Early Emancipation and Sour Grapes What does the wicked son say?
"What is this service to you?" "To you," and not to him. He has
excluded himself, demonstrating his heresy. You too - set his
teeth on edge (ha'keh es shinav) - and say to him, "It is
because of this that Hashem did this to me when I left Egypt."
"To me," and not to him; were he there, he would not have been
redeemed. [Haggada Shel Pesach] What exactly does it mean that
we "set the teeth of the wicked son on edge" with our answer?
(Ha'keh means to dull or blunt; it also refers to teeth being
set on edge by a pungent or tart taste, such as that of unripe
fruits.) Also: Why do we consider this son an apostate just
because he excluded himself from the service? After all, he has
not denounced Hashem. And if he is indeed wicked, why should it
bother him if we tell him he would have been excluded from the
redemption? Wouldn't it have been better for the wicked son to
stay in Egypt, where he could enjoy a different sort of freedom
- freedom from Torah