sign in sign up
<<
Home , Etz Chaim, Etz Chaim (book), Karpas, Pesachim, Shulchan Aruch, Shulchan Aruch HaRav

הגדה של פסח: קערה

description of Bezalel (great-grandson of Any non- vegetable can techinally be Miriam, sister of Moses), one of the two men used ( HaRav, Orach Chaim chosen by god to lead the construction of the 473:16). custom is to use an onion (or . god imbued Bezalel with an innate a potato) for karpas (The ’s ). talent for all sorts of craftsmanship, including (Exodus 31:5) “stone craft (charoshet even) and wood craft (charoshet etz).” The Hebrew words for stone and wood respectively, even and etz, can be seen as acronyms for the names of the ingredients: epel (apple), bah- ren (pear), nissen (nuts), engber (ginger), and , Chazeret—Romaine Lettuce < tzimerind (cinnamon). However, the custom Although we use romaine lettuce and horse- is not to use the latter two ingredients for fear radish for both “maror” and “chazeret,” they are they may contain some (The Rebbe’s called by different names, since the mystical Haggadah). implications of the name “maror” relate more to the spiritual dimension of the maror of the Seder Plate, whereas the mystical implications of the name “chazeret” relate to Korech, when the chazeret is used (The Rebbe’s Haggadah). romaine lettuce is sweet and soft at the out- , Karpas—Vegetable < set, but when left in the ground, its stem hard- When reversed, the consonants of the word ens and becomes “bitter as wormwood.”14 It is karpas can be read as: s-p-r-kh. “S” in Hebrew is therefore best to use this lettuce, since it reflects represented by the letter samech, which stands for the manner in which we were seduced into slav- the number 60. “P-r-kh” or perekh, means crush- ery. The Egyptians manipulated us with sweet ing labor. Karpas thus alludes to the 60 myriad words and rewards, but eventually embittered (600,000) who were subjected to crush- our lives ( 39a; Levush; Chacham Tzvi ing labor (Avudraham). See below on Karpas. §119; Shulchan Aruch HaRav 473:30).

, Kabbalistic Perspective < The Arizal teaches that the Seder Plate encompasses the ten (godly attributes):

seder Plate item corresponding sefirah Three Matzot Chochmah, Binah and Daat (Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge) Chesed (Kindness) Beitzah Gevurah (Strength) Maror Tiferet (Beauty/Harmony/Mercy) Charoset Netzach (victory/determination) Karpas Hod (glory/Humility) Chazeret Yesod (Foundation/Attachment) The Tray Malchut (Kingship)

25b

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 25 2/25/2011 3:11:35 PM The Haggadah: The Seder Plate

c The Seder Plate C

, Three Matzot < , Maror—Bitter Herbs < The Jewish community of Kairouan [eastern The bitter herbs remind us of the bitter times Tunisia] once asked Sherira gaon: “Why we had in Egypt. In a personal sense, we expe- do we take three matzot on the night of Pesach, rience “maror” when we contemplate our dis- no less and no more?” tance from godliness and cry bitter tears over rav Sherira pointed to an allusion to this our spiritual inadequacy. This sort of honest custom in the story of the angels’ visit to Abra- self-appraisal, which evokes our yearning to be ham and Sarah, which occurred during Pesach close to god, awakens god’s great mercy upon (Bereishit Rabbah 48:13). Abraham asked Sarah us. to prepare three measures of flour for baking Kabbalistically, the zeroa is associated with cakes (genesis 18:6).9 kindness and the egg with strength. The zeroa The three matzot also evoke the three “moun- is therefore placed on the right side, which tains” of the world, our Patriarchs: Abraham, is associated with kindness, while the egg is Isaac, and Jacob (Maaseh Rokeach 16:58). placed on the left side, the side of strength. Maror is placed in the middle, since mercy is the synthesis of kindness and strength (Lik- kutei , Shir Hashirim 14d; see Kabbalistic Perspective below).

, Zeroa & the Egg < , Charoset—the Dip < The Sages instituted that we have two cooked The clay-like charoset reminds us of the foods before us during the recitation of the clay with which our ancestors were forced to Haggadah. These commemorate the two sacri- work. [Even the word charoset, a generic term fices that our ancestors partook of during the referring to any type of dip (Machzor Vitri), Seder in Temple times: approximates charsit, which means clay (Mor- 1) the Paschal lamb,10 and dechai citing ).] We add an 2) the Chagigah offering, a sacrifice brought acrid substance to the mix (Pesachim 116a) to to celebrate the festivals (Pesachim 114b).11 remind us of how the teeth of were set on The custom is to use a shank bone and an egg edge by the harshness of their bondage (Bach). to signify the following: The charoset is made from fruits to which Zeroa (the word for shank bone) can also the people of Israel have been compared in the mean arm. The Aramaic word for egg (be’a) Torah (Teshuvot HaGeonim). This mixture is can also mean desire. Together, the two words then softened with a red liquid to commemo- allude to the following: rate the blood of the first plague (Jerusalem “The Merciful One desired to redeem us with Talmud, Pesachim 10:3). an ‘outstretched arm’12 (Kol citing the Jeru- Pri Etz Chaim points to a mnemonic for salem Talmud).13 the ingredients of charoset in the Torah’s 25a

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 25 2/25/2011 3:11:37 PM c Breaking the Matzah C יחץ ויקח מצה האמצעית ופורסה לשנים חלק אחד גדול מחבירו וחלק הגדול יניח לאפיקומן והקטן מניח בין הב׳ מצות:

• Break the middle matzah into two pieces )while still covered by the cloth), one larger than the other. • Break the larger piece into five pieces, then wrap it in cloth and set aside to serve as . • The smaller piece remains between the two whole matzot.

perceive, there is an undercurrent of goodness sigh and realized that he was upset that he did and divine awareness that is permeating the not merit to hear the reason for the five pieces. world. We have studied the smaller piece for He said to his son, “I see that it is very impor- long enough; it is time for the afikoman of his- tant to you,” and then proceeded to explain: The tory to make its appearance (The Rebbe).33 middle matzah corresponds to Isaac, whose primary attribute is Gevurah, strength or sever- , The Five Pieces < ity. The word yachatz thus contains three of the Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch did letters of Yitzchak. Afikoman is related to the not know if his father, rabbi Shalom “Kindness of Abraham.” Afiko-man, which dovBer, was deliberately breaking the afiko- means “bring out food,” corresponds to Abra- man into five pieces. Once, theafikoman broke ham, who provided nourishment to all, and into six pieces and rabbi Shalom dovBer set whose primary attribute was Kindness. Kab- the sixth piece aside. His son then asked him balah teaches that Gevurah is made up of five what the significance of the five pieces was. elements. rabbi Shalom dovBer replied: “Az men vil altz By breaking the middle matzah, we “break” vissen, vert men gech alt—one who wants to the severity and “sweeten” its five elements with know everything becomes old quickly.” the “Kindness of Abraham” (Sefer Hasichot Later, during a walk, the rebbe heard his son 5698, p. 261).

, Yachatz in Yemen < rabbi Yaakov Sapir HaLevi (1822-1885) writes in his travelogue of a Pesach spent in Yemen, in the city of Sana’a: “They bake fresh matzah each day of Pesach in the custom of their forefathers, since their women are very quick and conscientious in the baking of the matzot.... “At the Seder, one participant takes a matzah, ties it in a napkin, places it on his shoul- ders and walks around the house. The others ask him: ‘Why are you doing this?’ To which he responds: ‘So did our ancestors do when they left Egypt in haste.’”

31b

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 31 2/25/2011 3:11:43 PM The Passover Haggadah: Yachatz

, Yachatz < , Stealing the Afikoman< We break the matzah prior to beginning the Some have the custom that children “steal” story of (Ran citing Rav Hai Gaon), the afikoman and redeem it for a prize (see so that the story is told over matzah fit for the Chok Yaakov). This is not the Chabad custom —“poor man’s bread”—i.e., a broken (see The Rebbe’s Haggadah).30 Indeed several piece (see Pesachim 115b). The larger piece is authorities have questioned the prudence of set aside for the afikoman, since it is a significant this custom (see Otzar Minhagei Chabad). mitzvah, one through which we commemorate Some have the custom to place the the Pesach offering (Maharil; Bach). afikoman on their shoulders prior to hiding it, We wrap the afikoman in a cloth (see since this was how the Israelites left Egypt, II:158b; Tur and Shulchan Aruch §473). This with the leftover matzah (and maror) bundled commemorates the way we left Egypt with the on their shoulders (Magen Avraham 473:22; leftover matzah (and maror) wrapped in our Yaavetz). Although they had many animals that garments (Exodus 12:34, and ad loc.; see could have carried these bundles, they insisted Rokeach and ). We place it among on carrying them themselves because they the pillows (Hamanhig) so that it is not inadver- cherished these items used for a mitzvah (Rashi tently eaten during the meal ( Yaavetz). on Exodus 12:34 from Mechilta).

