Shalom Ubracha Kvod Harav Shlit’a. A dear friend of us, due to L’A an operation on his throat a few weeks ago, for a malignant growth lost his voice. He is very distressed and wants to know if he can comply with the mitzva of telling the Hagada to his large mishpacha by writing it before the Sedarim and then giving copies to his children? Can he name a visiting friend to recite it for them in his name?

Indeed Chashukei Chemed (Pesachim 116a) addresses this Shaila and mentions that if one names a Shaliach before Yom Tov in writing, we could say that the “Agent is like himself” and he would comply. Although, he debates, if the mitzva of telling the story of our salvation from Mitzraim should be considered a “Mitzva Shebegufo” or an action that one has to do personally (like Tefillin) and an agent cannot perform it in one’s name, however, he then compares it to the teaching of Torah to our children, that is often done by others. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that the mizva of ‘Sipur Yetzias Mitzraim’ (Telling the story of the redemption from Egypt), applies to the home in which the Seder is carried out, and it could be said in need by any of the attendants.