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CLASS #14

Lessons from Caesar A Look at

TORAH STUDIES

Holiday summary

Passover is divided into two parts: The first two days and last two days (the latter commemorating the splitting of the Red Sea) are full-fledged holidays. Holiday candles are lit at night, and and sumptuous holiday meals are en- joyed on both nights and days. We don’t go to work, drive, write or switch on or off electric devices. We are permitted to cook and to carry outdoors. The middle four days are called , semi-festive “inter- mediate days,” when most forms of work are permitted. To commemorate the unleavened that the ate when they left Egypt, we don’t eat—or even retain in our possession— any from midday of the day before Passover until the con- clusion of the holiday. Chametz means leavened grain—any food or drink that contains even a trace of , , , , or their derivatives, and which wasn’t guarded from leavening or . This includes bread, cake, cookies, cereal, pasta and most alcoholic beverages. Moreover, almost any processed food or drink can be assumed to be chametz unless certified otherwise. Ridding our homes of chametz is an intensive process. It involves a full-out spring-cleaning search-and-destroy mission during the weeks before Passover, and culminates with a ceremonial search for chametz on the night before Passover, and then a burning of the chametz ceremony on the morning before the holiday. Chametz that cannot be disposed of can be sold to a non- for the duration of the holiday. Instead of chametz, we eat matzah—flat unleavened bread. It is a to partake of matzah on the two Seder nights (see below for more on this), and during the rest of the holiday it is optional. The highlight of Passover is the Seder, observed on each of the first two nights of the holiday. The Seder is a fifteen-step family- oriented tradition and ritual-packed feast.

284 Lessons from Caesar Overview Lessons from Caesar

Have you ever visited the great Colosseum in Rome? Was your imagination ever fired up with dreams of Caesars and dignitaries, mighty empires and grand military conquests? Well, of all names, the labels Moshiach with the title “Caesar.” This is confounding. A Roman name for the greatest Jewish leader of all time? Borrowing a name from the kingdom that destroyed the Temple to the leader who will rebuild it—that seems quite odd! The wandering in the desert lead us to the answer. A seemingly gross navigational mistake from Egypt to brings the Jews to the Sea of Reeds. A great miracle occurs there, and we commemorate it to this day on the last days of Passover. Putting the marvel of the story aside, let’s try to figure this out: Why did G-d lead them like a bunch of blind sheep without a GPS? Because they needed to split their personal sea. On the way to redemption, the little band of needed to experience a moment when their personal sea of talents and capabilities was split open and brought from their latent state to reality. To split the sea is to realize potential. To “cut” through the thick veneer and expose the pure interior. That’s what Moshiach will do; as a true leader, he will bring out the best in people and the world. He will wield a razor blade so sharp, it will cut through every rough exterior imaginable. And guess what? “Caesar” means “cut.” Now it all makes sense.

Torah Studies | Season Two 5774 285 SECTION One The Last Day of Passover

Text #1

Rabbi Yosef Yitschak Source: Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch, Schneersohn (1880–1950). Chasidic and 6th Sefer Hasichot 5700, p. 72 leader of the movement. Rabbi Schneersohn’s activities in The last day of Passover is the conclusion of what began defense of Russian Jewry led to his arrest by both Czarist and Communist on the first night of Passover. The first night of Passover authorities. After he was liberated from Soviet is our festival commemorating the redemption from prison and exile, he moved to Riga, Latvia, and later to Warsaw, Poland, from Egypt by the Holy One, Blessed be He. The first re- where he fled the Nazi occupation and arrived demption, carried out through , who was the first in New York in 1940. Settling in Brooklyn, Rabbi Schneersohn worked redeemer, was the beginning. The last day of Passover to revitalize American Jewish life. His son-in-law, Rabbi Menachem Mendel is our festival commemorating the final redemption, Schneerson, succeeded him as the leader of the when the Holy One, Blessed be He, will redeem us from Chabad movement. the last exile through our righteous Moshiach, who is the final redeemer. The first day of Passover is Moses’ festival; the last day of Passover is Moshiach’s festival.