, Two Redemptions < Seder: On the one hand we are celebrating free- The two halves of the matzah correspond dom—drinking wine, reclining, and so on—yet to the two redemptions we are celebrat- at the same time reliving the bitterness of the ing tonight.31 The first half of the Seder focuses slavery. The matzah itself is both the bread of on the redemption from Egypt. This was an slaves and the poor, and at the same time “the incomplete redemption, since it was followed bread of faith” and “bread of healing.” But it is by exile later in our history. It is therefore rep- in the middle matzah that this contrast is most resented by the smaller piece of matzah, which stark, since the very same matzah contains two remains in front of us as we recount the Exodus seemingly contradictory elements. from Egypt. How is it that these very different elements— The second half of the Seder focuses on the poverty and wealth—should find a home in the future, eternal redemption. This future redemp- same matzah? tion is represented by the afikoman, which The answer is that the two are intercon- remains hidden, just as the day of our future nected: the small and broken pieces of life—the redemption remains hidden from us (Chatam challenges and the struggle—bring “the larger Sofer32; see Chida). piece,” the richness of life, to the fore. When we look around the world today, we , Unity of Opposites < may see spiritual poverty and brokenness. We The two pieces of the matzah embody may find it hard to imagine that there is another two starkly different . The small piece to this very “matzah”—a hidden piece piece is “poor man’s bread”; the larger piece is ready to emerge. The story of the Exodus, how- the afikoman, which must be eaten at the end of ever, tells us to be optimistic: From the depths the meal, like a dessert, in the manner of the of darkness in which we had become immersed rich who continue eating even after having in Egypt, we were, in a matter of moments, eaten their fill. transported into the historic and unparalleled This duality of the middle matzah is an spiritual of the Exodus. example of the duality that runs throughout the In truth, despite the darkness that we 31a

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 31 2/25/2011 3:11:44 PM הגדה של פסח: מגיד

מגיִדMaggid

מגיד ומגביה הקערה שיש בה המצות ויאמר: Uncover the matzot partially and say: לַ חְ מָ א עַ נְיָא דִּ י אֲ כָ ֽלוּ אַ בְ הָ תָ ֽ נָא בְּ אַ רְ עָ א ֽ דְמִצְרָ יִם. כּ ֹל דִּ כְפִ ין ייֵיתֵ וְיֵכֹול, כּ ֹל דִ צְרִ יְךיֵ יתֵ י וְ יִפְ סָ ח.הַ ׁשַתָּ א הָ כָ א, לְ ׁשָ נָ ה הַ בָּ ֽאָ ה בְּ אַרְ עָ א דְ יִׂשְרָ אֵ ל. א הַׁשַתָּ עַבְדִ ין, לְׁשָ הנָ ההַבָּאָ בְּ נֵי חֹורִ ין. The matzot are covered.

, Bread of Affliction< , Under the Whip < The term Bread of Affliction or Bread of Some commentators maintain that the Poverty (lechem oni in Hebrew or lachma Israelites ate matzah as slaves in Egypt anya in Aramaic), derives from deuteronomy because their taskmasters, whips in hand, did 16:3: you shall eat…matzot, bread of affliction, not give them enough time to allow their dough for in haste you went out of the land of Egypt. to rise (Sforno).35 The following are some of the connotations Today, too, the “whip” of everyday life rushes contained in this term: us along from one material concern to another, Bread of Affliction: Matzah recalls the leaving us little time to focus on our Creator affliction we suffered in Egypt (Sifrei cited by and our spiritual lives.36 Our material worries Rashi). and ambitions consume our minds, dulling our Bread of Recitation: The Talmud points out spiritual sense. that the letters that form the word oni, affliction/ By referring to this aspect of the matzah at poverty, can also connote recitation (oneh). the start of the Seder, we appeal to the one who Matzah is thus “the bread over which many feels spiritually distant, the one who says: “What things are recited”—i.e., the Haggadah and the connection do I have to the Seder, to freedom . and joy? I know well my spiritual poverty.” Pauper’s Bread: This has two interpretations. To this the Haggadah responds: “do not 1) Just as a poor man does not have a com- despair. In Egypt, too, we ate the bread of plete loaf, so too the mitzvah of matzah is poverty, materially and spiritually, and there performed with a broken piece of matzah, as appeared to be no escape from Pharaoh’s crush- mentioned above regarding Yachatz. ing whip. Yet, god freed us, elevating us to the 2) “Just as when a poor couple bakes bread— highest heights. So too, now, though this year he heats up the oven and she bakes, so too with we are ‘here,’ and this year we are ‘slaves,’ very matzah: he heats up the oven and she bakes.” soon we will go from slavery to freedom and I.e., because they are so hungry, the woman from darkness to great light...” (The Rebbe).37 prepares the dough while her husband is heat- ing the oven so that it can be placed in the Next year we will be free. “We should not oven as soon as the oven gets hot. Similarly, have to wait until next year Erev Pesach matzah is baked as expeditiously as possible to to be free. It can happen now. Then auto- ensure that it does not become chametz (Pesa- matically, ‘next year we will be free’....” 38 chim 116b and and Ran ad loc.). —Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch 32b

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 32 2/25/2011 3:11:45 PM The Passover Haggadah: Maggid

c General Introduction C Uncover the matzot partially and say: This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Whoever is hungry, let him come and eat; whoever is in need, let him come and conduct the Pesach [Seder]. This year we are here; next year in the . This year we are slaves; next year we will be free. The matzot are covered.

, Matzah In Egypt? < , Inviting the Poor < We eat matzah to commemorate our ances- The original custom was to leave the door tors’ baking of matzah out of the dough that open and invite the poor. When this became they had taken out of Egypt… (Exodus 12:39). impractical, the custom arose to provide for Yet the phrase “this is the bread of affliction the Pesach needs of the poor before Pesach. that our ancestors ate in Egypt” implies that Nevertheless, we continue to "invite" the poor our ancestors ate matzah in Egypt as well. The as our ancestors did (Avudraham). commentators offer several views: After the Exodus: Maharal maintains that , Why Aramaic? < although the verse refers to this dough as hav- This passage was composed while the Jews ing been “taken out of Egypt,” the truth is that were in Babylonia, where the spoken lan- the Israelites were still traveling in a region guage was Aramaic. It was therefore written in that was geographically part of Egypt. Hence Aramaic so that even uneducated Jews could it is called "the bread...our ancestors ate in the understand it. The last phrase, “next year we land of Egypt" (see also Machzor Vitri). will be free,” was said in Hebrew so that non- Just Before the Exodus: Other commen- Jews would not understand it, lest they think tators suggest that the matzah referred to in the Jews were planning a rebellion (Kol Bo). this passage is the one we were commanded The rest of the Haggadah was composed in to eat during our first Seder, which was held the Land of Israel and was therefore written in in Egypt proper along with the Paschal Lamb, Hebrew (The Rebbe’s Haggadah). before midnight on the night of the Exodus Shaloh writes that this passage was com- (Kol Bo). posed during the first exile from the Holy Abarbanel, however, asserts that the Land. The choice of Aramaic reflects the expression our ancestors ate in the land of depressed spiritual state of the Jewish people Egypt implies “not a solitary occurrence but at that time: they were no longer on the level something they regularly did throughout their of “Hebrew,” a holy language. sojourn.” The passage therefore switches partially As Slaves: Abarbanel favors the view that to Hebrew when speaking of the return to the Egyptians fed their slaves matzah, since it the Holy Land during the takes longer to digest and keeps one satisfied era, reflecting a semi-return to holiness, and for longer. As Ibn Ezra reported, he was once then completely to Hebrew when referring held captive in India and was fed only matzah to the future redemption—next year...free— during his captivity (Avudraham; see Sforno reflecting the perfectly sacred consciousness cited below).34 of that time.

32a

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 32 2/25/2011 3:11:46 PM הגדה של פסח: מגיד

After the Seder Plate is moved aside and the cup is poured, the child recites the traditional rendition of Mah Nishtanah )see below in the commentary). After the child)ren)’s recitation, it is customary for all to recite it in an undertone. מַהנּ ִ ׁשְ ַתּ נּ ה ָ הַ לּ ַ ֽ ְ לָ י ההַ ז ּ ֶ המִ ָכּ ל הַ ֵי לּ ל ֹו ת: ׁשֶ בְּ כָ ל הַלֵּ ילֹות אֵ ין אָ ֽ נוּ מַטְבִּ ילִ ין אֲפִ ילוּ פַּ ֽעַ ם אֶחָ ת הַלַּ ֽיְלָ ה ז הַ הֶּ ׁשְ תֵּ י פְ עָ מִ י ם . ׁשֶ בְּ כָ ל הַלֵּ ילֹות אָ ֽ נוּ אֹוכְלִ ין ץחָמֵ אֹו

