Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • YU Center for the Jewish Future THE BENJAMIN AND ROSE BERGER TORAH TO-GO® Established by Rabbi Hyman and Ann Arbesfeld APRIL 2020 • PESACH 5780 Pesach
Dedicated in memory of Cantor Jerome L. Simons
ON THIS NIGHT WE ARE ALL TEACHERS Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education HAGGADAH COMPANION
ISSUE I / PASSOVER 5780
Torah Perspectives Special Haggadah on Anti-Semitism Companion How does a Jew respond From the Azrieli Graduate to hate? School of Jewish Education
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Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President, Yeshiva University Rabbi Yaakov Glasser, David Mitzner Dean, Center for the Jewish Future Rabbi Menachem Penner, Max and Marion Grill Dean, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Rabbi Robert Shur, Series Editor Rabbi Joshua Flug, General Editor Rabbi Michael Dubitsky, Content Editor Andrea Kahn, Copy Editor Copyright © 2020 All rights reserved by Yeshiva University Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future 500 West 185th Street, Suite 419, New York, NY 10033 • [email protected] • 212.960.0074 This publication contains words of Torah. Please treat it with appropriate respect. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Rabbi Russ Shulkes at [email protected]
2 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 Table of Contents Pesach 5780
Dedicated in memory of Cantor Jerome L. Simons
Introduction 4 Rabbi Yaakov Glasser: The COVID-19 Crisis is an Opportunity to Sanctify our Homes
Understanding 5 Chaya Sima Koenigsberg, PhD: Bread for Thought Chametz 7 Mrs. Bracha Rutner: Does Chametz Represent our Relationship with Hashem? 11 Rabbi Yona Reiss: Where and When Can I Shop After Pesach? 15 Rabbi Ari Zahtz: Finding Chametz on Pesach
Torah Perspectives 18 Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter, PhD: Bnei Torah Reflect on Anti-Semitism on Anti-Semitism 24 Rabbi Elchanan Adler: We Are Not Alone: Perspectives on Jewish Victimhood 37 Mrs. Sivan Rahav Meir: Voices of American Jewry on Antisemitism: A Journalist’s Perspective 41 Rabbi Eli Belizon: Shul Security: Halachic Perspectives 47 Rabbi Etan Schnall: Dressing Like a Jew in Public
Torah For The Times 52 Eli Weinstein: The Torah of Redemption Of The Redemption 54 Tzvi Goldstein: Contemporary Korbanos: Issues and Opportunities 57 Jacob Lazaros: Stories of Return 60 Eitan Rozenberg: Gishmei Bracha 60 Isaac Selter: Actualizing Prophecy: Man’s Obligation or God’s? 66 Effie Wagner: The Powers of a Jewish King
Sponsored for a refuah shleimah for Chayim Ben Chaya Mishkit
3 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 Rabbi Yaakov Glasser
Introduction David Mitzner Dean, Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future Rabbi, Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton
INTRODUCTION: THE COVID-19 CRISIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SANCTIFY OUR HOMES
s we go to press with this It can be transported to any place, any cleaning, it is a chance to infuse those year’s Pesach edition of time, and any circumstance. homes with the sense of meaning the Benjamin and Rose This crisis has shown the incredible and purpose that Pesach is all about. BergerA Torah To-Go®, it is difficult Our faith in Hakadosh Baruch Hu, strength of the Jewish people. We have to believe that only weeks ago, our seen that our values and service to and a recognition that He controls theme of anti-Semitism was the Hakadosh Baruch Hu can be applied both nature and history, is the most pressing concern for world to any environment in which we find greatest source of our resilience and Jewry. While anti-Semitism certainly ourselves. perseverance through this challenge. remains a serious concern, and Rav Kook, Midbar Shur pg. 139, the COVID-19 crisis certainly has writes that the word "Pesach" does the potential to exacerbate it, we find not mean to “pass over.” Rather, based ourselves preparing for Pesach this The korban Pesach on the verse in Melachim I 18:25, year in the context of an entirely new offered in Mitzrayim “poschim al shtei haseifim” — hopping reality. To Go is branded as a Torah between two opinions — it means to publication that can be picked up at was unique in that it “hover.” Hakadosh Baruch Hu did not a local shul or school and enjoyed at was a korban that was simply “pass over” the Jewish homes; home or anywhere else. Over the past he hovered and made his presence felt few days we have watched as the entire offered in the home. while the final plague of Egypt was Jewish world has transitioned to the carried out. May Hakadosh Baruch world of “Torah to go.” The korban Pesach was the first Hu hover above our sacred homes and The Torah (Shemos 25:15) tells us sacrifice commanded to the Jewish protect us once again. May He provide regarding the Aron, the Holy Ark of people. The korban Pesach offered our community with the strength and the Mishkan: in Mitzrayim was unique in that it the blessings to emerge from this great .was a korban that was offered in the challenge with health and with bracha בְּטַבְ ּעֹת הָאָרֹןיִהְ יּו הַבַּדִ ּיםלֹא יָסֻרּומִ מֶ ּּנּו. In the rings of the Ark there shall be home. It personified the notion that Wishing you a wonderful Pesach, poles. They may not be removed from it. the foundation of our people, of our Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch, in his nation, is the sanctity of our homes. commentary to that verse, writes that Our preparation for Pesach 5780 is the poles used to carry the Aron were completely different than what we are never removed, even when the Aron used to. We find ourselves confined was stationary, because ultimately our almost entirely to our homes. Beyond Torah is always “to go.” It is portable. the opportunity for more focused
4 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 UNDERSTANDING Chaya Sima Koenigsberg, PhD CHAMETZ Resident Scholar, Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought, Yeshiva University
BREAD FOR THOUGHT
n August 2019, a physicist and sourdough to the baking process. something quintessentially Egyptian bread enthusiast in Pasadena, From ancient Egypt, the use of from our midst. California named Seamus sourdough as a leavening agent later On a deeper level, we can draw a IBlackley baked a loaf of bread using spread throughout Greece and the lesson from the distinctive baking 4,000-year-old yeast extracted from Roman Empire. Egyptian pride processes of matzah and chometz. an ancient loaf of Egyptian bread.1 in their bread-making process is The Shelah ha-Kadosh explains3 Yeast, of course, is a leavening memorialized in wall paintings found that abstaining from eating leavened agent that produces carbon dioxide in numerous Egyptian tombs, which bread on Pesach signifies our belief in when it metabolizes carbohydrates, testify to the production of both Hashem as the creator, who brought creating bubbles that help otherwise leavened and unleavened loaves.2 forth the world ex-nihilo, yesh me-ayin, dense bread expand into a fluffy Histories of ancient bread-making cite from no pre-existing matter. Chometz, loaf. As we observe Pesach and the the Torah’s description of Pharaoh’s as noted above, was always baked command not to eat leavened bread baker imprisoned with Yosef and using a starter or sourdough from (chometz), it is interesting to note the Torah’s distinction between an older batch of dough, paralleling that it was the ancient Egyptians matzah and chometz as evidence the mistaken belief in an eternal who are credited with discovering of the importance of bread-making world and no creator. In contrast to the leavening process and producing in ancient Egypt, and the presence chometz, matzah is a new creation, leavened breads, probably with the of both leavened and unleavened so to speak. The combination of only help of the beer they liked to drink, breads. Thus, the removal of chometz flour and water to create matzah, with or with the addition of spontaneous on Pesach can signify the removal of no leavening agent added, symbolizes
5 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 On the seder night, we are elevated כָ ל מַחְמֶ תצֶ לֹא תֹאכֵ לּו בְ כֹל מֹו ְ ׁשבֹתֵ םיכֶ תֹאכְ לּו the creation of Heaven and Earth from and pristine after having removed מַ צֹות. nothing. The flour parallels the dust of the earth, and water, the moisture of You shall eat nothing leavened; in all the chometz from without, and we the Heavens, all created yesh me-ayin. your settlements you shall eat unleavened focus on the chometz within. We are granted extra help on that auspicious The Shelah further notes that after bread. night called leil shimurim, a night itself (מחמצת) the initial creation of matter Hashem The wordmachmetzet where Hashem grants us protection formed the rest of creation from that hints at the introduction of death to against the yetzer hara and other matter, a process referred to asyesh the world after the sin of Adam. The spiritual forces that wish us harm. On me-yesh. The distinction betweenyesh center of the word spells chometz that special night we are granted the surrounded by a mem before (חמץ) me-ayin and yesh me-yesh is reflected strength to break free from whatever ,(מת) in the special obligation to eat matzah it and a tav after, to spellmet holds us back from actualizing our on the first night of Pesach, because or death. Chometz signifies the potential, just as Hashem liberated us matzah symbolizes the initial stage contamination of our beings through from the confines of Mitzrayim, as the of creation: that of yesh me-ayin. For sin brought about by obeying the pasuk (Shemot 13:14) states: the rest of the week of Pesach, we yetzer hara now within us, which can וְהָ יָה כִ י יִ ְאָ ׁשלְָך בִ נְָך מָחָ ר לֵ אמֹר מַ ה זֹאת ,are not obligated to eat matzah, but lead to our downfall. For this reason וְאָמַרְתָאֵ לָיובְ חֹזֶק יָדהֹוצִיאָנּו ה' מִמִ צְרַ יִם only to refrain from eating chometz, before Pesach, we gather and burn מִבֵית עֲבָדִ ים. symbolizing the subsequent days of creation that utilized already-created And when, in times to come, your son matter —yesh me-yesh — as stated in asks you, saying, "What is this?" you the verses: As we eat our shall say to him, "It was with a mighty matzah, we hand that the Lord brought us out from בָרִ א ֹן ׁשבְאַרְ בָעָה עָשָ ריֹום לַ חֹדֶ ׁש בבָעֶרֶ תֹאכְ לּו Egypt, the house of bondage." choose life and מַצֹת עַדיֹום דהָאֶחָ וְעֶשְרִ ים לַ חֹדֶ ׁש בָעָרֶ ב. Matzah is referred to as “bread of ׁשִבְעַ ת יָמִים שְ אֹר לֹא יִמָ צֵא בְבָתֵ יכֶם כִי כָ ל aim to live lives of faith” in the Zohar, and as we fulfill אֹכֵל מַחְמֶ צֶת וְנִכְרְתָה הַ נֶפֶׁש הַהִוא מֵעֲדַ ת righteousness. this mitzvah let it reaffirm our faith in יִשְרָאֵל רבַגֵ ּובְאֶ זְרַ ח הָאָרֶ ץ. In the first month, from the fourteenth Hashem as the creator and ruler of the day of the month at evening, you shall world, as well as our faith in our own eat unleavened bread until the twenty- abilities to overcome both internal first day of the month at evening. No and external obstacles that may be leaven shall be found in your houses the leaven in our homes signifying holding us back. for seven days. For whoever eats what the removal of the yetzer hara that contaminated Adam. In contrast to is leavened, that person shall be cut off Endnotes from the community of Israel, whether he the destruction wrought by the yetzer is a stranger or a citizen of the country. hara — symbolized by chometz 1. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/ — matzah symbolizes the tzaddik, science/egyptian-yeast-bread.html. On still a deeper level, the Shelah whose good deeds and correct beliefs explains that Adam ha-Rishon was 2. Flour and Breads and Their Fortification in earn life in the World to Come. The Health and Disease Prevention, Second Edition, like matzah, a new creation without Alshich ha-Kadosh explains4 that Edited by Victor R. Preedy and Ronald Ross parents. Through his sin, theyetzer the tzaddikim are therefore referred Watson (Academic Press, 2019) 178. hara — compared to the leaven to as chai — living, a word with 3. Mesekhet Pesakhim, Perek Torah Ohr, 11. — entered him, clouding his mind the numerical value of 18. Matzah 4. Alshich on Shemot: 13:11-17. and introducing death to his body. likewise has the numerical value of 18 The Torah, here, as well as in the when calculated by the mispar katan5 5. Mispar katan is a form of gematria where subsequent verse (Shemot 12:20), the zeroes are dropped from the value of all .As we eat our matzah, letters valued above 9 .(מ4-, צ9-, ה5-) uses the word machmetzet to describe we choose life and aim to live lives of chometz: righteousness.
