We all know that four children are mentioned in the seder. And we normally think about them as four different individuals: the wise; the wicked; the simple and the ignorant. All of us in our lives go through different phases so these four different children could very well be describing one person not necessarily a child but even an adult going through four different phases in life.
Like travelling on an escalator everyone is always moving: some are growing in knowledge and observance; and some unfortunately go down the other way. The haggadah maps the phases of growth that go something like this:
1. Eyno Yodea Lishal – Does not know how to ask – A child is born and does not know how to speak and when he or she eventually learns how to talk their ability to ask pertinent questions is limited and it is up to the mother to teach the child how and what to ask.
2. Tam. – Simple – a child who has developed somewhat and knows how to ask simple questions.
3. Rasha – Rebellious – Now that the child is grown and reached the adolescent rebellious teen years he or she may rebel against the values and morality that have been taught.
4. Chacham – Wise – Finally the individual is able to digest: all the information that has been given to him or her and will use it to advance their lives and reconnect with their heritage and continue living and growing.
Rabbi David Bassous 