c Traditional Rendition of Mah Nishtanah C טאַטֶע,אִ יְך ווֶעל ּבַאדִיר פְרֶעגְןפִיר קַׁשְ יֹות: :Father, I will ask you four questions מַה ּנִׁשְּתַּנָה הַּלַיְלָ ההַּזֶה מִּכָ להַּלֵ ילֹות וואָ ס אִ יז ? halai-lö ha-ze mikol halay-los What makes Pesach night different from all אַ נְדֶערְ ׁש דִ י טנאַכְ פּון חּפֶסַ פּון אַלֶ ע נֶעכְ ט ?nights of the year פּון אַ גאַ נְץ יאָ ר. The first question is: Sheb’chöl halay-los ayn דִיעֶרְׁשְטֶע קַׁשְיָא אִיז: ׁשֶ לּבְכָ הַּלֵ ילֹות אֵ ין אָ נּו önu matbilin afilu pa-am echös, halai-lö ha-ze מַטְּבִ ילִ ין אֲפִ ילּוּפַעַ ם אֶחָ ת ההַּלַיְלָ הַּזֶהׁשְּתֵ י פְעָמִ ים: sh’tay f’ömim. On all nights of the year we do עאַלֶ נֶעכְ טפּון אַ גאַ ץנְ ריאָ טּונְקֶ ען מִ יר נִ יט אַ יְין not [need to] dip even once, but on Pesach אֲפִ ילּואֵ יין מאָ ל, אָּבֶ ער דִ י טנאַכְ פּון חּפֶסַ טּונְקֶ ען -night we dip twice! The first time, we dip kar מִיר אַ יין צְ וֵויי מאָ ל: אֵ יין מאָ לּכַרְּפַ ס אִ ין זאַלְ ץ pas in salt water, and the second time, maror in charoset. וואַסֶער, דֶעם צְ ווֵייטְן מאָל מָרֹור אִין חַ רֹסֶ ת. The second question is: Sheb’chöl halay-los דִ י צְ ווֵייטֶ ע קַשְ יָא אִ יז: ׁשֶ ּבְכָ להַּלֵ ילֹות אָ נּו אֹוכְלִ ין önu och’lin chömaytz o matzö, halai-lö ha-ze חָמֵץ אֹו מַּצָ ה, הַּלַ היְלָ הַ ּזֶהּכֻּלֹו מַּצָ ה: עאַלֶ טנֶעכְ פּון kulo matzö. On all nights of the year we eat אַ גאַ ץנְ ריאָ ןעֶסְ מִ יר ץחָמֵ אָדֶ ער מַצָ ה, אָּבֶ ער דִ י chametz or matzah, but on Pesach night we נאַכְטפּון ּפֶסַח עֶסְן מִיר נאָר מַצָ ה. !eat only matzah דִ י דְרִיטֶ ע קַשְ יָא אִ יז:ׁשֶּבְכָ ל הַּלֵ ילֹות אָ נּו אֹוכְלִ ין ׁשְ אָ ר The third question is: Sheb’chöl halay-los önu יְרָ קֹות, הַּלַ יְלָ ההַ ּזֶה מָ רֹור: אַ עלֶ נֶ טעכְ פּון אַ גאַ נְ ץ יאָ ר och’lin sh’ör y’rökos, halai-lö ha-ze möror. On עֶסְ ןמִ יר אַ נְדֶערֶ ע גְרִינְסְ ן,אָּבֶ ער דִ ינאַכְ טפּון ּפֶסַ ח ,all nights of the year we eat various vegetables עֶסְן מִיר ּבִיטֶערֶע גְרִינְסְ ן. !but on Pesach night we eat bitter vegetables דִ י פֶערְטֶ ע קַשְ יָא אִ יז: ׁשֶ ּבְכָ להַּלֵ ילֹות אָ נּו אֹוכְלִ ין The fourth question is: Sheb’chöl halay-los ּבֵיןיֹוׁשְ בִ ין ּובֵ יןמְסֻּבִ ין, הַּלַ היְלָ הַ ּזֶהּכֻּלָ נּו מְסֻּבִ ין: אַ לֶ ע ,önu och’lin bayn yosh’vin uvayn m’subin halai-lö ha-ze kulönu m’subin. On all nights טנֶעכְ פּון אַ גאַ נְ ץ יאָ ר עֶסְ ן מִ יר סַ יי זִיצֶ ענְדִיקֶערהֵ ייט of the year we eat either sitting upright or אּון סַ יי אָ נגֶעלֶ ענְטֶערְהֵ ייט, אָּבֶ ער דִ ינאַכְ טפּון ּפֶסַ ח reclining, but on Pesach night we all eat while עֶסְן מִיר אַלֶע אָ נְגֶעלֶ ענְטֶערְהֵ ייט. !reclining )טאַטֶ ע, אִ יְך האָ ּב ּבַ א דִ יר טגֶעפְרֶעגְ פִ ירקַׁשְ יֹות, טיֶעצְ גִ יּב Father, I have asked you four questions, now) מִיר אַן עֶ נְטְפֶ ער.( (.please give me an answer

34b

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 34 2/25/2011 3:11:47 PM The Passover Haggadah: Maggid

c The Four Questions C After the Seder Plate is moved aside and the cup is poured, the child recites the traditional rendition of Mah Nishtanah )see below in the commentary). After the child)ren)’s recitation, it is customary for all to recite it in an undertone. What makes this night different from all other nights? 1. On all nights we need not dip even once, and on this night we dip twice! 2. On all nights we eat leavened bread or matzah, and on this night, only matzah!

, The Order < , Four Cups < This order of the questions—(1) dipping, We do not ask about the Four Cups (2) matzah, (3) maror, (4) reclining—is the because drinking them is not a Biblical order found in the version of the as requirement, nor does it involve any Biblical it appears in the , Alfassi, requirement—it is entirely Rabbinic in origin. and Rosh (though the last two questions do Reclining and dipping, by contrast, although not appear there). This is also the order found not Biblical requirements per se, are con- in the Siddurim of Rav and Rav nected to Biblical requirements: Reclining is Saadiah Gaon, Rambam, Tur, Avudraham (by done while fulfilling the Biblical mitzvah of implication, since his commentary addresses matzah, and dipping, at least the second one, the question about dipping before the oth- involves the maror, likewise a Biblical mitzvah ers), Abarbanel, Pri Etz Chaim, Siddur of the in Temple times (Maharal). Arizal, Mishnat Chasidim, and others. It is also the order found in the first printed Haggadah From a mystical perspective, the order (Soncino, 1485). of the questions follows the order of It also follows the order of the night, where the spiritual worlds, from the lowest to the dipping (of the karpas, at least) precedes the loftiest, as follows (Pri Etz Chaim): eating of matzah, which is followed by maror. The question about reclining comes last, since it was added long after the first three questions diPPing Asiyah – World of Actuality were composed (The Rebbe’s Haggadah).

matzah Yetzirah – World of Formation On this night we הַ ּלַיְלָה ֶ הַזּה ְשׁ ּ ֵ תי פְ עָ מִ י ם dip twice. Although we also dip the maror in charoset when eating the Korech “,” maRoR Beriah – World of Creation we do not consider this a separate dipping from the Maror dipping, since Korech is only performed out of doubt as to how maror Reclining Atzilut – World of Emanation should be eaten (Taz, Orach Chaim 475:6).

34a

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 34 2/25/2011 3:11:48 PM הגדה של פסח: מגיד

תָּ ם המַ הוּא אֹומֵ ר: מַ ה זֹּאת, וְאָמַרְ תָּ אֵלָ יו: בְּ חֹֽ זֶק יָד הֹוצִיאֽ ָ נוּ יְיָ מִמִּצְרַ ֽ יִם מִבֵּ ית עֲבָדִ ים: וְׁשֶאֵ ינֹו יֹודֵ ֽעַ לִׁשְ אֹול, אַתְּ פְּתַ חלֹו, ׁשֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: וְהִ גַּדְתָּ לְ בִ נְ ָך בַּ ּיֹום הַ הוּא לֵ אמֹר: בַּעֲ בוּר זֶה עָׂשָ ה יְיָ לִ י בְּצֵאתִ י מִמִּצְרָ יִם.

personal “Exodus”: Just as god used a strong , Too Smart For Questions < hand to “overcome” the attribute of justice, we This fourth child may be a ritually observant too must use a strong hand to overcome those who fulfills all the customs of the Seder. aspects of our personalities that impede our But his is cold and dry. He does not spiritual growth. We then experience a spiri- feel a need for spiritual liberation. He has no tual liberation from our personal enslavements questions about or real interest in the Exodus (The Rebbe).115 because he does not think of himself as being in exile. , Not So Simple < He claims that he is not the excitable type The four children are introduced with the and thus excuses his lifeless Jewish practice. phrase: “One is wise, one is wicked, etc.”—em- Yet while he cannot muster any excitement for phasizing that each of the four children knows Judaism, he is easily exercised and engaged by and speaks of the One god. material ambitions. He does not realize that his (Even the wicked child speaks of god but heart and mind are in exile, oblivious to the asserts that god is uninterested in the affairs of spiritual content of life. man.) We cannot begin by telling this Jew what The simpleton perceives god with pure god did (as we tell the simple child); we must and innocent faith (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of first inspire him to seek spiritual liberation. We Lubavitch).116 therefore tell him: “god did this for me when I left Egypt”—you , Knows Not How To Ask < too are in need of leaving Egypt (The Rebbe).119 The fourth child's inability to ask may be the result of having been deprived of a Jewish , The Angelic Child < education: “By placing this child at the end, On a deeper level, the fourth child refers to the Haggadah emphasizes that the worst thing, a lofty sort of soul, one that is perfectly in tune even worse than wickedness, is ignorance. This with the divine truth. Though inhabiting this is because the wicked child has studied Torah world like the rest of us, such souls maintain and performed mitzvot. Once he repents, which a heavenly consciousness in which there are he can do in the blink of an eye, he knows what no questions, even when they are faced with to do…. The wicked child has a choice. He can personal challenges. They experience none of choose good or . the dissonance and tension between matter and “But then there is a place that is a parched spirit that is the usual lot of mortals. and thirsty land without water.117 This is the On this level, the fourth child’s lack of ques- of the ignorant Jew, who was not given a tions is something to admire (Rabbi Yosef choice...” (The Rebbe).118 Yitzchak of Lubavitch).120 42b

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 42 2/25/2011 3:11:56 PM The Passover Haggadah: Maggid

c The Simple One C The Simple One—what does he say?

