The Foundation Stone Haggadah: Themes of the Haggadah 7

On Chanukah and on Purim we make the blessing, “Who made miracles for our fathers in those days, and [who] also should [make miracles] in these times as well.” Rav Amram Gaon asks why don’t we say this blessing on Pesach since more miracles were made for us than during the Exodus from Egypt that any other time. Rav Amram Gaon answers that one of the primary rules of the Haggadah is that “in every generation a man should see himself as if he is now going out from Egypt.” If we are speaking about ourselves, then we can’t invoke our forefathers, because we are presently experiencing the miracle. In doing so, we would dilute our awareness of the miracle personally happening to us.

In fact, says Rav Amram Gaon, we ought to say the blessing of Hagomel. If someone is deathly ill, and he didn’t die, he would say Hagomel. If we are being redeemed tonight, why don’t we say Hagomel?

Because at the Seder we’re only talking about the redemption of the soul!

In a practical way, however, we actually do say Hagomel. We say the bracha, “We thank You with a new song, over our redemption, on the redemption of our souls. Blessed are You, Redeemer of Israel.” Rav Amram Gaon says that though this doesn’t have the wording of Hagomel, it carries the same spirit.