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 Torah Thoughts
“Short Thoughts”
Excerpt from the weekly JLE e-news 15 April 2003
Dear Friend,
Here are a few thoughts, laws and customs relating to the festival of Pesach.
Please feel free to print this (before Yom Tov) and peruse it at your leisure
over the festival.
FREEDOM- FOR WHAT?
Recent events in the Middle East have
highlighted the romantic notion of liberation from tyrannical oppression. Who
could not be moved by scenes of jubilation on the streets of Baghdad,
as the people of Iraq
celebrated their release from the stranglehold of a cruel despot? These
events are very timely from the perspective of the Jewish calendar, as we
enter the season of our own national liberation- Pesach.
The concurrence of the events in Iraq and Passover highlight a
unique aspect of our liberation over three millennia ago.
It did not take long for the cheering in Iraq to transform into wild
whoops of an uncontrolled frenzy. Singing was drowned by the smashing of
glass. Looters stole from the regime which robbed its people. Anarchy usurped
ordered oppression. It seems that a primal animality was uncaged in the
hearts and streets of Iraq.
Freedom turned to lawlessness.
My teacher, Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik (of blessed memory) used to point out the
contrast between the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian bondage
and other "liberation movements". The French Revolution, for
example, carried in its wake a new tyranny. The leaders of the uprising were
more brutal than those whom they replaced.
By contrast, the night of the liberation of the Children of Israel in Egypt
was not marked by shouts of joy. There were no Jewish mobs on the streets
calling for revenge. There was no violent looting of Egyptian interests. In
fact, there was no-one outdoors.
G-d had commanded the Israelites to prepare the Passover sacrifice to be
eaten that night. Families were to gather together inside their houses. A
sense of quiet dignity pervaded that momentous spring night.
A covenant with G-d was forged and renewed with the Passover sacrifice. There
was no room for selfish retribution. A new mission was unfolding for this ex-slave
people.
Our sages tell us that the only true freedom attainable comes through the
Torah. Man is the only creature entrusted with the powerful gift of moral
choice. The moral choices presented to us are often the conflict between our
pleasure-seeking instincts and an objectively "right thing to do".
The Torah establishes a Divine standard of correct behavior. It then gives
man the fortitude to forge ahead towards the correct goal.
Temporal freedom, in general, merely transforms servitude of one type to
servitude of another. There is a primal human yearning for freedom and yet an
innate need to submit to a greater power. When the yearning for freedom is
not channeled towards submission to a greater goal, but rather, the goal is
merely freedom for its own sake, man will ultimately submit and surrender to
his own animalistic nature. Paradoxically, undirected freedom can thus trap
man in the most oppressive form of bondage- enslavement by his own evil
inclination.
This Pesach, as we sit together with our families and reenact that fateful
night of liberation, let us recall the purpose of our freedom. We must make
the right choices or remain trapped in the prison they call
"freedom".
THE SEDER-A FEW LAWS
& CUSTOMS
The Seder plate should be arranged so that the first items used are closest
to the leader.
The prevalent custom is as follows:
Boiled or roasted
egg
shank bone
karpas
maror
charoset
Chazeret
The KARPAS is a vegetable. There are
different customs regarding which vegetable to use. Potato, onion and parsley
are most commonly used.
See paragraph C. below as to how the karpas is used in the Seder. The Hebrew
letters comprising the word "karpas" refer to the backbreaking
labor ("parech") imposed on the Jews by their Egyptian tormentors.
The letter "samech" in "karpas" has the value 60 in
Hebrew numerology- a reference to the 60 myriad Jews who were enslaved.
Symbolically, the vegetable represents the Jewish people. In order to grow
and develop to its full potential, a vegetable must exist in the dirt- an
apparently hostile, uncomfortable and dark environment. The little seed
absorbs the moisture and nutrients necessary for its growth. Eventually it
reaches its full potential. So too, the Jewish people had a humble gestation
in the filth of Egyptian slavery. We extracted the sparks of holiness hidden
in Egypt
since Creation and absorbed the lessons of adversity. We cried out to G-d and
prepared to perform the Passover sacrifice despite the possible dangers posed
by the Egyptians (see last Friday's JLE e-news). We were then ready to accept
the Torah.
The MAROR and CHAZERET are the bitter herbs- a symbol of the bitterness that saturated the
lives of our ancestors as a result of Egyptian bondage. The suffering
resulting from excessive involvement in one's worldly occupations is caused
by a lack of sensitivity to the Divine Presence. See paragraph H regarding
the procedure of the maror.
