Degel Nissan 5773
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ʯʥʩʶʩʬʲʺʬʩʤʷʮʬʠʸʹʩʺʮʫʧʥʤʸʥʺ ʢ´ʲʹʺʧʱʴ dKZ,E:t/^,^dh/^&ZKD>/d/KE E/^^Eϱϳϳϯ sK>hDϱ/^^hϭ ¡¨³²³¥¡ 5$%%,'$1,(/$1'1$¶AMAH ROSELAAR DEVORAH, ELISHEVA, NETANEL AND CHANANYA TOGETHER WITH KEHILLAT ALEI TZION WISH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY A HAPPY AND KOSHER ʧʱʴ Family Aarons Aaron Issac Anonymous Abi, Dan and Rafi Keene Rachel and Danny Baigel Miriam and Alan Levenson Alison, Jeremy, Sofia and Natan Cohen Lauren, Simon and Tamar Levy Abi, Aaron, Sofia and Josh Djanogly Davina, Josh and Zac Lipman Ben Elton Miriam, Eli and Eytan Lopian Joshua Freedman Saranne, Neil, Eliora and Elisha Maurice Lucinda, Martin, Azriella and Tsofia Glasser Gershon Susman Shoshi and Aryeh Grossman Sandy Tapnack Hannah and Yossi Hanstater Sarah, Nathan, Sophie and Benjamin Woodward Jenny and Geoffrey Hollander and Family Message from the Rav here is a discussion in Tov night. But its purpose is quite unique. On this night it the poskim about the serves as a backdrop and an underlying current for T role of the first cup of everything else that is going to be discuseed on this wine at the Seder. Some evening. Our redemption from Egypt was based on the suggest that it simply serves as presumption that we would be a nation that champions the regular Yom Tov kiddush sanctity and excels in kedusha. God redeemed us so that and is therefore essentially we would be a Goy Kadosh ± a holy nation. The first cup incidental to the main body of of wine, and the kiddush that accompanies it, is not the Seder rituals. As such, they incidental to the Seder EXWDUDLVRQG¶rWUHIRUHYHU\WKLQJ maintain that kiddush could in that is described throughout the course of the Seder. fact be recited before nightfall, Pesah is not only about the redemption from Egypt. It is provided that the mitsvot of the also about the redemption that we aspire to experience in Seder, such as maggid and matsa are not fulfilled until the future. If kedusha was a motivating factor in the past after dark. But others suggest that even the cup of kiddush then we can assume that the same will be true in the has an intrinsic relDWLRQVKLSZLWKWKHUHVWRIWKH³Seder´RI future. Committing ourselves to a sense of kedusha ± the evening, and as such it too must be delayed until defined by spiritual integrity, ethical truthfulness and a nightfall. Rav Soloveitchik explained that each of the four rejection of coarseness ± can only hope to bring the cups is associated with the mitsva of remembering Yetsiat ultimate geula closer to hand. Mitsrayim (kiddush includes the phrase zekher ltsiat mitsrayim) and as such, all four act as points of reference Together with my family I wish all members and friends as we observe the rituals of the Seder. RI.HKLOODW$OHL7]LRQD+DJ.DVKHU9H¶VDPHDh combined with the prayer ± ʭʩʬʹʥʸʩʡʤʠʡʤʤʰʹʬ The motivation for this redemption is that we should be a holy people, RABBI DANIEL ROSELAAR and a nation that is defined by sanctity. I think that it is possible to suggest a further explanation of how the recital of kiddush is intrinsic to the Seder, beyond the fact that it makes a brief reference to the Exodus. The theme of kiddush is sanctity ± not just the sanctity of the Almighty, but also (and particularly on Yom Tov) the sanctity of the Jewish people. It serves as no mere preamble to the Seder but as the preface or introduction. The Seder and the Hagada are all about the redemption of Am Yisrael. The motivation for this redemption is that we should be a holy people, and a nation that is defined by sanctity. The text of the Kiddush at the Seder is no different to that used on any other Yom CONTENTS Editor 6 Notes from the editor Elana Chesler ELANA CHESLER Editorial Team 8 Lehem Mishneh and the Matsot of the Seder Judith Arkush BEN ELTON Simon Levy 14 Hagada Thoughts ± Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts Design SAMANTHA REUBEN Simon Levy 19 Yetsiat Mitsrayim: The dichotomy between sippur and zekhira and how this Founding Editor LPSDFWVRQZRPHQ¶VREOLJDWLRQLQHDFK Ben Elton MARTIN GLASSER Front cover illustration 25 :KDW¶VVRJUHDWDERXW6KDEEDW+D*DGRO" Yolanda Rosalki ADAM ROSS Yolanda Rosalki is an 27 Shaalei Tzion (II) ± Questions and Answers from Alei Tzion artist and illustrator. RABBI DANIEL ROSELAAR For more information on how her designs can 32 The Hebrew Calendar enhance your simha, or J.H.E. COHN if you wish to purchase the original of the front 41 Declaration opposing the Declaration Against Zionism cover artwork, email: RABBI DR. ISAAK Rh/F, TRANSLATED FROM GERMAN BY [email protected] JOSHUA FREEDMAN . 