NOTES

286 Lessons from Caesar Text #2

Source: Isaiah 10:32-11:9 עֹוד הַּיֹום ּבְנֹב לַעֲמֹד יְנֹפֵף יָדֹו הַר ּבַת צִּיֹון ּגִבְעַתיְרּוׁשָלִָם: הִּנֵה הָאָדֹון ה' צְבָאֹות מְסָעֵףּפֻאה ּבְמַעֲצָה וְמֵי הַּקֹומָהּגְדּועִים וְהַּגְבֹהִיםיִׁשְּפָלּו: וְנִּקַף סִבְכֵי הַּיַעַר ּבַּבַזֶל וְהַּלְבָנֹוןּבְאַּדִיר יִּפֹול: וְיָצָא חֹטֶר מִּגֵזַע יִׁשָי וְנֵצֶר מִּׁשָׁשָיו יִפְה: וְנָחָה עָלָיו רּוחַה' רּוחַ חָכְמָה ּובִינָה רּוחַ עֵצָה ּוגְבּוה רּוחַּדַעַת וְיִאַת ה': וַהֲיחֹו ּבְיִאַת ה'וְא לְמַאֵהעֵינָיו יִׁשְּפֹוט וְא לְמִׁשְמַע אָזְנָיו יֹוכִיחַ: וְׁשָפַט ּבְצֶדֶקּדַּלִים וְהֹוכִיחַ ּבְמִיׁשֹור לְעַנְוֵי אָץ וְהִּכָה אֶץּבְׁשֵבֶט ּפִיו ּובְרּוחַ ׂשְפָתָיו יָמִית ׁשָע: וְהָיָה צֶדֶק אֵזֹור מָתְנָיו וְהָאֱמּונָה אֵזֹור חֲלָצָיו: וְגָר זְאֵב עִם ּכֶבֶׂש וְנָמֵר עִם ּגְדִי יִּבָץ וְעֵגֶל ּוכְפִיר ּומְיא יַחְּדָו וְנַעַר קָטֹן נֹהֵג ּבָם: ּופָה וָדֹב ּתִעֶינָה יַחְּדָו יִּבְצּויַלְדֵיהֶן וְאַיֵה ּכַּבָקָר יֹאכַל ּתֶבֶן: וְׁשִעֲׁשַע יֹונֵק עַל חֻרּפָתֶן וְעַל מְאּות צִפְעֹונִי ּגָמּול יָדֹו הָדָה: א יָעּו וְא יַׁשְחִיתּוּבְכָל הַר קָדְׁשִיּכִי מָלְאָה הָאָץ ּדֵעָה אֶת ה' ּכַּמַיִם לַּיָם מְכַּסִים:

Still today, [he intends] to stand in Nob; he waves his

Torah Studies | Season Two 5774 287 hand toward the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of .

Behold the Master, the Lord of Hosts lops off the branch- es with a saw, and those of lofty height are hewn down, and the tall one shall be humbled.

And the thickets of the forests shall be cut off with iron, and the Lebanon shall fall through a mighty one.

And a shoot shall spring forth from the stem of Jesse, and a twig shall sprout from his roots.

And the spirit of G-d shall rest upon him, a spirit of wis- dom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and hero- ism, a spirit of knowledge and fear of G-d.

And he shall be animated by the fear of G-d, and nei- ther with the sight of his eyes shall he judge, nor with the hearing of his ears shall he chastise.

And he shall judge the poor justly, and he shall chastise with equity the humble of the earth, and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips he shall put the wicked to death.

And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faith the girdle of his loins.

NOTES

288 Lessons from Caesar And a wolf shall live with a lamb, and a leopard shall lie with a kid; and a calf and a lion cub and a fatling [shall lie] together, and a small child shall lead them.

And a cow and a bear shall graze together, their chil- dren shall lie; and a lion, like cattle, shall eat straw.

And an infant shall play over the hole of an old snake and over the eyeball of an adder; a weaned child shall stretch forth his hand.

They shall neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mount, for the land shall be full of knowledge of G-d as water covers the sea bed. Text #3

Source: Talmud Tractate Megillah 31a, ad loc. יום טוב האחרון של פסח קורין ויהי בשלח ומפטירין וידבר דוד, ולמחר כל הבכור, ומפטירין עוד היום. )לפי שמפלתו של סנחריב בליל פסח היה. –רש"י(

On the last holiday of Passover we read, “And it came to pass when G-d sent,” and as , “And spoke.”

Torah Studies | Season Two 5774 289 On the next day we read, “All the ,” and for haftarah, “Still today.” (Because the downfall of Sancherib was on the eve of Passover. —Rashi) Text #4

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Source: The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Schneerson (1902–1994). The towering Jewish Hayom Yom, 22 Nissan leader of the 20th century, known as “the Lubavitcher הבעל שם טוב היה אוכל ג' סעודות באחרון של פסח. Rebbe,” or simply as “the Rebbe.” Born in southern Ukraine, the Rebbe escaped סעודת אחרון של פסח היתה נקראת - אצל הבעל שם טוב - משיח'ס ,Nazi-occupied Europe arriving in the U.S. in June סעודה. אחרון של פסח איז משיח'ס סעודה, ווייל אחרון של פסח The Rebbe inspired .1941 and guided the revival of traditional after איז מאיר גילוי הארת המשיח. ,the European devastation impacting virtually every Jewish community the world over. The Rebbe The used to eat three festival meals on often emphasized that the performance of just one additional good deed the last day of Passover. could usher in the era of Mashiach. The Rebbe’s scholarly talks and writings The Baal Shem Tov called the [third] meal of this day have been printed in more than 200 volumes. the “festive meal of Moshiach.”

