The Torah commands in the Book of Shemot (13:8), “You shall tell your son on that day…” – introducing the obligation to relate the story of Yesi’at Misrayim (the Exodus from Egypt) on the first night of Pesach, the 15 th of Nissan. Although the Torah states simply that one should speak of the Exodus “on that day,” without specifying which day, the Rabbis understood that this refers to the first night of Pesach, when we have an obligation to eat Masa. The Sefer Ha’hinuch writes that the Torah obligation of Sippur Yesi’at Misrayim (telling the story of the Exodus) does not require reciting a particular text. One can fulfill the Torah obligation by speaking of the Exodus in the way that suits him, giving praise to G-d for the great miracles He performed to release our ancestors from bondage in Egypt. Although the Torah formulates this Misva as a command to tell the story of the Exodus “Le’vincha” – “to your son,” this obligation is not limited to telling the story to one’s children. If one does not have children to whom to tell the story, he must tell it to somebody, and even to himself, if he is alone. Sippur Yesi’at Misrayim must be done verbally; one does not fulfill the obligation by thinking about the Exodus in his mind. The Sefer Ha’hinuch explains that the heart is stirred by the words we speak, and so the Torah requires us to verbally speak about the Exodus in order to arouse our hearts. In discussing this Misva, the Sefer Ha’hinuch notes that the Torah introduced numerous obligations for the purpose of ensuring we remember the Exodus from Egypt, and he explains that this is done because of the special theological importance of this event. He writes that Yesi’at Misrayim is “a great foundation and strong pillar for our Torah and our faith.” The miracles which G-d performed demonstrate His unlimited power over the natural world, which itself proves that He created the universe, for only the One who created the universe can exercise unlimited control over it. The Sefer Ha’hinuch adds that our preserving the memory of this event in effect silences the heretics who deny that G-d created the world. Yesi’at Misrayim also confirms our belief in Hashgaha – divine providence, that G-d watches over the world and governs all events, both those which transpire on a national level, as well as the experiences of individuals. The Sefer Ha’hinuch proceeds to present an overview of the Seder, how it should be conducted according to his opinion. Interestingly, he maintains that in addition to the hand washing which is performed before Karpas and before eating the Masa, one should wash before each time he recites a Beracha, though no Beracha is recited on this washing. It is also interesting to note that in his view, one recites a Beracha over the hand washing before Karpas, as opposed to our practice, which is not to recite a Beracha over this washing. He writes that after one eats Marror, he recites the Beracha of “Boreh Nefashot,” which covers both the Marror and the Karpas which one ate earlier. The Sefer Ha’hinuch follows the view that the Beracha of “Boreh Peri Ha’gefen” is recited only twice at the Seder – before drinking the first cup (Kiddush), and before reciting the third cup (immediately following Birkat Ha’mazon). This is the practice that we follow. He also discusses in this context the well-known Halacha that one may not eat or drink anything after eating the Afikoman, except water and the final two of the four cups of wine. The Sefer Ha’hinuch emphasizes that this obligation applies to both men and women, and at all times, even after the destruction of the Bet Ha’mikdash, when the Pesach sacrifice cannot be offered.