6 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 UNDERSTANDING Mrs. Bracha Rutner CHAMETZ Assistant Principal, Yeshiva University High School for Girls
DOES CHAMETZ REPRESENT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HASHEM?
uintus Turnus Rufus the does He not support them Himself? we are deserving of punishment. Evil, a senator and provincial Rabbi Akiva said to him: He commands Rabbi Akiva counters and teaches us governor under the Roman us to sustain the poor, so that through that we have a responsibility to make Q Empire, appears in them and the charity we give them the world a better place. We are not several midrashim and Talmudic we will be saved from the judgment of forced to accept the world as it is; in discourses, mostly in conversation Gehenna. Turnus Rufus said to Rabbi fact we have a requirement to provide with Rabbi Akiva. Akiva: On the contrary, it is this charity sustenance and support to those in need. In the Gemara in Bava Batra 10a, the which condemns you, the Jewish people, following conversation appears: to Gehenna because you give it. How do we do make the world a They both continue with different better place? By partnering with וזו שאלה שאל טורנוסרופוס הרשע את ר"ע parables to illustrate their points. Hashem. Generally, Rabbi Akiva tells אם אלקיכם אוהב עניים הוא מפני מה אינו Turnus Rufus here is accusing Rabbi us this should be our approach. But מפרנסם? אמר לו כדי שניצול אנו בהן מדינה Akiva of trying to be better than is this true all the time? We can relate של גיהנם. אמר לו ]אדרבה[ זו שמחייבתן God. Hashem has created the world to Hashem and be a junior partner לגיהנם! most of the time. However, to truly And this is the question that Turnus a certain way — with poor and appreciate this partnership and our Rufus the wicked asked Rabbi Akiva: If downtrodden people. If we interfere, role, we need to step back and not your God loves the poor, for what reason we are going against God’s plans and partner with God but rather focus on
7 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 remove it — wouldn’t the world אֹכֵל מַחְמֶ צֶת וְנִכְרְתָה הַ נֶפֶׁש הַהִוא מֵעֲדַ ת Him as our Master. When do we do cease to function as usual? Another שְ יִ רָ אֵ לבַ ֵ ג ר ּו בְ אֶ ְ ז רַ ח הָ אָ רֶ ץ. — this? During the holiday of Pesach the holiday in which Hashem showed No leaven shall be found in your houses commonly taught idea is that the His mastery and as we left Egypt, for seven days. For whoever eats what difference between chametz and we as a nation accepted G-d as our is leavened, that person shall be cut off matzah is yeast, with chametz master. from the community of Israel, whether he representing ego and matzah With all the rites and rituals is a stranger or a citizen of the country. representing humility. But this too is troublesome because all year we eat performed over the seven-day holiday, We remove all chametz from our chametz and are commanded to use just how exactly do we demonstrate homes and perform bittul chametz, it to perform several mitzvot. If so, not just our recognition of G-d as our giving up possession of any chametz in how can we associate chametz with master, but our self-abnegation in our homes and making it like the dust something negative? deference to G-d? We are all familiar of the earth. If we retain possession of with our abstention from chametz any chametz over Pesach, it remains So the question remains: Why are and all things leaven, but is this forbidden for us and any other Jew we required to completely remove commandment to have no leavened forever. chametz from our lives, incurring bread in our possession related to the serious consequences for owning even All these prohibitions beg the concept of self-abnegation? a small amount of it? question — why are we so strict with Chametz is an enigma. The rest of the chametz? What is so unique about it We must view chametz in a different year, not only is chametz permitted, that it has more issurim connected to light. Chametz represents our there are several mitzvot associated it than any other item in the Torah? relationship and partnership with with it. Yet for these seven days, One common explanation connects Hashem. All year we partner with it is forbidden. And we’re not just chametz and the yetzer harah, the evil Hashem, as Rabbi Akiva tells us. forbidden from eating it, we can’t inclination. As the Zohar states, we But during Pesach, this relationship own it or receive any benefit from it need to remove the yetzer harah from changes. whatsoever. In fact, there are more our midst completely during Pesach. This idea of partnership and chametz prohibitions relating to chametz than Yet this explanation is countered by is evident from the Gemara in Brachot for any other forbidden item in the the midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 9:7): 38a, which discusses the nature of Torah. The Torah (Shemot 12:15) the bracha made on bread. There is a רבי נחמן בר שמואל בר נחמן בשם רב says: debate between the Rabbis and Rabbi שמואל בר נחמן אמר: הנה טוב מאד, זה יצר :Nechemya about this bracha טוב. והנה טוב מאד, זה יצר רע. וכי יצר הרע שבעת ימים מצות תאכלו... כי כל אוכל חמץ ונכרתה הנפש ההיא מישראל ׁשֶ עַל הַּפַתהּוא אֹומֵ ר ״הַ מֹוצִיא״ וְ כּו׳. ָ תנּו טוב מאד אתמהא?! אלא שאלולי יצר הרע, רַ ָ בנַן: מָההּוא אֹומֵ ר? — ״הַ מֹוצִיא לֶחֶם מִ ן לא בנה אדם בית, ולא נשא אשה, ולא הוליד, … For seven days we must eat matzah הָאָרֶ ץ״. רַ ִי בנְחֶמְ יָהאֹומֵ ר: ״מֹוצִיא לֶחֶם מִ ן ולא נשא ונתן. וכן שלמה אומר: )קהלת ד(: anyone who eats chametz will be cut off הָאָרֶ ץ״. אָמַר רָ בָ א: ְ ב״מֹוצִ יא״ כּוּלֵי עָלְמָ א לָ א כי היא קנאת איש מרעהו: .from the nation ּפְלִיגִיּדְאַּפֵ יקמַׁשְמַע, ּדִ כְתִ יב: ל״אֵ מֹוצִיאָ ם In Shemot ch. 13 (verse 7) we are Rabbi Nahman said in Rabbi Samuel's מִ ִ מצְרָ יִם״. ִיכ ּפְלִיגִ י ְב״הַ מֹוצִ יא״, רַ ָ בנַן סָבְרִ י told: name: “Behold, it was good” refers to the הַ מֹוצִיא ּדְאַּפֵ יק מַׁשְמַע, ּדִ כְתִ יב: ״הַ מֹוצִ יא Good Desire; “And behold, it was very מַ צֹות יֵאָ כֵל אֵ ת ׁשִבְעַת הַ יָמִ ים וְ לֹא היֵרָאֶ לְ ָך לְָך מַ יִ צּור הַחַ ּלָמִ יׁש״. וְ ִ י נְחֶמְ יָה סָבַ good” refers to the Evil Desire. Can then ם מִ רַ ב ר ץחָמֵ וְ לֹא היֵרָאֶ לְָך שְ אֹר בְכָל גְבֻלֶ ָך. הַ מ ֹוצִיאּדְמַּפֵ יק מַׁשְמַ ע, ׁשֶ נֶאֱמַ ר: ״הַ מֹוצִ יא the Evil Desire be very good? That would Throughout the seven days unleavened אֶתְ כֶ ם מִ תַחַת סִבְלֹות מִ צְרָ יִם״. be extraordinary! But without the Evil bread shall be eaten; no leavened bread Desire, no man would build a house, We learned in the mishna that over shall be found with you, and no leaven take a wife and beget children; and thus bread one recites: Who brings forth shall be found in all your territory. said Solomon: “Again, I considered all bread from the earth. The Sages taught In Shemot ch. 12 (verse 19) we are labor and all excelling in work, that it in a baraita: What does one who eats told: is a man's rivalry with his neighbor.” bread recite before eating? Who brings (Ecclesiastes 4:4) forth bread from the earth. Rabbi ׁשִבְעַ ת יָמִים שְ אֹר לֹא יִמָ צֵא בְבָתֵ יכֶם כִי כָ ל So how could we be required to Nechemya says that the blessing is
8 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 phrased: Who brought forth bread from creating the bread nor is He bringing beautiful — that which is created the earth. Rava said: Everyone agrees the actual bread forth. It is rather a by people in partnership with God. that the term motzi means brought, joint effort; a partnership where God Hashem puts forth wheat, which in the past tense, as it is written: “God brings the water and weather that is an essential staple in life, but the who brought them forth from Egypt enables the wheat to grow, while man most beautiful item in the world is is for them like the horns of the wild takes the wheat and turns it into the created when we take this wheat, in ox” (Numbers 23:22). When do they actual finished product that is bread. partnership with God, and turn it into disagree? With regard to the term If that is the case, then why does something that is the sustenance of hamotzi, as the Rabbis hold that the bracha describe bread as from life. hamotzi means that God brought forth, Hashem? Perhaps then, the Gemara in Brachot, in the past tense, as it is written: “Who A hint to the answer may lie in the when discussing the bracha on brought forth for you water from a rock Midrash Tanhuma, Tazria 5, in another bread, is alluding to this symbiotic of flint” (Deuteronomy 8:15), which conversation between Turnus Rufus relationship. We say “hamotzi”; God depicts a past event. Rabbi Nechemya and Rabbi Akiva: brings forth the wheat and then we holds that the term hamotzi means that take it and turn it into something מעשה ששאל טורנוסרופוס הרשע את רבי God brings forth in the present tense, beautiful — something more beautiful עקיבא: איזו מעשים נאים, של הקדוש ברוך as it is stated in Moses’ prophecy to the than even what God creates on this הוא או של בשר ודם? אמר לו: של בשר ודם Jewish people in Egypt: “And you will Earth. This is true whether we view נאים. …. אמר לו: למה אתם מולין. אמר know that I am the Lord your God who the bracha as relating to the past or to לו: אני הייתי יודע שעל דבר זה אתה שואלני, is bringing you forth from under the the present — this is a relationship ולכך הקדמתי ואמרתי לך, שמעשה בני אדם (burdens of Egypt.” (Exodus 6:7 that began in the past — when we נאים משל הקדוש ברוך הוא. הביא לו רבי left Egypt and confirmed our belief עקיבא שבלים וגלסקאות. אָמַר לֹו: אֵּלּו מַ עֲ ֶ שה What is the disagreement between as a nation in God, and continues to הַּקָ דֹוׁש ָרּוְךב הּוא, וְאֵּלּו מַ עֲ ֶ שה יְדֵי אָדָם. אָמַ ר Rabbi Nechemya and the Rabbis? On ,this day. Each time we make bread לֹו: אֵין אֵ ּלּו נָאִים יֹותֵר מִן הַ ּׁשִ בֳלִ ים the surface, the question appears to be that when we make the bracha on we are beautifying God's world, we It happened that Turnus Rufus the bread, are we referring to a current are partnering with Him to improve wicked asked R. Akiva, “Which works event — God is bringing forth the the world. And it is when we partner are the more beautiful? Those of the Holy bread from the earth — or are we with Hashem that we make the One, blessed be He, or those of flesh and referring to something that God has most beautiful item that can provide blood?” He said to him, “Those of flesh done in the past — that He brought sustenance to others — bread — a and blood are the more beautiful.” … He forth the bread? Is this a continuous food whose bracha comes first in the said to him, “Why do you circumcise?” action or only one that refers to the order of brachot. He said to him, “I also knew that you past? were going to say this to me. I therefore During the rest of the year, this But if we look deeper there is another anticipated [your question] when I partnership with Hashem is absolutely layer to this discussion. The language said to you, ‘A work of flesh and blood necessary. Man takes the wheat He of the bracha states that Hashem is more beautiful than one of the Holy gives us and produces bread. We brings bread from the earth. But One, blessed be He.’ Bring me wheat partner with God, improving the we don’t pick bread off trees, so is spikes and white bread.” He said to him, world and making it a better place. Hashem really bringing the bread “The former is the work of the Holy One, Moreover, as Rabbi Akiva tells us, it forth from the earth? What comes blessed be He, and the latter is the work is an expectation that Hashem placed from the earth? Wheat. But what of flesh and blood. Is not the latter more upon us. turns it into bread? must add Man beautiful?” But what is the origin of this other ingredients: water and yeast, In the midrash, Turnus Rufus asks partnership? Yetziat Mitzrayim. What and perhaps sugar, salt, eggs and oil. which is more beautiful — something are we commemorating on Pesach? With these ingredients, then man that Hashem or man created? In Yetziat Mitzrayim and the origins of turns it into bread from which we his answer, Rabbi Akiva compares our relationship with Hashem. At gain sustenance. It is not God who is bread and wheat. The bread is more that point in time, we were not equal
