Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary University Center for the Jewish Future THE BENJAMIN AND ROSE BERGER TO-GO® Established by Rabbi Hyman and Ann Arbesfeld April 2015 • Pesach-Yom Haatzmaut 5775

Dedicated in memory of Cantor Jerome L. Simons Featuring Divrei Torah from Rabbi Kenneth Brander • Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh Rabbi Josh Blass • Rabbi Reuven Brand Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff • Rona Novick, PhD Rabbi Uri Orlian • Rabbi Ari Sytner Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner • Rabbi Ari Zahtz

Insights on Yom Haatzmaut from Rabbi Naphtali Lavenda Meira Davis Rabbi Kenny Schiowitz

1 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 We thank the following who have pledged to be Pillars of the Torah To-Go® project Congregation Kehillat Shaarei United Orthodox Beth Shalom Yonah Menachem Synagogues Rochester, NY Modiin, , TX Congregation The Jewish Center Young Israel of Shaarei Tefillah , NY New Hyde Park Newton Centre, MA New Hyde Park, NY

For nearly a decade, the Benajmin and Rose Berger Torah To-Go® series has provided communities throughout North America and Israel with the highest quality Torah articles on topics relevant to throughout the year. We are pleased to present a dramatic change in both layout and content that will further widen the appeal of the publication. You will notice that we have moved to a more magazine-like format that is both easier to read and more graphically engaging. In addition, you will discover that the articles project a greater range in both scholarly and popular interest, providing the highest level of Torah content, with inspiration and eloquence. We would like to acknowledge the continued dedication and efforts of Rabbi Rob Shur and Rabbi Josh Flug in progressing this publication to the highest levels of excellence. In addition, we thank Rabbi Hyman and Ann Arbesfeld for their continued vision in supporting Torah initiatives at that are truly transformative for our entire community.

Richard M. Joel, President and Bravmann Family University Professor, Yeshiva University Rabbi Kenneth Brander, Vice President for University and Community Life, 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, Editor Andrea Kahn, Copy Editor

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2 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Table of Contents Pesach—Yom Haatzmaut 2015/5775 Dedicated in memory of Cantor Jerome L. Simons

Introduction by Rabbi Kenneth Brander 4 The Message of Maggidby Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh 5 Freedom Revisited by Rabbi Josh Blass 7 The Marshmallow Test: A Model for Successby Rabbi Reuven Brand 11 Every Step Counts: Making it Through Sefirah Complete 17 by Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman Feel as Though You Left Egypt, But I Was Never There! 20 by Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff Lirot Et Atzmo, Going beyond Empathy: A Psychological Perspective 24 by Rona Novick, PhD Anatomy of a Sale: Demystifying Mechirat by Rabbi Uri Orlian 27 Making God Part of the Experience by Rabbi Ari Sytner 33 A Lesson in Divine Justice by Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner 37 Yachatz: Superfluous or Significant?by Rabbi Ari Zahtz 40 Reflections on Yom Haatzmaut From L’Shana Haba’ah to Hatikva: An Expression of Hope and Prayer 46 on Exalted Nights by Rabbi Naphtali Lavenda Parents’ Perspective on Their Children’s : The Good, the Bad and 49 the Ugly (It’s All Good) by Rebbetzin Meira Davis Aspiring With the Ramban by Rabbi Kenny Schiowitz 55

3 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Introduction

hile the Pesach Seder as a whole focuses on the notion of redemption, the Rabbi Kenneth Brander HaggadaW divides into two thematic Vice President for University and Community Life parts. Yeshiva University The first is the pre-meal section of the Haggada. In it, we tell the story of Israel’s slavery and eventual redemption from Egypt. We express after the meal. This section represents our engagement with a purposeful the story both verbally, by reading the second theme of Pesach night. lifestyle. The Seder begins with and discussing text and narrative, It focuses not on the past salvation, reflections of the past as a means and experientially, by consuming but on the future redemption of our to inspire us to help shape a vision symbolic foodstuff —matza, wine, people and of society. for a future enabling redemption to maror and charoset. These activities The post-meal section of the Haggada become a reality. And it ends with simultaneously emphasize the begins as we pour a cup of wine foresights of that redeemed future, hardship and transformation that we reserved for Eliyahu—the figure who giving us a glimpse of what we strive underwent in our emergence from is to usher Mashiach into our world. for in our lives. Egypt as a nation moving towards its We open the door to welcome Eliyahu We hope that the learning found in promising destiny. and recite Shefokh Chamatkha, in this edition of Benjamin and Rose which we call on Hashem to destroy Berger Torah To-Go gives us pause as evil nations that have persecuted individuals, families, and communities The true purpose of the Jewish people throughout the finding new ways to realize the dream: Pesach is to remove diaspora experience. “Next Year in a completely safe and In the pre-meal Maggid section of the rebuilt Yerushalayim.” the chametz found Haggada, we only recite the first two chapters of . This is because in our heart and these psalms focus on the Egyptian saga. The third and the remaining soul; the obstacles, chapters of Hallel are recited in the post-meal section of the Haggada as the barriers, these psalms focus on the Messianic era (see 118a). Following the stagnation these, we read poems and prayers that hinders our that, through allegory and symbolism, focus on the future—an era of peace engagement with a and prosperity for our people and society at large. purposeful lifestyle. The Kabbalists remind us that the true purpose of Pesach is to remove the chametz found in our There is a second—critical—section heart and soul; the obstacles, the of the Haggada that is often ignored: barriers, the stagnation that hinders the portion of the Haggada recited

4 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 The Message of Maggid

e might suppose that the text of Maggid, the section of the Haggadah Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh inW which we fulfill the of , RIETS telling the story of yetzias Mitzrayim, Ruth Buchbinder Mitzner Chair in and would focus on the elucidation of that narrative. When we take Jewish Law a closer look at the actual text of the Haggadah, though, we find a the Seder night, instead of relating the Perhaps we can suggest an explanation surprising phenomenon. Directly story of the Exodus? based on an understanding of the following a one-sentence answer to purpose of yetzias Mitzrayim. We may the Mah Nishtanah, we find ourselves Upon reflection, it seems that this is have noticed that in Sefer Shemos, meandering through ten paragraphs of exactly the deeper message that the Moshe Rabbenu asks Paroh time and various halachic discussions before we Haggadah is trying to convey. Don’t again to let the go, but he never finally reach the story of the Exodus. rush into the actual mitzvah of sippur actually asks him to set them free from yetzias Mitzrayim, the Haggadah First, we learn who has to perform the tells us, until you have learned all the slavery. Rather, he requests over and mitzvah of sippur yetzias Mitzrayim halachos that pertain to it. If we look over that Paroh allow them to worship (even great sages) and how long we carefully, we see this message explicit Hashem in the Sinai desert. Why have to spend on it (the longer the didn’t Moshe just tell Paroh the truth, in the answer to the wise son — af better), and in order to prove this, that the Jews wanted freedom? Many atah emor lo k’hilchos Pesach; we teach we read the story of five sages who the learned son the laws of Pesach answers have been suggested to this spent all night discussing the Exodus. 1 but perhaps the simplest and not only the story of the Exodus. question, Then we learn whether the obligation answer is that he tell Paroh the And while the five sages mentioned did extends to every night of the year truth. Hashem’s reason for redeeming in the Haggadah spent all night (it does), and how to properly fulfill us from Egypt was not so that we engrossed in the story of the Exodus, this mitzvah (in four different ways could be free, but so that we could be the Tosefta (Pesachim 10:11-12) for different types of children). We free to accept the Torah at Har Sinai tells us that Rabban Gamliel and his end by pinpointing exactly when and serve Hashem. The language of colleagues stayed up the entire Seder we are commanded to perform this the commandment of night learning Hilchos Pesach, and sippur yetzias mitzvah (not on Rosh Chodesh, not Mitzrayim is: uses this story to prove that “chayav on the afternoon of Erev Pesach, but והגדת לבנך ביום ההוא לאמר בעבור זה adam la’asok b’hilchos Pesach kol on the Seder night). This halacha עשה ה' לי בצאתי ממצרים. halailah — one is obligated to analyze , replete with explorations of שמות יג:ח the halachos of Pesach throughout the different halachic opinions and the Seder night.” This is not just an the sources for each conclusion, is You shall tell your son on that day, and insight, then, but an actual halacha interrupted only by the paragraph, say: because of this, Hashem performed — the mitzvah of sippur yetzias Baruch HaMakom baruch Hu, in the Exodus for me when I left Egypt. Mitzrayim demands that we learn not which we praise Hashem for giving Shemos 13:8 only the story, but the halachos of us the Torah, and make no mention telling the story as well. But now the asks the obvious question: of yetzias Mitzrayim. We may well question becomes even sharper. Why because of what did Hashem redeem wonder: why do we spend so much should this be so? Why should the us? His answer is based on the time teaching our children halachos, minutiae of halacha be considered a interpretation found in the halachic some of which do not even pertain to part of the story of the Exodus? section of Maggid “b’sha’ah sheyesh

5 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 matzah umaror munachim lefanecha,” l’vincha, you shall tell your son on that one who is commanded. By framing sippur­ Yetzias Mitzrayim can only be day, and say: Hashem performed the the narrative of the Exodus in the fulfilled when the matzah and maror Exodus for me,” by telling the story of context of Hilchos Pesach, we ingrain are lying on the table. It is because our redemption from physical slavery, the message that the only appropriate of the matzah and maror lying on and we fulfill the crucial element of context for freedom is the striving to the table, because of the mitzvos “ba’avur zeh, because of this,” by telling fulfill the will of Hashem. that we do, that Hashem knew we our children that the purpose of the Perhaps this also explains why we would accept on Har Sinai and would Exodus was not to attain physical call the Pesach experience a “Seder,” perform loyally to this very day, that comfort and economic success, but meaning order or structure, and we He took us out of Egypt.2 Perhaps rather to accept the Torah and strive are careful to announce at each turn this is why this verse was chosen as for spiritual perfection. that we are following the structure, the answer to the wicked son, who This insight also explains the “kadesh,” then “urchatz,” all the way to wants freedom devoid of obligation, seemingly irrelevant passage “nirtzah.” Freedom is misused if it is freedom without Torah and mitzvos. beginning Baruch HaMakom baruch seen as an absence of responsibility. We tell him ba’avur zeh, because of this Hu. Before the description of the four It becomes an excuse for laziness — the reason Hashem miraculously sons, we abandon the topic of Pesach and the shallow pursuit of ephemeral changed the course of history and entirely and praise Hashem for giving gratification, devoid of meaning or redeemed us from slavery was not to us the Torah, in language reminiscent purpose. The Hagaddah teaches us give us more leisure time, but to grant of our daily Birkat HaTorah –“Baruch to view freedom as an opportunity us the opportunity to become deeper shenasan Torah l’amo Yisrael, Blessed is to take responsibility, to seek out the and nobler people, to grow spiritually He who gave the Torah to His nation purpose of our existence and strive and connect with the Divine, to realize Israel.” It might seem peculiar to stop to live up to it. We are commanded our full potential as human beings by and say Birkat HaTorah in the middle to impose structure on our freedom serving Hashem and performing His of the Haggadah, but if we understand in order to harness it towards the mitzvos. that we cannot fulfill the mitzvah of pursuit of higher goals instead of This explains the position of Maggid properly without recognizing descent into anarchy and nihilism. Rav who argued with Shmuel in the purpose of the Exodus, which is What better way to begin teaching this Pesachim (116a) about the proper receiving the Torah, then it becomes crucial lesson than to hold a “Seder,” interpretation of the requirement of clear that appreciating the value of a halachically structured celebration, maschil b’gnus umesayem b’shevach – to the Torah is an essential element of finely calibrated to further the sublime begin with a depiction of the lowly understanding yetziat Mitzrayim. agenda of growing spiritually and state of the Jewish people initially and infusing our lives with meaning. The We can now appreciate the profundity conclude by describing their exalted “Seder” of Pesach transforms freedom underlying the structure of the status after the Exodus. What type of from emancipation into redemption, Haggadah. If we immediately began contrast must we emphasize? Shmuel from emptiness into fulfillment, and the Maggid by telling our children the explained “ ,” that we from chaos into glorious opportunity. Avadim hayinu story of the Exodus, we would miss were slaves and then freed, but Rav the point of the story. Rather, we first Notes preferred “ Mitechilah ovdei avodah tell them that we’re doing a mitzvah zarah hayu avoseinu,” that we were 1. See Ibn Ezra to 11:4, Rabbenu Bahye to tonight, and that we are fulfilling 3:18, and Akedat Yitzchak ch. 35. originally idolaters and then taught to this mitzvah in the detailed fashion 2. See also Ibn Ezra who expands on this worship Hashem. Shmuel focused on prescribed by the halacha. Instead of theme, Chizkuni who interprets similarly the physical story of the redemption, but with a subtle distinction, and Rashbam, merely telling our children that the while Rav focused on the purpose for Ramban, and R. Yonah Ibn Janach (quoted best use of our freedom is to serve which we were taken out of slavery; by Ibn Ezra) who interpret this verse in a Hashem, we guide them through the completely different fashion. which is our spiritual redemption experience of halachic living, and and ennoblement. Our Haggadah share with them the process by which incorporates both opinions. We fulfill a Torah Jew fulfills the mitzvos in the the commandment of “ vehigadeta exacting and precise fashion that befits

6 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Freedom Revisited

he central motif of Pesach is that of both remembering and experiencing cheirus, Rabbi Josh Blass Tfreedom. While every chag has the Sgan Mashgiach, Yeshiva University element in some measure of recreating Rabbi, Kehillas Bais Yehudah, Wesley Hills, NY and reenacting the events of the past, the necessity of firsthand experience is especially vivid in our retelling of b’nei chorin, free people and in which 1. Freedom from Addiction the Pesach narrative (Emek Beracha, ways we are still shackled to masters, Inyanei Haggadah). This experience some perhaps invisible, whose hold The Ibn Ezra (BaMidbar 6:7) posits of freedom doesn’t stop at the door on us is no less palpable than the one that the root of the word nazir comes of a general national feeling but that the Egyptians exerted over our from the word nezer, crown. While demands to be experienced by each forefathers. This point is underscored there is an open question about and every individual as conveyed in by many of the ba’alei machshava whether the path chosen by the nazir the paragraph that serves as the apex (Jewish thinkers) who differentiate is the ideal one, the nazir in a sense of the Seder: between the words chofesh and wears his nezirus like a crown with cheirus — the former being free from the accompanying regal feeling of בכל דור ודור חייב אדם לראות את עצמו -a physical servitude (Shemos 21:2) a king who has risen above the all כאילו הוא יצא ממצרים. In every generation, each person is and the latter relating either to a state consuming needs of the body. In a obligated to view himself as if he went of mind or to the idea of cheirus l’, way, the nazir is the paradigm of the out from Egypt. freedom that leads to a more elevated man who has exerted control over and noble state. As many of the himself and his needs and has allowed The immediacy of the experience meforshim note (see Sefer HaChinuch for the emergence of complete bechira is amplified by the language in the no. 306), Exodus with its resulting chofshis, free will. The necessity of Rambam’s version of the Haggadah: freedoms is meaningful only in the this complete unassailable bechira is k’ilu hu ata yatzah MiMitzrayim, as context of acceptance of the Torah. emphasized by the Rambam (Teshuva though he was released now from Indeed the narrative of the desert with 5:1) and lies at the heart of why we the shackles of slavery (Rambam, all of its dramatic highs and lows is bore a hole through the ear of the Chametz U’Matzah 7:6). really about a nation who were chofshi Jewish slave who chooses to continue In a literal sense, the obligation is to but who hadn’t really become bnei his servitude (Kiddushin 22b). How both deeply feel the sense of shibud chorin in the deeper psychological can a person, who is supposed to be ligeulah, slavery to freedom, that was sense.1 Pesach is the most propitious completely free — subservient only experienced by our forefathers and to time to scrutinize our own life and to to G-d’s word — willingly give up find avenues to recreate and embody ask ourselves to just what degree we that freedom? Sadly, modern man those emotions. Yet there would seem are free? To what degree can we say lives with the constant challenge of to be an even further imperative. with confidence that we have emerged this lack of absolute freedom. Internet Namely, the time of Pesach reminds from slavery and are not full bnei addiction, substance addiction, us to contemplate the nature of chorin? and the incessant, almost addictive true freedom and encourages us to need to check one’s smart phone are While there are many avenues which contemplate all of the ways in which challenges that affects almost every relate to this dynamic, let me suggest we find ourselves trapped between family to some degree. In my position five areas to give thought to. servitude and redemption. We in the Yeshiva, a week doesn’t go by in explore in which ways are we truly which a young man doesn’t speak to

7 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 me about his challenges in functioning to why the first mitzvah given after the setbacks — and they frame their due to the fact that he spends six or Exodus is that of kiddush hachodesh, lives through the prism of fatalistic seven hours a night watching Netflix. sanctification of the new moon. negativity. To some degree there While the above is only anecdotal, Theba’alei machshava highlight the is a certain spirit of cheirus that it reflects a reality that no yeshiva, exceptional nature of this mitzvah in comes with choosing to write a institution or family is untouched by. that kiddush hachodesh reflects man’s positive narrative of one’s life. To While our freedom of movement and ability to sanctify the moon, which in genuinely feel that I have the ability communication has never been more turn determines when bread becomes to transform every incident that has advanced, the complete freedom of chametz, determines which day one ever befallen me, or will befall me, choice as described by the Rambam is subject to kares for not fasting (on into opportunities for real growth and poses an enormous challenge for ) and a whole host of meaning. That is also a freedom of many in our communities. other critical halachos. According to sorts. the Kedushas Levi, the verse (Shemos 2. Freedom of Perspective 12:2) rishon hu lachem, it is a first for 3. Freedom from Feelings of you, is essentially saying that Hashem, Hopelessness The Gemara,Pesachim 115b, provides the “Rishon,” is given over to Bnei two different explanations as to why Yisroel through their ability to sanctify TheBeis HaLevi (Derasha no. 2) matzah is called lechem oni. According the moon. What a transformative and others discuss the fact that Bnei to one opinion it refers to aniyus — mitzvah to begin the Jews’ sojourn Yisroel had fallen to the 49th level remembering our days of poverty and through the desert! Bnei Yisroel had of tumah (impurity) and as a result, servitude, and according to a second the choice to view themselves as slaves the Exodus had to have happened opinion it refers to the redemption — still dealing with the reverberations of immediately (see the beginning of lechem she’onim alav devarim harbeh, hundreds of years of slavery, or they the Rambam’s Haggadah — b’vehilu bread that is used for responding could view themselves as regal bnei yazatzanu MiMitzrayim, we left to a lot of ideas. Themeforshim are melachim, princes, as an am segulah, Egypt in a hurry). The Maharal in puzzled as to why the same object is a treasured nation. Beginning the the beginning of Netzach Yisroel deals utilized for two opposite emotions — journey with the mitzvah of kiddush with the implicit question of why surely the Torah could have thought hachodesh, and all that it implies about there was a necessity for Bnei Yisroel of a different expression for either the grandeur of man and specifically to have experienced the depths of servitude or freedom? Am Yisroel as a mamleches kohanim, exile before tasting redemption. The allowed Bnei Yisroel to frame their Perhaps the point is that we are given Maharal answers that by definition, experiences in a psychologically a choice as to which perspective we geulah can only be fully realized (and healthy and productive fashion. We want to adapt in thinking about our appreciated) if it’s an outgrowth of are given a choice how to view yetzias national narrative. We could choose to galus, exile. A full state of personal Mitzraim specifically, and Jewish and national wholeness is only focus on the poverty, the backbreaking history in its entirety, through the experienced if it comes on the heels labor and the humiliation or we could prism of the downtrodden “aniyus” or of darker moments. choose to sing a shira chadasha, a new through the perspective of geulah. song, about what was the ultimate This concept of the Maharal is so conclusion of those dark chapters. In a real sense many are enslaved by significant for one who finds himself the narrative of their lives — how one This might be the answer to the trapped by his own limitations looks back on a difficult childhood, question posed by many rishonim as and humanity and a feeling that how one deals with suffering, with true change is beyond their grasp. We could choose to focus on the poverty, the backbreaking labor and the humiliation or we could choose to sing a shira chadasha, a new song, about what was the ultimate conclusion of those dark chapters.

8 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 We always believe that there are brighter tomorrows and that change is always possible. Talmudic and Midrashic literature is full of statements of one who acquires the next world in a single moment or the effectiveness of sincereteshuva , even in the last moment of a person’s life. The matzah that represents both poverty and redemption is a symbol that we are always finding ourselves on a certain continuum and that one stage, even a suffocatingly dark stage, does not have to represent a final chapter. There is a freedom in understanding that our personal journeys reflect a circuitous path and that change/teshuva/transformation are all possible over the course of a lifetime. We never have to feel that we are unable to move beyond our own perceived limitations.

