Did the Haggadah Get the ‘Wicked Child’ Wrong? | Unlocking the Haggadah #5 | 10@9 | 2026.03.13

At the Passover Seder, we are taught to respond differently to four types of children. Each one asks a different question, and each one needs a different kind of answer. But the Haggadah’s response to the “wicked” child is deeply puzzling. Why does it sound so harsh? Why do we seem to insult a child who is simply asking questions? Many people feel uncomfortable when they reach this moment in the Seder. Drawing on the teachings of R. Tzaddok HaKohein, we explore a very different approach. The presence of this child at the table is itself a sign of hope. Questions and doubts are not enemies of faith — they are invitations to conversation. We also share a remarkable story from the first Jewish prayer service in Buchenwald, just days after the end of World War II, which reveals what it truly means to respond to doubt with sensitivity and compassion. In this series, Unlocking the Haggadah, we uncover the hidden structure of the Haggadah so that each paragraph leads logically to the next - transforming the Seder from a confusing collection of texts into a thoughtful and meaningful conversation. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi Whitman shares his thoughts and inspirations through online lectures and shiurim, which are available on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5FLcsC6xz5TmkirT1qObkA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adathmichael/ Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mining-the-riches-of-the-parsha/id1479615142?fbclid=IwAR1c6YygRR6pvAKFvEmMGCcs0Y6hpmK8tXzPinbum8drqw2zLIo7c9SR-jc Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hWYhCG5GR8zygw4ZNsSmO Please contact Rabbi Whitman ([email protected]) with any questions or feedback, or to receive a daily email, "Study with Rabbi Whitman Today," with current and past insights for that day, video, and audio, all in one short email sent directly to your inbox.