“What is this celebration about?” You shall say to him: “We are commemorating the fact that with a strong hand God took us out of Egypt, from the house of slaves” (Exodus 13:14).

c Does Not Know How To Ask C As for The One Who Knows Not How To Ask—you must open up [the conversation] for him. As it is written: You shall tell your child on that day: “It is because of this that God acted for me when I left Egypt” (Exodus 13:8).

-You must open up for him. verse cited, which does not speak of any ques אַ ְּת ּ ְ פתַ ח ל וֹ The commentators differ on how to define this tion, yet states tell your child… (Ritva). Rashbatz phrase. Some maintain that our obligation is to thus concludes that tonight’s mitzvah of retell- provoke this child to ask, so that the story can ing the story of the Exodus can be fulfilled with be told as an answer to a question. “You must or without the question and answer form. See, open for him” then means to create an opening however, Minchat Chinuch (mitzvah 21), et al., for him through intriguing rituals and by telling and The Rebbe’s Haggadah, p. 15. him about the Exodus, until he is inspired to ask questions (Pirush Kadmon; Shibolei Haleket). , The Bashful Child < Others understand the phrase to mean The fourth child may actually want to ask “begin for him,” i.e., since he is not asking any but lacks confidence and fears being seen as questions, we have no choice but to begin a fool. The Haggadah instructs us to be sensi- relating the story to him, even though he has tive to such people and to put them at ease by not asked about it (Rashbatz; Chida). As we initiating conversation with them until they are read in Proverbs (31:8), Open your mouth on comfortable sharing their thoughts confidently behalf of the mute (Avudraham).113 Hence the and clearly (R. Shlomo Alkabetz; Chida).

-With a strong hand. The sim- redemption—sunk as we were in “the forty ְבּ ֹח ֶז ק ָי ד pleton is the sort who has the sensitivity nine gates of impurity” and serving idols like to excited over a wondrous occurrence that the Egyptians—god used a “strong hand” to involves god and Torah. When he sees that so overrule strict justice and redeem us.114 And many Jews left Egypt, despite Pharaoh’s global although we were supposed to stay in Egypt for power (see Mechilta, Bo 14:5), he gets excited, 400 years, god used a “strong hand” to recal- and asks: “What is this?” He wants to know culate the 400-year decree and take us out after more about the Exodus and how he can con- only 210 years (Chida; see p. 46a). nect with it. So we tell him: We tell the simpleton how the Exodus Even though we were unworthy of occurred and how he too can experience a 42a

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 42 2/25/2011 3:11:56 PM הגדה של פסח: מגיד

מִ תְּ חִ לָּ ה עֹובְדֵ יעֲבֹודָ הזָרָ ההָ יוּ ֽ אֲבֹותֵ ינוּ, וְעַכְׁשָ ו קֵרְ בָ ֽ נוּ הַמָּ קֹום לַעֲ בֹדָ תֹו, ׁשֶ נֶּאֱמַ ֹֽאמֶר: וַ ּ יריְהֹוׁשֻ ֽעַ אֶ ל כָּל הָעָם,כּ ֹה ראָמַ יְיָאֱ ֹלהֵ ייִׂשְרָאֵ ל. רבְּעֵֽבֶ רהַנָּהָ יָׁשְ בוּ אֲבֹותֵ יכֶ םמֵ עֹולָ ם, תֶּ חֽרַ יאֲבִ אַבְרָ םהָ יוַאֲבִ נָ חֹור, וַ ַ ּיעַ בְ ד ּו אֱֹלהִ ים אֲחֵרִ ים.

The Omnipresent one has consciousness (the level of chochmah, innate ֵ ק רְ ָ ב נ ּו הַ ּ ָ מק וֹ ם brought us close. Being drawn close to god knowledge). The “river” that flows from Eden changed our connection to god, not only in constitutes a diminished spiritual conscious- degree but in kind. No longer was it defined ness, one derived through intellectual contem- by our finite efforts to seek and apprehend plation and thought. In Eden one knows divin- the Infinite, but by the Infinite’s seeking of us. ity as one knows what one’s eyes have seen. In No longer were we part of a creation distinct the “river,” knowledge of divinity is like the from god; godliness became a part of our very knowledge of something one has not seen but being. We became a manifestation of godliness has only heard about.134 within creation (The Rebbe).132 That our ancestors came from “the other side of the river” means that their souls were rooted Your ances- in a source beyond the “river”—their souls ְבּ עֵ בֶ ר הַ ּ ָ נהָ ר ָ י ְשׁ ב ּו אֲ בוֹ תֵ י כֶ ם tors used to live on the other side of possessed an intuitive and innate knowledge of the river. In its plain sense, Joshua’s god that transcends the cognitive process. describes Abraham’s ascent from lowly begin- nings—“from your land, your birthplace and Abraham the Hebrew house of your father”—to a higher and holier The Hebrew word for “other side” iseiver . place, “to the land that I will show you.” This Abraham, who came from the “other side (of describes the journey we must all make in our the river)” was therefore called the Ivree, or the lifetimes, to transcend our natural tendencies “Hebrew” (genesis 14:13; see on next passage). and go to the land that god shows us. Like Abraham, we too are called “,” as But this journey of ascent is preceded by Moses said to Pharaoh: The God of the Hebrews another journey, one of descent: the descent has appeared to us (Exodus 5:3). This name of the soul from the sublime heights of heaven alludes to the root of our souls in the “other to this physical world. In this sense, god com- side of the river,” in the innate knowledge of mands the soul to descend “from your land, god associated with Eden.135 your birthplace and house of your father”—the We are generally not conscious of this heavenly origins of the soul—“to the land that I “Hebrew” dimension of our souls.136 The will show you,” the physical world.133 prophet (Isaiah 11:15), however, tells us that Joshua’s prophecy likewise describes not only just as we experienced a crossing of water the ascent of Abraham but the descent of his during the redemption of the Exodus, so will soul from its sublime origin, “the other side of we experience a crossing during the future the river”: redemption: We will cross back to “the other side of the river” and return to the conscious- The River of Eden ness of knowing god as one knows what one’s genesis (2:10) speaks of “the river emanating eyes can see (Rabbi Schneur Zalman of ; from Eden.” Eden represents absolute divine Rabbi Shmuel of Lubavitch).137 44b

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 44 2/25/2011 3:11:58 PM The Passover Haggadah: Maggid

c Shameful Beginnings C In the beginning, our ancestors Terach, father of Abraham, and earlier were idolaters. But now the omnipresent one has drawn us close to His service, as in the verse (Joshua 24:2-4): And Joshua said to the entire nation, “So said God, the God of Israel: ‘Your ancestors used to live on the other side of the [Euphrates] river—Terach, father of Abraham and father of Nachor—and they worshipped other gods.’”

, Shameful Beginnings < continues to draw us close to Him to this day. As mentioned above, the retelling of the We too are therefore obliged to thank God Exodus should begin with the shame of Israel, for this gift. Hence, “But now the Omnipresent which, according to Rav, refers to our shameful one…” and not “But afterwards the Omnipres- beginnings as idolaters (Pesachim 116a; see p. ent one….” 36a above). See Zohar (III:298b): “And I took your father Abraham…—and since then God takes Israel in But now the Omnipres- every generation and does not separate from ְ ו ַ ע ְ כ ָׁ ש ו ֵ ק רְ ָ ב נ ּו הַ ּ ָ מק וֹ ם ent one has drawn us close. Although them, taking them with compassion…” (The this occurred in the days of Abraham, God Rebbe’s Haggadah).