4. Freedom from Other Perceptions and Expectations of Ourselves

There is a beautiful comment of the Vilna Gaon Biur( HaGra to Mishlei 16:24) who makes a very profound observation. The Gemara inNiddah 30b, teaches that Man is taught in his mother’s womb the amount of Torah that he specifically is capable of learning in his lifetime. Man’s purpose, argues the Vilna Gaon, is to simply learn and accomplish that which is expected of him, based on his own abilities, skills and talents.2 This point of knowing oneself and judging oneself based on no criteria other than an internal barometer is the major point of emphasis of many of the ba’alei mussar (see Alei The future is Shur 1:36-38, 157-165). This is a trait best defined as anochiyus, loosely defined as individuality. The Gemara in your hands. in Berachos 17a, famously records the statement of Rav Alexandri who said that Man is unable to fulfill the will of G-d due to the s’or sheb’iasah, the yeast in the dough. Meet Zvi Kaminetzky, a current TABC senior enrolled in Rashi understands this statement that the yeast is a Yeshiva University for the coming year. Zvi is coming to reference to the evil inclination and to haughtiness. Rav Yeshiva University for the countless opportunities with Kook in Olas Ra’ayah (pp. 244-245) understood the top Roshei Yeshiva and world-renowned faculty. With Gemara differently. Rav Kook felt that the yeast refers 150 student clubs, 15 NCAA sports teams and hundreds of to anything external to ourselves; anything that is not activities, lectures and events throughout campus, YU has something for everyone. #NowhereButHere. genuine to our true nature that has the ability to corrupt and change us. Theavodah (service) of Pesach, said Rav Kook, is biur chametz, eliminating all of the external factors in our life that are not true to ourselves and that are just reflections of lives that are not our own. Only then can a person taste cheirus. www.yu.edu | 212.960.5277 | [email protected] Sadly many people have no real sense of anochiyus. They have no real sense of who they are, what Hashem www.yu.edu/enroll

9 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 expects of them and what are their I believe that the point is broader. life to become derailed by smallness. unique abilities and potential The Gemara both inKiddushin I always thought that this story contributions. One’s life and sense 30b, and 52b, describe the was a beautiful reflection of the of self are often shaped by a myriad necessity of one who is under the aforementioned Mishna — freedom of external factors that have nothing “thumb” of the evil inclination in its truest sense of the word is only to do with genuine personal growth to drag the yetzer hara to the beis fully possible in the context of a and more to do with the general medrash (study hall). Additionally, Torah life that is able to meaningfully expectations and standards of the the Ramban (introduction to Shmos) cultivate and shape values and world at large. Cheirus begins with this in commenting on the fact that Sefer priorities. elusive search for . Shmos is referred to as anochiyus Sefer HaGeula Let me conclude with an idea from (the book of redemption) said that the Chidushei HaRim. He comments the redemption from Mitzrayim was 5. Freedom through Torah on the first of the four languages of not complete until the Mishkan was and through Meaning geulah, “v’hotzeisi eschem mitachas built. The idea of all of these sources sivlos Mitzrayim, I will take you out and many others seems to be one and The Mishna inAvos 6:3 states: from under the oppression (sivlos) of the same, namely that the connection Egypt (Shemos 6:6). The wordsivlos אין לך בן חורין אלא מי שעוסק בתלמוד with spiritually ambitious pursuits, is used because Hashem will redeem תורה. be it Talmud Torah or the building The only free man is one who engages in those who can be sovel, tolerate the Talmud Torah. of Mishkan, frames our freedom in Egyptians. He will free those who may such a way that elevates rather than Many interpretations are offered not even realize that they are enslaved. diminishes the individual. A person including that of Rav Hirsch and According to the Chidushei HaRim, who is connected to Torah and the Tiferes Yisroel who stress that that is the first step of freedom — talmidei chachamim (Torah scholars), spiritual ambition, as symbolized by recognizing that one is not completely a person whose life feels imbued Talmud Torah, frees a person from free. Once we have that full with genuine meaning and a sense the necessity of becoming one with recognition, we can set a course for of hashra’as HaShechinah (Divine the culture of the street and brings ourselves, sometimes only internally presence) as reflected by the Mishkan, one to a somewhat more exalted driven and at times with the help of is simply a different person with a state of being. While Rav Hirsch is others, to seek a meaningful path of different outlook and a different set undoubtedly correct in his assertion, traversing the landscape between of priorities. His ambitions, values, slavery and redemption. decisions and yearnings all reflect the spiritual center that resides in one’s This should be a truezman cheiruseinu The connection with core. for us and for all of Klal Yisroel. We should merit to not only relive the spiritually ambitious I remember hearing a story in which time in our past in which the powerful pursuits, be it Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky was asked hand of Hashem was revealed, but for advice about how to navigate also continue to experience and work Talmud Torah or the the tricky landscape of dealing towards genuine and deeply realized with mechutanim who might have freedom in our own lives. building of Mishkan, drastically different expectations about the upcoming wedding. Notes frames our freedom Rav Yaakov answered with a smile 1. Ibn Ezra, Shemos 14:13, Ramban on his face that he had only one BaMidbar 11:1. See as well, the works of in such a way that policy — namely to never upset Viktor Frankl and Erich Fromm who deal about anything that truly doesn’t with these issues at length. 2. See the Ohr Sameach at the beginning of elevates rather than matter. Focus only on the happiness Hilchos Talmud Torah for an important of the chassan and kallah said Rav point that dovetails with the Vilna Gaon. diminishes the Yaakov, focus only on that which is individual. fundamental and don’t allow your

10 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 The Marshmallow Test A Model for Success

ithout a Beit Hamikdash for nearly two millennia, most Jews find it difficult Rabbi Reuven Brand todayW to relate to the concept of Temple service, the world of kodashim Rosh , YU Torah Mitzion Kollel of (realm of Temple sanctity) and korbanot (sacrifices). Even in the world of , Temple service korban Pesach specifically, that can be blended together? Why are the is in a separate category. When one help inform and inspire our service mitzvot intertwined so that one may opens a volume of the classic Vilna of Hashem on Pesach and during the not slaughter the korban Pesach edition of the Talmud, one finds the rest of the year in the absence of a Beit with chametz in one’s property? Gemara accompanied by its classic Hamikdash? Why must the Pesach be eaten with commentaries including Rashi, To begin thinking about this question, matzah? What is the meaning of the Tosafot and Rif. However, in the perhaps we should consider another relationship between the holiday of tractates of Kodashim, the Rif and fascinating juxtaposition: Pesach the korban Pesach and the holiday of matzah and chametz? accompanying super-commentaries and Chag HaMatzot. When looking are absent, since the Rif’s work is closely at the verses in chapter Additionally, we may wonder about the meant to be a practical summary of 12 and Vayikra chapter 23, we learn placement of korbanot in our national the Talmud, and Kodashim does not that there are actually two distinct development. Nissan is the time of the have a practical application today. holidays that overlap in Nissan. The birth of the Jewish people. Although we However, there is one time each first is Pesach, which occurs on the observe Rosh Hashana in the Hebrew th year that the world of kodashim 14 of Nissan and concludes before month of Tishrei, the lunar calendar and th takes center stage in our Jewish the morning of the 15 of Nissan. the schedule of our holidays begins in lives: the night of the Pesach Seder. The second isChag HaMatzot, which Nissan (as the Gemara in Rosh Hashana th Even today, when the actual offering begins on the eve of the 15 of Nissan 4b explains). The Torah informs us that is not present, the mitzvot of the and continues for seven days. These Nissan is the first month of the year: Seder and its structure and practices holidays have separate mitzvot as their Hachodesh hazeh lachem rosh chodashim all revolve around a korban — the central motif. Pesach is focused on the (Shemot 12:2). We are a people korban Pesach. Many customs of slaughtering and eating of the korban symbolized by the moon; hence, we Seder night are meant to remind us of Pesach; Chag HaMatzot is focused on are born as a nation during Nissan. In life in the Beit Hamikdash generally, a weeklong holiday, much like Sukkot, this light, the Midrash describes yetziat including wearing a kittel, washing and the requirements of eating matzah Mitzrayim as a birthing process: ויושע ה' ביום ההוא את ישראל מיד מצרים before dipping, and how we treat and prohibiting chametz. The two ... כאדם שהוא שומט את העובר ממעי הפרה. the meat we will eat at the Seder holidays overlap on the night of the 1 Seder, fusing the concepts of the מכילתא דרבי ישמעאל בשלח - מסכתא dinner. A question arises in this korban Pesach and matzah. We can דויהי פרשה ו context: what can we learn from the world of kodashim generally, and the wonder: why must these mitzvot

I would like to thank Avi Mori, Mr. Etzion Brand, Mrs. Ora Lee Kanner, Dr. David Pelcovitz, Professor Leslie Newman and Mrs. Andrea Polster for their help with this article. 11 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 And God saved the Jewish people on that consecrated to how it is treated and the blood after sundown, which is no day from the hands of Egypt… Like even where its owner stands in the Beit longer the time the sprinkle blood. a person that removes a fetus from the HaMikdash. The kohanim, similarly, Rambam, Hilchot Pesulei womb of a cow. have an extremely regimented set of HaMukdashin 13:1 Mechilta, , Masechta guidelines and procedures for each Even an errant intent can ruin an Vayehi no. 6 offering that governs their every otherwise perfectly good sacrifice. Just as when a child enters the world, movement and even their mindset. The This emphasis on discipline and its future is shaped largely by its Rambam teaches: obedience is rooted in the Torah’s description of the construction of שלש מחשבות הן שפוסלין את הקרבנות. experiences during its formative the first sanctuary — the Mishkan.3 ואלו הן. מחשבת שינוי השם. ומחשבת years, our nation was influenced at its According to the Beit HaLevi (Ki המקום. ומחשבת הזמן. מחשבת שינוי השם ,inception, shaped by its first mitzvah Tisa), the Torah reiterates the phrase כיצד. זה השוחט את הזבח שלא לשמו: כגון the korban Pesach.2 It is fascinating ka’asher tziva Hashem — as Hashem שהיה עולה ויחשב שהוא שלמים ... מחשבת that Hashem chose a korban as the commanded — repeatedly in Parshat המקום כיצד. כגון ששחט את הזבח לשמו על first charge for the Jewish people as :Pekudei for precisely this reason מנת לזרוק דמו. או להקטיר ממנו דבר הראוי they became a nation and that the להקטרה חוץ לעזרה ... מחשבת הזמן כיצד. transition from slavery to peoplehood וכיון דעיקר חטאם בעגל היה מה שרצו כגון ששחט את הזבח לשמו על מנת לזרוק . occurred in the context of להתחכם מעצמם לעשות ע”פ ידיעתם kodashim דמו מאחר שתשקע החמה שאינו זמן זריקתו. וחכמתם מעשה אשר לא נצטוו עליו ולזה In essence, every Jewish home in רמב ם הלכות פסולי מוקדשין יג א במעשה המשכן שבא לכפר נאמר על כל ” , : ,Egypt became a miniature mikdash with the placement of blood on the אשר עשו כאשר צוה ה’ ... היה כל כוונתם There are three types of thought doorpost instead of the altar and the רק כאשר ציוה ה’ ונתכוונו רק לעשות ציויו that invalidate sacrifices and they eating of a sacrifice in its confines. ורצונו יתברך לא משום שהשכל של עצמם are: thoughts relating to a change in Why is the world of the מחייבת לעשות כן, וזהו שכיפר להם על חטא kodashim designation, thoughts relating to a change first one we enter as we begin our העגל. in place and thoughts relating to a change covenantal journey with Hashem? in time. What is an example of thoughts Since the primary sin of the Golden Calf relating to a change in designation? One was that they wanted to be autonomous Discipline who slaughters an animal for the wrong and act based on their own knowledge purpose, such as one who slaughters an and wisdom and they performed an act The answer to these many questions olah thinking that it is a shelamim. … that they were not commanded, when the can be found in one word that is What is an example of thoughts relating Mishkan, which was to atone for their essential to kodashim and definitional to change in place? Such as one who sin, was built, it says regarding everything to : discipline. It is difficult slaughters the sacrifice with the correct that they did “as Hashem commanded.” to capture the scope and detail of the designation but with intent to sprinkle the … Their entire intent was only to do what regulations and minutiae that govern blood or sacrifice a part that is worthy Hashem commanded and they did so only the world of kodashim; to say it is of sacrifice outside of the Azarah … because Hashem commanded them, not exacting is an understatement. Every What is an example of thoughts relating because their own thoughts led them to aspect of a korban must be fulfilled to a change in time? Such as one who that conclusion, and this is what atoned with complete precision, from the slaughters an animal with the correct for the sin of the Golden Calf. specifications of the offering and designation for the purpose of sprinkling the manner in which the offering is While the realm of kodashim may be unique in its extreme emphasis on discipline, its character is The halacha — the path along which we symptomatic of Jewish life in general, which is defined by this central lead our lives — directs all aspects of a concept. Torah life expects us to abide by specific guidelines; the person’s existence, much like a guard rail word mitzvah means commandment, follows the highway. not good deed. We are expected to

12 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 discipline all aspects of life, even beyond those that are formally forbidden by the Torah. This is how Ramban (Vayikra 19:2) defines the mitzvah ofkedoshim tihiyu — being holy: והענין כי התורה הזהירה בעריות ובמאכלים האסורים והתירה הביאה איש באשתו ואכילת הבשר והיין, א"כ ימצא בעל התאוה מקום להיות שטוף בזמת אשתו או נשיו הרבות, ולהיות בסובאי יין בזוללי בשר למו, וידבר כרצונו בכל הנבלות, שלא הוזכר איסור זה בתורה, והנה יהיה נבל ברשות התורה. לפיכך בא הכתוב, אחרי שפרט האיסורים שאסר אותם לגמרי, וצוה בדבר כללי שנהיה פרושים מן המותרות. The idea is that the Torah warns of sexual transgressions and forbidden foods, but the Torah also allows sexual relations between husband and wife and allows eating of meats and wines. Therefore, a lustful person will take advantage and have multiple wives or will be a savage when it comes to drinking wine and eating meat, speaking in a vulgar manner. He will do as he pleases because there is no prohibition in the Torah. However, he will be vile within the permissions of the Torah. Therefore, the Torah after enumerating the actual prohibitions presents as general rule that we should [even] refrain from permissible acts. The halacha — the path along which we lead our lives — directs all aspects of a person’s existence, much like a guard rail follows the highway. With its specific positive and restrictive mitzvot, the Halacha serves as a guide and governor for each individual in public and private settings. Each precept itself has specific parameters and requirements that fill the innumerable pages of The future is Talmudic learning, commentaries, responsa and codes that endeavor to define them. Beyond the realm of action, in your hands. Judaism requires that we discipline our minds and hearts. The Gemara,Berachot 12b, states that the prohibition Meet Zeva Abrakhimova, a current Yeshiva University against straying after one’s heart (Bamidbar 15:39) senior. Zeva will be graduating with a degree in chemistry refers to having thoughts and beliefs that are antithetical and will be attending dental school in the Fall. She to Judaism, and the prohibition against straying after is among the 90% who are employed, in graduate one’s eyes refers to having thoughts of committing a sin. school - or both - within six months of graduation*. With Judaism even calls upon us to discipline our emotions; nearly double the national average acceptance rates to medical school, 97% acceptance to law schools and the commandment not to covet others’ possessions 4 placements at Big Four accounting firms, banks and is one example. The disciplined life of the Jew, which consulting firms, the numbers speak for themselves. requires self-control and sacrifice, is all encompassing and #NowhereButHere. serves as a model of heroism, eizeheu gibbor hakovesh et yitzro, who is strong? One who conquers his inclination (Avot 4:1).5 This self control is the ultimate goal for which we strive. www.yu.edu | 212.960.5277 | [email protected] Hence, we can appreciate why Hashem chose kodashim to *Career Center Survey, 2013/2014 serve as the context for our initial, formative experience as www.yu.edu/enroll

13 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 a people: it is the paradigm for a life during this special week. We clearly us to live fulfilled lives that include of discipline. Now we can understand carry over the discipline and rigor of enjoyment and accomplishments in why the korban Pesach was chosen as kodashim on the holiday of Pesach the eternal spiritual world and also in the first mitzvah, and we realize the to the weeklong holiday of Chag our this-worldly existence. This idea is significance of its many specifications. HaMatzot. carried to the extreme by a passage in Those who participate in the korban the Talmud Yerushalmi: Pesach must be disciplined in רבי חזקיה ר' כהן בשם רב עתיד אדם ליתן A Modern Dilemma preparation by avoiding any contact דין וחשבון על כל שראת עינו ולא אכל. with that would disqualify them. ירושלמי קידושין ד tumah All of this may give an onlooker, or They must consume the korban in a even a seasoned and committed Jew designated place and at a specific time pause: how should we view a life of R. Chizkiyah and R. Kohen said in the within their specific group. Even the such discipline? It sounds as though, name of Rav: A person will have to give manner in which the meat is cooked as the Talmud teaches, we have simply an accounting [in Heaven] for all that he and eaten is regulated in detail. Imagine substituted one servitude for another: saw and didn’t eat. looking back on such an achievement Yerushalmi, Kiddushin ch. 4 לשעבר הייתם עבדי פרעה מיכן והילך אתם of fulfilling the korban Pesach with its While these physical benefits are not עבדי ה’. fullest discipline and expressing the an end in and of themselves and are ירושלמי פסחים ה sentiment: expected to be utilized in achieving our In the past, you were servants of Pharaoh mission of bringing Godliness into our חסל סידור פסח כהלכתו ככל משפטו and from now on, you are servants of world, they point to a value in creating וחוקתו. Hashem. 7 The Seder is now concluded according a meaningful life in this world. To Yerushalmi, Pesachim ch. 5 to halacha, following all of its laws and this end, the Torah’s disciplined way statutes. How are we to understand this of life doesn’t just enable us to achieve statement? Are we are supposed to spiritual goals, it facilitates and enables The connection between Pesach be so focused on our spiritual other- us to create a more meaningful life in and the mitzvah of matzah is clear worldly goals and the discipline this world as well. as well. Matzah and its corollary necessary to achieving them that we prohibition of chametz are both completely reject our current physical The Marshmallow Test focused on regimen and discipline. existence? How can a lifestyle that is As we know, matzah must be baked so rigid, inspire a generation of Jews Our service of Hashem, unlike that of in a specific way in a fixed amount living in a culture that celebrates Paroh, which was meant to degrade of time. Chametz is an acutely autonomy as a primary value?6 and diminish the Jewish people, is severe prohibition, as it carries the actually a gift to us to raise us up and punishment of karet, and we are The Torah and our sages have enable our achievement in this world. required to be exceedingly punctilious answered these questions in a way that On the most basic level, a life of about it. Even the slightest trace of has become increasingly compelling discipline refines and ennobles: chametz can render a food prohibited in recent years: Hashem wants us to רב אמר לא נתנו המצות אלא לצרף בהן את on Pesach, unlike other non-kosher succeed in this world and discipline הבריות, וכי מה איכפת ליה להקב”ה למי foods that are generally nullified is, in fact, a key to accomplishing this ששוחט מן הצואר, או מי ששוחט מן העורף. in amounts less than 1:60. This goal. While we know that this world בראשית רבה, פרשת לך לך פרשה מד prohibition of chametz is an added is merely an antechamber to the next level of disciple, restricting a food that world (Avot 4:21), Hashem does want Rav said: The mitzvot were only given is otherwise kosher all year round. us to embrace our life in this world to refine people. Does it affect Hashem if Tosafot (Pesachim 2a) notes that it (Midrash Aggadah, Ki Teitzei no. 22). someone slaughters from the front of the is precisely because of this general The Torah’s description of reward neck or the back of the neck? familiarity that we must search for for our achievements in Parshat Bereishit Rabbah, Lech Lecha no. 44 chametz before Pesach, lest we find is given in material terms, Yet there is a much more profound it and inadvertently forget about which reminds us that Hashem wants and far reaching impact of leading this the new stricture against eating it

14 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 life of discipline and limits. It enables us to accomplish and succeed more than had we been left unfettered. By guiding us in a life of self-control, idealizing the gibbor who controls his impulses, we are opening doors to greater achievements in all areas of life, as our Torah tradition teaches charut of Torah enables true cheirut, freedom to accomplish (Avot 6:2). This concept has become the focus of major psychological and social research. In a landmark study that has become a blueprint for continued expanded research, renowned psychologist Walter Mischel found that children who were able to demonstrate self control and delay self-gratification achieved greater success over their counterparts — even decades later — in all major aspects of life. They tested this ability of self discipline by placing a single marshmallow in front of a 5-year-old and offering the child the choice of eating it immediately or waiting several minutes, at which point the child would receive two marshmallows.8 This impact of discipline on an individual is magnified when it is in the context of an entire society, as the abstract of a recent paper presented at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the of America outlines: Policy-makers are considering large-scale programs aimed at self-control to improve citizens’ health and wealth and reduce crime. Experimental and economic studies suggest such programs could reap benefits. Yet, is self-control important for the health, wealth, and public safety of the population? Following a cohort of 1,000 children from birth to the age The future is now. of 32, we show that childhood self-control predicts physical health, substance dependence, personal finances, and criminal Enroll today. offending outcomes, following a gradient of self-control. Effects of children’s self-control could be disentangled from their YU enables you to grow and deepen your understanding of - and commitment to - Jewish life at a top-tier college intelligence and social class as well as from mistakes they made while discovering your passions, championing your as adolescents. In another cohort of 500 sibling-pairs, the beliefs and forming lasting friendships. With student sibling with lower self-control had poorer outcomes, despite programs across our campuses and across the world, YU shared family background. Interventions addressing self-control takes a global approach to learning, education and values might reduce a panoply of societal costs, save taxpayers money, creating a full college experience. and promote prosperity.9 A YU education is not out of reach. Over 80% of students received help with tuition last year, with over $45 million Hashem charged the Jewish people with the lofty goal of in scholarship and financial aid awarded. Picture yourself serving as a mamlechet kohanim v’goy kadosh, a kingdom at YU. #NowhereButHere. of priests and a holy nation. We are each individually meant to serve as a kohen, with an impeccable, disciplined uniform code of conduct and to collectively create a nation that is holy, which the aforementioned www.yu.edu | 212.960.5277 | [email protected] Ramban said refers to discipline. Hence, while our lives may be distant from the actual Mikdash, the ability to www.yu.edu/enroll