9 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 completely miraculous fashion, to לגמרי, כדי להודיע לנו שמדובר בעניין אלוקי partners — we did not have complete .show that it is not a human endeavor ולא אנושי. לכן בפסח, החג שנועד להשרשת faith and could not take what Hashem Therefore, on Pesach, the holiday geared יסודות האמונה, נצטווינו להיזהר מאוד gave us and make it perfect. At that toward imparting the fundamentals of מכל שמץ של חמץ במאכלינו וברשותנו, point, we were like children and faith, we are commanded to be extremely שהחמץ מבטא את הצד האנושי שלנו, ואסור Hashem was like our father. We could cautious to avoid eating and possessing לערבו בעת שאנו עוסקים ביסודות האמונה not intervene in the world. Hashem even a smidgen of chametz, which ושורשיה. אבל במשך כל השנה, אנו עוסקים had to intervene on our behalf symbolizes our human aspects that בענפים, ואותם אנחנו צריכים לפתח ולשכלל, ,and guide us every step of the way must not get mixed in when we speak ואז החמץ רצוי. showcasing His might and kindness throughout the process. He gave us Pesach, and especially the Seder, is about the roots and foundations of faith. protection when He punished the designed to instill in us the fundamentals During the rest of the year, however, Egyptians. He saved us from not just of faith: that the world has a Creator, when we are involved with developing the Egyptians but also from ourselves, and improving the branches, chametz is showing love and devotion like a allowed and even desirable. benevolent master. As Pesach is a Bread, we see, is not something Pesach is a time when we step back negative — in fact, it is desired and from being partners with Hashem time when we desirable to create bread the entire and recognize the origins of our step back from year. Bread signifies our incredible relationship with Him, reminding partnership with Hashem, which we ourselves that our partnership with being partners recognize each time we make the God only works if we recognize that with Hashem and bracha, hamotzi lechem min haaretz. He is the Master and Creator of the But during Pesach, we are recognizing world. And how is that done? By recognize the the origins of our faith, of our removing all bread from our midst. origins of our beginnings before we were partners Not only can we not eat it, we cannot with Hashem. We need to remove the make it nor own it nor do anything relationship with bread from our midst, because at this that might bring us close to making Him, reminding point it is not the right way to connect bread. We need to go back to our roots to Hashem. Only when we recognize — our beginning — when we had ourselves that our that it all comes from Hashem and just gained our freedom but couldn’t partnership with that He is the creator of the world can truly partner with God. This is a time we understand what our relationships when we eat only matzah: wheat God only works need to be and what Hashem expects and water baked for a short period if we recognize of us in the world. We can take our of time. Nothing beautiful, nothing deep faith and understanding and fancy. Only simple food, nothing that He is the use this knowledge and experience to that provides sustenance in the way Master and Creator further our relationship with Hashem chametz does. during the year, engaging with the of the world. world and making His world, our As Rav Melamed says in Peninei world, the best it can be for all living Halacha: souls. that He watches over His creatures, and חג הפסח ובמיוחד ליל הסדר נועדו להשריש that He chose the people of Israel to בנו את יסודות האמונה, שיש בורא לעולם reveal His name in the world. Whenever והוא משגיח על ברואיו, ובחר בעם ישראל כדי there is revelation of an aspect of the שיגלה את שמו בעולם. ובכל עת שמתגלה divine in the world, it appears in a יסוד אלוקי בעולם, הוא מופיע בדרך ניסית
10 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 UNDERSTANDING Rabbi Yona Reiss CHAMETZ Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS Av Beth Din of the Chicago Rabbinical Council
WHERE AND WHEN CAN I SHOP AFTER PESACH?
ne of the strict laws of Pesach The halacha follows the opinion (a complete accident) — when the is the halacha of chametz of R. Shimon (Pesachim 29a) that transgression came about due to she’avar alav HaPesach. this law is not a Torah prohibition circumstances that were completely OAccording to this halacha, it is but rather a rabbinic penalty for beyond the control of the owner of forbidden to eat or derive any benefit the transgression of the violation the chametz. TheMishna Berurah whatsoever from chametz that was of “bal yeraeh u’val yimatze” — for (448:9) brings one such example: If a in the possession of a Jew during the possession of chametz during non-Jewish owner of a mill decided on Pesach. Sometimes this can lead to the Pesach holiday. Because of the his own to grind a Jew’s wheat kernels tremendous loss, such as in the case severity of such a transgression, during Pesach, and then turned the when a Jew fails to sell a huge amount this penalty was imposed even in flour into bread, theBeis Meir ruled of chametz liquor during Pesach that cases where the ownership came that the bread would not become is worth tens of thousands of dollars. about inadvertently, or by accident prohibited to the Jewish owner after Furthermore, this prohibition is not (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim Pesach, since there was nothing that only applicable to products that are 448:3). the Jew could have done to prevent full-fledged chametz such as breads, this from happening. cookies, pastas, and liquor. Even Possible Cases of Leniency What about a case in which someone products that contain admixtures of nullified his chametz prior to Pesach, chametz are prohibited after Pesach Are there any leniencies, especially so that it no longer belongs to him unless the chametz ingredient was less given that the prohibition is rabbinic according to Torah law? The halacha than one-sixtieth of the entire mixture in nature? Some authorities are follows the opinion of R. Yochanan (Mishna Berurah 447:101). lenient in a situation of “ones gamur” in the Talmud Yerushalmi that a
11 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 person who nullified his chametz but One might argue that there is a special during Pesach, thus appearing to otherwise did not sell or remove the dispensation in the Gemora (Chulin negate the fact that the chametz chametz from his possession may 4a-4b) to purchase chametz after was sold to a non-Jew. Indeed, in not derive benefit from the chametz Pesach from a non-observant Jew who many cases where Jewish-owned after Pesach, since there is a concern only sins based on temptation (mumar supermarkets and liquor stores that his nullification may have been l’teavon) and not out of rebellion, participate in a sale of chametz prior insincere (see Rosh, Pesachim 2:4, based on the premise that such an to Pesach, they continue to sell that Shulchan Aruch OC 448:5). individual would trade his prohibited very same chametz during Pesach However, in a case when a person chametz for a non-Jew’s permitted itself. Some authorities indeed have nullified his chametz and performed chametz after Pesach in order to written that any such continued mitigate his violation. However, most business activity nullifies the sale a thorough bedikas chametz (searching for any chametz prior to of the Jewish storeowners nowadays of chametz, so that all the chametz the Pesach), and then discovered a who possess chametz during Pesach of those enterprises is considered previously unknown stash of chametz are not individuals with either the chametz she’avar alav HaPesach and on his premises after Pesach, the knowledge or the inclination to take remains forbidden forever (see, e.g., such measures to avoid benefiting Maharam Shick, OC 205). Mishna Berurah (448:25) rules directly from their chametz after that in a case of great loss, such Nonetheless, Rav Moshe Feinstein Pesach, so this leniency is no longer chametz would be permitted for ruled (Igros Moshe, OC 1:149) that applicable (see Be’er Hetev, 448:11, benefit after Pesach, although not for such a mechiras chametz remains valid explaining that non-observant Jews consumption. TheAruch Hashulchan because the storeowner who sold today are considered to be in the more (OC 448:8) appears to be lenient his chametz before Pesach intends stringent category of even with respect to consuming such mumar l’hachis to maintain the permissible status of for purposes of this halacha; see also chametz. any chametz that is not sold during , 4:91). Igros Moshe OC Pesach. The chametz that is sold Buying Chametz from a Jewish during Pesach constitutes an act of Store Owner after Pesach The Problem with Stores that theft by the Jewish seller from the Sell Their Chametz but Remain non-Jewish purchaser, but that is only Absent any of these possible in Operation on Pesach an issue for the storeowner and not leniencies, chametz that was in the for the store’s customers. Similarly, possession of a Jew over Pesach The most obvious solution would be Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (see becomes forbidden not only for the to effectuate a sale of the store owner’s Halichos Shlomo, Pesach 6:9) upheld Jewish owner but also for every other chametz (“mechiras chametz”) before the validity of such a sale based on the Jew in the entire world as well (see Pesach (see Shulchan Aruch, Orach ruling of the Noda B’Yehudah (OC 448:3). Even R. Yochanan Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 448:3). Chaim 18) that so long as a mechiras chametz Furthermore, the chametz remains would agree that if an individual transaction was performed by the forbidden forever. This creates a sold his chametz during Pesach to a parties prior to Pesach and could be difficult situation for individuals who non-Jew, that individual and others enforced by the non-Jewish purchaser, wish to buy food after Pesach from may partake of such chametz after it is a valid sale. a non-observant Jewish store and Pesach once it is purchased back from the non-Jewish purchaser. Indeed, However, even Rav Feinstein from Jewish supermarket owners conceded (Igros Moshe, OC 2:91) who may have possessed chametz selling one’s chametz to a non-Jew has become the accepted practice of Jews that the mechiras chametz would over Pesach. Indeed, in recent years it not be valid with respect to any new was discovered that one of the major all over the world (see Shevet HaLevi 4:49). chametz that is purchased by the suppliers of kosher liquor was owned storeowner during Pesach, which by a Jew, thus prohibiting forever However, the major problem with would indeed remain forbidden for the chametz liquor that was in its this option is that the sale may not customers to purchase following possession during Pesach. ultimately be legitimate if the Jewish Pesach. Accordingly, he ruled that a storeowner leaves his business open
12 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 kashrus agency could not ultimately from a major Jewish-owned liquor stockholder interest, since according recommend that customers purchase supplier to a non-Jew, subject to the to a number of rabbinic authorities chametz from those stores after following stipulations: (a) the Jewish the Jewish stockholders would not be Pesach. owner may not have any involvement considered owners of the assets of the in the business during Pesach; (b) business but rather only stakeholders Selling the Entire Business the non-Jewish purchaser must be in the revenue stream of the non- during Pesach someone who is capable of running Jewish owners (see Minchas Yitzchok the business during Pesach (such as 3:1, Igros Moshe, id). the manager of the store); (c) there Are there any other solutions? Some Moreover, Rav Asher Weiss (Minchas must be an accounting made of all the authorities suggest that maybe it is Asher, volume 1, simanim 105-106) profits generated during Pesach; and better to have the Jewish owner sell suggests that there is never any (d) the non-Jewish purchaser must the entire business to a non-Jew for halakhic ownership by a Jew in any receive payment of all of those profits. the duration of Pesach, in addition to corporation that possesses chametz, If such a sale is made properly under selling the chametz to the non-Jew. regardless of the degree of Jewish proper rabbinic auspices, it would This indeed would be a fine solution ownership or involvement, since the be permissible to purchase chametz if the sale of the business would be respective roles of equity holders, from such businesses and stores genuine. However, the problem is that administrators, and major decision immediately after Pesach because often the sale is obviously a sham. makers reside in three different none of the chametz would have been Accordingly, Rav Yisroel Belsky held bodies (shareholders, CEO, and owned by a Jew during Pesach. that the sale of the business would be board of directors). However, his completely void even according to position does not appear to represent the reasoning of Rav Moshe Feinstein Partial Jewish Ownership the predominant view among most if the Jewish owner continued to rabbinic authorities. run the business and derive profits What if the Jewish owner is only a from the business during Pesach, partial owner of the establishment? If How Long to Wait before since it is clear in such a case that the Jewish owner is only a minority Buying Chametz after Pesach there was no interest in selling the owner of the establishment, some business altogether ( authorities (see by Shulchan HaLevi Zecher Yitzchok If a Jewish-owned store did not sell its 1:12[18]; see letter from Rabbi Eli the Ponevezher Rav, #8) allow the chametz in a valid fashion, one may Gerstein to Rabbi Zvi Ryzman in purchase of chametz after Pesach Ratz not buy chametz products from the , Pesach, pages 331-332). from such an establishment even if K’tzvi store until it can be safely assumed there wasn’t a valid sale of a store’s However, if the sale of the business is that the products most likely came chametz. However, other authorities genuine, some authorities allow such into the store’s possession after Pesach are stringent in a case where a Jew a sale in cases of great loss and dire (see Mishna Berurah 449:5). In terms owns a substantial minority interest in need, as long as the sale complies with of how long one should wait, the a corporation that enables him to have all necessary halakhic specifications amount of time may vary based on the a substantial voice in the management (see Aruch Hashulchan 448:20, Dovev shelf life of the product in question. by the Chebiner Rav, of the enterprise (see Igros Moshe EH Meisharim The usual amount of time that is 2:4). For example, at the Chicago 1:7). Nonetheless, there is greater recommended by the rabbinic Rabbinical Council, we recently room for leniency when the store is authorities with respect to most store facilitated such a sale of chametz owned by a publicly held corporation in which Jews only have a minority items is until either Lag B’Omer or