, Pure from Impure < such “shameful beginnings” preclude us from a Who can produce pure from impure? Is it spiritual future, from a “praiseworthy ending.” not the One God? (Job 14:4) But our history teaches us otherwise: “Pure from impure—such as Abraham Abraham emerged from a depraved begin- from Terach…Mordechai from Shimi [who ning. His father was not only an idolater, he cursed david]…the World to Come from this created idols for others. Yet he produced the world. Who did this? Who commanded this? illustrious Abraham. Clearly, an impure begin- Who decreed this? Is it not the One god?”128 ning does not dictate an impure end. Indeed ( Rabbah, Chukat 19:1) from the impure, from the challenges and Though it would seem to detract from birth pangs, does the pure emerge (Rabbi Yosef our festive mood, remembering our Yitzchak of Lubavitch).130 challenging past can increase our celebration. This was demonstrated again during the For it is by remembering the depths of depravity Exodus when the idolatrous Israelites were from which we emerged that we can appreci- suddenly and abruptly uplifted to the loftiest ate and celebrate the heights to which god has revelations of divinity. brought us.129 So, too, tonight, as we relive the Exodus, if The Haggadah also reveals here an essential a person feels that “in the beginning he was principle of spiritual work: an idolater,” he is assured that “now god has When we take an honest look at our deeds, drawn him close”—the divine of we may encounter a “Terach,” an “idolatrous” this night enables him to achieve a sudden and past of of self and material pursuits, of radical transformation from darkness to light distance from god. We may have assumed that (The Rebbe).131 44a

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 44 2/25/2011 3:11:58 PM הגדה של פסח: מגיד

וַ ִנּ צְ עַ ק לאֶ יְיָאֱ ֹלהֵ י אֲ בֹתֵ ֽ ינוּ, וַ ּיִׁשְמַ ע יְיָ אֶ ת קֹלֵ ֽ נוּ, וַ ַ ּירְ א אֶ ת עָ נְיֵ ֽנוּ וְאֶ ת עֲמָלֵ ֽנוּ וְאֶ ת לַחֲצֵ ֽנוּ. וַנִּצְעַק לאֶ יְיָאֱֹלהֵי אֲבֹתֵֽינוּ, הכְּמָ ׁשֶנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי ָ ּבַימִ י ם הָ רַ בִּ י ם הָ הֵ ם וַ ּי תָֽמָ מֶֽלְֶך מִצְרַֽיִם, ּוַי ֵאָנְחוּבְנֵי יִׂשְרָאֵ ל מִ ן הָ עֲ בֹ דָ ה ַ ו ּיִזְעָ ֽ קוּ, ֽעַ וַתַּ לׁשַ םוְעָתָ לאֶ הָאֱֹלהִ ים מִ ן הָעֲ בֹדָ ה.

god in prayer, to emerge from the darkness Torah relates (gen. 11:3), …they said to one of our enslavement (Rabbi Schneur Zalman of another, “Come, let us mold bricks and fire them.” Liadi).215 The bricks were as [hard as] stone, and the clay served them for mortar. -And their Furthermore, their essential sin was arro וַ ַּ תעַל שַׁוְעָתָ ם אֶ ל הָאֱלֹהִ ים מִ ן הָ עֲבֹדָ ה prayerful cry…ascended to God. According gance. They wished to receive sustenance from to the Midrash, this alludes to the cry of the god without curbing their egos and desires. small children who were taken by the Egyp- Their rectification was therefore to be broken tians and who endured great suffering (Yalkut by the hardships of Egypt. Once the hardships Shimoni, Shemot §169). had humbled them and broken their egos, they In addition to its plain meaning, the Midrash called out to god and were redeemed (Rabbi also alludes to the children of today who are Shmuel of Lubavitch).217 taken by “Egypt,” i.e., deprived of a Jewish upbringing. If the subjugation of the body is bitter, how We Cried Out to God much more so the subjugation of the soul. It is , < therefore incumbent upon each of us, when we “My Beloved is to me, and I to Him...” come to celebrate the Season of our Liberation, to He is to me a God, and I am to Him a first of all liberate ourselves from our entrapment nation…. He is to me a Father, and I am in “Egypt”; but we must especially do all we can, to Him a child…. He is to me a Shep- each in his or her way, to liberate the sons and herd, and I am to Him a flock…. daughters of Israel from spiritual subjugation Whenever I was in need, I called only by providing them with a proper Jewish educa- upon Him, as it is written: It was during tion (From a letter of the Rebbe, 5711 those many years that the king of Egypt [1951]).216 died.… And God heard their anguished cry…. And God saw the children of And וַ ַּ תעַל שַׁוְעָתָ ם אֶ ל הָאֱלֹהִ ים מִ ן הָ עֲבֹדָ ה Israel…. their prayerful cry, evoked by their labor, ascended to God. The Arizal taught Whenever He was “in need,” He called that the people who were enslaved in Egypt only upon me, as it is written: “Speak to possessed the souls of the generation of the the entire community of Israel, saying: dispersion, those who constructed the tower of 'On the tenth of this month, each man Babel. Their experience in Egypt was meant to among them shall take for himself a lamb 218 rectify their earlier behavior. They therefore or a kid….'” —Shir Hashirim Rabbah 2:16:1 were made to work with mortar and bricks, just as they had done to build their tower, as the 52b

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 52 2/25/2011 3:12:06 PM The Passover Haggadah: Maggid

c Israel Cries Out to God C And we cried out to God, the God of our fathers, and God heard our voice and saw our suffering, our labor and our oppression. And we cried out to God, the God of our fathers—as it is written: It was during those many years that the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel groaned because of their labor, and they cried out; and their prayerful cry, evoked by their labor, ascended to God (Exodus 2:23).

Those many years. This all of Egypt, including the Israelites, went out בַ ָ ּימִ י ם הָ רַ ִבּ י ם הָ הֵ ם refers to the sixty or so years during which into the streets to cry out and mourn as is the Moses was a fugitive from Egypt (see Rashi, custom in monarchies. The Israelites too cried et al.). He escaped from Egypt (after killing out in mourning, but in their hearts they were an Egyptian taskmaster) while still a teen, and crying out to God to save them (Me’am Loez returned to Egypt when he was close to eighty from Abarbanel). years old (see Ramban on Exodus, ibid.). • The king did not die but rather became ill. This They are called “many years” because they led to a new decree, which caused the Israelites were years of pain (Shemot Rabbah 1:35). to cry out (see Rashi from the Midrash). • The earlier king, because of his affection for -The king of Egypt died. Joseph, engaged in only a relatively mild reli וַ יָ מָ ת מֶ לֶ ְך מִ צְ רַ ִ י ם What is the connection between the king’s gious persecution of the Israelites. death and the subsequent events? After his death, a new king arose who inten- Several explanations are given: sified the religious coercion and forced them • As long as the king was alive, the Israel- to worship idols. They therefore “groaned ites hoped that upon his death his decree of because of their labor”—“labor” in the sense of enslavement would be softened. After his worship, i.e., their forced worship of idols (Pirush death, they saw that the new king not only did Kadmon).213 not alleviate their suffering, he increased it. .Their prayerful cry...ascended וַ ּ ַ תעַ ל שַׁ וְ עָ תָ ם They therefore began groaning intensely and realized that their only hope was to pray The translation of shavatam as “prayerful cry” to the God of their ancestors to save them follows Or Hachaim in his second interpretation, (Rashbatz).212 according to which their cry was not simply a • The Israelites were generally forbidden from cry of pain but a prayer to God. (See, however, bemoaning their fate. But when the king died, his first interpretation and Kli Yakar.) 214

, The Fall of Reason < Metaphorically, “the king of Egypt” is the Enslavement to “Egypt”—to the tran- wisdom or logic of “Egypt.” In our own lives, sient and ultimately empty concerns of we can become so attached to “Egypt” that the this world—begins with a quasi-rational foun- “king of Egypt”—the logic of Egypt—“dies”: dation. But it can degenerate into an irrational we descend into an irrational attachment obsession that defies even the logic of “Egypt.” to “Egypt.” At that point we must cry out to 52a

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 52 2/25/2011 3:12:07 PM הגדה של פסח: מגיד

וַ ּיֹוצִיאֵ ֽ נוּ יְ יָ מִ מִּ צְ רַ ֽ יִ ם בְּ יָ ד חֲ זָקָ ה וּבִ זְ רֹֽ עַ נְ טוּ יָ ה וּבְ מ ֹרָ א גָּ דֹל וּבְ אֹתֹות וּבְ מֹפְתִ ים. וַ ּיֹוצִיאֵ ֽ נוּ יְיָ מִמִּצְרַ ֽ יִם, לֹא עַ ליְדֵ ימַלְאָ ְך וְ לֹא לעַ ייְדֵ ׂשָרָ ף וְלֹא עַ ל יְדֵ י , ׁשָלִֽיחַ אֶלָּ אהַקָּ דֹוׁש בָּ רוְּך הוּאבִּכְ בֹודֹו וּבְעַצְ מֹו, ׁשֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: וְעָבַרְ תִּ י בְאֶ ֽרֶ ץ מִצְרַ ֽ יִם בַּלַּ ֽיְלָ ה הַ זֶּה, וְהִכֵּ ייתִ לכָ בְּ כֹור בְּאֶ ֽרֶ ץ מִצְרַ ֽיִם מֵאָדָ ם וְעַ ד בְּהֵמָ ה, וּבְכָ ל אֱֹלהֵי מִצְרַֽיִםאֶעֱׂשֶה ׁשְפָטִים, אֲנִי יְיָ. וְ עָ בַ רְ תִּ י בְ אֶ ֽ רֶ ץ מִ צְ רַ ֽ ִ י ם , אֲ ינִ וְ לֹא מַ לְאָ ְך. וְהִכֵּ ייתִ לכָ בְּ כֹור בְּאֶ ֽרֶ ץ מִ צְרַ ֽ יִם, אֲנִי וְלֹא ׂשָרָ ף. וּבְכָל אֱ ֹלהֵ י מִצְרַֽיִם האֶעֱׂשֶ ׁשְפָטִ ים, אֲ ִ נ י וְ ל ֹא הַ ׁשּ ָ לִ ֽ י חַ . אֲ נִ י יְ יָ , אֲ נִי הוּא וְ לֹא אַחֵ ר.