15 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 live a life of kedusha is here and now, The fullest experience of happiness is which relate to emotions, see “Lo Tachmod” and it provides us with the freedom found in the Beit Hamikdash, with the in Nechama Leibowitz’s Studies on Sefer to achieve all of our goals both in this celebration of the service of Hashem. Shemot. 10 5. See Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt”l’s world and the next. A similar experience of service and essay “Catharsis” published in Tradition song is also found on the holiday of (Spring 1978) by for a fully developed Joy Pesach, focused on the Mikdash. Both presentation on this concept of restraint in during the slaughtering of the korban all areas of Torah life. We can identify one final imprint of Pesach in the Beit Hamikdash in the 6. Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter develops an approach to this challenge of submission to a disciplined life: joy. Psychologists afternoon and again when families have noted that even adolescents, the will of Hashem in an age of autonomy came together to eat the korban in his article “Halakhic Authority in a who often challenge boundaries in the evening, the Jewish people World of Personal Autonomy” published in and authority, crave a measure of sang the song of Hallel. This was the Radical Responsibility. discipline in their lives to provide song of joy that accompanied the 7. The Maharal in several places notes that the 11 word chamor, donkey, shares the same root meaning and satisfaction. True joy is accomplishment of being devoted found in a sense of accomplishment, as chomer, material. Avraham, Moshe and servants of Hashem. Today, each the Mashiach are all described in Tanach as the satisfaction of sustained and of us at our Seder re-enacts the riding a chamor, which we can understand focused effort that produces results. rare experience of kodashim with as utilizing the material world as a vehicle It is the yegia kapecha, the toil of our commemoration of the korban for accomplishing spiritual feats. 8. See The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self- your hands that brings about good Pesach, and we experience a sense (Tehillim 128:2). It is no wonder, Control. of joy. This happiness is not only 9. “A gradient of childhood self-control then, why Judaism places such an because we accomplished and fulfilled predicts health, wealth, and public safety,” emphasis in the service of Hashem on the mitzvot of the Seder with all of Terrie E. Moffitta, Louise Arseneault, simcha, joy (Tehillim 100:2). their specifications. It is a profound, Daniel Belskya, Nigel Dickson , Robert J. Hancox , HonaLee Harrington, Renate The Maggid of Mezritch would say:The perhaps even subconscious feeling Houts , Richie Poulton, Brent W. Roberts, main thing is that you should always be of happiness and contentment Stephen Ross, Malcolm R. Sears, W. happy. This is especially true when you are with having a life whose discipline Murray Thomson, and Avshalom Caspi, bound to God. Without joy, it is impossible and focus bring such richness and Edited by James J. Heckman, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, and approved 12 meaning. We express these feelings by to be attached constantly to God. December 21, 2010 (received for review singing Hallel — the same songs that We can appreciate why, according July 13, 2010). our ancestors sang centuries ago when to the Talmud (Arachin 11a), song 10. In his New York Times editorial on April the Beit Hamikdash still stood. 15, 2014, David Brooks comments on is an integral and according to some the holiday of Pesach and this notion of opinions, indispensable part of the Notes the benefits of living a life of self-control, service in the Beit Hamikdash. It 1. This concept is developed by Rabbi concluding, “The 20th-century philosopher is precisely in the context of the Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (Netziv) in his Eliyahu Dessler wrote, ‘the ultimate aim of discipline of kodashim that we feel and introduction to Haggadah Imrei Shefer. all our service is to graduate from freedom to compulsion.’ Exodus provides a vision express the gladness of heart that is 2. The mitzvah of Pesach was the first commandment to the nation as a whole; of movement that is different from mere manifest in song. It is, therefore, in this the fulfillment of milah in Egypt was only escape and liberation. The Israelites are place that we find the apex of a joyous performed as a preparatory step for the simultaneously moving away and being Jewish experience: the Simchat Beit korban, as the Torah teaches, kol arel lo bound upward. Exodus provides a vision Hashoeva on Sukkot in the courtyard yochal ,” an uncircumcised male may not of a life marked by travel and change but simultaneously by sweet compulsions, of the sanctuary: eat the korban Pesach. 3. According to the Rambam (Moreh whether it’s the compulsions of love, Nevuchim 3:32) the entire institution of friendship, family, citizenship, faith, a מי שלא ראה שמחת בית השואבה לא ראה sacrifices in the Mikdash was to discipline profession or a people.” Dr. David Pelcovitz, a renowned .11 שמחה מימיו. the Jewish people in their worship: to סוכה נא. channel these offerings away from idols psychologist, has noted that often his least Whoever did not see the Simchat Beit into the service of Hashem. happy patients are those who lack structure and self-control in their lives. Hashoeva, never saw true joy in his lifetime. 4. For a discussion of this mitzvah of lo tachmod and the issue of commandments 12. The Light Beyond: Adventures in Chassidic Sukkah 51a Thought by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, p. 298.

16 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Every Step Counts: Making it Through Sefirah Complete

his year, we tell ourselves, we will make it. Even if in the past, despite our best Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman Tintentions, we have dropped out of the Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS • Rabbi, Ohr Saadya, Teaneck, NJ “sefirah with a brachah” category some time before the count is complete, this year will be different…we hope. that the concern is actually not indeed the view of the Chida.5 This Absent-minded and distracted people that missing one part of the whole question takes on a practical nature are at a distinct disadvantage regarding invalidates the whole. Rather, the issue when considering one who knows he the mitzvah of sefiras ha-omer. The involves the definition of counting. is likely to miss a day, for example, one halacha defers to the minority view If one were to, for example, declare who will be undergoing major surgery of the Behag1 that disallows one “five” on the fifth night, but not count and will be unconscious for more than from counting with a brachah if he or the previous numbers, this would not a day; perhaps one in a situation such she has missed any single day of the be called counting, but rather “saying as this has no right to begin counting sefirah, as the Torah’s term “temimos” a number.” Counting, by definition, with a brachah, even before the (complete) in describing the weeks of requires a deliberate process of missed day.6 the omer, would no longer apply.2 marking all of the elements of a set. If However, within Rav Soloveitchik’s It is not clear why such a stringent earlier items are uncounted, then later approach, this is not a concern. The approach, so challenging for fallible, items, even if a number is attached to missed day only affects days that forgetful humans, is necessary. Many them, are also uncounted. come afterward, when it is no longer have suggested that the Behag’s Rav Soloveitchik’s explanation has considered “counting.” Every day opinion differs from that of other a significant impact on how the counted before that point would still rishonim in the consideration of the mechanics of sefiras ha-omerare be valid. following question: Should the 49 understood, and affects a number of days of sefiras ha-omer be seen as one A fascinating and complex question issues. One major question begins as big mitzvah, or as 49 separate mitzvos? was posed by R. Ben Tzion Nesher.7 a theoretical/philosophical one but If the entire sefirah is one mitzvah, it is What would happen if Reuven would becomes practical. When one misses understandable that any missing part choose to fulfillsefiras ha-omer one a day and may no longer count with disqualifies the whole. On the other night through listening to the count a brachah, what does this say about hand, if the sefirah count actually of Shimon. A week later, he learns all the previous days that had been entails 49 separate mitzvos, it would that Shimon missed a day, and may no counted with a brachah? If indeed seem that each day is independent, longer count with a brachah. Perhaps all of sefirah is one mitzvah, and that and missing one day should not affect all of Shimon’s countings that year is why a missed day invalidates the any other day.3 are retroactively revealed to be non- future countings, it should have this mitzvos, and thus Reuven is disqualified Rav Soloveitchik, however, effect retroactively as well. It would also, as he used one of these invalid understood the matter differently.4 seem, then, that all those berachos actions for his own counting, and is In his view, sefirah is made up of 49 would be rendered retroactively now also burdened with a flawed and individual mitzvos. If so, why is it an unjustified, and this was le-vatalah, incomplete mitzvah? issue to miss a day? He explained

17 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 According to Rav Soloveitchik’s number of other frequently discussed said from (that disease of ) ‘askara.’ approach, this concern is negated questions, such as allowing an onen A slightly different version of the twice over. Once, because there is (one who lost a relative and has not events appears in the midrash no retroactive disqualification; and yet performed the burial), who may (Bereishis Rabbah, section 61a) that twice, because even if Reuven did not perform to nonetheless mitzvos, ends with the words, “So, set your lose his mitzvah fulfillment that night, preserve his ability to resume minds not to conduct yourselves that he would still have maintained the counting with a brachah after the way [like the students].” structure of the count, which allows aninus;10 and to allow a bar mitzvah him to continue, even without the boy or a convert to join the sefirah This passage is always difficult to mitzvah. count in the middle of the cycle, if consider. The notion that Rabi they have established a structure by Akiva, who held up “v’ahavta l’reacha That split — maintaining the count counting prior to their obligation in kamocha,” love your neighbor like structure without the mitzvah — could mitzvos.11 yourself, as the crucial principle of also explain the surprising ruling of 13 8 the Torah, should have so many the , that one who is Rav Soloveitchik’s halachic analysis students who treated each other so praying with a before dark, may also be relevant, in a homiletic minyan disrespectfully that they deserved and is worried that he may forget later sense, toward understanding one of to die, is a deeply painful thought to count, may count the next day’s the more difficult aspects of sefiras that has caused many to struggle to count without a brachah and if he . While this is not described , ha-omer understand. My father, Rabbi Dr. does remember afterwards, may count in the Torah, the observance of the David M. Feldman, z”l, (hareini with a brachah. This is difficult; if it is sefirah period has taken on a character kaparas mishkavo), was pained at the too early to count before dark, what of mourning.12 While there are many thought of insensitivity on the part of is he accomplishing? If he does fulfill theories to explain this, the most holy Torah scholars, and brought to the mitzvah then, why is he allowed to well-known explanations link the my attention the essay of R. Eliezer count again later with a brachah? observance to the statement in the Levi in his work Yesodot HaTefillah, Talmud ( 62b): According to Rav Soloveichik’s Yevamos who builds upon the statement of Rav Sherira Gaon in his Iggeret, that אמרו שנים עשר אלף זוגים תלמידים היו לו approach, this ruling can be the students of Rabi Akiva died as לרבי עקיבא מגבת עד אנטיפרס וכולן מתו understood. The earlier count does ,a consequence of resisting shmad בפרק אחד מפני שלא נהגו כבוד זה לזה ... not fulfill a mitzvah, as it is before the ,efforts to force conversion upon them תנא כולם מתו מפסח ועד עצרת ... כולם מתו appropriate time, and thus does not during the time of the rebellion of Bar מיתה רעה מאי היא א"ר נחמן אסכרה. prevent one from reciting a brachah on a later count. It is helpful, though, Twelve thousand pairs of students Kokhba. because it maintains the counting of Rabi Akiva died, and all perished In this understanding, as Rav Levi structure, and thus allows counting in the same (segment of) time. This displays, the Talmud is, out of political to resume the day after if he indeed because they did not conduct themselves necessity, discussing the situation forgets that night.9 respectfully each with one another…. b’remizah, in hinted, coded language. This distinction between the mitzvah They had died from the time of Pesach Thus, the relevant passages can be fulfillment and the maintenance of the until Atzeret ()… they died a read as essentially the opposite story: counting structure is also helpful for a bad death, what was it? R. Nachman the students did treat each other

18 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 respectfully, and we are told to be like in need, due to their rush to deliver a first to infuse that acceptance with them, rather than to be unlike them. sermon about the topic of stopping to the message of all of the days that lead However, both versions, as different help people in need. up to it; the memory of Rabi Akiva’s as they are on the facts, emerge as students demand nothing less. The message ofsefiras ha-omer is two different ways of saying the same that focusing on that which is most thing: the mourning period of sefiras important can never allow us to miss Notes is a time to focus on treating ha-omer all the other important steps along each other with proper respect. 1. Tosafos, Menachos 66a and Megillah 20b. the way. We eagerly count down to 2. Orach Chaim 489:8. Perhaps, the halachic perspective the kabalas HaTorah, but we do so by 3. See Pri Megadim in Eishel Avraham, 489:13. on the counting and the thematic carefully marking every step of the 4. Similar approaches can also be found perspective on the time period can be process. We are trained to recognize in Shut Even Y’karah, 176 and by the Lubavitcher in Shut, 106, and viewed as connected. The mitzvah of that we cannot properly accept the Chiddushim U’Biurim al HaShas, I, 37; sefiras ha-omer, in Rav Soloveitchik’s Torah if these steps are neglected. Rav see also Tiferes Torah, 11, commenting on assessment, requires us to perform Yisrael Salanter, the revered founder Mordechai, Megillah, 803. 49 independent, deliberate acts of of the mussar movement, was asked 5. Avodas HaKodesh 7:217. See, however, Shut counting, each separate from each why he diverted talented students Chasam Sofer, YD 320, who argues against the concept of retroactive brachos le-vatalah other, but each unable to take place from the study of Talmud to spend in a different context. if any of the previous countings have time studying character development, 6. Regarding this question, see Shut Kinyan not happened. Maybe the homiletic and would respond that even more Torah Bahalachah; Shut Even Pinah, 38-39; message is this: the sefirah is the important than gadlus, Torah Ohr HaMoadim, 10; Shut Minchas Aviv, pp. countdown to the receiving of the greatness, is shleimus, completeness of 50-56; Mishmeres Chaim, I, Inyanei Sefiras Ha-Omer, 2; Marpei Lanefesh, IV, 28:17; Torah, the defining moment in the middos and personality. Shut B’Tzel HaChokhmah, V,97-99; Shut history of the Jewish people. That The Mishna (Avot 3:17) teaches: Teshuvos V’Hanhagos III,147. moment most certainly deserves 7. Shut Shavei Tzion 14. .O.C. 489:3, from Machzor Vitry .8 אם אין תורה אין דרך ארץ אם אין דרך tremendous focus, perhaps of the The alternative explanation is that the .9 ארץ אין תורה. single-minded fashion. However, that If there is no Torah, there is no derech original count was conditional, and negated comes with a risk. once the later count is performed (Magen eretz and if there is no derech eretz, there Imagine a student in the shiur of Avraham 489:7). See Shut Chazon Nachum is no Torah. I,32; Beit Av, 54; Sdeh Elchanan, 133; Shut Rabi Akiva, privileged to learn at the Divrei Or, 17; Knesses Avraham, 26. feet of one of the greatest sages of all Rabbenu Yonah suggests that 10. See Shut Noda B’Yehudah, kama, OC, 27; time, one of the most accomplished derech eretz, usually rendered as the Shut Ksav Sofer, YD 181; Shut Divrei Moshe, scholars the Jewish people has ever possession of refined character traits, 29; Shut Divrei Sofrim, 39; Shut Kinyan seen. One who is on his way to this is necessary if the Torah’s values are Torah Bahalachah, III,99; Shut Mishneh to take root; without derech eretz, any Shleimah; Marpei LaNefesh, IV,28:10; Shut lecture might well run with such Chelkas Yaakov OC 207; Shut Teshuvos single-minded focus that anyone in his Torah the individual studies “lacks a V’Hanhagos, II, 611. way, even a fellow student, becomes home.” 11. See Minchas Chinuch 306; Shut Maharam unimportant; and if that other student Yes, absent-minded and distracted Shick, 269; Shut Har Tzvi, OC, II, 76; Shut must be rudely pushed aside, isn’t Eretz Tzvi, II, 36; Aruch Hashulchan, 489:15; people are at a distinct disadvantage Shut Minchas Elazar, III, 356; Tziyunim getting to the shiur a greater priority? regarding the mitzvah of sefiras ha- LaTorah, 12; Shut Avnei Nezer, OC 539; It is possible to be so intently focused omer . But perhaps that is the point: Birkei Yosef, OC 489:20; Shut Pri HaAretz, on the important “main event” that sefiras ha-omer reminds us that even III, 7; Shut Tzitz Eliezer XIV, 55; Shut Chesed other important concerns are given the understandable distraction of L’Avraham, tinyana, OC, 56; Shut Maharash, short shrift. It is reminiscent of the VII, 112; Shut Ksav Sofer, OC 99; Shut the sharply focused scholar comes Shevet HaKehasi, IV, 141; Avnei Chefetz 1973 experiment conducted at the at a cost, and asks us to correct for II, 25; Hod Tzvi, 1; Shut Yachel Yisrael, I, Princeton Theological Seminary, that. Indeed, at the end of the path 1; Mishnat Rabi Gershon, 21; Shut Tehilos in which seminarians in a hurry of sefirah, the main event, the kabalas David, I, 123; Birkas Yosef, II, 2. neglected to stop to help people — haTorah, awaits – but it is necessary 12. See Orach Chaim 493. actually, actors — who seemed to be 13. Talmud Yerushalmi, 9:4.

19 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Feel as Though You Left Egypt, But I Was Never There!

he Jewish people left Egypt around 3,327 years ago. Once a year, ever since that Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff Tmomentous occasion in our history, we sit around a table with our Faculty, Judaic Studies, families, friends and guests in order to commemorate that experience at Okay, You Weren’t Really בכל דור ודור חייב אדם לראות עצמו כאלו the Pesach Seder. We do a variety .there, But They Were הוא יצא ממצרים. of actions to remember that Exodus from Egypt. We eat matzah, drink four In each and every generation a person cups of wine, eat bitter herbs, lean like is obligated to see themselves as though The clearest explanation of the free people and read the Haggadah. As they left Egypt. question as to how we are expected to feel as though we personally left well as eating, drinking, leaning and Since the verse speaks in the first Egypt is given in the Siddur of Rashi, talking, there is a mitzvah that many person, “did for me,” the Haggadah written by one of Rashi’s students. people skip over during the Seder is telling us to feel as though ‘you’ He explains that the Haggadah is without even realizing. That mitzvah left Egypt. Don’t just eat the matzah, attempting to invoke a feeling of is to feel as though you were in Egypt remove the chametz, eat the bitter gratitude on our part. Our ancestors and G-d took you out. What is this herbs and read the story of our were actually in Egypt. Through an mitzvah all about? salvation, as though it only happened incredible display of miracles that G-d to your ancestors, but feel as though I Wasn’t Ever in Egypt! displayed in Egypt, our ancestors were you yourself were there! You were a taken out. Had they not been released slave, you had backbreaking work, Right after the Torah tells us that we from Egypt, they would have totally you met Moses and saw the wonders have an obligation to eat matzah on assimilated into Egypt and we would and miracles of the plagues and then Pesach and that we are to remove never have left at all. you were personally delivered from the chametz from our homes, we the slavery of Egypt, and you passed Our history came down to that one are told that we should be engaging through the Red Sea to the freedom crucial moment, do we stay or do we our children in discussion about the that G-d gave you. go? According to the commentators Exodus: many Jews decided that they actually Are we expected to fool ourselves? Are did not wish to leave and after over וְהִ ּגַדְּתָ לְבִ נְָך ּבַּיֹום הַ הּוא לֵ אמֹר ּבַעֲ בּור זֶה עָשָ ֹה we expected to imagine something in years, they felt more Egyptian 200 ה’ לִיּבְצֵאתִי מִּמִ צְרָ יִם. our mind that we never went through than Hebrew. Many of them died שמות יג:ח and feel as if we did? out in the plague of darkness, but And you shall tell your son on that I would like to look at a few different many others remained and became day, saying ‘It is on account of this that ways to understand this crucial part part of Egyptian society and culture. Hashem did for me when I left Egypt.’ of the Pesach Seder experience, which Their descendants are not considered Exodus 13:8 could not only change the way we Jewish. They never made it to Mount The author of the Haggadah uses see this part of the Seder, but how we Sinai which would have sealed their this verse as a proof text to make the look at the Jewish people and Jewish destiny as part of the Jewish people. following statement: history. However, hundreds of thousands did

20 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 leave with a faith in G-d and Moses his though they just left the slavery of Other communities literally act out messenger. Egypt. parts of the Exodus by wrapping In the Haggadah we are told to see matzah in cloth napkins and walking By recalling that ourselves as though we left Egypt. around with them on their shoulders to remember how our ancestors left The word to see yourself is lirot.“ ” Egypt in a hurry with matzah on fateful decision our The Rambam adds the letterhay to their backs. Some jump over water the word so it now reads “leharot.” ancestors made all of It’s a small change, but it makes a to remember the splitting of the sea. Each of these and many others big difference. The wordlirot “ ” is “to those years ago, we are customs handed down from see,” but the word “leharot” means can sit at our tables to “be seen” or to display in a certain generation to generation as a way of way. What does the Rambam expect displaying as though we were there. and say, “had they us to do? It is exactly as he says, act it out! Everything we do at the Actually You Were There! not been taken out, Seder is meant to be a reliving of You Just Don’t Remember. the experience. They ate matzah, we we would still be do too, they were free and ate their One of the most intriguing answers Pesach Seder as free people, we do too in how we are expected to see there.” by leaning. They ate bitter herbs, so do ourselves as though we left Egypt By recalling that fateful decision our we. comes from Rav Shimon Schwab ancestors made all of those years ago, in his book Maayan Beit Hashoeiva, This doesn’t only apply to the we can sit at our tables and say, “had Shemot 13:8. His mind-bending mitzvot that we do, it also applies to they not been taken out, we would interpretation is that you were there, the many customs that each family still be there, so it’s as though were you just don’t remember being there. and community has added to the taken out ourselves.” When the Torah says “What Hashem Seder. For example, many Persian did for me” that is a literal verse -- it communities have the custom during is not speaking in metaphorical or Act it Out! the recitation of the Dayenu song theoretical language; the Torah says it to run around the table and hit each because the Torah means it. You were In the Laws of Chametz and Matzah other on the back with a large scallion! in Egypt, and you were taken out. chapter 7:6, the Rambam discusses (This is actually a custom in my family in detail the mitzvah to discuss the and can give guests unfamiliar with He explains this phenomenon in the Exodus from Egypt. He explains that the custom quite a shock). The reason following way: Your body is made telling the story of the incredible behind this is to relive the experience up of many parts. It is a known fact events that happened at that time is in some small way, the beatings our that the body you have now is not the a positive mitzvah from the Torah. ancestors felt at the hands of the same body you had as a baby or even In the seventh chapter he quotes our Egyptians. Why a scallion is used, I as a child. Over your many years living piece of Haggadah that each person believe may be connected to a later on earth your body has changed. You should see themselves as though they description in the Torah where the not only have grown, but billions of left Egypt. But the Rambam does Jewish people complain to Moses your cells have died out and new ones something very subtle, he adds one about the lack of food in the desert have appeared. If you were to look at a letter which gives a very different that they had plenty of in Egypt — the picture of yourself as a newborn, you understanding of what he believes this list includes fish, meat, melon, garlic most likely wouldn’t have realized it command is expecting us to do: and onions. So we take the food they was you without your mother telling complained about and use it against you that you are the cute baby in the בכל דור ודור חייב אדם להראות את עצמו ,them by gently hitting them with it to photo. That baby doesn’t look like you כאילו הוא בעצמו יצא עתה משעבוד מצרים. sound like you, smell like you or feel In each and every generation a person show their lack of gratitude. like you, but it is still you. You don’t is obligated to display themselves as