The CHAROSET has a coarse texture and muddy
color. It symbolizes the mortar used by the Jews to make bricks used in
the construction of Pharaoh’s treasure cities. Surprisingly, it has a sweet
taste. It is customarily made from apples, nuts, wine and cinnamon. These
elements are mentioned in the Song of Songs. This book is a "love
story" of G-d and the Jewish people. The message of the charoset is that
even in adversity, we must recognize the sweetness of G-d's love for his
people. As mentioned above, the tribulations of the Egyptian experience strengthened
and forged our nation. See paragraph H-3 and I-1 for a description of how the
charoset is used.
The SHANK BONE (some use a chicken's neck)
represents the Korban Pesach (Paschal sacrifice) which was eaten on this
night. It was the center-piece of the Seder. While the Holy
Temple stood, the sacrifice had to
be eaten in Jerusalem.
It was a symbol of the covenant between G-d and the Jewish people. No Gentile
or uncircumcised male was permitted to participate. The Pesach offering and
the brit milah (circumcision) are considered so fundamental to a Jew's
relationship with G-d that one who willfully neglects either will be excised
from the Jewish people.
The EGG represents another sacrifice that was brought on the festivals- the
Korban Chagiga. We use an egg to represent this sacrifice since eggs are
traditionally used as a mourner's food. The egg-shape has no beginning or
end, reminding the mourner that a corporeal death is not the end of the
soul's journey. Also, the egg represents continuity- the next generation.
We mourn the fact that we presently do not have the Holy Temple.
Consequently, we do not have the opportunity to bring the Passover- or
festival sacrifices.
A. KIDDUSH
1. The Kiddush must not be recited until after the stars become visible (this
year- about 8:15pm).
2. The Kiddush wine is the first of the four cups of wine drunk during the
Seder. All four cups must be drunk while reclining on the left side- a sign
of our freedom (this was the custom of nobility in ancient times.) If
one forgot to recline when drinking the Kiddush wine, he need not drink
again.
3. Each of the four cups must hold at least a "revi'is" (about 4.5
fluid ounces) of wine.
One should preferably drink the entire "revi'is," although one
fulfills the mitzvah if he drinks at least most of it. It should be drunk
within two minutes, but one should preferably drink it all at once.
4. It is preferable to use red wine. One who cannot drink wine for health
reasons may use grape juice.
B. WASHING OF HANDS
One washes his hands by pouring two cupfuls of water over each hand, as is
done before eating bread. However, no blessing is recited.
One of the reasons for this step is to arouse the curiosity of the children
to stimulate questioning and thus involvement in the didactic process.
C. KARPAS
There are various customs regarding which vegetable is used e.g. onion,
parsley, potato. One dips the vegetable in salt water, recites the usual
blessing (see your Hagadah for the blessing), and eats less than an
olive-size of the vegetable. When reciting the blessing, he should intend to
include the maror (bitter herb) that will be eaten later.
D. YACHATZ- BREAKING THE MIDDLE MATZAH
One breaks the middle matzoh into two uneven pieces, the larger of which is
hidden to be used for the afikomen. (See K. below)
E. MAGGID- RECOUNTING THE STORY OF THE EXODUS
1. One raises the plate which the matzot are on
and recites "This is the bread of affliction." The plate is
removed, the second cup of wine is poured, "Mah Nishtana" (The Four
Questions) is said by the youngest present, the plate is returned, and the
matzot are uncovered.
2. The narrative of the Exodus from Egypt is told, either as found in
the Hagadah or in any language understandable to all, if Hebrew is not
understood. This constitutes the fulfillment of the biblical obligation to
tell, on the first (two) night(s) of Pesach, the story of the Exodus from Egypt
(Exodus 13:8). At the very least each person must hear and understand the
entire section of the Hagadah which begins: "Rabban Gamliel used to say,
'Anyone who has not explained these three things on Pesach has not fulfilled
his duty . . .'
3. When one says "V'hee she'amdah" (And it was this that stood for
our fathers.) and "Lefichach" (Therefore, we are bound to praise.),
the matzot are covered and one takes the wine cup in his hand.
4. When one says "This matzah." and "This bitter herb."
one lifts up the matzos and the maror, respectively.
5. After the blessing of Go'al Yisrael (He who redeemed Israel), one recites the usual
blessing over wine (Boray peri hagofen) and drinks the second cup of wine. If
one forgot to recline while drinking, he should drink another cup while
reclining, but he should not recite the blessing.