, The King & the Pauper < His glory and essence” descended there. Human nature is to reciprocate, to react And just as the king in the parable, after rais- lovingly when a friend acts lovingly ing the individual from the garbage heap, takes towards us. How much more so if a great and him into his palace and shares with him the mighty king would show great love for a closest companionship, so did god draw the despised and lowly commoner cast upon a gar- Children of Israel to Him in true closeness and bage heap. Imagine that the king descends from unity, by giving them His Torah and mitzvot his glorious palace, followed by his entire reti- (, ch. 46). nue, and descends to this commoner, lifts him from his garbage heap and brings him into the , Imitatio Dei < royal palace, into the innermost chamber, a god’s behavior serves as a model and place where no servant or lord ever enters, and inspiration for how we are to engage in there shares with him the closest companion- saving our fellow from a spiritual Egypt. ship with embraces and kisses and profound Without god’s example, a Jewish educator, for spiritual attachment. instance, may say that he is willing to teach The heart of this humble individual would of Torah to others, but only to those who will course be stirred with a deep love for the king. come to the to study. He refuses Even if his heart were like stone and not given to leave his place of holiness to seek out those to tender feelings of love, it would surely melt— would-be students who are not inclined to enter his soul would pour itself out with longing for the synagogue. Likewise, we may be tempted to the love of the king. discharge our obligation to help others with a perfunctory involvement—engaging only our Raised From The Heap external selves, our “angels” and “messengers,” The above describes what god did for us, and reserving our essence for other activities. though to an infinitely greater degree: Israel god’s behavior teaches us that we can and was brought out of Egypt by the King Himself— should personally descend to the depths of “Not through an angel…nor through a messen- “Egypt” to help our fellow, and to do so with ger…but the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself in the very essence of our beings (The Rebbe).237 55b

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 55 2/25/2011 3:12:09 PM The Passover Haggadah: Maggid

c God Himself Takes Us Out C God took us out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with a great revelation, and with signs and wonders. God took us out of Egypt—not through an angel, not through a seraph [a fiery angel of judgment], and not through a messenger— rather it was the Holy one, blessed be He, in His glory and essence! As it is written: I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and I will smite every in the land of Egypt, from man to beast [since the Egyptians deified the animals230], and I will carry out judgments against all the gods of Egypt [the wooden idols would rot, the metal ones would melt231]—I, God (Exodus 12:12). I will pass through the land of Egypt—I and not an angel. And I will smite every firstborn in the land of Egypt—I and not a seraph. And I will carry out judgments against all the gods of Egypt—I and not a messenger. I, God—it is I, and none other.

Not through an angel… which directly led to the redemption, could only לֹא עַל־יְדֵ י מַלְאָ ְך God wanted to show his great love for Israel be done by God Himself (Shibolei Haleket).233 by redeeming them Himself (Alshich). Angels Below are some of the opinions regarding the were unfit for the job since angels of judgment three terms angel, seraph, and messenger: would have punished unworthy Israel along Angel SerAph MeSSenger with Egypt. Only God, who transcends both judgment and mercy, could employ both at the abarbanel The angel The angel The angel same time (Rabbenu Bachaye). citing Kabbalists Michael Gavriel Matatron Redemption maharal Redemption Supernatural through I will Redemption through the וְ הִ ּ ֵ כיתִ י כָ ל ְבּ כוֹ ר ְבּ אֶ רֶ ץ ־מִ צְ רַ יִ ם. אֲ נִ י וְ ל ֹא שָׂ רָ ף redemption destruction— smite every firstborn...I and not a seraph. could have “agency” carried out the “burning occurred in (shelichut) of Who, then, was the mashchit (“destroyer”) that by an angel up (seraph)” three ways: natural events God promised to protect Israel from on that of Egypt 232 night? Among the answers: The mashchit is alshich: An angel to the plague itself (Shibolei Haleket); it refers to Three aspects to keep Israel An angel of An angel of the redemption, distinct and judgment impurity to the Egyptians, who would seek to kill the Israel- which could have unharmed to smite the smite the ites in retaliation for the death of the Egyptian been done by during the Egyptians Egyptian gods 234 firstborn Abarbanel( ). angels: destruction Rabbi schneur Of the World Of the World Of the World zalman of ְ of Asiyah236 of Yetzirah of Beriah לֹא עַל־יְדֵ י מַלְאָ ך, וְלֹא עַל־יְדֵ י שָׂרָ ף. וְלֹא עַל־יְדֵ י liadi 235 .Not through an angel…messenger שׁ ָ לִ י חַ The role of Moses (and Aaron) was to speak to See also Ramban and Rabbeinu Bachaye (on Pharaoh and administer the first nine plagues. Exodus 12:12); Siddur Kol Yaakov; Yaavetz; and But the redemption itself, and the last plague, the (The Rebbe’s Haggadah). 55a

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 55 2/25/2011 3:12:10 PM הגדה של פסח: מגיד

באמירת דם ואש ותמרות עשן ישפוך ג׳ שפיכות ואין ליטול באצבע לשפוך כ״א בכוס עצמו וישפוך לתוך לי שבור )ויכוין שהכוס הוא סוד המלכות ושופך מהיין שבתוכו סוד האף והזעם שבה ע״י כח הבינה לתוך כלי שבור סוד הקליפה שנקראת ארור(: spill three times from the wine in your ,” םּדָ וָאֵ ׁש ְו תִ י ְמרֹות עָׁשָ ן“ When saying the words • cup—once during each phrase, preferably into a damaged dish. )It is not the Chabad custom to remove wine by dipping in a finger.) • Have in mind that the cup symbolizes the attribute of malchut )kingship), which contains an element of “anger and indignation.” Using our faculty of binah )under- standing), we pour out that element of “anger and indignation” by spilling from the wine in the cup into a broken dish, which represents kelipah, i.e., that which is called “accursed.” The remaining wine is called “wine that brings joy.” וּבְמֹופְתִ ים,זֶ ה הַ ם,דָּ מָ כְּ הׁשֶ נֶּאֱ מַ ר: וְ נָתַ תִּ י מֹופְ תִ ים בַּ ׁשּ ָ מַ ֽ ִ י ם

ּ ו בָ אָ ֽ רֶ ץ — :Spill while saying דָּ ם וָאֵ ׁש וְתִ ימְ רֹות עָׁשָ ן:

Israelite would turn to blood. Even if they were spilled, 2) God will rain fire upon the attackers drinking water from the same cup, the Egyp- of Israel, from which will rise 3) pillars of smoke tian would come up with blood and the Israelite (Metzudot David). with water (Ritva). The Haggadah cites this verse to demon- strate that “wonders” includes an allusion to .(I shall blood (Rashbatz וְ ָנ תַ ִ ּתי מוֹפְתִ ים... ָ ּדם וָאֵשׁ וְתִ ימְרוֹת עָשָׁן show wonders…blood…fire…smoke. The According to Ritva, “blood, fire, and pillars prophet Joel tells of a great war that will occur of smoke” also alludes to the plague of blood prior to the Messianic age, the war of Gog and in Egypt, since it was a fiery blood that filled Magog. During this war: 1) much blood will be Egypt with smoke.

, The Rotten Fish < The above is an analogy for the the folly A man once instructed his servant to of Egypt: They first “ate the fish”—they suf- bring him a fish from the market. The ser- fered the first three plagues. Then they were vant went out to the market and returned with a “whipped” with the next three plagues. In the rotten fish. As a punishment, the servant was last four plagues, they were forced to “pay”— offered three choices: 1) eat the rotten fish, 2) their crops were destroyed by the hail and take 100 lashes, or 3) pay a 100 maneh (10,000 locust; their possessions were discovered (and zuz) fine. later taken out of Egypt) by the Israelites during The servant decided to eat the fish. He forced the plague of darkness; and they were forced to himself to take bite after bite, but in the end was let the Israelites free after the plague of the first- so repulsed that he couldn’t finish it. At that point, born (Me’am Loez). the lashes looked more appealing than finishing the fish, so he changed his mind and decided to Rebuke penetrates the wise, more than a take the lashes. After sixty lashes, the pain was so hundred blows to the fool.240 unbearable that he couldn’t take it anymore and —Proverbs 17:10 decided to pay the fine (Mechilta 14:5).239 57b

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 57 2/25/2011 3:12:12 PM The Passover Haggadah: Maggid

• When saying the words “blood, fire, and pillars of smoke,” spill three times from the wine in your cup—once during each phrase, preferably into a damaged dish. )It is not the Chabad custom to remove wine by dipping in a finger.) • Have in mind that the cup symbolizes the attribute of malchut )kingship), which contains an element of “anger and indignation.” Using our faculty of binah )under- standing), we pour out that element of “anger and indignation” by spilling from the wine in the cup into a broken dish, which represents kelipah, i.e., that which is called “accursed.” The remaining wine is called “wine that brings joy.”

And wonders—this refers to the blood i.e., when the Nile turned to blood during the first plague, as it is written (Joel 3:3): And I shall show wonders in heaven and on earth—

Spill while saying: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.