21 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 even remember being a newborn! But the past, but there also is a collective our freedom.” In order to understand that was you whether you remember national memory that we as a people this expression Rabbi E. E. Dessler it or not. are part of as well. By sitting at the in the book Sanctuaries in Time, The Jewish people are very much the Seder and performing the mitzvot, we based on a lecture he gave on Pesach same. Our ancestors are not different are tapping into our national memory 1944, gives us a deep and kabbalistic people who we descend from, they and consciousness that we have been understanding of the Jewish view of are us, just an earlier version of us, just part of for thousands of years. time which we can use to explain how like that baby was us all those years This idea is alluded to in the way the we are expected to see ourselves as ago. The fact that those Jews in Egypt Torah describes Jacob and his family personally leaving Egypt. sounded, looked and acted differently in contrast to his brother Esau and We usually understand time as being is irrelevant. You are looking at the his family in the Torah. When Esau made up of past, present and future, Jewish people the wrong way, says travels with his family, the Torah in the form of a “timeline.” When we Rabbi Schwab — we are one large (Bereishit 36:6) uses the words “et experience something, we live it in the organic being that spans thousands kol nafshot beyto, all the souls of his present and the present has no real of years of Jewish history. We were home.” When Jacob’s family is counted connection to what happened during “born” as a people in Egypt over at the beginning of Sefer Shemot, that time in the past. For example, we 3,000 years ago and have slowly been the Torah states that he has “shivim celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth growing as a people ever since then. nefesh, 70 soul” in his family. The Thursday in November. That date has According to this view, you were in word soul for Jacob is in the singular no inherent connection to the theme Egypt and G-d took you out. You even though there are 70 of them, to of giving thanks. It was a random date don’t remember being in Egypt? illustrate the combined soul nature of chosen by President Lincoln That’s okay, you don’t remember being Jacob and his family. to celebrate the blessing of the harvest born either, but others have told you and the preceding year. The exact that you were and can describe to you It’s All About the “Time” of date has no real connection to any what the experience was like. our Freedom. experience. Any date could have been chosen. The Jewish view of time is I believe another way we can The Torah refers to Pesach in a few totally different. It’s less of a timeline understand this is by recognizing different ways, one of them is zman“ and more of a time spiral. that we have personal memories of cheruteinu” which means the “time of

22 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 that you “create three dimensional When the Haggadah says we should see scenes in rich color. You should ourselves as though we are leaving Egypt, it meditate and create scenes in your mind. See yourself in the straw pits, means that we have the potential to access mixing it with mud, baking it into bricks. You can hear the scolding of the experience of freedom available during the Egyptian taskmasters and feel the lashes in your back.” the time period and go free as well. You can now visualize the plagues We travel through the year very much as our ancestors were able to tap into that were brought into Egypt and like a person travels on a train and that energy and go free from Egypt, see yourself leaving Egypt with the arrives at various stations along the so too, we are able at that time to throng of Jewish people by your side. way. Each of these “stations” gives us free ourselves from all that enslaves Finally you stand at the Red Sea and something we can experience at that us from being who we really can be. hear the thunder of Pharaoh’s chariots time. For example, the period in which When the Haggadah says we should approaching, you feel the terror of Passover occurs is a time of freedom, see ourselves as though we are leaving being trapped and then see the glory and we experience an element of Egypt, it means that we have the of G-d as the waters divide. freedom as we pass through that time. potential to access the experience of He concludes that this is the Shavuot is the time of the giving of the freedom available during the time requirement to feel as though you left Torah, so as we pass through that time period and go free as well. That is the Egypt, as the “sweet taste of liberty period, we experience a re-acceptance power that Pesach has within it. cannot be appreciated as long as of the Torah that propels us oppression is only an abstraction.” throughout the year. Sukkot is a time It’s All About Your This use of imagination allows you of happiness and faith, so as we leave Imagination. to appreciate the greatness of the our homes and move into the sukkah Exodus and properly acknowledge our at that time of year, we acquire faith Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski in his gratitude to G-d. in G-d and the happiness that ensues Pesach Haggadah From Bondage to May we all truly connect to the true from this. Yom Kippur is a time of Freedom explains that we are expected spirit of Passover, and feel the freedom forgiveness, which means held within to really use our imaginations at the that it can bring us to ultimately free that time is the ability for us to cleanse Pesach Seder. “Our imaginations are us from the exile we are presently in ourselves of past mistakes. This is true very creative as evidenced by how and to bring the ultimate return of our of all the other holidays. vividly we can dream in our sleep and people to Israel as we say “Next Year in When we arrive at Passover we are daydream while we are awake,” he !” in a place of potential freedom. Just writes. Based on this, he recommends

23 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Lirot Et Atzmo, Going Beyond Empathy: A Psychological Perspective

central component of the Seder night is the retelling of the story of the Exodus Rona Novick, PhD ofA B’nai Yisrael from the slavery of Mitzrayim. Towards the close of the Dean, Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Maggid section is a statement unlike Education and Administration any other in Jewish liturgy: בכל דור ודור חייב אדם לראות את עצמו to freedom, and to what purpose? others, to share others’ experiences כאילו הוא יצא ממצרים. by enabling one person to project In every generation, each person is When I work with educators and oneself into the minds, emotions, obligated to view himself as if he went students at Jewish day schools on and actions of others.4 Clearly, the out from Egypt. the middot of bein adam l’chavero, psychological ability to feel as others interpersonal character traits, the This is a remarkable requirement. do is important; it contributes to our critical skill of empathy is often an Typically, holidays specify behaviors compassion and caring. But this form important focus. At first blush, it and observances to commemorate of empathy is not sufficient for the might seem that this psychological historic events. On Sukkot, we Haggadah, which requires more than phenomenon of empathy is what the live in booths to remember the caring about the plight of the slaves in are asking of us. Empathy is Jews’ experience in the desert. On Egypt. defined as the ability to experience Chanukah, we light the menorah to the feelings of another, to reactively Perhaps an alternate conceptualization mark the miraculous rededication of experience with another person.1 of empathy comes closer to the the Beit HaMikdash. There are some Haggadah obligation to lirot et atzmo. holidays that specify an emotional Empathy, neuroscientists have The cognitive or perspective-taking response: On , and from the suggested, is an important factor view of empathy involves the ability inception of Adar, we are expected in species’ survival, with mothers’ to see the world as another does, to be happy, at Kol Nidre we are to empathy contributing to their to put oneself in their shoes. Early be penitent. Only on the Seder night, response to their infant’s cries.2 We Piagetian research discovered that however, are we not only expected but are somewhat pre-wired for empathy. this skill is acquired developmentally. commanded to experience ourselves Individuals viewing pictures of Young children are totally ego-centric, in a time and place other than our injured limbs and told to imagine it incapable of recognizing that others own. How and why do we, on this as their limb will display neurologic perceive and experience things night so different from all others, evidence of pain.3 Neuroscientists differently than they do. As we grow, do the seemingly impossible? How have discovered “mirror” neurons the cognitive ability to recognize and do we envision ourselves personally in the brain’s motor system which assume the perspective of another experiencing the journey from slavery provide the capacity for us to mirror develops. We become able to identify

24 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 with characters in the books we read The addition of the wordsb’atzmo to actually experiencing an event, and and the films we see, and the people (himself) and ata (just now) make it comes from research on trauma. we know. As we read the Haggadah, it clear that we must do more When we experience trauma it is this cognitive empathy allows us to than identify with ancestors who common to find that sights, sounds, or imagine the lives of the slaves, severely experienced historic redemption, we even smells reminiscent of the trauma oppressed by the Egyptians. are to experience, at the Seder table, can evoke memories of the event. Since the Haggadah requires that each the remarkable redemption and the A subset of traumatized individuals of us relive the redemption as if we experience of freedom. Rav Elazar will have flashbacks or nightmares personally experienced it, cognitive Menachem Man Shach, the Ponevezh in which they fully re-experience the empathy is not enough. Imagining Rosh Yeshivah, explains that only trauma, reliving the event as if it is the feelings of slaves experiencing when we feel as if we had moments happening at that moment. This re- freedom, or considering how we ago experienced the Exodus can we experiencing is often so painful and might have felt were we to have have the proper, powerful feelings distressing that trauma victims may been there, might provide powerful towards the event. “One cannot avoid people, places and things that understandings. On Pesach night, compare the emotional excitement serve as reminders, so as to preclude however, they will not suffice. We felt at the time of a tremendous memories and prevent flashbacks. must become slaves redeemed from personal salvation to the feelings Successful treatment for traumatic Egyptian tyranny. We must personally one has toward that event when it is re-experiencing engages victims in 5 The Lubavitcher experience redemption. recollected later.” developing the ability to focus on Rebbe elaborates that it must be areas of mastery and control, even The Rambam’s version ofb’chol dor not only personal but specific. “It is as they remember and re-experience v’dor, with slight changes in wording, not sufficient merely to feel thatyou traumatic events. makes it clear that we are required to (generic) yourself had been a slave and With elegant pedagogic skill, the go beyond empathy: as Rambam were set free and redeemed Haggadah teaches us how to re- writes. Rather, one must perceive experience the trauma of slavery בכל דור ודור חייב אדם להראות את עצמו oneself as an Egyptian slave who was from the position of freedom and כאילו הוא בעצמו יצא עתה משעבוד מצרים. liberated from the uniquely harsh mastery. Our Seder tables are a model רמב”ם, הלכות חמץ ומצה ז:ו persecution of Pharoah.”6 In each and every generation a person is of good teaching technique. Using obligated to display himself as though he Interestingly, there is only one powerful narrative, embellished with just now left the slavery of Egypt. psychological parallel for going characters that draw us in, we tell and Rambam, Hilchot Chametz beyond empathically feeling for retell the story. We are engaged in the Umatza 7:6 others or seeing through their eyes, story through the use of visuals and

25 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 purpose is to have us express our deep Haggadah understood that while On the Seder night, and genuine gratitude to Hashem. reviewing history and perspective Immediately following the Haggadah’s taking can impart important we personally imperative to personally experience knowledge, the best teacher is the redemption, it continues with personal experience, and the most experience being l’fichach anachnu chayavim l’hodot, powerful lessons come from our strangers in exile, l’halel, we therefore are obligated to lived and experienced journeys. Both recite praise and thanksgiving, making the gratitude to Hashem that Rabbi oppressed and clear our obligation to thank Hashem. Friedlander suggests is the Haggadah’s It is because we experience the underlying goal, and the empathy for abused, and this Exodus ourselves, Rabbi Friedlander others outlined in the Torah and that explains, that we can feel the personal the Chatam Sofer cites, are critical in personal experience need to express gratitude to our shaping our psyches and influencing should color Redeemer. our actions well beyond the Seder A second explanation for the night. As we go beyond empathy how we relate to seemingly difficult requirement to see to personally travel from slavery to ourselves as slaves and as redeemed freedom, we learn that our gratitude others in similar is to inculcate in us a prominent and to our Redeemer cannot be limited lasting empathy for others. Freed from to a moment in time. We learn that circumstances. slavery, we are now masters, and the wherever we are and whatever befalls us, we must know, always, who we are, prescription of the Haggadah, l’irot how far we have come, to Whom we et atzmo, cautions us to be vigilant in song. In some traditions, participants our concern for others, particularly owe our salvation, and what is forever even enact the drama of the Exodus. those who are strangers. The Chatam expected of us. Yet while we speak extensively of Sofer, Parashat Ki Teitzei, states that the trauma of our years of slavery one of the goals of this personal Notes and affliction, we do so from the reliving of the Pesach story is so that 1. Hinnant, J. B. & O’Brien, M. (2007) perspective of free men and women. we empathize with the convert. As the Cognitive and emotional control and We eat the maror and matzoh of perspective taking and their relations to Torah tells us: slavery, but we recline, dip twice, and empathy in 5 year old children. The Journal .of Genetic Psychology, 168(3), 301-322 וַאֲהַבְּתֶםאֶת הַ ּגֵרּכִי גֵרִ ים הֱ יִיתֶם ּבְאֶרֶ ץ drink wine, signs of free men, and .(Preston, S. D., & deWaal, F. B. M. (2002 .2 מִ ְ צ רָ ִ י ם . of royalty. As our telling the story Empathy: Its ultimate and proximate bases. .Behavioral and Brain Science, 25, 1-72 דברים י:יט and engaging in the rituals assists us in stretching our cognitive and You should love the proselyte, for you 3. Van Der Heiden, L., Scherpiet, S., Konicar, L., Birbaumer, M., & Viet, R. (2013). emotional capacities beyond empathy, were strangers in the land of Egypt. and we are able to view ourselves Inter-individual differences in successful Devarim 10:19 perspective-taking during pain perception as having gone out from Egypt, On the Seder night, we personally mediates emotional responsiveness in self our Seder takes us on an emotional and others. NeuroImage, 65, 387-394. journey. experience being strangers in exile, 4. Rizzolatti, G., & Craighero, L. (2004). The oppressed and abused, and this mirror neuron system. Annual Review of Why does the Haggadah require personal experience should color Neuroscience, 27, 169-192. this of us? Why must we personally how we relate to others in similar 5. Rav Shach Haggadah, p.137. journey from the devastation of circumstances. 6. The Kol Menachem Haggadah p. 144. 7. Moadim, Vol II pp. 355-363. slavery to the joy of redemption? These two reasons provide compelling Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, in Siftei answers to the question of why Chaim, argues that the obligation the Haggadah demands that we to feel as if one was redeemed from go beyond empathy to experience Egypt is not an end in itself, but a the Exodus personally. The Ba’al means to a larger goal.7 The true

26 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Anatomy of a Sale: Demystifying Mechirat Chametz

martphone apps download in seconds and enable complex technological tasks to be Rabbi Uri Orlian Sperformed by novices. But behind the Rabbi, YU Community Shul app that made its way to Google Play Rebbe, J.S.S., Yeshiva Universty or the Apple App store lie thousands of hours of concept development, Director, Contemporary Halacha Program, RIETS technological improvements and programming tweaks. are there negative commandments eat, one can… sell to the gentile. Themechirat chametz model that that prohibit ownership, there is also a This Mishna portrays a classical sale: our community rabbis use to sell positive mitzva to destroy chametz on the seller hands the product to the chametz has similarly developed from the day before Pesach: gentile buyer, who takes it home, without any expectation of either ׁשִ בְעַת י ָמִ ים מַּצֹות ּתֹאכֵלּו אַ ְך ּבַּיֹום הָרִ אׁשֹון the basic idea of selling chametz to a party to reverse the sale following ּתַׁשְּבִיתּו ְׂ ּש א ֹר מִּבָּתֵ יכֶם … sophisticated legal design. This article Pesach. שמות יב:טו will outline the historical and halachic background that have brought the A more complicated transaction For seven days you shall eat Matza, mechirat chametz process to its present is recorded in the Tosefta, which but on the first day you shall destroy form. describes the sale of chametz in fermented dough from your houses… a situation where the chametz Shemot 12:15 The Problem is transferred out of the Jewish These biblical injunctions were possession for Pesach, with the Aside from the biblical prohibitions of further buttressed by a rabbinic assumption that it will be repurchased consuming and deriving benefit from enactment that prohibits any benefit at the holiday’s conclusion: chametz, there exists an independent from chametz that was kept in Jewish ישראל וגוי שהיו באין בספינה וחמץ ביד biblical prohibition to maintain possession over Pesach. For these ישראל: הרי זה מוכרו לנכרי ונותנו במתנה ownership of chametz from midday reasons, selling one’s chametz to a וחוזר ולוקח ממנו לאחר הפסח. on the eve of Pesach (from when the non-Jew became an essential part of תוספתא, פסחים ב:יב korban Pesach could be brought) until the preparation for Pesach. the holiday’s conclusion. The Torah If a Jew and gentile were traveling states: The History of Mechirat by boat [such that there is no means of replenishing one’s food stock after Chametz ׁשִ בְעַת י ָמִ ים ׂשְ א ֹר ֹלא י ִּמָ צֵ א ּבְבָּתֵ יכֶם… the holiday] and there is chametz in שמות יב:יט The original form ofmechirat chametz, the hands of the Jew: He may sell it For seven days fermented dough shall not which looked very different from ours, to the gentile or give it as a gift, and be found in your homes... is described in the Mishna, Pesachim subsequently repurchase it from him Shemot 12:19 21a: after Pesach. Tosefta, Pesachim 2:12 כל שעה שמותר לאכול - ... מוכר לנכרי. It is this prohibition that obligates each Jewish home to remove all During the time that it is permitted to While the Tosefta adds the repurchase chametz from its domain. Not only aspect of mechirat chametz, both

27 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 the Mishna and Tosefta involve the Kinyan of the seller, literally, regardless of physical transfer of the chametz from whether or not payment has occurred. Jewish to non-Jewish domain. This Property is transferred from one The Talmud,Bechorot 13a,1 points individual to another only via a kinyan was the form of mechirat chametz out that this discussion of effective throughout ancient and medieval — a formal act of acquisition. Will kinyanim is limited by the term times, until the 1600’s, as highlighted and intent do not suffice to transfer amitecha, your compatriot, which by the : ownership. Different types of property Shulchan Aruch would indicate that the kinyan are transferred via differentkinyanim : specified relates only to a sale to a חמץ של ישראל שעבר עליו הפסח, אסור real estate, animals, and metalt’lin, .fellow Jew, as opposed to a gentile בהנאה... ואם מכרו או נתנו לאינו יהודי movable items [like chametz] each has Hence, if we assume that a Jew שמחוץ לבית קודם הפסח, אע”פ שהישראל its own manner of acquisition. acquires an object through a cash מכרו לאינו יהודי ויודע בו שלא יגע בו כלל While discussing the prohibition payment, it would follow that a gentile עד לאחר הפסח ויחזור ויתננו לו, מותר ובלבד — of ona’ah, price gouging, the Torah acquires in the opposite way שיתננו לו מתנה גמורה בלי שום תנאי. .outlines precisely how movable through taking it by hand, meshicha שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן תמח:ג objects are transferred: If a acquires by taking it, a It is prohibited to benefit from chametz Jew gentile would acquire via payment. וְכִי־תִמְּכְרּו מִ מְ ּכָ ר לַ עֲ מִ יתֶ ָך אֹו קָ נ ֹה מִ ּי ַד …that belonged to a Jew over Pesach עֲ מִ יתֶ ָך ַאל־ּתֹונּו אִ יׁש אֶת־ָאחִיו: and if he sold it or gave it to a Jew Transferring Chametz via ויקרא כה:יד outside of his home before Pesach, even Cash Payment or Hand-off? though the Jewish seller knows that the When you sell merchandise to your gentile will not touch the chametz at all compatriot, or purchase from the hand How do we rule in this question? until after Pesach, and afterwards, he of your compatriot, do not overcharge a will return the chametz, it is permitted, Since mechirat chametz involves man to his brother. transferring metalt’lin to a gentile, so long as the Jew gave it as a complete Vayikra 25:14 gift without any stipulation. we must clarify if cash payment will Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim Armed with this pasuk, the Talmud suffice, or if each and every bit of 448:3 presents an argument regarding what chametz in each and every household kinyan to utilize for selling metalt’lin: will need to be lifted up by the hands In the 1600’s harsh anti-Semitic of the gentile purchaser, which would אמר רבי יוחנן: דבר תורה מעות קונות… decrees precluded Jews from many make our modern mechirat chametz ריש לקיש אמר: משיכה מפורשת מן התורה. professions. Among the professions wholly impractical, if not impossible! מאי טעמא דריש לקיש - אמר קרא: ... או that Jews were able to enter was Rashi, Kiddushin 14b, follows Reish קנה מיד עמיתך - דבר הנקנה מיד ליד. whiskey production. While the ,Lakish that a Jew acquires via meshicha בבא מציעא מז: original model of handing the box and a gentile, therefore, is koneh via of chametz to the gentile next door Rabbi Yochanan said, “Coins acquire cash payment. Rashi’s grandson, was fine for small quantities, Jewish according to Torah law.”... Reish Lakish Rabbeinu Tam,2 on the other hand, whiskey manufacturers needed to said, “Meshicha (pulling the item with rules inversely, like R’ Yochanan, that find a halachic means of transferring one’s hand) is explicit in the Torah.” a Jew acquires via money alone, and a the ownership of their extensive What is Reish Lakish’s reasoning? The gentile would therefore need to lift up chametz inventory in a way that verse states “or purchase from the hand of an item in order to acquire it from the would not involve moving an entire your compatriot” - something that can be Jewish seller. Because of this dispute, distillery’s worth of barrels to gentile transferred from hand to hand. Tosfot [in the context of selling an domain. Furthermore, the cash 47b value of a distillery’s inventory may animal to a gentile] rules: While R’ Yochanan assumes that והרוצה לחוש לדברי רש”י ור”ת המקנה appear prohibitive to a potential transfer of property is effected upon בהמה לעובד כוכבים לפוטרה מן הבכורה gentile] chametz buyer. A number] payment, Reish Lakish takes note צריך שיתן העובד כוכבים כסף וגם משיכת of suggestions were made to resolve of the superfluous words “from the העובד כוכבים. these two issues and these discussions hand” to learn that a sale is only תוספות, עבודה זרה עא. provide the foundation for modern effected by taking from the hand day mechirat chametz.