F. ROCHATZ- RITUAL WASHING OF THE HANDS
One washes his hands by pouring two cupfuls of water over each hand, as is
always done before eating bread. Then one recites the usual blessing before
the hands are dried.
G. MOTZI MATZAH
Two whole matzos are required; but the mitzvah of eating matzoh should
preferably be performed with a broken matzoh, since the Torah refers to it as
"the bread of affliction".
The following procedure should therefore be followed:
1. The two whole matzos and the remaining piece of the middle matzah are
taken in hand and the "HaMotzi" blessing is recited. The bottom
matzoh is set down and the blessing "Al Achilat Matzah" is recited.
2. Then one should break off a piece from the whole matzoh and another piece
from the broken matzoh and eat an olive-size of matzoh from each one,
preferably simultaneously. If one cannot eat both pieces simultaneously, he
should first eat an olive-size piece of the whole matzoh, then an olive-size
piece of the broken matzoh. At the very least, however, one olive-size of
matzoh must be eaten by each participant in order to fulfill the biblical
obligation of eating matzah. It should be completely consumed within two to
seven minutes.
3. The matzah must be eaten while reclining on the left side. If one forgot
to recline, he should eat the matzah once again, without reciting the
blessing.
H. MARROR- BITTER HERBS
1. One may use romaine lettuce (thoroughly inspected for leaf borers or other
insects) or freshly ground horseradish for maror (the bitter herb). One must
be careful not to soak the maror for a period of twenty-four hours, as it is
then unsuitable for the mitzvah of maror.
2. The (charoset) dip is made of apples, nuts and wine, preferably prepared
before Yom Tov begins. If Pesach occurs on Shabbat, the wine must be added
before Shabbat begins.
3. One dips an olive-size of maror into the charoset, then shakes off the
charoset, recites the blessing by and eats the olive-size of maror without
reclining.
I. KORECH- HILLEL SANDWICH
1. An olive-size of matzoh is taken from the bottom matzoh and broken into
two pieces, and an olive-size of maror is placed between them. One dips it
into charoset, shakes off the charoset, and eats it while reclining.
2. After one has recited the blessing on the matzah, one should not speak
about matters unrelated to the meal until after one has eaten this combination.
According to one great authority, one should therefore not recite the text
printed in the Hagadah.
J. SHULCHAN ORECH- THE FESTIVE MEAL
1. It is preferable to eat the entire meal
reclining on the left side.
2. At the Seder meals, it is customary that no barbecued or roasted meat or
poultry is eaten. Meat should be cooked in water so as to avoid any
possibility of mistaking it for the roasted meat eaten for the Passover
sacrifice eaten during the Temple
era.
K. TZAFUN- THE HIDDEN AFIKOMAN
1. The piece of matzoh that was hidden for the (afikomen) is brought to the
table and distributed. One must eat at least one olive-size, and preferably
two, while reclining. If one forgot to recline, there is doubt whether he
need eat the afikomen again.
2. The afikomen should be eaten before midnight.
3. Nothing further may be eaten that night after the afikomen.
L. BARECH- GRACE AFTER MEALS
1. The third cup of wine is poured before Bircat
Hamazon (Grace after meals). The cup should be washed out if it is not clean.
After the completion of Bircat Hamazon, one recites the blessing and drinks
the third cup while reclining. If one forgot to recline, he need not drink
again.
2. The "cup of Elijah" is poured, the door is opened, and Psalm
79:6-7 etc. "Pour out Your wrath." is recited.
M. HALLEL- PSALMS OF PRAISE
The fourth cup of wine is poured, and the Hallel (psalms of praise relating
to the Exodus and future redemption) is completed while sitting. The blessing
on wine is recited, the fourth cup of wine is drunk while reclining, and the
blessing after drinking wine is recited. If one forgot to recline, he need
not drink again.
The Hallel should preferably be concluded before midnight.
Nothing may be drunk after the fourth cup other than water or tea.
N. NIRTZA- PRAYER FOR ACCEPTANCE OF OUR SERVICE- NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!!!
We pray that our service, which has been
successfully completed, will be the harbinger of the real Seder which will be
celebrated in the rebuilt Jerusalem
speedily in our days.
The songs in the Hagadah are completed. The story of the Exodus and the laws
of Pesach should then be elaborated upon in depth until the Seder
participants are overcome with sleepiness.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Baruch Price
Technical
Note: Page is suitable to print.
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