Find more shiurim and articles from Rabbi Yona Reiss at https://www.yutorah.org/Rabbi-Yona-Reiss
13 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 Shavuos. As a general rule, rabbinic authorities are Visit the Parents more likely to rely on a shorter time span when this pesach in there are other mitigating considerations, such as a case when the Jew is only a minority owner in a corporate entity, or if there was at least a questionable sale, or when the turnover rate for the חברון .chametz product in question is relatively short Other Considerations
It is important to note that in addition to Jewish
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14 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 Rabbi Ari Zahtz UNDERSTANDING Maggid Shiur, RIETS CHAMETZ Associate Rabbi, Congregation Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, NJ Co-Founder, Project Ometz
FINDING CHAMETZ ON PESACH
abbi, help! I found A brief overview of the different types requirement to destroy it prior to chametz on Pesach. of chametz will help clarify the status Pesach is only mederabanan (M”B What should I do?” of these items when discovered on 442:2).3 If the chametz is not even “RThis question arises surprisingly Pesach. fit for canine consumption — it is frequently considering the great completely inedible — then it has no Chametz is the result of any one of diligence most employ in their homes halachic status as chametz and there the five grains that come in contact when preparing for Pesach. The truth is not even an obligation with water and are left to leaven for mederabanan is that after further inquiry, the items to destroy it prior to Pesach (Sh”A more than 18 minutes prior to being discovered are often not your classic 442:2). baked. There are other factors such as chametz items. Frequently they are heat, leaving the dough without being This, then, is the basis of allowing medications that do not appear on worked, and liquids mixed with the all medications, soaps, creams, one of the “approved for Pesach” grain that can speed up or change the shampoos, deodorants and other lists or various toiletries that contain leavening process.1 toiletries to be used on Pesach even oatmeal or other chametz ingredients. However, there are times when the if they contain chametz ingredients. What, in fact, is the halachic status of chametz mixture is not fit for human None of the chametz is fit for those items, and if they are chametz consumption. This type of chametz, consumption, it is completely inedible what should be done with them in and therefore does not have the status chametz nuksha,2 is not forbidden light of the prevalent practice of biblically to own or to see in one’s of chametz at all. selling chametz before Pesach? possession over Pesach, and the So why the lists?
15 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 The main concern stems from the ingest them. It is important to note no reason at all to destroy them, and opinion of the Rosh (Pesachim 1:2), that one should not discontinue the products could simply be put on codified in theMishna Berura 442:43, use of liquid, chewable or any other the side for after Pesach.6 that when one eats chametz that has medicine without consulting with What would be the halacha if actual, been rendered inedible he has, by the one’s doctor and rabbi. edible chametz is found on Pesach? very act of eating, given significance One specific area that may be different ( ) to the inedible as food TheShulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim achshevei relates to cosmetics containing and it is therefore once again 446:1) records that if you find alcohol. There are different types of considered chametz, even though for chametz on Chol Hamoed you must alcohol, and while isopropyl alcohol others it would not have the status burn it immediately; if it’s found on comes from petroleum, ethyl alcohol of chametz. Thus, it would seem one of the days of Yom Tov you must is made from the fermentation of that in particular, when it comes cover it lest you come to eat it, and starch, sugar, and other carbohydrates. to medications that are consumed then you burn it on motzei Yom Tov.7 Ethyl alcohol can be produced orally, even if the chametz has been from grains, which would render What if the chametz you find in your rendered inedible, the act of eating it it chametz. As a general rule, all possession doesn’t belong to you, but should be problematic according to alcohol not intended for human to a non-Jew? TheShulchan Aruch this opinion of the Rosh. consumption is denatured, meaning writes (446:3) that if chametz from However, many poskim, including it contains additives to make it unfit your non-Jewish neighbor rolls onto Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe for consumption. However, it is your roof on Pesach, you push it Orach Chaim 2:92), do not think that important to note that denatured back with a stick (if it was on Chol this opinion of the Rosh would apply alcohol does not have a different Hamoed), and if it was on Yom Tov to a case such as medicine where chemical composition and therefore itself you cover it until after Yom Tov often times people must eat bitter the process can theoretically be because it is muktzah. Why? You don’t or otherwise disgusting items for reversed. violate bal yeraeh (the prohibition their health, even if they would not against owning chametz) since it’s not Seemingly, denatured alcohol otherwise eat them. Therefore, Rav yours (M”B 9), so there’s no need to should be considered unfit for Moshe says that medications with burn it (and you wouldn’t be allowed canine consumption, and products inedible chametz ingredients would to burn it since it’s not yours), but containing this alcohol should not be problematic on Pesach even we don’t want it to remain in the therefore be permitted to own and use according to the Rosh.4 possession of the Jew, lest he come to on Pesach. However, poskim, including accidentally eat it. In a similar vein, Rav Moshe writes Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe that the logic of achshevei would not Orach Chaim 3:62), are concerned These two halachos lead to a be relevant to other types of benefit that a suffering alcoholic who is fascinating conundrum as to what from the chametz such as washing desperate for alcohol will consume should be done nowadays if one finds or anointing, and therefore toiletries this denatured alcohol, and therefore chametz on Pesach. What’s the issue? containing chametz would not be a even in its denatured state it does not Common practice is to sell chametz,8 chametz concern.5 have the status of being inedible. and generally, included in the bill of sale is a clause that reads that “I sell However, Rav Aryeh Leib Gunzberg There are those who will refrain from all chametz that I own knowingly or writes in his (75) Sha’agas Aryeh any of these products because of the unknowingly wherever it may be," and that it seems that chametz foods and severity of the prohibition of chametz. then we specify places where we know drinks that are not fit for consumption One should consult his or her rabbi there is chametz. When chametz are not permitted even for medicinal to determine what the appropriate is now found, (not in one of those purposes. In his opinion, “ ” achshevei practice should be. However, it would designated places), who does the still applies, even though these seem that according to all opinions, chametz belong to? Does it belong to products are not even fit for canine if these inedible items, even if they the Jew who initially owned it, or as a consumption and are like “the dust of contain actual chametz ingredients, result of the bill of sale of the mechiras the earth.” As such, it is prohibited to were found on Pesach, there would be chametz, has this chametz that the
16 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 Jew was unaware of also belong to this little bit of chametz would not Endnotes the non-Jew? The implication for in any way impact the final value of what should be done is immense. the larger quantity of chametz that 1. See Shulchan Aruch O”Ch 459:2 for a more detailed discussion. Which of the two halachos mentioned was sold, it is as if the non-Jew was above applies? Must it be burned mochel, forgave that loss. Rav Wosner 2. See Biur Halacha 462:2 “Memaharim” who as is the halacha for the chametz of seems to appreciate the novelty of discusses another type of possible chametz nuksha in a case where fruit juice is mixed a Jew discovered on Pesach, or is it this approach and its weakness in that with the grains. This issue and the status of forbidden to burn it since it truthfully it seems to diminish the legitimacy that mixture is very relevant to the status of belongs to the non-Jew?! of the sale, and concludes that if one egg matzah on Pesach. wishes, the chametz that is found Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank (Mikraei 3. Mishna Berura 442:2 points out that this can be lifted and brought to the place is only true if the chametz was never fit for Kodesh Pesach Volume 1 siman 74) human consumption, however, if at one is troubled by this question and where the rest of the sold chametz has been stored away for Pesach. time it was edible then it must reach a higher presumes that chametz found by a threshold of not being fit for a dog to eat in person who sold his chametz with Perhaps if the rabbi selling the order to lose its status as chametz. such a provision should be hidden chametz would stipulate in advance 4. If, however, there was flavoring or the away, and it is wrong to burn it (Rav with the non-Jew, explicitly, that any medicine was chewed in a normal fashion, it Frank even briefly entertains the chametz found on Pesach would be could be that the logic of the Rosh would be possibility that burning the chametz allowed to be burned, that would a concern. would undermine and invalidate the allow the original halacha cited in 5. One exception would be certain liquid entire sale!). Shulchan Aruch to remain intact (even alcohols, because it could be changed into though, me’ikar hadin, it may not be edible liquid fairly easily (this is a chumra of Rav Shmuel Wosner (Shu”t Shevet Rav Moshe that is more widely accepted). required), and at the same time not Halevi Volume 9 siman 116) is create any perception that the sale is 6. This is because the whole issue is rabbinic not sure that it would, in fact, be in nature, combined with the fact that not a completely appropriate, legally problematic to burn this chametz. achshevei would only apply when one is Why not? Although halachically, sound transaction. Alternatively, actually planning on ingesting it and that perhaps it is worth revisiting the value most ethyl alcohol is not actual chametz but the mechira is done in a way that is kitniyos. completely valid, the non-Jew has no of including this specific clause in intention of ever physically benefitting the bill of sale, and whether what is 7. There’s a fascinating machlokes whether or gained outweighs the complications it not the bracha of “al biur chametz” should be from the chametz he purchased; his recited. See M”B 435:5. intention is to perform a halachically potentially creates. significant act of sale and to sell it 8. Even though no such requirement exists if someone does bedika and bittul and rids him back to the Jew after Pesach. Since or herself of all chametz.