, Spilling Wine < Adash, B’achav.” This totals sixteen pour- Normally, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, ings, corrresonding to God’s “sword,” i.e., the Yoha”ch), who administers) יוה”ך whose version of the Haggadah is used in this angel called edition, did not include Kabbalistic medita- revenge. [The first two letters of the angel’s equal 16; the second two letters form ”יו“ tions. In this case, however, he felt compelled name which means “strike”—Machatzit ,”הך“ to do so for the following reason: The Talmud the word teaches that one should not recite a blessing Hashekel.] over a cup associated with calamity (Berachot It is customary to remove the wine with one’s 51b). Indeed some authorities suggest that index finger, alluding to the verse, it is the finger after reciting the plagues, one should spill out of God. Some have the custom to use the ring the remaining wine from the cup, clean out the finger, since it was with this “finger” that God cup, and refill it with fresh wine (Pesach Me’ubin struck Egypt. And some have the custom, for cited by Chok Yaakov 473:37). the [Kabbalistic] reason known to them, to pour To address the above concern, it is important from the cup itself and not to use a finger.238 to keep in mind [while reciting the plagues and Wonders—this refers to ּובְ מוֹפְתִ ים, זֶה הַ ּדָם -spilling the wine] that the element of retribu tion, of “anger and indignation,” is associated the blood. According to most commenta- only with the wine that is being spilled and that tors, this refers to the first plague in which the the wine that remains in the cup is “wine that Nile turned to blood. Others maintain that brings joy” (The Rebbe’s Haggadah, based on this refers to the miraculous feat that Moses Shaar Hakollel). demonstrated to Israel when he first appeared The above explains the Kabbalistic custom, to them in Egypt: he poured water onto the which we follow. In his book of law, Rabbi Sch- ground and it turned to blood (Exodus 4:9). It neur Zalman provides a different approach: was because of this “wonder” that the Israelites It is customary to remove a small amount of believed in him (Kol Bo). wine when one reaches the phrase “blood, fire, The plague of blood is called “wonders,” etc.” One should also do so when mentioning plural, since it included several wonders: Not the plagues individually…and when mention- only did the waters of the Nile turn to blood, ing them collectively in the phrase “D’tzach, any water purchased by an Egyptian from an

57a

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 57 2/25/2011 3:12:13 PM c Motzi C מוציא ויקח המצות כסדר שהניחם הפרוסה בין שתי השלימות ויאחזם בידו ויברך: Hold the three matzot )while still covered by the cloth) and recite the following: בּ ָ ﬧוּ ְך האַתָּ יְיָ,אֱֹלהֵ ֽינוּ מֶ ֽלֶ ְךהָעֹולָ ם, הַמֹּֽוצִ יא לֶ ֽחֶ ם מִ ן ָ ה אָ ֽ רֶ ץ . Blessed are You, God, our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.

Do not break the matzot until after saying the second blessing:

c Matzah C מצה ולא יבצע מהן אלא יניח המצה השלישית להשמט מידו ויברך על הפרוסה עם העליונה טרם ישברם ברכה זו. ויכוין לפטור ג”כ אכילת הכריכה שממצה השלישית וגם אכילת האפיקומן יפטור בברכה זו: • Let go of the bottom matzah and recite the following blessing, bearing in mind that it also applies to the eating of the “sandwich” of Korech—which will be made with the third )bottom) matzah—and also to the eating of the afikoman at the end of the meal: בּ ָ ﬧוּ ְך אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱֹלהֵ ֽינוּמֶ ֽלֶ ְך הָעֹולָ ם, ראֲׁשֶ קִ דְּׁשָ ֽ נוּ בְּמִצְֹותָ יו, וְצִ וָּ ֽנוּ עַ ל אֲכִילַ ת מַ צָּ ה. Blessed are You, God, our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the eating of matzah.

ואח”כ יבצע כזית מכל אחד משתיהן, ויאכלם ביחד ובהסיבה. • Break off a kezayit )approx. one ounce, which is approx. half of a shmurah matzah or a whole machine matzah—see above, pp. 11-12) from each of the top two mat- zot, and eat the two pieces together while reclining on your left side. • The entire amount )i.e., two ounces) should be eaten within approximately four to seven minutes. • One should not speak of anything unrelated to the Seder until after eating the sandwich. • Each participant is required to eat at least a kezayit of matzah. Since it is impossible for all to receive the sufficient amount from the twomatzot of the Seder Plate, other matzot should be available. However, it is preferable that all receive at least a small piece of the two matzot of the Seder Plate. • The matzah is not dipped in salt. 75b

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 75 2/25/2011 3:12:31 PM The Passover Haggadah: Motzi-Matzah

c The Mystical Matzah C , How Matzah Works < , Body & Soul < Human beings are conditioned by their “Matzah shemurah is called by two intrinsic deeds. What we do affects how we feel. and inherent names: Food of Faith and Food Hence the power of the rituals of the Seder: of Healing. It strengthens the faculty of daat Eating matzah and doing the other rituals to (internalization).” –The Tov remember the Exodus reinforces our belief in “Matzah strengthens the health of the body god as the Creator, His sovereignty over nature, by helping it perceive the purpose of the soul’s and His ability to suspend nature at any time, as descent into the body. Matzah is therefore also He did in Egypt (Sefer Hachinuch, mitzvah 21 the Food of Faith, meaning that it causes the and 16). unshakable faith [of the soul] to permeate every The above explanation of theSefer Hachi- aspect of our lives.”329 –rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of nuch describes the perspective of the “body” Lubavitch of Torah, its external dimension. But from the perspective of the inner dimension of Torah, the “soul” of Torah, matzah is more than a sym- , Faith & Healing < bolic reminder of the Exodus—its very inges- Food of Faith relates [primarily] to the tion contains a mystical power to strengthen first night of Pesach; Food of Healing our faith (The Tzemach Tzedek).327 relates [primarily] to the second night. —Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi , Taste of Grain < The Talmud teaches that babies don’t know Healing that leads to faith implies a to call out “Father” or “Mother” until they situation where the person was at first “taste the taste of grain” (Berachot 40a; Sanhe- ill and after being healed thanks God. drin 70b). But healing that comes about through This alludes to the idea that the food we faith implies that the person was not ill ingest affects our psyche. In a similar vein, to begin with.330 —Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch when we eat matzah (which is made of grain), we gain the ability to “recognize” our “parent,” Faith and healing are interdependent: our Father in heaven and call out to Him. Simple faith is the elixir for every type Now, babies at that age don’t understand how of ill. 331 their parents are their parents and why they —Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch should love them. They react with an intuitive knowledge, not a rational one. Our recognition of god gained through the matzah is likewise a non-rational one. For it , A Lofty Night < enables us to “know” god even as He tran- Pesach is distinguished from all other holi- scends the limits of our intellect. days, since on Pesach we receive our physical Such knowledge is possible only through the sustenance through a godly food. Our lives are humility of faith, which we acquire by ingesting uplifted to the loftiest heights during Pesach, the humble matzah (Rabbi Schneur Zalman of and especially on the night of the Seder (Rabbi Liadi).328 Shmuel of Lubavitch).332 75a

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 75 2/25/2011 3:12:31 PM הגדה של פסח: מוציא-מצה

Harvest: As long as the wheat stalk is The Human Touch attached to the ground (and continues to be Human involvement and effort is essential to nourished from the ground—Rashba), it is not the preparation of matzah. Ideally, every Jew susceptible to fermentation, even if water falls should be personally involved in preparing the upon it. The moment the wheat is harvested, it matzah. Delegating the preparation of the becomes susceptible to fermentation through matzah to a machine strips the process of contact with water. human involvement and effort (Rabbi Morde- Some authorities therefore maintain that chai Ettinger). It may even create the impres- according to Rabbinic law the obligation to eat sion that we consider the mitzvot a yoke and matzah can only be fulfilled with matzah made look for ways to get away with less work of wheat that was guarded from the moment ( Bar Levai). of harvest (Rif; Rambam). Such matzah is collo- The also pointed to many aspects quially known as “matzah shemurah,” “guarded of the machine matzah process that they felt matzah.” In consideration of this view, it is best compromised the halachic requirements for to use “matzah shemurah” for the obligatory ensuring that dough does not become cha- matzot (Ran; Shulchan Aruch HaRav).336 metz. Even some of the rabbis who permitted the use of machine matzot did so reluctantly, , Hand vs. Machine < while for their own Seder they used handmade For thousands of years, Jews baked their matzot (see at length Moadim Lesimcha and matzot by hand. The introduction of matzot Eliezer). made by a machine elicited mixed reactions in the rabbinic community. Many rabbis strongly , Round vs. Square < opposed eating such matzot on Pesach. Oth- Rabbi Yehudah Assad (leading rabbi in 19th ers were more permissive, but insisted that only century Hungary) writes that the tradition of handmade matzot be used for the fulfillment of baking round matzot stems from the Torah the obligation to eat matzah on the night of the itself, which describes the matzot the Israelites Seder. The proponents of handmade matzot made as oogot (usually translated as “cakes”). cited several concerns. Among them: Rabbi Yehudah goes to great length, citing many Biblical and Talmudic references, to Depriving the Poor demonstrate that oogot implies round cakes. The “machine matzot” deprived the many poor The fact that the Torah tells us the shape of the Jews, who were employed in the preparation matzot, a seemingly irrelevant point, indicates of matzah, from the income they would have that the shape is essential. normally earned prior to Pesach. This is espe- Rabbi Assad suggests several reasons for cially troubling since Pesach is a time when we this, including the following: emphasize providing the poor with funds for The Egyptians believed in many gods or the holiday. We also invite the poor during the forces. They may have therefore used square first passage of Maggid. In a similar vein, the or triangular breads, whose multiple points Sages ensured that we do not read the Scroll of would symbolize their many gods. The Torah Esther if occurs on so that the therefore emphasizes that the matzot were poor would not be deprived of their traditional round, with no beginning or end, symbolizing Purim alms (since it is forbidden to handle the oneness of God (Yehudah Yaaleh, Orach money on Shabbat) (Rabbi ). Chaim 157).

