The "Maggid" section of our Haggadah has two central components - the first of which is the Midrash on "Arami Oved Avi" and the other is Rabban Gamliel's explanation of the foods. However, our Haggadot have quite a bit of text between the "quick answer" given in response to "Mah Nishtanah" - and these passages don't seem to conform to the aims of the evening. We reassess the rabbinic dictum מתחיל בגנות ומסיים בשבח - "begin with disgrace and end with praise" and propose an understanding of these four words and their location within the Mishnah to offer a reassessment of these opening sections of Maggid.
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