The Yesod V’shoresh Ha’avoda teaches that we should all say Kadeish, Urchatz, etc. with our mouths at the beginning of the seder, even though you probably remember it from last year, because there is a special holiness we achieve even from just saying these words. So no matter how old you are, say (or sing!) the order of the seder out loud!
The Targum Yonason teaches, that on the night of Pesach, when the Yidden in Mitzrayim were about to bring the korban pesach, they were all taken on an eagles’ wings to Yerushalyim where the Beis Hamikdash was later built, and there they were makriv the korban pesach!
It says in the Megillah ומרדכי ידע את כל אשר נעשה — Mordechai found out about what Haman and Achashveirosh were planning. If Mordechai knew, why didn’t Esther also know?
The Medrash says that Esther was busy cleaning for Pesach, and was too busy to hear about it!
The passuk in Tehillim says הים ראה וינס — the yam saw [the Yidden] and ran away. The Rabbeinu Bechaye says that this means that as the Yidden were crossing the sea, the sea slowly split in front of them, little by little. As they walked, it split. It didn’t split all at once!
The passuk says וירא ישראל את היד הגדולה. The Zohar says that Yisrael refers to Yaakov Avinu as well — that Hashem brought Yaakov Avinu down to be able to see how the Yidden got saved. Yaakov got to come and watch the whole thing!
A Fascinating Story
The Medrash brings down a fascinating story that happened during Krias Yam Suf: when Pharaoh was in the sea tossing and turning, he heard from afar how the Yidden are singing to Hashem and saying מי כמוך באלים השם, who is like you Hashem? When hearing this, he screamed out, “I believe that you, Hashem, are righteous, and my nation and I are evil. There is no god other than you Hashem!”
The malach Gavriel came down and grabbed Pharaoh by his neck and said, “You rasha! Yesterday you said, “Who is Hashem that I should listen to him, and now you say that Hashem is the righteous one?”
Then he took Pharaoh to the bottom of the sea and held him there for fifty days, so that he could see the greatness of Hashem. He then brought him back up and took him out of the sea, and he became the king of Ninveh.
When Yonah Hanavi came to Ninveh, and said that Hashem is going to destroy Ninveh. It was Pharaoh who called on the nation to do teshuvah. He said I know that Hashem is the only G-d and whatever He says is going to happen!”
And up until this day, Pharaoh stands at the gates of Gehinnom, and when the wicked get thrown into Gehinnom, he says, “Why didn’t you learn from me that Hashem is the real G-d?”
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 76 Pesach.