rebbe's response was no. And an additional question, if they can also include songs which are said during the Haggadah in other circles, and that should be in the this-- in the section which will have the illustrations, the pictures, which means it won't be in the text of the Haggadah, but it'll be in a separate section. The Rebbe underlined it twice and said, , "You are writing that this is Nusach HaBad," and Nusach HaBad does not contain these songs. In response to the request for a berakhah for the success in all the above, the Rebbe responded, , "The Aibishter should give them success in everything enclosed here." We will, im yirtzeh Hashem, continue in the next installment.