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17 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 RESPONDING TO Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter, PhD ANTI-SEMITISM Senior Scholar, Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future University Professor of Jewish History and Jewish Thought, Yeshiva University
BNEI TORAH REFLECT ON ANTI-SEMITISM
e are living now during substance, in spite of everything that a settlement that later became New very difficult times, we are encountering in the world York. On September 22, 1654, shortly times that require around us now. after the Jews first arrived here, he sent ourW introspection, thinking, a letter back home to theba'alabatim My first point is that, historically, what understanding, care, and concern. we are facing is not new. As we begin in charge of New Amsterdam to I would like to divide my talk into two to reflect on the situation confronting inform them that he felt strongly that parts. The first consists of reflections us now, it is important to understand the Jews do not belong there. He on the notion of anti-Semitism, that this is not a reality that we have wrote: b'chlal, and the second consists of never encountered before, even in the The Jews who have arrived would nearly divrei chizuk to you, bnei Torah and United States. As a matter fact, within all like to remain here, but learning that bnei yeshiva, to help you deal with the the first few moments after Jews they (with their customary usury and difficulties that are confronting us arrived here for the very first time, in deceitful trading with the Christians) especially now, today, as we begin the 1654, we encountered anti-Semitism. were very repugnant . . . to the people new . I want to help us engage zman Peter Stuyvesant was the having the most affection for you: the with our Torah studies, and our lives representative of the Dutch West India Deaconry also fearing that owing to their in general, with integrity and with Company here in New Amsterdam, present indigence they might become a
This article is an edited transcript of a talk I delivered in the Fischel Beis Midrash at Yeshiva University on January 22, 2020. I have maintained the oral nature of the presentation, including the Ashkenazis pronunciation of Hebrew words.
18 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 charge in the coming winter, we have, better and quieter for the last number as it simply appears, as what the for the benefit of this weak and newly of decades, baruch Hashem, more or reader would normally think it developing place and the land in general, less. And therefore, it behooves us to means. Vayishakehu does not really deemed it useful to require them in a try to understand how we can react to mean vayishakehu, a word generally friendly way to depart; praying also most what is going on now. It is particularly indicating that Esav expressed seriously in this connection, for ourselves important for us as bnei Torah and bnei warm feelings to Yaakov that would and also for the general community of yeshiva to think about what we need to normally be demonstrated by a kiss. your worships, that this deceitful race, - do to maintain our commitments, our In fact, it means something else. And such hateful enemies and blasphemers of learning, our talmud Torah and our Rashi presents two options. .4 [Christianity], - not be allowed further yir’as Shamayim The first is that, in fact, Esav did to infect this new colony, to the detraction not really kiss Yaakov; rather, he of your worships and the dissatisfaction Esav Sonei Es Yaakov just went through the motions. The of your worships’ most affectionate 1 second opinion is the one relevant to subjects. Anti-Semitism has been a part of the us. Rashi quotes Rabbi Shimon bar הלכה ,Do you hear such language? This millennia-old Jewish experience long Yochai who stated a principle It is a .היא בידוע שעשו שונא את יעקב group of “deceitful,” “repugnant,” before Jews arrived in the United “hateful enemies” and “blasphemers” States. We annually recite the words in halacha. What is more important to us than a halacha? We live our lives שבכל דור ודור עומדים עלינו ,cannot be allowed “to infect” this the Hagadah It is well .הלכה היא בידוע .in every generation there were by halacha ,לכלותינו beautiful olam ha-chadash called New Amsterdam! Jews show up in this city, those who sought to destroy us. Peter known, everybody knows, it is simply are greeted with a shalom aleichem and Stuyvesant was not mechadesh a new obvious, that Esav hates Yaakov and told be-lashon nekiyah, “in a friendly he'arah; we already had to deal with therefore, it is inconceivable that way,” to get out of here; we don't want this reality from the very dawn of our Esav kissed Yaakov. Of course he did you. The moment we arrive here history. These words in the Hagadah not kiss Yaakov. Thep'shat , or simple we are met with derision and with are followed by a discussion of the meaning, cannot be that he kissed Yaakov and therefore, says Rabbi צא ולמד .rejection. Yaakov- Lavan encounter .מה בקש לבן הארמי לעשות ליעקב אבינו There is a history of anti-Semitism Shimon bar Yochai, the dots on top In fact, in She’er Yisrael, the Netziv’s of the word are meant to indicate that in the United States. Now is not the thoughtful essay on the nature of anti- time to go into detail; I’ll mention just the real meaning is the opposite, that, Semitism, he makes a great deal out in this case, Esav really did kiss Yaakov. two other examples. In probably the of the Yaakov-Lavan encounter.5 But I most blatant official anti-Semitic act At that moment, Esav’s mercy was want to focus primarily on the Yaakov- aroused and he kissed Yaakov with all in American history, General Ulysses Esav encounter. S. Grant implemented “General Order his heart. This time it reallydoes mean No. 11” in 1862, expelling all Jews After having been separated for literally vayishakehu. .הלכה היא בידוע שעשו שונא את יעקב from territories under his control.2 many years, Yaakov hears that Esav is Later, in the 1930’s, there was a coming toward him and he prepares What does this mean? Catholic priest by the name of Father himself for this encounter. First, it is interesting to note that in Charles Coughlin who spewed vicious commenting on this verse, the author וירץ עשו לקראתו ויחבקהו ויפל על צוארו anti-Semitism on his radio show that of the Yalkut Shimoni (Be-ha'alos'cha וישקהו ויבכו. had 20 million listeners.3 Esau ran to greet him. He embraced him #722) formulates this phrase not הלכה היא בידוע שעשו שונא את יעקב And so, what we are experiencing now and, falling on his neck, he kissed him; as it is well ,בידוע שעשו שונא את יעקב is not new. This is something that, and they wept. but regretfully, we have had to deal with Bereishis 33:4 known that Esav hates Yaakov, without before, even in this country. Having Rashi notes that there are dots on the words halacha hi. But most said that, I would say that what we are top of the word vayishakehu in the sources do use the phrase halacha hi facing today is especially disturbing Torah, which is meant to indicate and this raises a question. How is the because the situation had been much that the word is not to be understood word halacha relevant here? Is the
19 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 fact that Esav hates Yaakov a halacha, felt was right for their schools. the procedure for conversion. If a a law? You're not allowed to do it on prospective comes to a In response, Rav Moshe counseled ger beis din ? You're not allowed to eat “these times ( )” and Shabbos against this strategy because he was bi-zman ha-zeh it or drink it? This is not the kind of announces his or her desire to convert afraid that it would arouse enmity a language that we would normally to Judaism, the first response is (eivah) among the English authorities associate with this kind of a statement. dissuasion: against the Jews. And he went on to מה ראית שבאת להתגייר אי אתה יודע Indeed, both R. Zevi Hirsch Chayis write that Jew-hatred is high even שישראל בזמן הזה דוויים דחופים סחופים and R. Baruch Halevi Epstein point among those nations who appear to ומטורפין ויסורין באין עליהם. to a number of places in rabbinic treat Jews favorably. You think they literature where, in fact, the word love you? You think they respect What is wrong with you? Why in halacha is used in a non-legal context, you? Not at all. And, in support of the world do you want to convert? one that we would consider to be this position, he cited the Rashi with Don't you know that the Jewish ,people are now afflicted, oppressed הלכה היא בידוע שעשו ,aggadah: which we began He claims that just like downtrodden and harassed? Why .שונא את יעקב דגם על עניני אגדה נופל שם הלכה. is immutable, unchanging, would you choose to be part of such a The word halacha can also refers to halacha constant and permanent, so is Jew- persecuted people? matters of Aggadah. hatred or anti-Semitism: Maharatz Chayis, Berachos 31a And what is the reference to “these times (bi-zman ha-zeh)”? The times כמו שהלכה לא משתנית כך שנאת עשו גם עניני ישראל בכלל והידיעות להם יכונו .of Chazal? Yes, but not only then ליעקב לא משתנית. בשם הלכה. This ruling, and the sentiment it Matters relating to the Jewish people Just as halacha doesn’t change, so too, expresses, applies to any time anyone and information about them can also be the hatred of Esav for Yaakov doesn’t learns this Gemara. It applies to all called “halacha.” change. times, a may come with Torah Temimah, Bamidbar And so, I think that at the end of the whenever ger the desire to convert. “These times” 27:21:35 day it's a reality. I was born in America. are times. And indeed this I have benefitted enormously from these Even something that is a devar ruling is cited in the Mishneh Torah America. I have incredible hakoras aggadah can also be referred to as of the Rambam (Hilchos Issurei Bi'ah, ha-tov for America. Rav Moshe halacha. 14:1) virtually word for word. “These famously called America “the medinah times” have now been extended some But, even if it is possible to defend shel chessed.” But at the end of the day, thousand years. And they extend until the use of the word halacha in such a there is something going on here that today. non-legal or agaddic context, why go transcends my understanding and my out of your way to call Esav’s hatred comfort level. Of course, we need to for Yaakov a halacha? What is the be vigilant. We need to be proactive in Looking to the Future significance of referring to it that our battle against anti-Semitism. We way? Most striking in this context is need to do whatever we can to defend Given this reality, how do we look to a teshuvah by Rav Moshe Feinstein ourselves. We dare not be complacent the future? Where can we find the (Igros Moshe, Choshen Mishpat 2:77) or passive. Of course. But it is a fact. strength and the fortitude to proceed, that addresses this question. There is no explanation or justification assured not only of survival but even for it. There is no rationale.Azoy iz of a glorious and meaningful future? He was responding to Jews in England The Rambam continues (14:4) that who claimed that their Jewish schools dos. It is what it is. It’s a given. It's a metzi'us.6 one tells a ger who persists in his or were not getting the kind of support her quest, who, despite it all, still from the English government that wants to join the Jewish people, that "These Times" they felt they deserved. They asked although we may be downtrodden, Rav Moshe if they could seek support The reality of anti-Semitism has also our existence is assured for all כל האומות כלין והן עומדין from authorities outside of England found its way into halachic literature. eternity. , All to put pressure on the English the nations will be destroyed but authorities to do what they, the Jews, The Gemara Yevamos( 47a) discusses