The last day of Passover is the day for Moshiach’s meal because on this day the radiance of the light of Moshiach shines openly.

NOTES

290 Lessons from Caesar Text #5

Source: , ad loc. Tosafot. A collection of French and German talmudic commentaries in the form of critical ישראל לא עברו הים לרחבו מצד זה לזה שא"כ היו ממהרים ללכת explanations, written during the 12th and 13th centuries. Among the אל א"י אלא רצועה אחת עברו בים לאורך הים עד שפנו למדבר most famous authors of Tosafot are Rabbi Ya’akov לצד אחד…. Tam, Rabbi Shimshon ben Avraham of Sens, and Rabbi Yitschak (“the ונסעו לחוף הים מצפון הים שהוא דרומית של מצרים ואח"כ יצאו Ri”). Printed in almost all ,editions of the Talmud לאחר שהלכו כחצי גורן עגולה ויצאו בצד צפוני שלהם. these commentaries are fundamental to The Jews did not cross the span of the sea… rather, basic talmudic study. they traveled in a straight line along the length of the sea until they eventually turned to the desert shore on the same side…

They entered the sea at a northern point of the shore— which is south of Egypt—and traveled [further north] in Rabbi Avraham ibn a semi-circle and emerged on the same side at a more Ezra (1092–1167). Born in Tudela, Spain; rabbi, poet, and biblical northern point. commenter. Also known as the Ibn Ezra, after the title of his principal work, a biblical commentary noted also for his concern for Hebrew grammar and language. Ibn Ezra spent the later years of his life in other parts Text #6 of Europe, after fleeing the fanatical Almohad regime. In addition to Source: Rabbi ibn Ezra, Shemot 14:17 his commentaries and poetry, he wrote works on philosophy, medicine, astronomy, and other ואני ידענו כי אין ים סוף בין מצרים ובין ארץ ישראל, ואין צורך topics. He is believed to have been living in London .at the time of his death שיכנסו בים, רק צוה ה' לעשות כך בעבור שיכנסו המצרים אחריהם

Torah Studies | Season Two 5774 291 ויטבעו.

It is common knowledge that the Sea of Reeds does not lie between Egypt and Israel, and there was no real need for the Jews to enter the sea. The only reason why G-d commanded them to do so was to draw the Egyptians after them into the water and drown them there.

NOTES

292 Lessons from Caesar SECTION Two The Caesar

Text #7

Source: Talmud Tractate 98b אמר רב יהודה אמר רב עתיד הקדוש ברוך הוא להעמיד להם דוד אחר, שנאמר ועבדו את ה' אלהיהם ואת דוד מלכם אשר אקים להם, הקים לא נאמר אלא אקים. א"ל רב פפא לאביי והכתיב ודוד עבדי נשיא להם לעולם? כגון קיסר ופלגי קיסר.

Rabbi Judah said in the name of : The Holy One, blessed be He, will establish for the Jewish people an- other David, as it is written, “And they shall serve the Lord their G-d, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.” “I raised up,” is not stated, rather “I will raise up.”

Rabbi Papa asked : But it is written, “And my [orig- inal] servant David shall be their prince forever?”

They will be like a Caesar and a half-Caesar.

Torah Studies | Season Two 5774 293 Text #8

Source: Tosafot, Tractate Avoda Zarah 10b לסוף כמה שנים מלך עליהם אחד בחזקה, שמתה אמו בלדתה ונבקעת בטנה ומצאוהו חי ומלך עליהם ונקרא קיסר בלשון רומי, והוא לשון כרות בעברית, ועל שמו נקראו כל המלכים שלאחריו קיסר.

After a number of years, an individual forcibly seized power. His mother had died during his birth, her womb was cut open and he was found alive. He was therefore called “Caesar,” which is the Latin word for “cut.” All sub- sequent kings were also given the title “Caesar.” Text #9

Source: The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Sefer Hasichot 5748 vol. 2 p. 390

The Talmud uses an analogy that properly illustrates the theme. Being that Moshiach’s primary accomplish- ment will be his global impact, the Talmud specifically uses the title “Caesar” which is in a foreign language.

