In the verses that deal with the obligation to tell the story of the exodus from Egypt, one can find four paradigmatic children, each of whom receives a response specifically tailored for him.

The Torah spoke corresponding to four sons: a wise son; a wicked son; an unintelligent son; and a son who does not know to ask.

What does the wise son say? “What are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances that the Lord our God commanded you” (Deuteronomy 6:20). You too say to him: “With strength of hand, the Lord took us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage” (Exodus 13:20).

What does the wicked son say? “What is this service to you” (Exodus 12:26); what is this burden that you impose on us each and every year? Since he removed himself from the community, you too say to him: “It is because of this that the Lord did this for me” (Exodus 13:8), God did it for me but not for that man [for you, the wicked son]: Had that man been in Egypt, he would never have been worthy of being redeemed from there.

What does the unintelligent son say? “What is this” (Exodus 13:14). You too should teach him the laws of the paschal offering: That one may not have afikoman after the paschal offering; and that one may not rise from one group and join another group.

For the son who does not know how to ask, you must first initiate the dialogue with him. Rabbi Yosa says: Our Mishna too says so: If the son has no understanding, his father teaches him. (Jerusalem Talmud, Pesaĥim 10:4)