Telling the story

by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin
It is very curious that the mitzva of Sippur Yetziat Mitzrayim is expressed by Chazal as one of verbosity. The Gemara tells us that the matza is called Lechem Oni," she'onim alav devarim harbeh". This is reinforced by the author of the Haggada, who stresses from the outset, "Vechol hamarbeh lesaper biyetzias mitzrayim harei zeh meshubach". In general, we find that the rabbis discouraged long- windedness as it says in Pirkei Avos: "Vechol hamarbeh dvarim mayvee chet." This is reiterated in Masechet Pesachim: " A teacher should teach his student in the shortest fashion." Reb Chaim Vital, the great kabbalist of Tsfat, understands the name "Pesach" as Peh Sach, the mouth converses. Why is the idea of speech so intrinsically connected with our chag?

It would seem that telling our story of freedom is distinctly different from other Mitzvot which are expressed orally, like, tefilla. Normally,speech is just a vehicle for the fulfillment of the mitzva, which involves communication; but in the case of the Pesach Seder, the mitzva lies in the speech itself. The essence of the mitzva is not only the communication, but also the expression of freedom that the speech represents. The more we speak, the more the atmosphere of freedom has been achieved.
Continue reading: http://www.darchenoam.org/articles/holidays/ar_pesach_rys.htm