20 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 the Jewish people will remain. We in the twenty-first century, the divine absolutely peculiar conditions, and the have a havtachah, a divine promise, assurance that our existence is assured fateful role played by them in history; a divine reassurance that, despite all for all eternity. all these point to the particular and 8 our challenges, we will exist forever. It is true that this assurance is a mysterious foundation of their destiny. Even though things look difficult and, national one, not an individual one. It Throughout our long, complex history as a matter of fact difficult, we are are is for the klal, not the yachid, for Klal — from ancient through modern here now and will be here forever. We Yisrael, not “Reb Yisrael.” Indeed, each times — we have been forced to aren’t going anywhere. Hashem has one of us needs to do whatever we can confront demographic dispersion, whatever Hashem's may cheshbonos to merit our own personal existence. political disintegration, economic be, but our current existence — and We need to take responsibility for dislocation, social alienation, our ongoing future existence — is whatever we can do. But we also take psychological oppression, subtle absolutely assured. We shouldn't comfort in the fact that we are part as well as crude discrimination despair and think that our very of a larger nation assured of eternal and, worst of all, brute physical existence as a nation is in jeopardy. existence. annihilation.9 And you know what? . We have a Chas ve-shalom havtachah Nisim ve-nifla'os! Miracle of miracles! from the Ribbono Shel Olam that we Our Miracle of Survival We are still here! This non-Jew will persevere and exist for all time understood that the existence of The Rambam makes this explicitly This notion that, somehow, we Jews the Jew defied any of the rational clear in his Iggeres Teman, written to survive despite all the enormous categories with which he was give chizuk to the Jews in Yemen at challenges and difficulties we face, familiar. He recognized it to be the end of the twelfth century who is recognized also by Gentiles. Let what he described as “a mysterious were beset with terrible challenges me give you one example. Nicholas and wonderful phenomenon.” It and persecution; greater challenges, Berdayev was a very prominent is mysterious, it is inexplicable. much greater challenges, than we face Russian religious philosopher Something unusual is going on here. right now, in 2020, in America. The and dissident who died in exile, in But we know exactly what it is. It is Rambam writes: Russia, in 1948. He understood how the havtachah, the assurance, that the Jewish survival defied any rational Ribbono Shel Olam gave us. This is וכבר הבטיח לנו ה' יתעלה על ידי נביאיו שאנו explanation. In his The Meaning of what keeps us going as a people and לא נכלה ולא נכחד ולא נעדר מהיות אומה History, he wrote: this is what also keeps us going as נעלה. individuals. Know, dear Jews of Yemen, that we I remember how the materialist will not be destroyed, nor forgotten, interpretation of history, when I nor disappear from being an exalted attempted in my youth to verify it by Dry Bones nation; not just from being a nation applying it to the destinies of peoples, I want to now move to divrei chizuk but from being an exalted nation. broke down in the case of the Jews, where and want to share with you a thought destiny seemed absolutely inexplicable And he continues, in a striking and that I believe can help us confront from the materialistic standpoint. And, powerful parallel: the challenges that we currently face, indeed, according to the materialistic and give us confidence that,im yirtzeh and positivist criterion, this people וכשם שלא יתכן לתאר בטול מציאותו יתעלה Hashem, with siyata d'Shmaya, we will ought long ago to have perished. Its כך לא יתכן להכחידנו ולכלותנו מן העולם. be able to persevere. Just like it is inconceivable to imagine survival is a mysterious and wonderful that God will cease to exist, so is it phenomenon demonstrating that the life We read in the haftarah on Shabbos inconceivable to imagine that the of this people is governed by a special Chol ha-Mo’ed Pesach how Yechezkel Jewish people will cease to exist. predetermination, transcending the takes dry bones and then places Just as God is eternal, so are the processes of adaptation expounded by sinews, flesh and skin upon them and Jewish people.7 the materialistic interpretation of history. they come alive (Yechezkel 37). He The survival of the Jews, their resistance literally is mechayeh mesim. And what sustained the Jews of Yemen to destruction, their endurance under in the twelfth century sustains us now, The Gemara Sanhedrin( 92b) picks
21 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 up where Yechezkel left off and them. I have no right to judge them. your bubby’s Shabbos candles, your wonders what happened to those “dry I don't know what I would have parents’ Chanukah menorah.” bones” that he brought to life. What done were I to have been there. But What is the key for nitzchiyus Yisrael? happened to the “ they decided to no longer be a part mesim she-hechiyeh What did we do when we were ?” The Gemara presents three of our people. They could not figure Yechezkel faced with the Shoah, the most opinions: out a way to continue to identify brutal example of anti-Semitism in as Jews. They decided not to hitch Jewish history ever? It is a massive ר"א אומר מתים שהחיה יחזקאל עמדו על their wagons to the caravan of Jewish understatement to say that it was רגליהם ואמרו שירה ומתו ... ר"א בנו של ר' destiny. “They died.” worse than it is now in the United יוסי הגלילי אומר מתים שהחיה יחזקאל עלו The second group went to Eretz States. Some of the survivors rejected לארץ ישראל ונשאו נשים והולידו בנים ובנות. Jewish identity. Some of them built a עמד ר"י בן בתירא על רגליו ואמר אני מבני State of Israel. Great. But the key to בניהם והללו תפילין שהניח לי אבי אבא מהם. R. Eliezer said: The dead that Yechezkel our eternal existence, the sources of revived stood on their feet, sang praise The key to our eternal the havtachah that we have from the and died ... R. Eliezer the son of R. Yosi Ribbono shel Olam, are the tefillin, the ha-Gelili said: The dead that Yechezkel existence are the leichter, the candlesticks, the esrog box revived went to Israel, married women that, somehow, my zaydy and bubby and had sons and daughters. R. Yehudah tefillin, the leichter, were able to hide and I found it and ben Beseira stood up and said, “I am a the candlesticks, I'm holding it. At the end of the day, descendant [of theirs] and here are the this is what keeps us. This is what tefillin that my grandfather left to me the esrog box that, sustains us when we're faced with from them.” somehow, my zaydy difficulty, with challenges. A number of years ago, I heard Yes, we experienced Peter Stuyvesant a powerful interpretation of this and bubby were able and Ulysses S. Grant and Father Gemara from my father, Rabbi Coughlin. We saw the Rashi, the Herschel Schacter, zichrono livrachah. to hide and I found Yalkut Shimoni, the Maharatz Chayis, He was a chaplain in the American it and I'm holding it. the Torah Temimah and especially Rav Army during World War II and was Moshe underscoring the principle .הלכה היא בידוע שעשו שונא את יעקב the first American Jewish chaplain of to liberate a concentration camp, We saw the Rambam how Jewish Yisrael and they built a state. One- Buchenwald, on April 11, 1945. He people are now afflicted, oppressed, quarter, 25 percent, of the roughly interpreted this Gemara in terms of downtrodden and harassed. But we 600,000 Jews who were living in Israel the survivors of the Shoah. also have a havtachah, we have chizuk. in May of 1948 when the State of The Rambam himself in the Mishneh What happened to the "meisim Israel was founded were Holocaust Torah gave us chizuk. In the Iggeres shehechiyeh Yechezkel?" What survivors. What an extraordinary Teiman, the Rambam gave us chizuk. happened to the survivors of the achievement. Shoah, literally dry bones who came The greatestchizuk is, in spite of all And then the third group. R. Yehudah the challenges, “I am a descendant [of to life? My father z”l suggested that they constituted three different ben Beseira gets up and says, “Yes, theirs] and here are the tefillin that my groups. this is great. Thank God you were not grandfather left to me from them.” among ‘the dead.’ Thank God you You are heirs to an extraordinary The first were those who “stood on are part of Jewish destiny. You went mesorah. You are sitting in thisbeis their feet, sang praise and died.” They to Israel, you made sure to create medrash because talmud Torah matters were happy to be alive, they expressed families. You had faith that there to you, because yiras Shamayim praise, but then “they died.” They would be a future. Great. But that is matters to you. You chose to come left the Jewish people. In terms of not enough. Nothing will last unless to this yeshiva because living a nitzchiyus Yisrael, they were gone. you are holding your zaydy’s tefillin, Please understand. I'm not judging meaningful Jewish life matters to you,
22 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 because you have parents and bubbys Endnotes very strong exception to this fatalistic attitude. and zaydys who are heirs to a great Rabbi Henkin goes so far as to claim that this נגד האמת ונגד חז"ל והמקרא mesorah, many of whom know what it 1. Samuel Oppenheim, “The Early History approach is . of the Jews in New York, 1654-1664,” For general books on anti-Semitism, see means to be moser nefesh for am Yisrael Publications of the American Jewish Historical and Toras Yisrael. History and Hate (above, n. 4); Dennis Prager Society 18 (1909):4-5. and Joseph Telushkin, Why the Jews?: The You are blessed to live during this 2. Jonathan D. Sarna, When General Grant Reason for Antisemitism (New York, 1983, time. Yes, there are challenges, but, Expelled the Jews (New York, 2012). 2003, 2016). Most recently, see Deborah E. Lipstadt, Antisemitism: Here and Now (New ultimately, the way to overcome them 3. Donald Warren, Radio Priest: Charles York, 2019), and Bari Weiss, How to Fight is to hold on to those tefillin, to take Coughlin, the Father of Hate Radio (New York, Anti-Semitism (New York, 2019). your Gemaras and hold them up high 1996). 7. See R. Yosef Kapach, Iggerot ha-Rambam 4. and dance with them. Be proud of For a balanced view of anti-Semitism in (Jerusalem, 1972), 26. your mesorah and devote yourselves America, see Jonathan D. Sarna, “American 8. to it fully, be-lev va-nefesh. Continue Anti-Semitism,” in David Berger, ed., History I encountered this passage in Isadore and Hate: The Dimensions of Anti-Semitism Twersky, “Survival, Normalcy, Modernity,” in the talmud Torah, the yiras Shamayim, (Philadelphia, New York, Jerusalem, 1986), Moshe Davis, ed., Zionism in Transition (New the mesorah of your bubbys and your 115-28. York, 1980), 349. zaydys and their bubbys and zaydys and 5. She’er Yisrael is printed at the end of the 9. See ibid. so that, im yirtzeh Hashem, together Neziv’s commentary on Shir ha-Shirim. See R. we will put this parashah in our Naphtali Zevi Yehudah Berlin, Megillat Shir history behind us and we will be able ha-Shirim (Jerusalem, 2008), 263-88. to go with full joy and full-throated 6. I thank Rabbi Ezra Goldschmiedt for enthusiasm to the days of Eliyahu bringing to my attention a powerful passage Hanavi, the harbinger of redemption, from R. Yosef Eliyahu Henkin, Sefer Teshuvot bimherah v'yamenu, amen. Ibra, vol. 2 (New York, 1989), 233, that takes
23 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 RESPONDING TO Rabbi Elchanan Adler ANTI-SEMITISM Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS
WE ARE NOT ALONE: PERSPECTIVES ON JEWISH VICTIMHOOD
