Passover continued

The four cups:

Wine is a symbol of celebration and freedom. The four cups of wine refer to the four promises of redemption (Exoduys 6:6-7): "I will free you from the labor of the Egyptians: and I will deliver you from their slavery. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great judgements: and I will take you to be My people."

Also, the Jerusalem Talmud (Pesachim 10:1) explains that these four cus refer to the four cups of retribution G-d wil force the gentiles to drink in the Messianic age, and the four cups of comfort He will give the Jewish people. The Sh'lah emphasizes that these four cups have their source in the four letters of Hashem's Name, which is the source of all creation.

From pg 9-5-9-6 of Blumenkrantz' Laws of Pesach


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