76b

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 76 2/25/2011 3:12:32 PM The Passover Haggadah: Motzi-Matzah

c Some Laws of Matzah C The Torah requires us to eat a portion of Furthermore, if such matzah contains no matzah on the night of the Seder. For the water at all, it is also disqualified because it is rest of Pesach, or even during the meal of the not susceptible to leavening, one of the matzah Seder, there is no requirement to eat matzah. requirements, as stated above (see Jerusalem The laws below, drawn from Shulchan Aruch Talmud, Pesachim 2:4).335 HaRav (Laws of Pesach §453 and §462), relate primarily to the matzot mitzvah, the “obligatory , Shemurah Matzah < matzah” used for the mitzvah. The Torah obligates us to “guard the matzot” from becoming chametz (Exodus 12:17), and to , The Ideal Grain < do so with the intention that one is doing so for It is best to use wheat for the matzah that the sake of the mitzvah of matzah (Pesachim one is required to eat on the night of the Seder. 40a, and Rashi ad loc.). However, when wheat is not available, matzah But at what point in the process of making may be made from any of the following grains: matzah does this obligation begin? Jewish law barley, spelt, oats, and rye (Pesachim 35a; speaks of three stages: Maharil; Rema).333 Kneading: By the letter of the law, the obli- gation to “guard the matzah” for the sake of , Must Be Susceptibile the mitzvah begins when the need to guard to Leavening < it occurs. This is defined as when the flour is The Torah juxtaposes the prohibition of cha- mixed with water, which is when leavening metz and the obligation of matzah (Deuteron- would normally begin to occur (Pesachim, ibid. omy 16:3): Do not eat…chametz; for seven days and Rashi ad loc.). you shall eat matzot…. This indicates that the It must then be guarded from leavening obligatory matzah must be made from grains by quickly kneading, rolling, and baking it for that are susceptible to becoming chametz. the sake of the mitzvah. These three activities Now, the Talmud differentiates between two must therefore be done by those who can be types of fermentation: chimutz (“leavening”) relied upon to have this intention, i.e., Jewish and sirchon (“spoiling”). Dough that is made adults (Magen Avraham). from rice, millet, or other legumes can achieve Grinding: Jewish custom, however, has sirchon but not chimutz. The latter grains are been, at the very least, to guard the obligatory therefore unfit to be used to fulfill the mitzvah matzot—as well as the non-obligatory matzot of matzah (Pesachim 35a).334 (Chok Yaakov)—beginning with the grinding of [For Ashkenazic Jews, the latter grains are the wheat into flour, since it is not uncommon prohibited on Pesach, in any case.] for the flour to come into contact with water at that time (Tur). (The grinding itself, however, , What is Rich Matzah? < need not be done by a Jew (Taz).) Matzah made with fruit juices, oil, honey, milk, In extreme circumstances, one would be or eggs is called matzah ashirah, “rich matzah.” allowed to follow the letter of the law and buy Such matzah is unsuitable for the fulfillment flour from the market and use it even for the of the mitzvah, since the Torah requires us to obligatory matzot (Tur), unless it is known or eat “poor bread,” the bland matzah of flour and assumed that the wheat or flour had previously water (Pesachim 35a and Rashi ad loc.). been in contact with water (Magen Avraham).

76a

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 76 2/25/2011 3:12:32 PM הגדה של פסח

מוזגין כוס ד׳ ופותחין הדלת ואומר. • The fourth cup is poured. • All doors between where the Seder is being conducted and the outside are opened, and the following paragraph is recited. Those sent to open the doors recite the paragraph at the front door. All others recite it while seated. • On weeknights, it is customary to take lit candles to the front door. ׁשְ פֹוְך חֲ מָ ְָך תאֶ ל הַגֹּויִם ראֲׁשֶ לֹא יְדָעֽוָּך, מַ וְעַל מְ לָ כ ֹו תאֲ רׁשֶ בּ ְ ׁשִ מְ ָך ל ֹא קָ רָ ֽ א ּו . כִּי אָכַל אֶת יַעֲקֹב, וְאֶת נָוֵֽהוּהֵׁשַֽמּוּ .ׁשְ פָ ְך עֲלֵיהֶ ם זַעְמֶ ָֽך וַחֲ רֹון אַפְּ ָך יַשִּׂ יגֵ ם .תּ רְִ ד ּ ֹו ף ְּ ב ַ א ף םוְתַׁשְמִידֵ מִתַּ תֽחַ ׁשְמֵ י יְיָ. The doors are closed. When those sent to open the doors return, continue with Hallel.

, Opening the Door < “Although Elijah the Prophet can find his way everyone, regardless of their spiritual caliber, into a Jewish home on his own, we must nev- to “skip over” all impediments and attain the ertheless go and open the doors ourselves to let highest levels of spiritual growth and closeness him in…. with god (The Rebbe).355 “Once, as a child, I went to open the door, which consisted of two sections. I first opened the , Holy Thieves < bottom section, and then I stood on a stool to In the Russian town of Lubavitch, there were open the top section. But I still couldn’t reach the two wagon drivers, Shaul and Shlomo, who were top, so my father lifted me up. As I climbed down also professional thieves. They used to say: from the stool, I breathed heavily, as if tired from “On the Seder night we don’t steal—even the exertion. My father then remarked, ‘To wel- though the doors are left open. We just canvass come a fellow Jew into one’s home—[and in this the homes, eyeing the merchandise we’ll be steal- case] Elijah the Prophet—requires exertion…” ing later….” (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch).354 The above story was related to us not just as a humorous anecdote but as a profound teach- , God’s Doors < ing: Even a thief feels the holiness of the night Our Sages teach that god does whatever and cannot bring himself to commit a crime. He commands Israel to do (Shemot Rabbah The hallmark of a thief is deception. To vary- 30:9). That god commands us to open our ing degrees, we are all guilty of deception—self- doors on this night implies that He opens His deception. “doors” as well. generally, we must climb the This human frailty clouds our moral vision ladder of spiritual advancement one step at a and impedes our spiritual growth. But the time. If we are not worthy, we are held back by divine revelation of this night causes us to the “doors” of the heavenly protocol. Tonight, become honest and stop fooling ourselves—we those doors are swung wide open, allowing cease to be “thieves” (The Rebbe).356 85b

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 85 2/25/2011 3:12:40 PM The Passover Haggadah

c Opening the Door C • The fourth cup is poured. • All doors between where the Seder is being conducted and the outside are opened, and the following paragraph is recited. Those sent to open the doors recite the paragraph at the front door. All others recite it while seated. • On weeknights, it is customary to take lit candles to the front door. Pour out Your wrath upon the nations that do not acknowledge You, and upon the kingdoms that do not call upon Your Name. For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his Temple. Pour out Your indignation upon them, and let the wrath of Your anger overtake them. Pursue them with anger, and destroy them from beneath the heavens of God. The doors are closed. When those sent to open the doors return, continue with Hallel.

, Celebrating the Future < Until this point, the Seder focuses primar- God also “watches over” this night as an aus- ily on the first redemption, the Exodus from picious time to initiate the future redemption.349 Egypt. This includes telling the story of the By opening the doors, we welcome Elijah the Exodus, eating the matzah and maror, etc. Prophet, herald of the future redemption, into From this point on (and in a sense even from our homes, in the hope and belief that he will Korech, when we remember how things were deliver his long-awaited announcement.350 done in the Beit Hamikdash) the Seder focuses Indeed the spirit of Elijah does enter our home also on the future redemption. This has several as a “participant” at our Seder (see Shulchan ramifications: Aruch HaRav 480:4-5351). hallel: As we have seen, the first two psalms elijah’s cup: At this point, many have the of Hallel, which relate to the first redemption, custom to pour the Cup of Elijah the Prophet. are read before the meal. The rest of Hallel, While the first four cups relate to the four verbs which relates to the subsequent exiles and the used in the Torah to describe the Exodus from future redemption, is read after the meal (see Egypt and the experience at Sinai, Elijah’s Cup Pesachim 118a; Abarbanel). relates to a fifth verb that alludes to the future Justice: We read the paragraph Pour out redemption: “V’heveti”—and I shall bring you Your wrath, asking God to bring the redemp- into the Land (Exodus 6:8; Taamei Haminha- tion, which will be initiated by the execution of gim citing Toldot Esther; see Avoteinu justice on the evildoers of the world. Beyadeinu ibid.).352 opening the door: Tonight is Leil Shimurim Pour out Your wrath. This prayer ְשׁ ֹפ ְך ֲ ח ָ מ תְ ָך -Night of Watching”), a night of Divine pro“) tection, as it was in Egypt during the Exodus. obviously is not directed towards benevolent Opening the door demonstrates our faith in nations, such as the United States, which has God and our lack of fear of anything but Him. not only been a haven for Jews and Judaism The merit of this faith helps bring the world but which assists us in the observance of our closer to the future redemption.348 faith (The Rebbe).353

85a

Merkos - Haggadah.indb 85 2/25/2011 3:12:41 PM