or subconscious desire to challenge שנתנה לנו תורה זו עד זמננו זה שכל מלך Anti-Semitism as an Affront to Hashem and His Torah. The Jewish עכו"ם גובר או מכריח או מתגבר או אנס Hashem people are the targets of this campaign שאין תחלת כוונתו ודעתו לסתור תורתנו because their raison d’etre is to act as ולהפך דתנו באונס בנצחון ובחרב. nti-Semitism has been an integral part of the story Since the Creator has distinguished us Hashem’s representatives in the world.1 of the Jewish people. by His laws and precepts, and our pre- ThroughoutA the ages, our Sages have eminence is manifested in His rules and Shechinta B’galusa sought to provide theological context statutes, as Scripture says, "And what great to the anti-Semitism in their midst as nation is there, that has righteous statutes The notion that anti-Semitism well as to the phenomenon of sinas and ordinances; such as all this law that represents, at its core, an attempt to Yisrael in general. One prime example I set before you this day?" (Deuteronomy wage war against Hashem dovetails of this appears in a letter penned by 4:8), therefore all the nations took great with a concept known as Shechinta the Rambam who was asked by the umbrage against us regarding our faith, b’galusa — namely, that Hashem’s Jews of Yemen to address a messianic and their kings have applied themselves presence accompanies the Jewish movement that arose in the wake of because of it to persecute us. Their true people into exile and does not forsake religious persecution. The Rambam’s agenda was to wage war against God them. Even as we endure the brunt of response, known as “Iggeres Teiman,” and to challenge Him. However, given attacks and harsh decrees at the hands contains a profound insight into the that He is omnipotent, no one cannot of our enemies, there is a palpable phenomenon of anti-Semitism: actually challenge Him. There has been aspect of G-d that suffers along with .(no era since Revelation, that some despot us, k’viyachol (in human terms ומפני שיחד אותנו הבורא במצותיו ובחוקותיו who has attained power, be he violent or Shechinta b’galusa is a lofty concept והתבארה מעלתנו על זולתנו בכללותיו ignoble, has not made it his first aim and whose roots can be traced to pesukim ובמשפטיו שנאמר )דברים ד, ח( ומי גוי purpose to destroy our law, and to vitiate in Tanach, ma’amarei Chazal, and גדול אשר לו חקים ומשפטים צדיקים וגו' our religion, by means of the sword, by kabbalistic sources. This essay will קנאונו העכו''ם כלם על דתנו קנאה גדולה violence, or by brute force. not address the concept in all its וילחצו מלכיהם בשבילה לערער עלינו שטנה .In the Rambam’s view, anti- complexity and many manifestations ואיבה ורצונם להלחם בה' ולעשות מריבה Semitism stems from a conscious Rather, we will frame the concept עמו ואלהים הוא ומי ירב לו ואין לך זמן מאז
24 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 in broad strokes, with an eye toward was with them … They were exiled to 2. Galus haShechina — the exile and gleaning insights that can provide Edom, the Shechina was with them … redemption of the Shechina that a measure of solace and inspiration parallels the exile and redemption for times such as these when we are Klal Yisrael’s Redemption is process of the Jewish people. unfortunately witness to a worldwide Synonymous with Hashem’s 3. The shared identity and destiny that resurgence of anti-Semitism. Self- Redemption binds the Shechina with klal Yisrael. 4 Our focus will be on the first of these נ אָוְ ֹ כִ יאַ עַ לְ ָך,The Divine Assurance Given to The next phrase in the pasuk motifs: tza’ar haShechina.5 And I will also bring you“ — גַם עָ ֹלה Yaakov Avinu back,” implies that Israel’s redemption Two Aspects of Tza’ar An explicit reference in the Torah to from Egypt entailed a redemption for haShechina: Individual and the notion of Shechinta b’galusa comes the Shechina as well. This corollary Collective in the form of a divine assurance given dimension to the concept of Shechinta to Yaakov Avinu as he prepared to leave , and its paradoxical nature, is b’galusa As noted, tza’ar haShechina means that Eretz Yisrael in anticipation of the noted in the Mechilta: when we suffer in exile, Hashem suffers impending in the land of Egypt. with us. TheMechilta (Bo, Masechta אלמלא מקרא כתוב אי אפשר לאמרו כביכול galus D’Pischa 14), presents two different אמרו ישראל לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא עצמך אָ נֹכִי אֵרֵ דעִמְָך מִ צְרַ יְמָ הוְאָ נֹכִיאַעַלְָך גַם עָ ֹלה applications of tza’ar haShechina, based פדית. וְיֹוסֵ ף יָ ִ יתׁש יָדֹו עַל עֵ ינֶיָך. I will go down with you to Egypt, and If not for these verses, one could not say on pesukim in Tanach: וכן אתה מוצא כל זמן שישראל משועבדין I will also bring you back; and Joseph this. It is as if the Jewish people said כביכול שכינה משועבדת עמהם שנ' ויראו shall place his hand on your eyes to the Holy One Blessed be He, “You את אלקי ישראל ותחת רגליו כמעשה לבנת ”.Bereishis 46:4 redeemed Yourself הספיר. וכשנגאלו מה הוא אומר וכעצם Ramban and Rabbeinu Bachya note Chazal discern the motif of Hashem’s השמים לטוהר. ונאמר בכל צרתם לו צר. אין that Onkelos, in his translation of the self-redemption in the unique לי אלא צרת ציבור צרת יחיד מנין ת"ל יקראני descend), employs the phraseology of a pasuk in Parshas) ”ארד“ word ואענהו עמו אנכי בצרה ... which implies a physical Nitzavim, which foretells Hashem’s ,איחות verb descent. However, in other instances restoring the captivity of Bnei Yisrael: We find that whenever the Jewish people ירד ,are oppressed, the Shechina, as it were וְׁשָב ה' אֱֹלהֶיָךאֶת ׁשְבּותְ ָךוְרִ חֲמֶ ָך וְׁשָ ב וְ קִ בֶצְ ָך where the verb “ ” appears in is oppressed with them as it states, “and מִ כָל הָ עַ ִים מ אֲׁשֶרהֱפִ יצְָך ה' אֱֹלהֶ יָך ׁשָ ָ מה. connection with Hashem, Onkelos ”,I will reveal“ — ”אתגלי“ renders it Then, Hashem, your G-d, will bring back they saw the God of Israel: under His scrupulously avoiding a translation your captivity and have mercy upon you, feet there was the likeness of a pavement with physical connotations. By opting and He will return and gather you in of sapphire (the pavement is a reference for a literal translation here, Onkelos from all the peoples to which Hashem to the leveinim, the bricks that the Jewish implies that Hashem was assuring your G-d has scattered you. people used during their slavery in Yaakov that His physical presence Devarim 30:3 Egypt). When they were redeemed, what would be with him and his progeny does it say, “like the very sky for purity.” for the duration of the Egyptian exile.2 As Rashi notes, the word “ve’shav” (as And it says, “In all of their suffering, distinct from ve’heishiv”) connotes a Inasmuch as is a it is His suffering.” We only know this galus Mitzrayim reflexive act of self-return, implying prototype of future exiles, Chazal regarding the suffering of the community. that the return of Israel’s captivity also ( , Parshas Bo) extend this How do we know that this also applies Mechilta entails a return of the Shechina itself.3 idea to other exiles as well: to the suffering of individuals? Because it In light of the above, we might states, “He will call Me and I will answer גלו למצרים שכינה עמהם .. גלו לבבל שכינה conceptualize the notion of Shechinta him, I am with him in suffering …” עמהם .. גלו לעילם שכינה עמהם ... גלו b’galusa as consisting of three distinct, One of the pesukim cited by the לאדום שכינה עמהם. albeit related, motifs: is from Yeshayahu 63:9: They were exiled to Egypt, the Shechina Mechilta בְכָל םצָרָתָ לא ]לֹו[ צָרּומַ לְאַ ְך ָ ּפנָיו הֹו ִ ׁשיעָ ם was with them … They were exiled to 1. Tza’ar haShechina — the suffering בְאַהֲבָ תֹוּובְחֶמְ לָתֹו הּוא גְאָ לָם וַיְנַטְ לֵם וַיְנַשְאֵ ם Babylonia, the Shechina was with them that the Shechina experiences when לכָ ייְמֵ עֹולָ ם. .They were exiled to Ilam, the Shechina the Jewish people suffer …
25 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 In all their troubles He was troubled, This second manifestation is echoed b’chol tzarosam lo tzar — In all their And the angel of His Presence saved in a statement of the Mishna in the troubles He was troubled — which them. In His love and pity He redeemed name of Rabbi Meir (Sanhedrin 46a): the Mechilta interpreted as referring .to the tzaras hatzibur אמר רבי מאיר בשעה שאדם מצטער שכינה them; He raised them, and exalted them In connection with that same מה לשון אומרת קלני מראשי קלני מזרועי. .all the days of old The word“lo ” can be spelled with an Rabbi Meir said: When a person suffers, revelation, Rashi (Shemos 3:2) cites aleph, meaning “no” or with a vav, what does the Shechina say? Relieve the the second of the aforementioned meaning “His.” The verse is written pain from My head, relieve the pain from pesukim to explain why Hashem with an aleph, but is to be read with My arm. appeared in a bush and not a tree. "מתוך הסנה" - ולא אילן אחר משום עמו a vav. Ibn Ezra and Radak adopt the אנכי בצרה. latter rendition and explain the pasuk Tzaar HaShechina in Galus to mean that whenever we suffer, Mitzrayim Out of a bush and not another tree Hashem, k’viyachol, experiences because “I am with him in suffering.”6 distress as well. This accords with the We find allusions to both proof text cited in the Mechilta. manifestations of tzaar haShechina As noted, this verse refers to Hashem in the context of the Egyptian exile. suffering along with each and every The last pasuk cited by theMechilta is When appearing to Moshe Rabbeinu individual. From this perspective, Ki from Tehillim (91:15): at the burning bush, Hashem yadati es machovav — I am mindful of expresses his empathy for the pain of its suffering — takes on an additional יִקְרָאֵ נִי וְאֶעֱ נֵהּו עִ מֹו אָ נֹכִי בְצָרָה אֲ חַ ּלְצֵ הּו the Jewish people: layer of meaning. Not only does אֲ וַ כַ בְ דֵ ה ּו . Hashem empathize with the collective וַיֹאמֶר ה' רָ אֹה רָאִיתִי אֶת עֳ נִי עַמִ י אֲ ֶ ׁשר ,He will call Me and I will answer him distress of the community, He also בְמִ צְרָ יִם וְאֶת צַעֲקָתָ ם ׁשָמַעְתִ י מִ ְ ּפנֵי נֹגְשָ יו כִ י I am with him in distress; I will release feels the pain of each individual Jew יָדַ עְתִי אֶת מַכְ אֹבָ יו. דוָאֵרֵ לְהַצִילֹו מִ יַד מִ צְרַ יִם .him and I will honor him who was subjected to the cruelty of ּולְהַעֲֹלתֹו מִן ץהָאָרֶ הַהִוא אֶל ץאֶרֶ טֹובָ ה TheMechilta interprets this pasuk the Egyptian servitude. ּורְ חָבָה אֶל אֶרֶ ץ זָבַתחָ לָב ּודְבָׁש אֶל מְ קֹום as a reference to the suffering of הַכְ נַעֲ נִי וְהַחִתִ י וְהָאֱ מֹרִ י וְ הַ ּפְרִ זִי וְהַ חִ ִיּו וְהַ יְבּוסִ י. an individual. Apparently, tzaar Nosei B’ol: Ethical Imperatives haShechina has two manifestations. Hashem said, “I have indeed seen the The first relates to the suffering of affliction of My people in Egypt and Theba’alei hamussar, the great masters the community at large, where the have heeded their cry because of their of ethical development, draw a Shechina suffers along with it. This taskmasters; yes, I am mindful of its valuable lesson from this concept. If בכל motif is expressed by the pasuk suffering. I have come down to rescue Hashem suffers along with us, then we In all their troubles He — צרתם לו צר them from the Egyptians and to bring must try to emulate Him and likewise was troubled. [This aspect ofShechinta them out of that land to a good and empathize with the suffering of others. b’galusa is also implicit in the spacious land, a land flowing with milk This concept is known asnosei b’ol im comments of Chazal (Megillah 29b and honey, the region of the Canaanites, chaveiro — carrying the burden along and Mechilta ibid) that in each period the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, with one’s friend (who is suffering). of exile, Hashem is with us.] the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Rav Shlomo Wolbe zt”l, one of the Second, when an individual Jew is Shemos 3:7-8 great ba’alei hamussar of our time, in distress, Hashem is present in his Hashem is mindful of the suffering of considers this quality a “foundation suffering. This dimension oftzaar the Jewish people and expresses His of creation” (Shiurei Chumash to haShechina is captured in the pasuk intention to rescue them. The singular Parshas Shemos). In his Alei Shur .עמו אנכי בצרה phrase machovav — its suffering — (Vol. I, introduction to section 4), he In other words, the Shechina doesn’t would seem to be a reference to the emphasizes that that it is insufficient merely identify with the plight of the Jewish people as a single unit. Hashem to merely avoid harming others; we collective community, it also shares feels, as it were, the collective suffering should aspire to carry the load of others in the suffering of each and every of the Jewish people. This corresponds by “paying attention to their suffering” individual. to the first pasuk noted above — — thus emulating Hashem. Rav Wolbe