28 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 In order to account for the opinions of can acquire by taking into their hand, This teaches that the halachic concept both Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam, if one so too, into their property. The other of agency is limited to Jews specifically. wishes to sell an animal to a gentile in opinion holds that chatzer functions like The aforementioned Gemara,Bava order to exempt it from the first-born- an agent. Metzia suggested that kinyan chatzer’s obligations, the gentile must pay for it with Bava Metzia 10b effectiveness is because the property serves as an agent to acquire whatever money in addition to pulling it by hand. Just as halacha recognizes the actions is situated upon it, on behalf of its Tosfot, Avodah Zarah 71a that a person’s agent performs as owner. If so, , which works For this reason, our mechirat chametz though the act was performed by chatzer through agency, should not be an does require the gentile to provide the person him or herself, so too, effective mode of for a gentile to a cash payment to the seller before a person’s real estate can serve as kinyan acquire chametz. Pesach. But how will the gentile fulfill the agent to acquire objects on the the kinyan meshicha on all of the boxes property owner’s behalf. and bottles of chametz to satisfy Kinyan Chalipin Accordingly, the Jew first sells or Rabbeinu Tam’s requirement of taking 3 rents to the gentile the space in the A similar issue may arise with another the merchandise in hand for the sale kitchen/pantry/wine-cellar where the to be effective? type of kinyan. In the Book of Ruth, chametz is stored. Once the gentile we read וְ ז ֹא ת לְפָנִים יּבְ ִׂשְ רָ אֵ ל עַל־הַּגְאּוּלָה וְעַל־ This question is what has led to acquires legal rights to that [tiny] bit הַּתְמּורָ ה... ׁשָ לַ ף אִ יׁש נַעֲלֹו וְ נָתַ ן לְ רֵ ע ה ֵ ּו וְ ז ֹא ת the complexity and intricacy of the of real estate, he can subsequently הַ ּתְ עּודָ ה יּבְ ִׂשְ רָ אֵ ל: modern mechira. To ameliorate the acquire the Jew’s chametz that is רות ד:ז possibility that the cash payment situated upon that plot via this kinyan is not sufficient, andmeshicha is of chatzer, thereby bypassing entirely necessary, yet not physically possible, the potential need for a meshicha of And this was the custom in Israel rabbinic literature has suggested the each and every chametz item. regarding sale and exchange… a man performance of additional modes shall take off his shoe and hand to his Kinyan chatzer, however, has its of kinyan, each of which carries friend, and this was the proof in Israel. shortfalls as well, that make it Ruth 4:7 additional complications, in the hope problematic to rely upon as a substitute that between them all, a definitive for the meshicha. The aforementioned This verse is the source for thekinyan and reliable transfer of chametz from 4 Gemara in Bava Metzia mentioned of chalipin, exchange, where one party Jewish owner to gentile buyer will the possibility that chatzer’s efficacy is hands some item of value [in Ruth, a transpire. premised upon the halachic construct shoe was mentioned] to the other as of agency — that a person’s property a symbolic exchange, which in turn, Kinyan Chatzer can acquire whatever is resting upon transfers ownership of the actual it. When applied to mechirat chametz item they wish to transfer. As such, The Torah teaches that a person’s specifically, there arises a fundamental the gentile should hand a personal chatzer, courtyard, can acquire on obstacle: belonging to the Jewish seller, thereby his or her behalf. This means that acquiring the Jew’s chametz. The if a property owner wishes to take The Talmud notes that when the Shach (Choshen Mishpat 123:30), possession of an item that is situated Torah introduces the concept that however, argues that kinyan chalipin upon his property, the item belongs a , agent can accomplish on should not work for a gentile. This to the property owner. The Talmud behalf of his sender, it limits agency to can be supported by the very verse clarifies the nature of thiskinyan : “attem” - “you.” that is the source for kinyan chalipin, which concludes “and this was the מה אתם בני ברית, אף שלוחכם בני ברית. מר סבר: חצר משום ידה איתרבאי, כי היכי proof in Israel”- which indicates its קידושין מא: דאית לה יד - חצר נמי אית לה. ומר סבר: effectiveness as a mode of transfer in חצר משום שליחות איתרבאי .Just as you are people of the covenant, Israel, but not for a gentile בבא מציעא י: so too, your agents must be people of the One opinion holds that chatzer is covenant. extended from the hand: just as a person Kiddushin 41b

29 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 do to indicate the closing of a deal. He to substitute for an established, Torah- There was a time adds that so too, any other customary acceptable kinyan. when the famed industry or region specific acts that demonstrate the mutual agreement Kinyan Agav 47th Street diamond of buyer and seller can also function as a halachically acceptable mode of In the effort to cover all bases, yet industry in New acquisition, even though they aren’t another kinyan is employed in the sale outlined in scripture or in the Talmud. of chametz — agav — which literally York City was There was a time when the famed means “on the back of,” but can be primarily composed 47th Street diamond industry in New understood as a “piggyback transfer.” York City was primarily composed Consider the beracha recited on a of European Jews of European Jews who signaled the bagel with cream cheese. Inasmuch conclusion of a deal with a handshake as the cream cheese is secondary to who signaled the and an utterance of mazal“ u’beracha! the main food, the bagel, a beracha is — luck and blessing!” Rabbeinu recited only on the bagel, but extends conclusion of a deal Chananel would view that industry to cover the cream cheese as well. This specific custom as a legally binding obviates any need for an independent with a handshake method of transfer for halachic beracha on the tafel, secondary purposes, as well. food, the cream cheese, because it and an utterance of piggybacks on the ikar, primary food. In the U.S., auto sales are generally Similarly, explains R’ ,6 “mazal u’beracha! — concluded with the signing of a lease the variety of possession in this world or document of sale. Accordingly, can be divided into two populations: luck and blessing!” even though use of a contract is not real estate, and everything else. As a recognized mode of acquisition for the word “real” estate indicates, Kinyan Situmta a car purchase in the eyes of halacha, land ownership is in a position of it would be recognized as a binding significance above other possessions Because of the impossibility of kinyan situmta by virtue of it being the because it cannot be destroyed.7 meshicha, and the questionable customary method of transaction. It Kinyan agav states that by dint of efficacy ofkesef, chatzer, and follows, therefore, that our mechirat performing a kinyan on a piece of land, chalipin as modes of acquisition, chametz incorporates both a signature which is preeminent, the effect of that the contemporary mechirat chametz and a handshake as an additional way kinyan [the transfer of ownership] will utilizes an additional, fourth kinyan — of transferring chametz from Jew to simultaneously apply also to the less situmta. Gentile. significant, moveable objects that are Thiskinyan , too, may not be for sale.8 האי סיטומתא קניא. למאי הלכתא?... באתרא דנהיגו למקני ממש - קנו. independently sufficient for our Accordingly, the mechirat chametz will בבא מציעא עד. mechira. Inasmuch as the source for include a sale or rental of any piece of This Situmta acquires. For what this mode of acquisition is a single land to the gentile buyer,9 and by dint purpose?... In a place where this is used section of the aforementioned of that real estate acquisition [which to actually acquire, it acquires. Talmud, not all Rishonim interpret is ikar], the buyer will simultaneously Bava Metzia 74a this passage as teaching us this new acquire all chametz [which is tafel] type of kinyan. The Ritva, indeed, Rashi explains that situmta means a owned by the Jewish seller, wherever offers an alternate explanation:situmta 10 label that was marked onto the wine that chametz may be. is merely a token that merchants hand merchant’s barrels to indicate that a to one another as a kinyan chalipin. Commentators dispute whether this customer had purchased this part of The Ritva concludes his explanation piggyback kinyan is de’oraita, learned his inventory. Rabbeinu Chananel,5 by stating that customary modes of from scripture, or if it was created however, suggests that situmta is a transaction do not have the capacity as a rabbinic institution. If agav is handshake that merchants commonly

30 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 indeed rabbinic, its application to from the alleged buyer. These issues but, if the gentile so desires, revert mechirat chametz may be questionable, notwithstanding, the sale is indeed for back to Jewish ownership immediately as follows: The entire enterprise of the full value of every bit of chametz. after the chametz prohibition expires. mechirat chametz is in order to prevent The way in which the finances are the Torah [ie. biblical] violation of arranged are based on the Talmudic11 The Moral of the Mechira owning chametz. Accordingly, the concept of zakef alav b’milveh, which, chametz should be removed from loosely translated, means a down Rabbinic literature views chametz Jewish possession by a method of payment. as symbolic of the Yetzer Hara, evil transaction that the Torah itself If the chametz is worth $5,000, a inclination. The dough that has been recognizes, so that according to down payment of [let’s say] $100 will left alone until it has the opportunity biblical law, the chametz items are not be handed over. This will constitute a to sour and rise represents man’s owned by the Jew. Would , which agav kinyan kesef through which the gentile tendency towards laziness, sloth and is not a Torah authorized kinyan at all, will acquire all $5,000 worth of goods procrastination. rather merely rabbinically recognized at that moment [before Pesach], Mechirat chametz is but one of as a method of transfer, have the and the outstanding $4,900 will be numerous attempts to rid ourselves of capacity to make the chametz leave converted into a loan that is due at all chametz in our possession. It can Jewish possession in the Torah’s eyes? some later date. [The sale is absolute, be included with bitul, nullification In other words, can a rabbinic kinyan such that even if the gentile defaults of chametz, bedika, searching out work to obviate a biblical prohibition? on the outstanding loan, the effect of chametz, and bi’ur, destroying Perhaps not. the sale will not be negated]. chametz. May our involvement in these chametz- eradicating activities Summary of Kinyanim For the purposes of a chametz sale, the ideal due date would be the night be an outward expression of our after Pesach concludes. At that time, inner desire to rid ourselves of those In summary, the only definite way negative traits that chametz embodies, to transfer moveable objects [such the gentile must pay the outstanding $4,900. If he chooses to pay in cash, releasing us from the shackles of as chametz] to a gentile is by cash bondage to our inner weaknesses, payment (kinyan kesef) coupled with the monies will be carefully divided among the sellers to compensate them so that we may become free on this lifting each piece of chametz kinyan( holiday of freedom. meshicha). Since the latter is not for the chametz that was purchased feasible, the gentile also performs from them. If the buyer prefers, he Notes kinyan chatzer, chalipin, situmta, and can repay the outstanding $4,900, not 1. Which deals with selling an animal to agav, despite the shortfalls in each, in cash, but in the form of the $4,900 a gentile in order to avert the need to in the hope that between all the worth of chametz that he now owns. sacrifice its first born offspring. kinyanim, the chametz will surely If he chooses this latter option, which 2. Cited in Tosfot, Kiddushin 14b. most chametz buyers do, the gentile’s 3. While there is a dispute if a gentile acquires transfer from Jew to gentile. mitalt’lin through cash or meshicha, it is chametz sitting in the kitchens and agreed that he can rent real estate via cash If I Sold My Chametz, Where pantries of the Jews’ homes will revert alone [real estate purchases may require is the Money? back to its original, Jewish ownership signing a document of sale in addition to in place of its value being returned in a payment]. So our mechirat chametz will cash. involve two cash payments: one for the People often question the legitimacy chametz, and a separate payment to acquire of the chametz sale, after all, the This financial setup enables the the real estate upon which the chametz is chametz stays put, and the seller chametz to be entirely out of Jewish situated. does not receive any compensation possession for the duration of Pesach, 4. There is a dispute inBava Metzia 47b, whether the buyer hands the symbolic item to the seller, or vice versa. 5. Cited in Rosh, Bava Metzia 5:72. 6. Sefer Sha’arei Yosher. Can a rabbinic kinyan work to obviate a 7. This is reflected in secular law, as well, inasmuch as certain law codes recognize biblical prohibition? Perhaps not. the sale/transfer of land only when a deed

31 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 is filed with the appropriate governmental wherever they may be located, will transfer rent to the buyer, moveable items can be authority, while all other possessions can ownership under the umbrella act of transferred by allowing the buyer access to be sold with cash alone. acquisition performed on the land. the seller’s makom kavua — set seat in the 8. Whereas the aforementioned kinyan chatzer 9. As discussed above in kinyan chatzer, there , and piggybacking the moveable means that land that is my possession can is no dispute that land can be rented to a items atop that transfer. acquire moveable items that rest upon gentile via a cash payment. 11. Bava Metzia 115a, Bava Kama 109a. it, kinyan agav means that as I acquire 10. See Shu’t Rashba v1:934 & 935, that even a portion of land, the moveable items, if the seller does not own land to sell or Save the Date

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32 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Making God Part of the Passover Experience

ne of the most humbling experiences a parent or educator can have is Rabbi Ari Sytner Ospending a few minutes with an inquisitive child. The curiosity and Director of Community Initiatives, innocence of children will often Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future compel adults to dig deeper in search of answers. It is for this reason that the Hagada Why, if the wicked child was only from Deuteronomy. TheRasha , includes a very specific set of quoting a verse from the Torah, listed second, is quoting a verse from conversations between parents and would he be so critically penalized? Exodus. Why does the Hagada not children. The framework for these Ostensibly, by asking his question he follow the chronological order of the discussions is all in place — however, did nothing different than the wise Torah and list the Rasha first? child who is praised for his question? what we do with it is up to us. Upon He answers that the Hagada lists the closer examination of the dialogue Rashi suggests that the language four sons in order of their intelligence. between the arba banim — the four used by the wicked son should have We start with the wise, followed by children — one will discover that been lanu and not lachem. He could the wicked, simple and finally, the one it follows a rigid structure. First, have asked why do “we observe who is unable to frame a question. the child poses a question, utilizing this service”; instead, he phrased The Avudraham notes that in reality, language taken directly from the his question as “why do you people the intelligence of the Rasha and Torah. Then, we counter their observe this service?” It was his Chacham are on par with one another. question by quoting another verse exclusionary tone – setting himself However, due to his deliberately from the Torah to serve as the answer. apart from the community, which wicked ways, the Rasha was relegated The wise child (quoting Deuteronomy warranted criticism. below the Chacham. 6:20), curiously inquires of the Yet every parent knows that no two Nevertheless, despite his superior statutes, ordinances and laws children are alike. Perhaps we should intelligence, one cannot help but surrounding Pesach. His profound cut the Rasha some slack and not hold feel as if the Rasha is given an overly question is dignified with an answer him to the same high standard as the harsh treatment. After all, we are all regarding the intricate laws of the wise child. Maybe the Rasha is not human and make mistakes. Nobody afikoman. This exchange stands as the quite as erudite as the Chacham and is perfect and when we err, we ought paradigm of a model student eager to deserves some more leniency? to be granted the opportunity to ask, learn and practice. The Avudraham answers that the recompense. Yet when the wicked Yet when the wicked child similarly wise and wicked sons are of equal child presents his misdirected inquires (invoking the text of Exodus intelligence. He notes that the order question, not only is he strongly 12:26), “mah ha’avodah hazot lachem of the four children, strangely, does reprimanded, but he is labeled an apostate — — having — what is this service to you?,” he is not follow the sequence of the kafar b’ikar denied the foundations of our faith! harshly reprimanded, punished and Torah. TheChacham , listed first in Why does the response seem to be so even labeled an apostate! the Hagada, is referenced in a verse

33 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 It is important to remember that the end game is not to simply fulfill the many customs, but to maintain our children’s attention — for the higher purpose of connecting them to God’s miracles and providence in the Exodus from Egypt.

orient and acclimate them, so that as ּכִי יִׁשְאָ לְָך בִ נְָך רמָחָ לֵ אמֹר מָה הָעֵ דֹת וְהַחֻּקִ ים disproportionate, particularly as his they grow and develop, they will be וְהַּמִׁשְ ּפָטִים ראֲׁשֶ צִּוָהה’ אֱֹלקֵינּו אֶתְ כֶ ם. question made no allusion to denying able to integrate the presence of God דברים ו:כ ?the fundamentals of our faith into their daily actions. TheShibolei Haleket, in his If your son shall ask you tomorrow commentary on the Hagada answers saying: What are the testimonies, The Gemara inPesachim (109b, 114a) that if you compare the verses of the statutes and laws that God our Lord explains that additional customs, wise and wicked child, you will notice commanded you. such as lifting the matzah or dipping that the wise child does not merely Deut. 6:20 our food twice, are innovations ask about the statutes and laws, but added to the Seder experience for no What is the relevance of the ostensibly he concludes his question with the inherent reason, other than to pique superfluous wordmachar , tomorrow, words “asher tziva Hashem Elokeinu the curiosity of the children and keep which is found both in reference to etchem, that God our Lord commanded them engaged. Within this context, the wise and simple sons, but not the you.” For the wise child — God is a it is important to remember that wicked? part of the equation! The nature of his the end game is not to simply fulfill questions informs us that he recognizes TheKli Yakar (Exodus 13:14) the many customs, but to maintain God and yearns to better understand suggests that the term machar our children’s attention — for the His will. However, the wicked child implies that the wise child only asks higher purpose of connecting them to chooses to deliberately leave God out ex-post-facto, after having actively God’s miracles and providence in the of the question as he asks, “why do you participated in the commandments. Exodus from Egypt. people observe this service?” His observance is not conditional In listing the 613 mitzvot, the upon someone proving the existence The faux pas of the wicked child was Rambam writes: of God to him. The wise child is the that his exclusionary tone was not מצוה ראשונה ממצוות עשה לידע שיש שם epitome of the Sinai generation who simply aimed at himself vis-à-vis the אלו-ה שנ’ אנכי ה’. declared na’aseh v’nishmah, we will do Jewish community, but it was aimed and then we will hear — whose faith The first positive commandment is to at separating himself from God. For in God was so foundational, that he know that there is a God as it states “I him, God was neither present in would gladly take action first, only to am God…” Egypt, nor today at the Pesach Seder. ask questions later. The wicked child resentfully sits at the As a child, I recall asking questions Seder and does not see his past or his about God and being told not to destiny. He sees a group of outdated Empowering Children to Ask ask, for in the minds of my teachers, people carrying on with songs and Difficult Questions the questions themselves suggested traditions that appear completely that I was a non-believer. This This is an important concept in irrelevant in his atheistic worldview. could not be farther from the Jewish education. For millennia we For that reason he is labeled an truth, as I was genuinely curious have taught our young children to apostate and must be challenged. and yearning for answers. Many go through the motions of reciting of our children today are receiving By contrast, we get a better sense of blessings, prayers and fulfilling rituals wonderful Jewish educations and the wise son’s question when we look at an early age — even though they upbringings, where their minds are at the whole verse containing the wise do not fully understand the reason or being fed, but too often, their hearts son’s question: meaning behind them. The goal is to

34 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 and souls are not being sufficiently to be followed by the answer of “Ein Yetziat Mitzrayim as a Lesson nurtured. That there exists in society K’Elokeinu — there is none like our in Faith the notion of bifurcating the two God.” Yet the prayer opens with the entities of religious observance answer first, as if to lay the foundation There is a common misconception and relationship with God seems of faith that there is none like God. that the name of Moshe does not unimaginable. It is for this reason When one acts as the Chacham, they appear at all in the Hagada. In that that just like the Chacham, first affirm their belief in God. Once truth, it appears one time in passing, our children, whether at the Seder, we declare what we believe and feel while quoting a verse describing the or throughout the year, should be some security in our decision, can splitting of the Sea. It is certainly encouraged to ask questions and we then be free to ask the important no accident that Moshe’s name is talk openly about what faith, belief questions and explore our faith generally omitted from the Hagada. and trust in Hashem means. A further from a place of comfort. This is done so that one should not 1995 research study published in be misled to believe that redemption The Seder demonstrates that it is the Journal of Psychological Reports, was brought about by Moshe, when the modus operandi of the Rasha to found that children, regardless of in fact, it was the hand of God. This blatantly refrain from asking any which cognitive developmental further emphasizes the importance of questions about God — instead he stage they are in, have the ability to maintaining a true focus during the completely ignores God’s existence. comprehend and learn about faith in Seder on our personal and collective On the other hand, it is the Chacham God (Pierce & Cox). relationships with God. who strives to know more about Many parents have told me that they Hashem. Asking a question is not a The Vilna Gaon notes that that the are afraid to discuss the concept of lack of faith — it is a declaration of singular appearance of Moshe’s name God with their children because one’s thirst to know more. is specifically in the following verse: they simply do not feel equipped וַּיַרְ איִׂשְרָאֵל אֶת-הַ ּיָדהַ ּגְדֹלָה, ראֲׁשֶ עָׂשָ ה ה’ One of the highlights of our family’s to properly answer their questions. ּבְמִ צְרַ יִם, וַּיִירְ אּו הָעָם, אֶ ת-ה’; וַּיַאֲמִ ינּו, ּבַ ה’, weekly table is a discussion “What if they ask me something I ּובְ מֹׁשֶ ה, עַבְ ּדֹו. about our encounters with hashgacha do not know?— I don’t want my שמות יד:לא pratit, Divine intervention. The tone of ignorance to cause them to stop such conversations, where we can share believing in God!” And Israel saw the great work which the inspiring moments wherein we felt a Lord did upon the Egyptians, and the However, I once heard a great insight real connection to Hashem, conveys people feared the Lord; and they be- in the words of Ein K’Elokeinu, which the presence of God in our everyday lieved in the Lord, and in His servant children are encouraged to sing as part lives. It reassures our children that it is Moses. of the concluding morning prayers. safe to talk about God and encourages Exodus 14:31 Logically, the passage should first them to seek a personal relationship ask, “Who is like our God, Who is with their creator. The only time on Seder night that like our master, Who is like our king,” we reference Moshe is in the verse that first declares Jewish people’s awareness and belief in God. Only after that disclaimer has been made and we are reminded of the primacy of our faith, can we mention Moshe. Even at that, Moshe is described as avdo — the servant of God, further solidifying the point that the focus during the Seder is on Hashem. This can be further seen in the manner in which the plagues were carried out. Consider the fact that if Hashem truly wished to free the Jewish people with

35 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 one swift and harsh plague, He could With the plague of frogs the Torah skepticism, but with genuine curiosity, have saved a lot of time in doing so. states: (8:6) relating to each of the four children on .their own level לְמַעַן ּתֵדַ ע,ּכִי-אֵ יןּכַה’ אֱֹלקֵ ינּו. Why then did Hashem employ a slow and drawn-out Exodus process over So they will know that there is none like If we are honest about it, we will the course of 10 plagues? God. acknowledge that nearly every The Abarbanel, Shemot ch. 10, teaches child will naturally have questions. With the plague of wild beasts: (8:18) that the purpose of the plagues was However, unlike any prior generation, today they have unfettered access לְמַעַן ּתֵדַ ע, ּכִי אֲ נִי ה’ ּבְקֶרֶב הָאָרֶ ץ. ,not merely to punish the Egyptians but to show the Jewish people that So they will know that I am God to finding their own answers. This God created and continues to actively throughout the land. is where Pesach provides a golden watch over the world. With the plague of hail: (9:14) opportunity. Amid an evening replete This notion of finding God can be with significant customs and practices, it can be easy to get swept away in the ּבַעֲבּורּתֵדַ עּכִי אֵ ין ּכָ מֹנִי ּבְכָל הָאָרֶ ץ. seen in the narrative throughout the In order that they know that there are unfolding of the plagues. details and minutiae of Seder night. none like Me in all the land. Therefore, rather than leaving it to In anticipation of the plagues, Hashem With the plague of locusts: (10:2) our children to turn to their friends told Moshe: Google and Siri to discover their own וִידַ עְּתֶ ם, ּכִי-אֲ נִי ה’. answers to life’s questions, the Seder .And they will know that I am God וְיָדְעּומִ צְרַ יִםּכִי-אֲ נִי ה’, ּבִ נְטֹתִי אֶ ת-יָדִ י עַ ל- empowers every adult to accept their מִ ְ צ רָ ִ י ם : And the Egyptians shall know that I am More than the message of freedom, responsibility to pass the torch of faith God, when I stretch forth My hand upon the essence of Pesach is to see to the next generation. Egypt. (7:5) Hashem in the pages of the Hagada and appreciate the love that He has for With the plague of blood, the Torah us. There is no better time than when states: (7:17) surrounded by family at the Seder and among the warmth of many Pesach ּבְזֹאת ּתֵדַ ע, ּכִי אֲ נִי ה’. With this they will know that I am the meals to engage in these important Lord. conversations. We do so, not with