Not only that, they specifically chose a Roman title, the

NOTES

294 Lessons from Caesar lowest of nations who destroyed the holy Temple, to demonstrate the Moshiach will be like a “Caesar,” who leads and influences the non-Jewish nations. Text #10

Source: , Laws of Kings 11:4 Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (1135–1204). Better known as Maimonides or by the ואם יעמוד מלך מבית דוד הוגה בתורה ועוסק במצוות כדוד אביו, acronym Rambam; born in Cordoba, Spain. After the conquest of Cordoba by the כפי תורה שבכתב ושבעל פה, ויכוף כל ישראל לילך בה ולחזק Almohads, he fled Spain and eventually settled in בדקה, וילחם מלחמות ה', הרי זה בחזקת שהוא משיח, אם עשה Cairo, Egypt. There, he became the leader of the והצליח ונצח כל האומות שסביביו ובנה מקדש במקומו וקבץ נדחי Jewish community and served as court physician to the vizier of Egypt. His ישראל הרי זה משיח בודאי. ויתקן את העולם כולו לעבוד את ה' rulings on Jewish law are considered integral to ביחד. the formation of halachic consensus. He is most If a king will arise from the House of David who dili- noted for authoring the , an encyclopedic arrangement gently contemplates the Torah and observes its mitzvot of Jewish law, and for his philosophical work, as prescribed by the Written Law and the Oral Law as Guide for the Perplexed. David, his ancestor, will compel all of Israel to walk in (the way of the Torah) and rectify the breaches in its observance, and fight the wars of G-d, we may, with assurance, consider him Moshiach.

If he succeeds in the above, builds the Temple in its

Torah Studies | Season Two 5774 295 place, and gathers the dispersed of Israel, he is defi- nitely the Moshiach

Moshiach will bring about the improvement of the entire world, motivating the nations to serve G-d together. Text #11

Source: Maimonides, Laws of Teshuvah 9:2 באותן הימים תרבה הדעה והחכמה והאמת שנאמר כי מלאה הארץ דעה את ה' ונאמר ולא ילמדו איש את אחיו ואיש את רעהו, ונאמר והסירותי את לב האבן מבשרכם, מפני שאותו המלך שיעמוד מזרע דוד בעל חכמה יהיה יתר משלמה, ונביא גדול הוא קרוב למשה רבינו, ולפיכך ילמד כל העם ויורה אותם דרך ה'.

In those [Messianic] days, knowledge, wisdom, and truth will be abundant. As the verse states, “The earth will be full of the knowledge of G-d,” and another verse states, “One man will no longer teach his brother, nor a man his colleague… [for all will know Me].” And yet another verse states, “I will take away the heart of stone from your flesh [and give you a heart of flesh].”

[These changes will come about] because that king

NOTES

296 Lessons from Caesar who will arise from David’s descendants will be wiser than and a great prophet, close to the level of Moses, our teacher. Therefore, he will teach all of the people and instruct them in the path of G-d.

Torah Studies | Season Two 5774 297 SECTION Three Cosmic “Caesarian Birth”

Text #12

Source: Talmud Tractate Chullin 127a תנו רבנן: כל שיש ביבשה יש בים חוץ מן החולדה.

Our taught: Every creature that is on the dry land is also to be found in the sea except the weasel.

Rabbi Shne’ur Zalman of Liadi (1745– 1812). Chasidic rebbe and founder of the Chabad movement, also known Text #13 as “the Alter Rebbe” and “the Rav.” Born in Liozna, Belarus, he was among Source: Rabbi , Torah Ohr 63a the principal students of the Magid of Mezeritch. וזה היה ענין קריעת ים סוף קודם מתן תורה הפך ים ליבשה שהים His numerous works include the Tanya, an early classic containing the הוא בחינת עלמא דאתכסייא כמאמר רבותינו ז"ל כל מה שיש ;fundamentals of Chasidism Torah Or; Likutei Torah; ביבשה יש בים אלא שהמים מכסים ואינם נראים שבחי' עלמא and HaRav, a reworked and דאתכסייא בא לידי גילוי בבחינת עלמא דאתגלייא. expanded code of Jewish law. He is interred in Hadiach, Ukraine, and was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Dovber of Lubavitch. This is the inner meaning of the splitting of the sea that

NOTES

298 Lessons from Caesar preceded the giving of the Torah, when the sea was transformed to dry land: The sea symbolizes the “hid- den worlds,” as our sages tell us that there is nothing on land that isn’t in the sea; the only thing is that the water conceals them from the eye. [Splitting the sea symbol- izes] the “hidden worlds” being revealed in a manner of the “revealed worlds.”

Torah Studies | Season Two 5774 299