26 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 explains that in practical terms this suffers along with the community, merits for purity. (Shemos 24:10) means that in addition to performing to see the liberation of the community. What is the nature of this vision and acts of chesed toward others, we should This passage is clearly focused on the its significance? Drawing on Chazal, make efforts to communicate empathic imperative of being sensitive to the Rashi states: feelings and a sense of kinship, allowing suffering of the larger community. כמעשה לבנת הספיר – היא היתה לפניו them to recognize that are not alone in בעת השיעבוד, לזכור צרתן של ישראל שהיו their pain. Additionally, we must also strive to משועבדים במעשה לבנים. וכעצם השמים identify with the suffering of specific Modeling the two types of לטהר – משנגאלו היה אור וחדווה לפניו. tza'ar individuals. One of the qualities haSechinah, human empathy should enumerated in Pirkei Avos chapter 6 As it were the brickwork of sapphire — be manifest on both a communal for acquiring Torah is the ability to This had been before Him during the and an individual level. The Gemara, be nosei b’ol im chaveiro — with an period of Egyptian slavery as a symbol of 11a, states: Ta’anis emphasis on the individual friend. Israel’s woes — for they were subjected תנו רבנן בזמן שישראל שרויין בצער ופירש This quality is highlighted by the to do brick-work. And as it were as the אחד מהן באין שני מלאכי השרת שמלוין לו Torah in its description of Moshe body of heaven for purity — This implies לאדם ומניחין לו ידיהן על ראשו ואומרים Rabbeinu’s early life, when he emerges that as soon as they (the Israelites) פלוני זה שפירש מן הצבור אל יראה בנחמת from Pharaoh’s palace and becomes were redeemed there was radiance and צבור תניא אידך בזמן שהצבור שרוי בצער אל aware of the suffering of his brethren. rejoicing before Him. We see that just as Hashem identified יאמר אדם אלך לביתי ואוכל ואשתה ושלום Rashi (Shemos 2:11) states: with His nation’s pain by setting עליך נפשי ... אלא יצער אדם עם הצבור שכן up a constant reminder in the form "וירא בסבלותם" - נתן עיניו ולבו להיות מיצר מצינו במשה רבינו שציער עצמו עם הצבור of a sapphire brick, so did He take עליהם. שנאמר )שמות יז, יב( וידי משה כבדים ויקחו ,He saw their suffering — He set his eyes pleasure, k’viyachol, in the Nation’s joy אבן וישימו תחתיו וישב עליה וכי לא היה לו and heart to suffer in their plight. symbolized by the image of a clear sky למשה כר אחת או כסת אחת לישב עליה .It was this quality that led Moshe to to commemorate their redemption אלא כך אמר משה הואיל וישראל שרויין בצער אף אני אהיה עמהם בצער וכל המצער subsequently stand up to the Egyptian The ability to share in the joy of others עצמו עם הצבור זוכה ורואה בנחמת צבור. taskmaster who was beating a Jewish is a hallmark of Aharon HaKohen – Our rabbis taught: when the Jewish servant. Moshe suffered the plight of a an attribute attested to by Hashem people are suffering and an individual single individual and saved him.7 Himself. In the wake of Moshe separates himself from them, the two Rabbeinu’s reluctance to lead the accompanying angels place their hands Rejoicing with Others Jewish people, motivated in part by his on his head and say, “this individual that deference to his elder brother, Aharon, separated himself from the community The idea ofShechinta b’galusa and Hashem declared that not only will should not see the (eventual) liberation its application for us should not Aharon not feel jealous, but — to of the community.” Another beraisa be limited to times of crisis. Just the contrary — “v’ra’acha v’samach states: when the community is suffering, as Hashem is with us when we are belibo” — “he will see you and be one should not say, “I will go home, eat suffering, so too does He rejoice with joyous” (Shemos 4:14). Aharon’s joy and drink and live my life” … rather, he us in times of joy. for Moshe Rabbeinu was rooted in should suffer with the community, for we As elucidated by Rav Wolbe, this idea Aharon’s ability to fully embrace the find that Moshe Rabbeinu suffered along can be gleaned from the comments simcha of others.8 with the community as it states (Shemos of the Mechilta, which highlights two 17:12), “And Moshe’s hands grew heavy; halves of a prophetic vision shown to Avnei Shoham and Avnei so they took a stone and put it under him the elders at the time of Matan Torah: Miluim: Empathy and Simcha and he sat on it.” Did Moshe not have a ,As described in Parshas Tetzaveh ויראו את אלקי ישראל ותחת רגליו כמעשה pillow or a blanket to sit on? Rather, this Aharon and all subsequent kohanim לבנת הספיר וכעצם השמים לטהר. is what Moshe said, “Since the Jewish people are suffering, I too will be with And they saw the God of Israel: under gedolim wore the names of the them in their suffering.” Anyone who His feet was the likeness of sapphire shevatim on two different garments. brickwork, like the essence of the heaven
27 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5780 The names were etched upon the Concluding Thoughts Kabbalistic level, Tosafos to Sukkah 45a explain avnei shoham, which were positioned that the phrase Ani VaHo hoshia na, part of on the shoulder straps of the Eifod. Anti-Semitism can engender feelings the Hoshanos prayers of Sukkos, refer to two names of Hashem that represent Hashem’s They were also etched upon theAvnei of existential loneliness. On one level, being imprisoned along with Klal Yisrael. Miluim, the stones of the breastplate, this sense of being alone is a natural Additionally, the phrase Ani VaHo, “I and Him,” which were worn on Aharon’s heart. In reality given that klal Yisrael are, in captures the kinship between Hashem and the both instances, the Torah references fact, distinct and separate from all Jewish people who are bound together as a the word “zikaron” — remembrance other nations in the world — hein pair. For a fascinating elaboration on the nature of this bond, see what I have written inTzvi (Shemos 28:12 and 28:9). am levadad yishkon. The concept of Tifara (on Anim Zemiros) in elucidation of the Shechinta b’galusa reminds us, however, .pp פארו עלי ופארי עליו וקרוב אלי בקראי אליו What was the nature of this stanza that to believe we are alone in the sense 114-118. As noted in the previous footnote, remembrance? Some commentaries of being abandoned is to embrace a the Hoshanos on Sukkos are replete with (see Rashi, Sforno) interpret it as fallacy. First, Hashem Himself is with references to the notion of Shechinta b’galusa. referring to Hashem, who recalls us in our suffering and He suffers, as it 5. For a discussion on the other areas, please the merit of the shevatim. Other were, alongside us. Secondly, our fellow refer to my shiur on this topic, available at: www. commentaries, however, suggest yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/827139/. Jews, who strive to emulate Hashem, that the remembrance refers to אהי-ה are always there to suffer with those 6. This motif is highlighted by the name which was revealed to Moshe at ,אשר אהי-ה the mindfulness that the Kohen communities and individuals in times Gadol needed to have for the needs the s'neh. Rashi (Shemos 3:14) writes that this of distress.9 May we all be cognizant of of the Jewish people (see Hakesav name conveys that Hashem will be with them these truths and find solace in them. during their suffering in Mitzrayim as well as Ve’hakabbalah, Tzeror Hamor, Be’er And may we merit to see the day of in future exiles. Yosef). Taken in this vein, we may ke’etzem HaShamayim latohar — when 7. Many Chassidic works and Sifrei Machshava suggest that the two locations — on Hashem can rejoice with us in the extend the concept of nosei b’ol to showing the shoulder and on the heart — allude simcha of the ultimate redemption. empathy for the tzaar of the Shechina itself. to the two types of identification One who is capable of empathizing with the with klal Yisrael that a Jewish leader divine suffering and who infuses his prayers Endnotes must strive for. Carrying the names with such a dimension, becomes worthy of heavenly grace, which can alleviate one’s of the shevatim on Aharon’s shoulders 1. For an elaboration on this idea, see the comments of the Ramban to Parshas Haazinu personal suffering. See, for example,Degel symbolizes the imperative to “carry (Devarim 32, 26). Machane Ephraim (Parshas Beshalach), Bnei the load” of the people — being nosei Yisaschar (Kislev-Teveis, 37). This motif can 2. Rabeinu Bachyei proceeds to explain on a be traced to a Midrash Tehillim on the pasuk ה be’ol. This entails feeling empathy for kabbalistic level that the letter in the words ya’ancha Hashem b’yom tzara cited in Yalkut עלה מצרימה the suffering of Jewish people, both and allude to the Shechina. Later Shimoni (679). See also Nefesh Hachayim on a communal and individual level. commentaries elaborate by associating the letter (2:11). which is synonymous , מלכותwith the sefira of ה On the other hand, bearing their with the kabbalistic notion of kneses Yisrael. 8. R. Wolbe relates the story of R. Avraham names on the Choshen symbolizes that Grodzenski who, while sitting with his family Aharon be cognizant of the simcha of 3. The Hoshana composition beginning eating dinner, suddenly stood up and began the Jewish people. Just as the image of “Ke’hoshata Eilem Belud imach,” composed by to dance. When asked by his startled family R. Elazar Hakalir, contains repeated references members to explain his strange behavior, “ke’etzem HaShamayim latohar” shown to this motif. For further elaboration, see my in the prophetic image at Matan Torah he replied that he realized that at that very article, “Hoshanot: Origins and Perspectives moment, he was missing his good friend’s alludes to the joy of Israel’s redemption, of an Enigmatic Ritual,” in Mitoch Ha’Ohel, wedding. When you are truly happy for your so does the clarity emblematic of the Tefilot Yom Tov. friend, you will break out in dance whether you Urim V’Tumim represent times that 4. The idea of the Shechina’s stake in our are physically present at the simcha or not. are peaceful and joyous, when doubts redemption has many sources both in nigleh 9. As Rav Soloveitchik notes in Kol Dodi and nistar. Ramban, in Parashas Ha’azinu Dofek, all Jews, no matter their affiliation, and difficult questions are naturally 32:26, writes that the Jewish people will merit resolved. In such times as well, Aharon share in the same fate and it is our redemption even if they are not completely responsibility to let those who are suffering remains mindful of the Jewish people, worthy because Hashem’s reputation is know that we are suffering with them. and shares in their simcha — both dependent upon the existence of His people; collectively and individually. therefore, the purpose of the world can only be achieved if Hashem rescues His people and brings about the ultimate redemption. On a
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