36 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 A Haggadah Lesson in Divine Justice

etziat Mitzrayim, the account of our Exodus from Egypt, may be taken as a local story, Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner ofY interest specifically to Jews. From Rosh Beit Midrash, YU Torah Mitzion Zichron Dov the plague of blood through the miraculous march out of Egypt, G-d Beit Midrash of fulfilled His pledge1 to free Avraham’s children from their captivity, to judge their captors and to ensure that the the Sea. As the traditional text of the the finger of G-d.” Upon the sea it says, Jews emerged with great wealth. Haggadah reads:3 “And Israel saw the strong hand G-d had performed to the Egyptians, and רבי יוסי הגלילי אומר מנין אתה אומר שלקו On a second level, in a narrative which the nation feared G-d, and they trusted המצרים במצרים עשר מכות ועל הים לקו has been adopted by enslaved and G-d and Moshe His servant.” How many חמשים מכות? במצרים מה הוא אומר, ,suffering populations for centuries ?”times were they struck with the “finger “ויאמרו החרטמים אל פרעה אצבע אלקים yetziat Mitzrayim is a Divine rejection Ten blows. Then in Egypt they were היא.” ועל הים מה הוא אומר? “וירא ישראל of brutal slavery. Notwithstanding struck ten times, and upon the sea they את היד החזקה אשר עשה ד’ במצרים וייראו ,the Torah’s own version of slavery .were struck fifty times העם את ד’ ויאמינו בד’ ובמשה עבדו.” כמה we are commanded to remember the Rabbi Eliezer said: How do you know לקו באצבע? י’ מכות. אמור מעתה במצרים abuses we suffered in Egypt, and to that each blow G-d brought upon Egypt לקו עשר מכות ועל הים לקו חמשים מכות. avoid emulating them ourselves.2 This ,was of four blows? Tehillim 78:49 says רבי אליעזר אומר מנין שכל מכה ומכה .provides a lesson for mankind He sent upon them the ferocity of His“ שהביא הקב”ה על המצרים במצרים היתה And on a third level, yetziat Mitzrayim anger: Evrah, za’am, tzarah, harmful של ארבע מכות? שנאמר “ישלח בם חרון is a story of justice, of Divine ,angels.” ‘Evrah’ is one, ‘za’am’ is two אפו עברה וזעם וצרה משלחת מלאכי רעים.” supervision of our world, and of .tzarah’ is three, ‘harmful angels’ is four‘ עברה אחת, וזעם שתים, וצרה שלש, משלחת punishment for the guilty. It is a story Then in Egypt they were struck forty מלאכי רעים ארבע. אמור מעתה במצרים לקו not only of human behavior, but also times, and upon the sea they were struck ארבעים מכות ועל הים לקו מאתים מכות. an insight into Divine conduct. This .two hundred times רבי עקיבא אומר מנין שכל מכה ומכה שהביא facet of the story is made most clear הקב”ה על המצרים במצרים היתה של חמש by an oft-overlooked portion of the Rabbi Akiva said: How do you know מכות? שנאמר “ישלח בם חרון אפו עברה Haggadah, as it is explained by Rabbi that each blow G-d brought upon Egypt וזעם וצרה משלחת מלאכי רעים.” חרון אפו Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin. was of five blows? Tehillim 78:49 says, אחת. עברה שתים. וזעם שלש. וצרה ארבע. “He sent upon them the ferocity of His משלחת מלאכי רעים חמש. אמור מעתה Haggadah Mathematics anger, evrah, za’am, tzarah, harmful במצרים לקו חמשים מכות ועל הים לקו angels.” ‘The ferocity of His anger’ is one, חמשים ומאתים מכות Toward the end of Maggid, after ‘evrah’ is two, ‘za’am’ is three, ‘tzarah’ Rabbi Yosi HaGlili said: How do you listing the Ten Plagues and before is four, ‘harmful angels’ is five. Then know that the Egyptians were struck singing Dayyenu, Jews the world in Egypt they were struck fifty times, with ten plagues in Egypt, and fifty over recite the views of three sages and upon the sea they were struck two upon the sea? In Egypt it says, “And who counted how many times the hundred and fifty times. Egyptians were struck in Egypt and at the chartumim said to Pharaoh: It is

37 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Like much of the Haggadah, this passage originates in a midrashic explanation of Tehillim 78:49;4 indeed, at first blush it seems to say far more about that verse than about yetziat Mitzrayim. How do the descriptions of Divine punishment recorded in Tehillim contribute to the retelling of our departure from Egypt? And the intent of Rabbi Yosi haGlili, Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva is opaque; in what way were the Egyptians struck fifty, two hundred or two hundred and fifty times at the Sea? Understanding our Passage Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin5 offered insight into this midrash. Rabbi Berlin, also known as Netziv, contended that when the sages said that the Egyptians were struck multiple times, they meant that members of the Egyptian nation suffered a great variety of punishments. Each type of punishment was targeted to a particular element of the Egyptian population, based on its conduct toward their Jewish slaves. He wrote:6 הגיע לכל א’ מרודפי ישראל מיתה משונה לפי מעשיו שהרעו לישראל בהיותם בקרבם. ועל זה אנו אומרים בברכת ק”ש “את רודפיהם ואת שונאיהם בתהומות טבע.” היינו חיל המלוכה נקראו “רודפיהם” שלא משנאה עשו אלא בעבודת המלוכה, אבל שאר המון מצרים מכונים “שונאיהם”, ומי שנתחייב The blows inflicted על פי רשעו נטבע וגם מת בהשגחה במיתה הראויה לעונשו. upon Egypt at the Each of the pursuers of Israel met an unusual death, according to the way he Sea provide a lesson had harmed Israel when they had lived in Egypt. Thus we say in the blessings of that we are meant Shema, “He drowned their pursuers and their enemies in the depths.” The king’s forces are termed “pursuers” because they to convey to our acted not out of hatred but out of service to the king; the rest of the Egyptians are descendants. called “enemies.” One who was liable for his wickedness drowned, but also

38 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 died under Divine supervision, with an mitzvah of Pesach night is to speak of Divine justice as it delivered to each appropriate punishment. the miracles performed on the night person that which he deserved. In other words, Rabbi Yosi haGlili, of the fifteenth of Nisan, specifically. May we merit to see the day when Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva were As Rabbi has not only is Divine punishment visibly not only justifying the wording explained,11 this narrow focus is a inflicted, but when Divine reward will of Tehillim 78:49; they were also function of the Torah’s instruction12 to be likewise demonstrated before the demonstrating that the Egyptians tell our children and grandchildren of eyes of the world. were punished for their crimes, G-d’s actions “in Egypt.” Notes measure-for-measure, at the Sea. However, with Netziv’s explanation, Netziv’s read is consistent with we may suggest that this passage 1. Bereishit 15:13-14. 2. See Devarim 24:17-22. the introduction to this passage does fit with the events in Egypt, 3. Rambam omits this in the edition of the in Shemot Rabbah, which invokes even though it describes events Haggadah appearing in Mishneh Torah; we Tehillim 9:17, “G-d is known, He has which took place a week later. G-d will return to this point later. performed justice.” It also matches promised Avraham, “I will judge the 4. Varying editions appear in Shemot Rabbah the introduction to this passage in nation whom [the Jews] will serve.” 23:9, Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael, Beshalach 6, Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael, “‘And Israel In that light, the events at the Sea are 14:31 and Midrash Tehillim 78:15. saw Egypt, dead’ — abnormal deaths, a necessary part of the Exodus itself, 5. Birkat haNetziv, Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael each death harsher than the next, for and not a separate story: they illustrate Beshalach 6. He brought many blows upon them at the promised Divine justice, and so 6. Ibid. the sea.” they form an integral part of the story. 7. Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai 15:5. 8. It is worth noting that Rashi to Shemot The explanation offered by Netziv To return to our opening remarks, 15:5, reverses this midrash, claiming that also matches a related midrash on the Rabbi Yosi haGlili, Rabbi Eliezer and the better Egyptians died more quickly. experience of the Egyptians in the Rabbi Akiva highlight the lesson in 9. Netziv also uses this explanation to analyze 7 Shemot 14:31, “And Israel saw that mighty waters of the Sea: Divine conduct embodied in yetziat Hand G-d had wielded against Egypt, and Mitzrayim. Beyond serving as the coda the nation feared G-d, and they believed in ירדו במצולות כמו אבן. זו כת בינונית שבהן for our personal Egypt experience and G-d and in Moshe, His servant.” Per Netziv, the Jews were impressed by the degree to כשרים שבהן מיטרפין כקש. בינוניים כאבן. ,the Divine rejection of abusive slavery רשעים צללו כעופרת... the blows inflicted upon Egypt at which the punishment of the Egyptians ”They descended in the depths like stone” aligned with their crimes. This broadcast the Sea provide a lesson that we are — this was the intermediate group. The a message: G-d watches the deeds of each meant to convey to our descendants. kosher among them were thrown about individual, and He punishes wrongdoing The Torah commands us, “And you based on its specific character. This was as straw, the intermediate as stone, the more impressive than the broad miracles 8 shall tell your children on that day” of wicked sank like lead. the miracles G-d performed on our performed when we left Egypt; the range The message of this midrash, then, is of sentences testified to Divine attention behalf, and you shall also tell them of on an individual level. As impressive as not only a commentary to Tehillim the justice G-d executed. our salvation was, the destruction of the 78:49 or an exercise in “Can you Egyptians was still more striking. This This lesson in justice remains top this?” mathematics. Rabbi Yosi approach is similar to the view of Rabbi haGlili, Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva important in our own day. Our Elazar in Sotah 11a, that was most want the student to understand that children perceive a world in which impressed by the way Egypt was destroyed in a measure-for-measure manner Divine justice is highly attuned to the innocent are abused, and their abusers often seem to escape penalty. consistent with their crimes. the actions of the individual, as was 10. Hilchot Chametz uMatzah 7:1. Here, our sages offer an alternative displayed at the Sea.9 11. Masorah 3 (Nisan 5750), pg. 27-28. look at the world. There are many 12. Shemot 10:2. means at Divine disposal, and G-d “You Shall Tell your Child” is watching the deeds of humanity. The denouement will not always be Rambam omitted this passage from visible, but at least once in our history his Haggadah, consistent with his we were able to witness the hand of statement in Mishneh Torah10 that the

39 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Yachatz: Superfluous or Significant?

achatz has long troubled me. While it seems simple at face value and it seems to Rabbi Ari Zahtz getY lost in the gallimaufry of Seder Assistant Rabbi, Congregation Bnai Yeshurun activities, behind Chad Gadya, it’s , YU perhaps the strangest thing we do at the Seder. Why do we break the Faculty, Yeshiva Masmidim Honors Program matzah? On Shabbos and Yom Tov, we are so careful about using only a preparatory stage for the Hagada All opinions concur that on Pesach you whole challos or matzahs for lechem and the mitzvos that follow, but it is put the broken piece of matzah inside mishneh, why not tonight? And in fact the great divide that informs, a whole one and make hamotzi. What more troubling — why do we need influences and inspires the very nature is the reason? Because the verse states a ceremony to break the matzah? We of the Seder night. “bread of affliction.” don’t have a ceremony of putting the The concept and significance of using Brachos 39b wine or the silverware on the table? a broken matzah on Pesach emerges Clearly, both a whole matzah and Or for that matter placing the three from the Gemara, Pesachim 115b, a broken piece are used. Why this whole matzahs initially on the table! where the Gemara expounds upon change in practice on Pesach? Clearly, there are certain things that the term the Torah used to describe are preparatory stages that need to be The Rishonim explain that we make matzah — lechem oni — a poor man’s done before we can even begin the a compromise on Pesach. On the one bread- the Gemara says ma darko shel Seder, putting a tablecloth on the table hand, we need to use a whole matzah ani biprusa etc., just as a poor man for example, so why don’t we simply in order to satisfy the requirement normally eats only a piece not a whole use one of the broken matzos in the for lechem mishneh as we do on every matzah, so too, on Pesach, because box instead of breaking a perfectly other Shabbos or Yom Tov. On the it’s called lechem oni — we use a piece good whole one? other hand it says lechem oni, teaching instead of a whole. us that we need to use a piece as a Furthermore, on all other nights It’s now clear why we use only a piece poor man does. Therefore, we place of Shabbos and Yom Tov, we have instead of a whole on Pesach as we do the whole matzah and the piece two loaves — why do we have three on other holidays, but a new difficulty together. matzahs to begin with? Additionally, emerges. If the definition of bread on why do we break the middle matzah? The details of this compromise Pesach is a piece instead of a whole, What’s wrong with the top or the however, are the subject of a dispute why don’t we use pieces exclusively bottom? And why is this matzah used among the rishonim, and directly and no whole matzahs on Pesach? for the afikoman? Do we just need relate to understanding the issue of to do something with it or is there a Taking a step backwards, what is yachatz. The fundamental dispute more intimate, closer connection? the source that we use any whole is whether on Pesach you use one And why the bigger piece for the matzahs? The Gemara states: and a half matzahs or two and a half matzahs. According to most הכל מודים בפסח שמניח פרוסה בתוך שלמה afikoman? Finally, why do we then Rishonim, Rashi, Rashbam and ובוצע מאי טעמא לחם עני כתיב. ?hide the afikoman Tosfos to Pesachim 116a, as well as ברכות לט: It seems that yachatz is more than just

40 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Rosh, Pesachim 10:30, you need two Therefore, we have only one and a half eating it—why would we do it before and a half matzahs. You use the broken matzahs. Maggid? Maggid has nothing to do with piece for the bracha of Achilas Matzah, the matzah. Why not wait until you The Vilna Gaon in hisBiur HaGra the aspect of the eating of the matzah need it and then break it and prepare it to Shlulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim that is unique to Pesach and you use for the bracha on eating the matzah? 473:4, points out that the Rambam the two whole matzahs for the bracha is appealing in the sense that it is It appears that a fundamental of Hamotzi. The aforementioned difficult to explain thatlechem oni, machlokes exists between Rashi and Gemara in seems to indicate Brachos the requirement to have poor man’s the Rambam as to the function of that Hamotzi on Seder night can’t be bread actually requires us to use more yachatz vis-a-vis the obligation to inferior to other holidays when we matzah than usual. It certainly seems have a broken matzah at the Seder. make the bracha on , lechem mishneh more logical to assume that it would The Rambam understands that the two whole loaves. In practice, this decrease the number of matzahs we obligation to have lechem oni is part means we hold all of the matzahs use from two to one. However, one of the mitzvah of eating the matzah. during the first bracha of Hamotzi so must still understand according to the Therefore, we demonstrate the that we have a full with lechem mishneh Rambam, if there is no requirement aspect of it being a poor man’s piece the top and the bottom and we drop of lechem mishneh then why do we after Rabban Gamliel’s statement the bottom one to focus on the broken even need to have one whole matzah, explaining why we have matzah, and piece during the second bracha of just use two broken pieces and mimic immediately before we are going to eat . achilas Matzah the life of the poor man even more the matzah. However, the Rambam disagrees. In accurately?! Rashi, however, disagrees and Hilchos Chametz UMatzah (8:6) the There is an additionalmachlokes understands that lechem oni is not Rambam writes that you take two between Rashi and the Rambam a halacha that informs the nature whole matzahs and break one of them related to yachatz that may come of eating the matzah on the Seder (obviously not the middle one) and as a bit of a surprise and we need night. Rather, it relates to the overall put the piece together with the whole to understand if it in fact relates to experience of the night, of reliving the and make the bracha of Hamotzi. The the previous machlokes. They in fact experience of slavery and redemption. Rambam proceeds, in uncharacteristic argue when to do yachatz (interesting We relive the experience throughout style, to ask a question on himself: that everyone seems to agree that Maggid. As such, when do we break why don’t you need two whole loaves, it’s irrefragable that we don’t simply the matzah? Not just right before as is normally required on Shabbos start out the night with a broken Maggid, but before Ha Lachma and Yom Tov? The Rambam explains piece, and there must be a formal Anya — the paragraph in which we that since the Torah uses the term breaking of the matzah). TheBeis announce that this is the bread that lechem oni, on Pesach we act like the Yosef, Orach Chaim, no. 473, explains was eaten by our forefathers in Egypt. poor man. Just like a poor man uses that according to Rashi, the matzah is This is a very different reason than a piece, so too, we use a piece for broken immediately prior to Maggid the one given in the Rabban Gamliel Hamotzi on Pesach. following karpas. The Rambam, paragraph where we proclaim that this A fascinating machlokes thus emerges. however, disagrees. He writes that is the matzah that was eaten as our According to Rashi, the halachic after you washnetilas yadayim, you forefathers left Egypt, because they requirement of lechem oni is an added break the matzah (yachatz) and only were hurried and unable to let the requirement to the standard lechem then do you make Hamotzi. You do dough rise and could only eat matzah. requirement and therefore, in after Maggid not before! mishneh yachatz Both reasons for eating matzah are order to satisfy both, we need to add In truth, the Rambam’s opinion is quite true and each has a different role in a matzah. According to the Rambam, compelling. Once it is a given that we the Seder. Themachlokes about when however, the two requirements are in don’t start off the night with a pre- to perform yachatz is about which fact conflicting and the requirement of broken matzah—wouldn’t the most aspect of lechem oni we want to stress using a broken piece on Pesach reveals logical time to prepare it for use for when we break the matzah. to us that in fact there is no obligation achilas matzah be immediately prior to to have lechem mishneh on Pesach. The issue about the nature oflechem

41 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 oni seems to hinge on the second two derivations work together but piece of matzah at the seder. It’s not interpretation that Chazal derive that lechem sheonim alav devarim because someone leaned too hard on from lechem oni. In the very same harbeh refers to the Hagada — to the the matzah while passing the karpas sugya (topic of discussion) where the mitzvah of sippur yetzias Mitzrayim around the table, but because we Gemara states that lechem oni refers (recounting the Exodus). We must need to demonstrate that there is an to a broken piece, the Gemara states recite the Hagada over matzah and the aspect of matzah as it relates to the that lechem oni refers to lechem sheonim type of matzah upon which we need night of the Seder that reminds us alav devarim harbeh, the bread upon to recite the Hagada is the broken of our poor status in Egypt and to which many things are said. Rambam piece of matzah — the poor man’s where we have risen. understands that both derivations bread. The broken piece of matzah This also explains why we use one or relate solely to the mitzvah of eating relates to the experience of leaving more whole matzahs together with the matzah on the Seder night. In order Mitzrayim that is so essential to the broken piece. It is not only because to fulfill the mitzvah of matzah, we Seder night. Therefore, the logical of the lechem mishneh aspect but need to describe why we eat the place to break the matzah is right because there is more to matzah than matzah — as we do in the Rabban before the Hagada and even more just the broken piece. We juxtapose Gamliel paragraph — because we precisely, immediately before we say the broken to the whole reflecting the left Mitzrayim in a hurried manner. , where we actually Ha Lachma Anya dual nature of matzah — our poor When eating the matzah, we also describe how the matzah relates to the status and our redemption. must fulfill the seconddrasha of experience of being enslaved in Egypt taking a broken piece, like poor and in the end being redeemed. We have now answered several of man’s bread. Therefore, the Rambam our questions, but we still have some Why don’t we begin the night with says that we break the matzah at the questions remaining: the broken matzah? Why do we point immediately following Rabban need a ceremony to break the matza? • Why do we break the middle Gamliel’s declaration before we make According to both opinions, the matzah? What’s wrong with the top or the bracha on the matzah because breaking of the matzah is an essential the bottom? that’s when it becomes relevant. There part of the mitzvah because the Seder • Why is this matzah used for the would be no additional benefit to night is about experience. It is about afikoman? Do we just need to do breaking the matzah before Maggid reliving and appreciating the past. something with it or is there a more than if we did so before the seder! A ceremony highlights that it is not intimate, closer connection? Rashi also understands that the accidental that we have a broken • Why the “bigger half”- or more

• Why do we break the middle matzah? What’s wrong with the top or the bottom? • Why is this matzah used for the afikoman? Why the “bigger half”- or more precisely “bigger piece” for the afikoman? • Why do we hide the afikoman?

42 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 precisely “bigger piece” for the differently when things don’t go quite long-term effect on one’s outlook, afikoman? right. There are those perfectionists one’s new goals or aspirations, than • Why do we then hide the afikoman? for whom failure has no role in actually arriving at the destination. reaching the pinnacle they are striving I would like to offer what I hope is not Failure is not just inevitable on the for. The ideal path to reach the goal only a comprehensive answer for all road to success — it is essential is the shortest, most direct path — a of these questions, but a deeper level to achieving success. We have two straight line. Anything that comes up of understanding of all the questions options in life: “learn to fail, or fail to along the way and impedes progress we’ve asked and to understand how learn.” But we don’t have a choice. We towards the goal is unwelcome — it is yachatz as a whole is in fact the great must learn to fail and pass that lesson an obstacle to reaching a goal. divide, an essential part of our Seder on to the next generation as well. experience. But there can be someone else The hand of G-d in this world is often who has the exact same goal — no Certainly, there is a relationship hidden. We picture for ourselves less ambition in life, but he or she between the two halves of the matzah. as individuals or for our children understands that realistically, failure The smaller part we will use for the a beautiful scene of serenity and is an inevitable part of the journey mitzvah of matzah and the larger happiness. We picture for Am Yisrael, — the “optimalist” (not optimist, part, we put away and hide for the on a national level, a beautiful serene but optimalist). He realizes that afikoman, the climax of the seder, peaceful destiny. Yet all too often, the the optimal realistic journey is not which stands instead of the korban reality does not match the picture. a straight line, but rather some sort Pesach and represents that geulah Things don’t go so perfectly or of imperfect irregular spiral that we hope and pray and yearn for. But smoothly, there are speed bumps or moves upward. While ultimately, this the depth of the relationship and the even giant boulders thrown in our person will reach his or her goal, the journey from slavery to redemption path that we could never have or knowledge that there will inevitably needs to be better understood. would have wanted to imagine, but be deviations along the road is ever now the reality of life is that we must In his book entitled The Pursuit of present. Success gives us satisfaction, deal with what we are dealt. Why G-d Perfect, Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar explains but it is failures that make us flourish. that the path to happiness in life is does it we can never know, but that He not always the one we plan or wish For the perfectionist, achieving wants to see how we learn from our for. We all hopefully have goals and the goal is the only thing that is of failures or from obstacles we face is aspirations — personally, communally import. The process of getting there is our responsibility and mission. meaningless. It is simply a necessary and nationally. We have a picture in As a nation, just look at our Pesach component of reaching the goal. The our mind’s eye of where we want to story, the story of the Exodus from journey involves avoiding obstacles, get to and what we want to achieve in Egypt. Talk about an irregular mistakes and pitfalls that could slow life. We also all, presumably, want to spiraling pattern to eventually reach a down and get in the way of reaching live happy lives. destination! Forty years in the desert. the peak. There is no enjoyment Let’s put this in perspective. From The crux of the book relevant to in the process, nor can there be, Cairo, Egypt to Yerushalayim is 264 our topic is the role of failure in life. because the only perceived source of miles. Buffalo, NY is farther from Nobody likes to fail or make mistakes happiness is reaching the milestone. Washington Heights than that, and in life, but different people react The optimalist, who may very well be neither Cairo nor Yerushalayim are reaching and striving to the exact same border cities. How long should it have goal differs in that he can value the taken? A week, and if moving slowly a We must learn to journey as well. The path that leads little longer. Yet it took 40 years! And to the destination can be filled with whenever we are in exile, it’s the same fail and pass that detours, some desirable, others not. thing. There’s a long journey, a painful But much of life is the journey, not one. Certainly our current exile from lesson on to the next the destination, and it is that which after the destruction of the Second is learned, appreciated and taken in Beis Hamikdash until today has seen generation as well. along the path that may have a larger

43 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 so many obstacles along the way: the Because we express our realization Crusades, , , that more in this life-long journey and terrorism. We are required to learn is hidden than revealed. The world along the way as we journey confident at times seems so cruel. We seem to that there is a destination, but the path get closer and then we move farther. Hashem has taken us on, somehow for There is so much we don’t understand our own good is not the short direct so we save the piece and hide it to line, but a very circuitous one. If we show that we realize it’s all part of one choose to be the perfectionist and are journey, one story, one matzah, but unable to rise when stumbling along the bigger piece is the one hidden the way, our chance to have growth from view. and simchas hachayim, a joy in life, is Perhaps that is also why we break severely threatened. We need to be the middle matzah. It is that one optimalist people who see the goal and that is hidden in the middle of the yearn for it, but will adjust and learn at whole matzahs showing that even the every step along the way. revealed part of life, that which we Yachatz — We break the matzah to see, has an element of unclarity and show that the path to geulah is not a indecision. It’s not hidden away like perfect circle like a beautiful round the afikoman, yet is covered by the matzah (or even a perfect square other matzahs. matzah). It has many breaks in it, it Yachatz is not an afterthought or involves hardship, it involves difficulty merely a preparation for having a and we are challenged at many broken piece and an afikoman for the different junctures along the path. later stages of the Hagada. It, in fact, However, simultaneously, we need sets the tone for the entire night and to show and express our reaction to carries within it the secret of Jewish those breaks. We take the broken part success as individuals and our entire and we save it for the afikoman. The nation. It is the demonstration for all afikoman is the matzah that represents to see that the same pattern always the korban Pesach. It represents our repeats itself: that Hashem has a plan hopes for the future, leshana haba’ah for us, one that we are not privy to the beyirushalayim. But we still hide the details, but our emunah and resolve in afikoman because as much as we the knowledge that He is doing what believe be’emunah shleimah, with full is best for us keeps us going. It is the faith, that Hashem is orchestrating two elements of matzah, of avdus, the events in this world, that there is a broken piece the bread our fathers plan and these obstacles are part of ate in slavery in Egypt, and the lechem the journey that will bring about the sheonim alav devarim harbeh, the bread ultimate redemption, how the plan that we ate in our redemption, that comes together and how we’ll merit contains the secret to our current reaching our destination is hidden. exile. The broken matzah symbolizes Therefore, the piece of matzah all the breaks in the path, but the reminds us that although our path in bigger part, the clarity of redemption, life may have breaks, Hashem is there is part of the very same mission but guiding us in a hidden way and so we hidden away in that piece of afikoman, put that away for the future. hopefully to be revealed b’meheirah v’yameinu. But we hide the bigger part. Why?

44 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Reflections on Yom Haatzmaut From L’Shana Haba’ah to Hatikva: An Expression of Hope and Prayer on Exalted Nights

clearly remember the last Pesach Seder before we made aliyah six years ago. We reached the Rabbi Naphtali Lavenda Iculminating point where everyone Director of Online Rabbinic Programming joyously sings together L’Shana haba’ah B’Yerushalayim, which Center For The Jewish Future obviously had deeper meaning for us that year. But then I began to wonder, במדרש )מכילתא יד( אף הזוכר במפורש .what do people who are already living we will be redeemed כי ליל הסדר הוא זמן הראוי לגאולה: 'ליל in Israel, specifically Yerushalayim, say Rosh Hashana 10b- 11a שימורים הוא לה בו נגאלו ובו עתידין if they are already there? What about Based on this, Rabbi Yitzchak Arieli – ' להיגאל בשני הזמנים הללו אנו זוכים להיות tourists and visitors who are spending (Mashgiach of Mercaz '. זכים וטהורים במוצאי יו כ לאחר תהליך ?Pesach in Yerushalayim HaRav in Jerusalem who lived from – " . הכפרה והסליחה בליל הסדר לאחר The same can be said for the end of 1896-1974), in his Haggadah Shiras – . שיצאנו לחירות פנימית השתחררנו מכל Yom Kippur, which in of itself is a Hageula (p.94) offers an explanation , השעבודים החיצוניים וזכינו להתקרב אל ה question – what makes Yom Kippur to our question. According to R’ .' , כעת מרגישים אנו מוכנים ומבקשים בצורה and Pesach night unique as the only Elazar and R’ Yehoshua, either Tishrei , ישירה לשנה הבא בירושלים הבנויה two times throughout the year we or Nissan will be the month that the .' ', include this as a set part of our liturgy? redemption will take place and that The Midrash states explicitly that Seder night is a time worthy of redemption. The Gemara describes when the is why we specifically sayL’Shana “It is the night where Hashem guards future redemption will take place: haba’ah B’Yerushalayim on these two holidays, Yom Kippur in Tishrei and us,” In it, we were redeemed and we רבי אליעזר אומר ... בניסן נגאלו בתשרי Pesach in Nissan. will once again be redeemed. At both of these times, we have merited being עתידין ליגאל. רבי יהושע אומר ... בניסן However, there are several chagim in clean and pure. At the conclusion of Yom נגאלו בניסן עתידין ליגאל. Tishrei. Why specifically choose Yom Kippur, after the process of atonement ראש השנה י:-יא. Kippur? R. Eliezer says … In Nissan we were and forgiveness, and on Seder night, redeemed and in Tishrei, we will be Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon in his after we have experienced an inner redeemed. R. Yehoshua says … In Haggadah Shiras Miriam (p.372) also redemption and were freed from our Nissan we were redeemed and in Nissan, references this Gemara, but adds: external influences, we merit coming close to Hashem. At that moment we feel

This article is dedicated to my dear friend Rav Gavriel Pinchas ben Devora Zlata. May he merit a refuah shleimah. 46 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 ready and are able to request in a direct and a promise. “We are praying for The Yom Kippur They Sang fashion: next year in a rebuilt Jerusalem. redemption, but we also are confident Hatikva 1 Nonetheless, there is now one other that it will surely come.” Interestingly, there are some time during the year when many This same concept can be applied communities who have the custom proclaim L’Shana’ah haba’ah as part of to our song of L’Shana haba’ah to sing Hatikva at the conclusion of the tefilla, on Leil Yom Ha’Atzmaut. B’Yerushalayim — not just a Neila on Yom Kippur, including some How does Yom Ha’Atzmaut fit the declaration that we physically be Northern Synagogues4 and paradigm we saw previously? present in Yerushalayim next year, but the Jerusalem Great Synagogue.5 a confident prayer we will be there in Let’s rewind to the beginning of the the framework of the geula. Rabbi Yitzchak Avigdor Ornstein Haggadah, where we can learn from a (1894-1948), former Rabbi of the similarly worded statement to L’Shana But what about those already living in Western Wall, also writes6 haba’ah B’Yerushalayim: Yerushalayim? about an episode that occurred at the A story is told about Rabbi Abraham Kotel at the end of Yom Kippur in 1945 השתא הכא לשנה הבא בארעא דישראל. Now we are here. Next year, we shall be Isaac Kook when he once went to after the blowing of the shofar and in the . fundraise in America. A wealthy man singing of L’Shana haba’ah, “The young offered a significant donation on Rabbi writes: men and women began singing Hatikva the condition that Rav Kook would and other songs… they davened explain to him why Yerushalami Jews Maariv, and the young men and הדברים שאינם מוכנים צריכים זמן רב say L’Shana haba’ah B’Yerushalayim women left the Kotel area in song…”7 להתפתחותם אבל מה שכבר מוכן בעצמותו at the end of the Seder and also the וסיבות צדדיות מנעו מהיות ההכנה יוצאת While this custom may have !end of Neilah if they are already there אל הפועל תיכף כשתסור המניעה יוצא מה originated from those (secular) young Rav Kook answered that we add the שמוכן כבר אל הפועל. יחוסנו לארץ ישראל men and women at the kotel,8 word “habnuya”, for there is still time איננו יחש מקרי אבל הוא יחש אלהי טבעי it is nonetheless an expression of .until this will be fulfilled completely לנו כל הוייתנו ועצמותנו קשורות הנה בארץ yearning, prayer and tikva, hope, for And then, he added wryly, when we חמדה וכל ריחוקנו מאדמתנו מפני חטאינו a national redemption to not only ,say L’Shana haba’ah B’Yerushalaim לא גרם שינוי בעצמיות ערכנו והננו תמיד return to Israel (as they currently lived our intention is that our whole being קשורים לאדמת קדשנו בכל טבע לבבנו there) but to receive independence in ,should merit to be in Yerushalayim ועצמותנו בארעא דישראל. the Jewish homeland, which L’Shana both physically, spiritually and סידור עולת ראיה חלק ב' עמ' רסה haba’ah also represents. Things which are not prepared require a mentally, unlike nowadays when some long time to develop, but things which are can live in Yerushalayim but their inherently prepared and external factors mind is elsewhere, thinking about Hatikva Pesach Night prevent them from coming to fruition trips to America to collect money.2 will sprout once that external factor is In 1919, the sefer Midrash Haggadah Similar to Rav Kook, many removed. Our relationship with the Land was printed in Djerba, Tunisia. This commentators from the last century of Israel is not an arbitrary feeling, but Haggadah was the work of Rabbi also add the word habnuya either rather a Divine feeling for us. Our entire Tzemach Cohen the 2nd (1744- parenthetically or with a notation essence and being is connected to the 1830), a Dayan, Torah scholar and specifying it as minhag Eretz Yisrael or Land and our distance from it because Kabbalist from Djerba, and included Minhag Yerushalayim.3 of our sins does not change our inherent 55 different commentaries he had The addition ofhabnuya transforms state. We are constantly connected to our collected into one work. When it was L’Shana haba’ah from a factual holy land with all of our hearts. published in 1919, the printer added proclamation to a confident and Siddur Olat Raayah, vol. 2, p.265 the song “Hatikva” to the very last hopeful prayer that we not only return page under the heading “Shir Hatikva”. Rav Kook understands this statement to Eretz Yisrael, but will see the full It was a logical inclusion, as the end of not merely as noting the facts (which geula with the rebuilding of the Beis the Seder dealt with aspects of geula may not be factual for one who Hamikdash by this time next year. (i.e. Chasal sidur Pesach and L’Shana lives in Israel), but rather as a prayer

47 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 haba’ah B’Yerushalayim), and the Jews “Happy New Year” is symbolized it was a creation by those who feel we’ve of Northern Africa had great affinity with an apple and honey rather than already reached partial geula and all that for Naftali Herz Imber’s Hatikva song.9 the ball dropping at Times Square, remains is building the Beis Hamikdash. 4. Dov Sedan, Ant Hu Malka Melech Additionally, some communities have and where, come December, Maoz Malchaya (1985) pg. 550 as cited in Arend the custom to sing Chasal sidur Pesach Tzur and Haneiros Halalu are playing (see note 8). to the tune of Hatikva, although throughout the stores rather than songs 5. As told to me by Sandy Cohen. Hatikva itself they do not recite.10 about Santa. It is exactly at this time, on 6. Rabbi Ornstein’s son, Shmuel Even- the 5th of Iyar, that we raise our voice Or, compiled into book form, a diary While the custom may have been Rabbi Ornstein had written about daily in praise, prayer and hope – started erroneously and was not L’Shana occurrences at the Kotel. Its title is Yoman ! widespread, the fact that Hatikva haba’ah B’Yerushalayim habnuya Hakotel HaMaaravi (Jerusalem, 1968). 7. Yoman HaKotel HaMaaravi p. 344 as quoted was even presumed to be naturally The miracle of Medinas Yisrael, and in Arend (note 8). On p.388, he tells a similar juxtaposed with L’Shana haba’ah all of the miracles we’ve seen over the episode from the following year as well. B’Yerushalayim at the end of the Seder, last almost 67 years in the Land of 8. See Dr. Aharon Arend, “Minhag Shirat demonstrates L’Shana haba’ah’s role Israel may only be the aschalta d’geula Hatikva Acharei Tekiat Shofar B’Motzaei Yom as a communication of tikva, hopeful (or aschalta d’aschalta d’geula), the HaKippurim,” Daf Shvui, Universitat Bar Ilan no. 255. Also see there for a more in depth prayer for the redemption, on the beginning of redemption, but we hope analysis and hypothesis of the relationship Night of Redemption, Leil HaSeder. and pray this Pesach that our prayer between Hatikva and the shofar blowing. will be answered, so that the 5th of 9. See Dr. Aharon Arend, “Hatikva B’Leil L’Shana Haba’ah on Yom Iyar and Yom Haatzmaut will truly be HaSeder,” Daf Shvui, Universitat Bar Ilan no. moadim l’simcha l’geula shleimah. 387. Dr. Arend notes that the North African Ha’atzmaut Jews’ affinity to Hatikva was most likely the Notes full original 9 stanza verse which is more We can now understand why L’Shana religious in nature and verse than the shorter haba’ah B’Yerushalayim is included on 1. The Night that Unites Haggadah; Rabbi Aaron Israeli national anthem Hatikva that we know Goldscheider, Urim Publications 2014. today. Also, many religious Jews were against Yom Ha’Atzmaut night. In a similar 2. Malachim Kivnei Adam, p. 221, as noted in vein to Pesach and Yom Kippur, we the revised version of Hatikva, specifically R. Shlomo Aviner’s Shu”t SMS “L’Shana for the secular tone and anti-Jewish ideology are offering a confident prayer as we Haba’ah B’Yerushalayim Habnuya.” of being an Am Chofshi. Imber’s original celebrate a time when we saw God 3. See Rabbi Menachem Kasher’s Haggadah verse instead read “lashuv l’eretz avoteinu shine on us “rays” of geula through Shleimah and Haggadat Pesach Artziyisraelit.; l’ir ba David chana, to return to the land Rav Aviner, op. cit., notes that Rabbi of our forefather, to the city where David the establishment of a Jewish state; Yaakov Moshe Charlop also listed habnuya Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik famously camped.” In fact, once the newer version parenthetically and Rabbi Shlomo of Hatikva became popular, the custom of asserted that the establishment of a Goren wrote it was Nusach Eretz Yisrael, Djerba to recite Hatikva Pesch night stopped. Jewish state was considered a great gift as the minhag to say L’Shana haba’ah Tangentially, this is why the Yom Haatzmaut that God gave us.11 Yom Ha’atzmaut B’Yerushalayim began in Chutz La’Aretz, special Tefillah at night does not include the as those who are in Eretz Yisrael, or more singing of Hatikva, but rather Shir Hamaalos has come to be a day that signifies accurately Yerushalayim, are already there our confidence in Hashem fulfilling (which almost was voted the Jewish national and therefore add habnuya. It should also be anthem at the World Zionist Congress in His promise to return us to our noted that in Haggadah Shel Pesach M’Beis 1933) to the tune of Hatikva. Land, where we can freely worship Levi p. 233, the GRI”Z was against adding 10. Arend, ibid. Him and observe Jewish law; where habnuya and changing the nusach, claiming 11. Nefesh HaRav pg. 85.

48 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Parents’ Perspective on Their Children’s Aliyah: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (It’s All Good)

hat motivated some of our children to make aliyah? Nothing comes Rebbetzin Meira Davis fromW nothing. Director of ’ Programming, Center for the Many of my mother’s relatives Jewish Future emigrated from Germany to Israel prior to World War II. Due to for a year — not only were there no Abraham Israel Program. All spent at Hitler, yimach shemo, my mother, as cell phones then, there was barely least one year learning in Israel after a teenager, lived in Palestine from any phone service. I spoke to them high school. Batsheva, our seventh 1936-39, where her brother was twice the whole year by going to the child, was the first to make aliyah stoned in the Jaffa riots. Her father central post office and making an during her shana bet year. could not make a living there so he appointment to call them at a later Here are our children’s responses brought his family to the United time. States, always retaining his love and when asked what motivated them to connection to Eretz Yisrael and its My husband and I were brought up make aliyah: with Bnei Akiva youth groups in our people. My parents were both active • I grew up in a very Zionistic formative years. After getting married, members of Hapoel Hamizrachi. home and once I realized I was we visited Israel for three weeks. We My mom regularly went to Israeli presented with an opportunity to spoke Hebrew with our children until dancing classes and to ulpan classes to make living in Israel my reality, I they were about three years old — improve her Hebrew. I am named for took it! Israel is our homeland and when it became too difficult for us to her Uncle Meir, and rather than give I love being home. convey concepts. When my husband me an anglicized version of Meir, she • Israel is the home of the Jewish began getting partial Sabbaticals preferred the Hebrew name Meira — people. For nearly 2,000 years, we (Pesach to ), we spent not a common name for an American were denied access to our home, them in Yerushalayim, learning Torah Jewish girl when I was a child. but that changed in 1948. and experiencing as much of Israel • My husband wanted to. At School in , as we could. This certainly impacted • I was raised in a Modern founded by Rav Soloveitchik, Hebrew profoundly on our children. We even Orthodox, Zionist home, but my language was emphasized. I had an showed them the graves we bought schooling was predominantly amazing Israeli Hebrew teacher, Mar for ourselves for after 120, in Eretz Yeshivish. Because most of my Lamdan (that was really his name!), HaChaim in Bet Shemesh. It came friends were Yeshivish and I had and as a result learned to be fairly with a lesson from my husband that opted to go to a Zionist yeshiva fluent in Hebrew. In those days, we are now able to keep by shemita high school, I needed to figure out college students spent their junior owning (land) in Israel and not karka where I stood. As a high-schooler, year in Israel. My year came out right working it during the year. shemita Modern Orthodox and Yeshivish after the Six-Day War in 1967. It was Eight of our nine children attended seemed like opposite sides of not an easy decision for my parents Yeshiva University, Stern College the spectrum. I felt neither here to decide to allow me to go to Israel or the Yeshiva University S. Daniel nor there. My parents let me

I would like to thank my husband, Rabbi Edward Davis for his collaboration on this article. 49 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 visit Israel during winter break purposefully recorded Terach’s death for their out-of-Israel family to be in of eleventh grade. Something before Avraham “made Aliyah.” In contact with each other. clicked while I was in Israel and I actuality, Avraham’s father was still Recently, my dear father, Mr. Erwin just knew that it is where I belong. alive when Avraham left Charan Katz, a”h passed away. The funeral A huge motivating factor for me to move to Canaan. Hashem told service was in Brookline, MA. Our was that two of my siblings already Avraham that He exempted Avraham children and older grandchildren in resided in Israel. from the mitzvah of , kibbud av va’em Israel — who had each contributed • . My husband and I, each, honoring one’s parents, in order Tzionut some thoughts to be included in separately and together, wanted to to make aliyah. In the Midrash, the hespedim (eulogies) — gathered make aliya from a young age. We Hashem says “I exempt no one else together. Via the funeral home’s both believe that Jews belong in from this duty.” This is a powerful high quality webcast, they viewed it Israel and wanted to raise our midrash because of its application to together and felt as if they were at the family there - we wanted to “come the modern situation. In our family funeral. home.” situation, we as parents are very pleased with our childrens’ decision Traveling to Israel is expensive, time- Distance Makes the Heart… to make aliyah, yet we are aware of the consuming and draining. It makes it possible Halachic issue when these much harder to visit a child to help None of our children live closer than two mitzvot conflict. out for a birth or a crisis or while a 1,100 miles to us. Four of them have husband is in army reserve duty. It A big challenge of having family made aliyah. Akiva and Sara and is difficult for us not to be able to be divided between two continents is family and Elana and Oren Wener and there when needed, but our children the pain of physical separation for family live in Hashmonaim. Batsheva have grown stronger as a result and are long periods of time, difficulty in and Gilad Adamit and family live there for each other in every way. in Neve Tzuf and Ariella is in Givat sharing in each other’s simchas, and Shmuel. Our other five children and for children and grandchildren to Two of our daughters were married their families are in the northeastern spend time with each other. Phone around Chanukah 2013. The United States — Dani and Chaya in communication can be hampered weddings were planned to be ten days Edison, NJ, Tamar and Allan Galper by the big difference in time zones. apart in New York and , in Brookline, MA, Shoshana and My husband and I feel bishvili nivra so everyone from Israel could be Marc Lerman in Riverdale, NY, Shira WhatsApp (WhatsApp was created present at both simchas. Only and Jesse Mandell in for me), which enables our entire Hashem knows when that will happen and Rena and Gabi Wittlin in Kew family, wherever they are, to share again. Gardens Hills, NY. texts, news, pictures and videos at any given moment — a treasured gift. The Challenges One of our mechutanim jokes with With other audio-visual technology us about our children making aliyah: options, i.e. Skype, Facetime, Google The Talmud,Brachot 5a, quotes Rabbi “We taught them so many things, why Hangouts, we can “visit” and “see” Shimon bar Yochai: is this what they had to listen to?” רבי שמעון בן יוחאי אומר: שלש מתנות .each other in real time. A true bracha טובות נתן הקדוש ברוך הוא לישראל, וכולן There is a midrash in the beginning For me, this reinforces the much לא נתנן אלא על - ידי יסורין. אלו הן: תורה of Lech L’chah (Breishit Rabbah greater sacrifice of people who made וארץ ישראל והעולם הבא. which states that Hashem aliyah years ago and the difficulty (39:7 R. Shimon b. Yochai says: Hashem gave three precious gifts to Israel – Torah, One of our mechutanim jokes with us about Eretz Yisrael and the World to Come. our children making aliyah: “We taught All three were given with struggles and challenges. them so many things, why is this what they Our family is experiencing the struggles had to listen to?” and challenges of Eretz Yisrael.

50 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Our children’s perspectives on their — someone who is clearly not If my “American-ness” makes me biggest challenges of living in Israel: a native Israeli. Whatever the conspicuous, so be it – there are • As a family, a challenge is finding giveaway might be, my subtle worse things I could be. • affordable housing (to purchase a yet present accent, my Western/ A teenage grandchild’s home). We currently live in a place religious fashion sense, my ethnic perspective: Personally, my a little more affordable due to look, my gentle and patient biggest challenge here in Israel our surrounding “cousins.” Many mannerisms, most is the language. Even after eight of the people in the neighboring eventually pick up that I was not years in Israel, I still struggle so Arab villages do not like us born and bred in Israel. It might much in school and it’s mostly sound like a petty challenge, but because I have a barrier that I (putting thatvery mildly) and make life a bit more complicated. here are some less-than-desired cannot break down when it comes Making smart decisions (taking reactions I have gotten when to Hebrew. people realize I am American: security measures, being careful No Sundays (or Shabbat Sheni Shel 1. The price for whatever I wanted where you drive...) and having real Galuyot, as we now refer to Sunday) to buy went up because American faith are a must. We are blessed that our children look equals wealthy in their eyes. • Getting used to a 6-day work for every opportunity to get together. 2. Marriage proposals, because week. Really miss those Sundays! In Israel this is particularly daunting American means rich. 3. An • Missing family members who are since there are no Sundays off and the not with us. Israeli will speak to me in broken children go to school six days a week. • Lower salaries. English. Annoying, because I They really appreciate Chol Hamoed • Being far away from our family in learned Hebrew and now the and summer vacations when they have America is the biggest challenge conversation will be much longer, a block of days with no school. I believe we face on an emotional because I can’t understand the Financial Struggles level. There are hardships we broken English. My frustration translates into: I work hard on Many olim take a big cut in salary encounter now and then with to live in Israel. Living on an Israeli the language or not having an integrating into your society – so why can’t you let me blend in salary is not so easy. Real estate “in” or the protektzia that Israelis prices in prime areas are exorbitant. have. We’re learning things along instead of pointing me out as a foreigner. 4. And finally the most Although some of our children in with our kids as they experience Israel work for less pay than they new things we’ve never done — common reaction: “You’re from America? Why on earth did you received in the U.S., they enjoy and bagruyot, tzav rishon from the appreciate their quality of life. army, and so forth — so we can’t move here? Are you crazy?” I provide the support Israeli parents don’t respond to this anymore, Healthcare System might be able to provide to their because if someone is asking this, Our children have, for the most part, kids. But overall, I believe the they don’t respect your decisions done well with their various health- biggest challenge proves to be the in life and will not respect your care providers in the Israeli socialized emotional one of being apart from response. The bright side: 1. medicine system, Baruch Hashem. our families who live far away. Being American has the advantage Occasionally, one needs to wait a • Adapting to the new culture, of knowing English which is a long time for a referral to a doctor or education system and healthcare necessity to get into most lucrative specialist. Our mentality for medical system. Language is also a big fields in Israel. 2. American treatment is: if you need it, get it. challenge for some of us. But the mannerisms may be perceived as Sometimes we have encouraged the real killer here is Sunday, or the “soft” and “very un-Israeli”, yet children to go to a private doctor lack thereof. Saturday night is a are beneficial to Israeli society. I at our expense so that they can be school night, which is something am often complimented on my attended to in a timely manner. We we may never come to terms with. patience and gentle manner in have occasionally called on the kind • Being conspicuous as an dealing with people. 3. Native physicians in our shul, who know our Israelis are conspicuous at times. American or “olah chadashah” children, to consult about certain

51 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 situations. Baruch Hashem, everyone other. Very scary. is well. We finished our conversations with Do you Know Where your Children the neighbors, keeping their little kids Are? occupied and happy and returned to our Safety and security are on every apt. So much for a ceasefire … I can’t parent’s mind, and especially for those go to the grocery store because I don’t with children living in Israel. Our wanna be outside so I’m gonna order children have shared many emotional online and have them deliver straight to and frightening incidents of proximity my door … At times like this a lot of to terrorist activity — from the emuna (faith) and tefilla (prayer) are in rockets in the past few years, crashes order. at the Jerusalem light rail stations, to Love you both very much, being stoned on the road. There is Batsheva no dearth of things to “worry” about. Here is an emotionally-draining Here is an email we received in the fall WhatsApp message we received from of 2011, during Gaza rocket barrages, Ariella this past summer: from our newly-married daughter Just had my first siren that I had to when they moved to Beersheva. pull the car over, get out and lie on the Eema and Abba, burning hot ground with my hands on Here is an update on what’s going on my head praying that the debris from here. the extremely close and very loud rocket Israelis do for one another — opening Gilad came back to Beersheva last night explosion weren’t gonna kill me. I may their homes to those living in war because classes resumed at the university have cried and said a perek of tehillim. or rocket zones, bringing goodies to today. I told him I wasn’t returning That was officially the worst siren I’ve the soldiers manning the Iron Dome until there were at least 2 days of quiet. ever experienced seemingly because I installations near them and sending This afternoon I got on a bus to come knew my hands weren’t gonna protect supplies to the soldiers on the front. to Beersheva. I walked into our apt at me from anything! This past summer, our 15-year-old about 6:20. At 6:43, just 20 minutes I remember how alarmed I was when granddaughter ran a one-day program later, a loud siren starts blaring (I had our two sons were at YU in the 1990s in Hashmonaim for residents and to open the window to make sure for a and reported on the dangers of the merchants from the South, bussing second cuz I have major paranoia and neighborhood at that time. Incidents them in to provide respite from think a car revving its engine is a siren). happen in other places occasionally, rockets and an opportunity to sell I panicked cuz I realized Gilad was but in Israel, there is an all-too-steady their wares. biking home and I didn’t know where he diet of it. was. That second I heard the stairwell Army Service door close. Gilad had just made it back Bottom line: trust in Hashem. Then there’s the army: children to our building, threw his bike to the side in miluim (reserve duty) leaving and ran upstairs to get me to run into Only in Eretz Yisrael their families for several weeks and the stairwell (since the bomb shelter is grandchildren going into the IDF. This too far). We stood there with a bunch Chesed has certainly spurred me to increase of our neighbors and listened to a lot of In Israel, chesed can be found in my emunah and bitachon in Hashem noise which we found out afterwards was abundance everywhere. The country – and especially my davening. I try the Iron Dome- which had successfully itself is a shining example to the world not to worry, and to put all my trust in intercepted one of the rockets, but had as a first responder to world calamities Hashem. such as Haiti and the Tsunami — as missed the other. The noise was the Here We Go Again well as within Israel during time of sound of the interception of one rocket Our connection to Eretz Yisrael grows crises. Our children are a part of what and the landing and exploding of the stronger as we visit more frequently

52 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 than we used to — so we can spend children made aliyah, my husband was or your family have accrued as a result time with our family and participate consulted about appropriating assets of of living in Israel? in the life-cycle events of our Israeli the defunct Glenwood Jewish Center • We live in Israel — that alone is children and grandchildren. We in to some yishuv in Israel. the greatest thing. We made it. schlep the maximum amount of He encouraged this and was pleasantly We’ve returned to our homeland allowed weight in our luggage, trying surprised to find the shul where our where we believe we belong. Of to fill all the requests for the American children daven in Hashmonaim bearing course, finding good friends and products and other items they request. that name. We enjoy the community support systems are important, One of my friends has all her children very much when we are there. It’s too, and thank God we’ve found living in Israel. She goes loaded socially comfortable as there are a large those as well. The biggest benefits with stuff and often asks people to percentage of Anglos there — and we are that our children are growing take something small for her. When know many of them from various parts up here, living and loving the land, her children pressure her to move of our lives. knowing our history, being proud to Israel, she responds, “And who is to be Jewish. going to send you all the stuff you In Retrospect • A grandchild’s response: One good want/need from America?” thing about living in Israel is the Comments from our children about freedom. Teenagers in Israel have Anglo Connections any regrets related to their aliyah: a lot more freedom than teenagers The informal Anglo support groups • The only regret I have is not doing in America have. Here in Israel, my are helpful for our children. Our any National Service. I would friends and I can go out almost at daughter, Ariella, lives in Givat have loved to do sheirut le’umi, any time we want without an adult Shmuel where the singles invite but I came with the American accompanying us. We can take a each other over for meals, fix each mentality of going straight to bus from city to city without any other up and run some activities for university after high school which kind of safety threat. themselves. Our married children is what I did. • Cheaper tuition. Living on a dati have mostly English-speaking • Regrets: that we didn’t come yishuv where the kids run around couples as friends. The cultural sooner when real estate prices free on Shabbat with no worries. divide is palpable but not always were more reasonable. • Israel is still in the Pre-Amber insurmountable. • No regrets – I don’t see how Alert Age. Children are able to Torat Eretz Yisrael doing things differently could be much more independent in this environment which benefits We see our children being very have or would have changed both their development and their connected to the Land of Israel and anything. Maybe coming sooner, quality of life. Religiously, there the mitzvot related to living in Eretz but we did okay. • are obvious benefits to living in a Yisrael - teruma, maaser, shemita, No regrets. • Jewish country. orla and more, learning the Torah A minor regret that I did not • I love that Hebrew, the and historical connections to where do a second year of National loshon , is the “mother tongue” they live and to places all over the Service… it would have been hakodesh here. It makes Torah and all country. Our grandchildren are active an excellent opportunity to our rabbinic commentary and members of Bnei Akiva with the continue improving my Hebrew literature so accessible and that motto –Torah Ve’Avodah. before beginning university. I think many American olim feel much easier to learn. I love that Hashmonaim pressured to start university as my kids will grow up with a leg up Almost all of our grandchildren in soon as possible because of their in terms of Torah learning. Israel live in Hashmonaim. Our American mentality, when it is not • I met my wonderful husband special connection to there is two- the reality or mentality of Israelis. here in Israel where we live in fold. First, our daughter-in-law Sara’s Final question to our children: What a completely religious yishuv grandparents were pioneers of that do you like best about living in Israel without having to worry about yishuv (settlement). Second, before our and what are the biggest benefits you cars on Shabbat, etc. An amazing

53 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 ותקרבנה בנות צלפחד וגו' גדולה להן וגדולה .life with incredible people לאביהן גדולה למכיר וגדולה ליוסף שכך יצאו Israel is our home – the home of • ממנו נשים, חכמות וצדקניות. the Jewish People. Our roots are במדבר רבה, פרשת פנחס פרשה כא buried deep here and our blood is splattered all over this Land — The daughters of Tzelafchad approached the Land where our Forefathers … it brought greatness to them and are buried and the home of our greatness to their ancestors, Machir and Holy Sites. This Land has infused Yosef because these wise righteous women me with a passion and love for came from them. the Jewish People that I never felt Bamidbar Rabbah, Pinchas no. 21 before. In the Torah narrative in Parashat Concluding Thoughts Shelach, the daughters of Tzelafchad demonstrated tremendous love for Bikitzur, as they say in Israel, we are Eretz Yisrael by requesting to inherit very proud of how all our children their father’s land. The laws of how have adapted to half the family being women inherit land were included in across the world, as painful as that the Torah based on their merit. The separation has been for some. Baruch Midrash states that their request to Hashem for Nefesh B’Nefesh under possess their father’s portion of land the leadership of Rabbi Josh Fass to in Israel, brought greatness to their whom we are deeply grateful. They ancestors, Machir and Yosef. Similarly, have effectively eliminated the massive our children have brought great pride governmental bureaucratic barrier to to us through demonstrating their love making aliyah and transformed it into for Eretz Yisrael. a user-friendly (formerly an unknown ּכֹה אָמַרה’ קֹול ּבְרָ מָ ה ענִׁשְמָ נְהִי ּבְכִ י concept in Israel) experience. They are תַמְרּורִיםרָחֵל מְבַּכָה עַלּבָ נֶיהָמֵאֲ נָה לְהִ ּנָחֵ ם a real support group for olim, long after עַלּבָ נֶיהָ ּכִי אֵ ינֶּנּו: ּכֹה אָמַרה’ מִ נְעִי קֹולְֵך מִּבֶכִ י the actual aliyah. וְעֵ ינַיְִך מִּדִמְעָה ּכִ י יֵׁש שָ ֹכָרלִפְעֻּלָתֵ ְך נְאֻ ם ה’ וְׁשָבּו מֵאֶרֶ ץ אֹויֵב: וְיֵׁשּתִקְ וָה לְאַחֲרִיתֵ ְך נְאֻ ם ה’ We are very thankful that Hashem וְׁשָבּו בָ נִים לִגְבּולָ ם: has created technology to keep ירמיהו לא:יד-טז ,us very connected. With humor patience and great emunah and bitachon Bahashem we are navigating Thus said the Lord: A voice is heard the challenges together. in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her The sidebar features a WhatsApp children; she refuses to be comforted for family conversation on Asara her children, because they are not. Thus B’Tevet, which marks the date of said the Lord: Refrain thy voice from the first child in our family to make weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for aliya and live far away. I think this thy work shall be rewarded, said the give and take aptly describes the Lord; and they shall come back from sad emotions of separation and the the land of the enemy. And there is hope humor, joy, pride, love and idealism for thy future, said the LORD; and thy of our family in Israel and America. children shall return to their own border. We are very proud of our children’s Jeremiah 31:14-16 decision to live in Eretz Yisrael, even with the challenges that result from their aliyah.

54 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Aspiring With the Ramban

he centrality of the Land of Israel in the thought of the Ramban is self-evident. Most Rabbi Kenneth Schiowitz Tnotably are the facts that he counts Rabbi, Congregation Shaare Tefillah, Teaneck, NJ the mitzvah to live in Israel in his Book Faculty, Ramaz Upper School, New York, NY of Mitzvot, as well as the fact that he personally moved from Spain to Israel Coordinator of www.hschinuch.org, a project of the Yeshiva towards the end of his life, where he University Institute for University-School Partnership founded the “Ramban Shul” in the 13th Century. Maimonides does not consider “yishuv Eretz Yisrael,” and impossible for them. This lack of the incredible capacity and potential settling Israel to be one of the 613 faith, and self-doubt in their abilities that Man possesses to improve God’s mitzvot in his Book of Mitzvot, while even with the help of God was the world. In direct response to the fear the Ramban argues that this is a heart of their failure. of the spies, God counters with the mistaken omission. There has been Rav Soloveitchik (as cited in the mitzvah of challah to emphasize the abilities that they indeed had, though much speculation as to the rationale introduction to Shiurei HaRav on they did not realize it. of the Rambam, but the Ramban’s Masechet Challah) noted that the inclusion clearly demonstrates the mitzvah of hafrashat challah,tithing If we will consider this thought centrality of the Land of Israel in dough, is introduced at the end of the in light of other comments of the his halachic thought. In this essay, I parsha of , subsequent to the Ramban about the sanctity of the would like to explore more precisely account of the Meraglim, while the Land of Israel, we can achieve an even how the Ramban defines this aspect other agricultural laws of terumah and deeper insight into the mistake of of Jewish religious life. What exactly maaser tithes are taught at the end the Meraglim and the response of the is the religious meaning of the Land of of Korach, immediately preceding Torah. Israel and the experience of living in the story of the Meraglim. Rav that land? I believe that a consistent Soloveitchik suggested that this Torat HaAretz and Torat approach can be developed by looking division can be explained based on the Chutz LaAretz at a series of passages in his writings comments of the Ramban. Terumah on the Torah. and maaser reflect the sanctity The Ramban (Bereishit 26:5 and that is inherent in the land. This Devarim 11:18) asserts that the The Meraglim sanctity is manifest in the fact that entire Torah was given to be fulfilled immediately after the produce is specifically in the Land of Israel. While In the episode of the Meraglim, grown it has a halachic status that it is true that only agricultural mitzvot the sin of the spies, the Ramban triggers special mitzvot. Challah, are specific to the Land of Israel and demonstrates that everything about however, is a mitzvah that is initiated “chovot haguf,” mitzvot that depend on the report of the spies was honest and only after a human being takes the the person (not the land) apply even accurate, and conformed to Moshe’s raw materials produced by the outside of Israel, in truth all mitzvot instructions for them. Their sole sin earth and actively processes them were designed specifically for the Land was the use of the the word “efes” into something much greater. Only of Israel. The Ramban dramatically (13:28), which indicated that the after the wheat is ground, sifted and suggests that the ultimate purpose of possibility of the Jewish conquer of kneaded into dough does this mitzvah the mitzvot that we do outside of Israel the Land of Israel was out of reach take effect. ThusChallah represents is merely to remember as practice, so

55 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 that the Jewish People will remember reconciles their commitment to Meraglim Revisited these mitzvot when we ultimately the mitzvot with seemingly serious return to Israel. Since the Jewish violations, such as Yaakov who Based on this understanding, we can People were destined to be sent into was married to two sisters until he add a new layer of understanding of exile, the Torah sought to ensure the returned to Israel.] the sin of the Meraglim. The spies continuation of our traditions through testified to the greatness of the Land, This concept sheds light on a the generations. If would be but claimed that the Jewish People mitzvot problematic verse that the Ramban limited to the Land of Israel, then they would be unable to conquer it. It himself analyzes. In Sefer Vayikra would be long forgotten by the time of is possible that they did not merely (18:25) the Torah reminds us to our return from our long exiles. The underestimate their military ability; comply with all of the commandments prophet Yirmiyahu (31:20) instructed perhaps they underestimated their and threatens that if we fail to comply the Jewish People to make signs on spiritual worthiness. Possibly they with the mitzvot then the Land will the roads as we leave Israel that will understood these lessons of the “spit us out into exile.” The Ramban point towards our return to Israel. The Torah (Vayikra 18:25, according to notes that in context, the threat in this Ramban quotes the Midrash that the Ramban) and realized that if they verse in linked to non-agricultural laws says the same of in exile: we would not properly comply with the mitzvot that are seemingly unrelated to the must perform them in exile so that mitzvot they would be spat out. They Land of Israel. In particular, the Torah we will remember them upon our feared that they would not be worthy is referring to the arayot, forbidden return. We must pave the road to our of inheriting the land and thus would sexual relationships. Why then will redemption even in the midst of our lose their battles. According to the the Land of Israel spit out the violators exile, from both a spiritual and physical interpretation of Rav Soloveitchik, of these mitzvot? This sin is equally perspective. God responded with the mitzva of wrong in all lands. challah. This mitzva, that revolves In the same vein, the Ramban The Ramban responds that the Land around human innovation, does not (Vayikra 18:25) accepts the midrashic of Israel is particularly sensitive merely symbolize the physical and view that the Avot fulfilled themitzvot to Godliness and sanctity. God is military potential of the new fledgling of the Torah even though it was not intimately connected to the Land Jewish army; the mitzva of challah also yet given. Avraham was taught the of Israel and directly guides its represents the spiritual potential that mitzvot of the Torah by God and destiny. In respect to the other lands this new nation possessed. Man will fulfilled them along with his children of the world, God leaves a distance not only follow the mitzvot that exist, and grandchildren. They voluntarily between Himself and Man and, but will create opportunities for more performed the mitzvot because therefore, tolerates sin. The elevated mitzvot and new challenges that will they understood the incredible sanctity of the Land of Israel makes continue to elevate us through our spiritual opportunity that the mitzvot sin intolerable and the Land literally spiritual journey. We must certainly offered. However, the Ramban spits out those who defile it through engage in the challenge and not seek believes that this was limited to the sin. This is especially logical in light to avoid the spiritual challenges out time that they were in the Land of the previous thesis of the Ramban of our fear. We will take the “risk” of a of Israel, where the mitzvot were that all of the mitzvot were designed spiritual life in the Land of Israel even ultimately designed to be kept. It was uniquely for the Land of Israel. The though it can threaten to spit us out, unnecessary for them to volunteer Torah and the Land of Israel were because if we succeed, it will elevate us to practice their mitzvot while in designed for one another and the to unimaginable heights. exile. That was only needed for the Land cannot tolerate the defilement of nation while in actual exile. [This the mitzvot of the Torah.

56 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5775 Apply to the Graduate Program in Advanced Talmudic Study (GPATS) and take the opportunity to:

• Spend two years learning • Take advanced Judaic studies • Receive internships and in-depth Gemara and Halakhah courses at speaking opportunities in • Study under the guidance of Graduate School of Jewish schools and synagogues top Rebbeim Studies and Azrieli Graduate around the country • Receive your Masters in School of Jewish Education and • Stipend provided to students in Biblical and Talmudic Administration the program Interpretation • Benefit from pedagogic training • Assume a leadership role in a from a variety of guest lecturers Beit Midrash community and professionals

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