45 Poland and Polish Jews in World War Two: the case in favour BEN VOS Degel is a publication of the Alei Tzion Community. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Rav, community or editors. | www.aleitzion.co.uk Schaller House, 44a Albert Road, London, NW4 2SJ | [email protected] 6 | NOTES FROM THE EDITOR Notes from the editor his edition of Degel is the first production from the The Torah outlines the formation that the Jewish people new editorial team of Judith Arkush, Simon Levy travelled and encamped in during their sojourn in the T and myself. With thanks to our sponsors and desert as ˣʬʍʢːʑ ʬʲˇʩʔ ʠʑ ʥ˒ʤʍ ʒʰʧʏ ʮʔ ʬʲˇʩʔ ʠʑ (Bamidbar 1:52), contributors, Degel continues to provide a forum for local normally translated along the lLQHVRI³HYHU\WULEHZLWKLWV authors, Alei Tzion community members and friends to RZQIODJ´+RZHYHULn Biblical Hebrew the meaning of submit relevant, accessible and academically rigorous the word degel is contested. Commentators variously pieces on topics of Jewish interest. DVFULEHWKHPHDQLQJRI³GLYLVLRQ´³XQLW´³IODJSROH´DQG ³LQVLJQLD´WRWKHZRUGZKHUHDV0RGHUQ+HEUHZW\SLFDOO\ Rabbi Daniel Roselaar was the catalyst to revitalizing uses deJHODV³IODJ´5HJDUGOHVVRIWKHVHPDQWLFPHDQLQJ Degel. As ever we are grateful for his leadership of the the association is that of a tool to reinforce and enhance Alei Tzion community and his ongoing enthusiasm and identity. Pesah is the festival where the Jewish people support. Both the seasonal message he penned and the collectively refresh our connection with our national Shaalei Tzion column which presents a variety of the history and look forward to our collective future. We hope halakhic questions he has answered during the year that Degel highlights some new aspects of Pesah for our provide a good taster of life at Alei Tzion and we readership and serves to enhance appreciation of the depth welcome you to join us. of our identity. The theme of Pesah permeates the edition. We were I want to close by expressing a personal thanks to all the delighted that the founding editor of Degel, Dr Ben Elton authors, our sponsors and the editorial team - this was has been able to maintain his links with Degel, and has wholeheartedly a group production. ,¶GOLNHWRXQGHUVFRUH included a piece exploring the nuances of the matza 6LPRQ/HY\¶VFRQWULEXWLRQQRWRQO\DVDYDOXHGPHPEHU requirements at Seder. Continuing the Pesah theme, of the editorial team but also for taking the lead in Martin Glasser has written a thought provoking securing sponsorship and undertaking the technically H[DPLQDWLRQRIWKHGLIIHUHQWW\SHVRI³UHPHPEHULQJ´ challenging yet ultimately rewarding task of formatting associated with Seder night, Samantha Reuben, a member Degel. of Golders Green Synagogue has provided a timely analysis of the history of the +DJDGGDDQG$GDP5RVV¶V We welcome feedback and future submissions. Please contribution provides a deeper insight into Shabbat contact us at [email protected] HaGadol. With best wishes for a wonderful, uplifting and inspiring Moving beyond Pesah, Dr Cohn sets out the mathematical Yom Tov. and astronomical intrigue behind the Jewish calendar and our historical pieces by Ben Vos and Josh Freedman concern early Zionism and anti-Semitism respectively. ELANA CHESLER Wishing Alei Tzion much success ʧʔ ʮʒ ˈʕ ʍʥʸˇʒ ʫʢʕ ʧʔ Rosalie, Victor, Alex, Yvette and Miri Jaffe 8 | LEHEM MISHNEH AND THE MATSOT OF THE SEDER Lehem Mishneh and the Matsot of the Seder BEN ELTON whole matsot, so we can make hamotsi on two complete Three Matsot or Two? matsot, plus the half broken from the third matsa.4 That view was codified by the Shulhan Arukh and has become here is a disagreement among the Rishonim standard practice, although the Vilna Gaon held like the 5 regarding the number of matsot used at the Seder.1 Rambam. The Baal Halakhot Gedolot (Behag) reports The Talmudic source is Berakhot 39b: the interesting intermediate position, held by the Geonim, T to use two matsot at a regular Seder, but three when Seder R. Pappa said that on Seder ʭʩʣʥʮʬʫʤʠʴʴʡʸʸʮʠ 6 night all authorities agree night falls on Shabbat. ʪʥʺʡʤʱʥʸʴʧʩʰʮʹʧʱʴʡ that one places a broken ʠʮʲʨʩʠʮʲʶʥʡʥʤʮʬʹ piece of matsa with a whole ʡʩʺʫʩʰʥʲʭʧʬ Why do we not make the berakha on one, and then breaks up the matsa. What is the reason? two loaves as on other festivals? Because it VD\VµOHKHPRQL¶ (Devarim 16:3). %HFDXVHLWVD\VµOHKHPRQL¶MXVWDV a poor person breaks their bread The Gemara on Pesahim 115b-116a gives several suggesWLRQVZK\WKHQDPHµOHKHPRQL¶LVXVHGIRUPDWsa, into pieces, so do we. including: I will concentrate on the approach of the Rambam, and an Lehem oni refers to a poor ʩʰʲ ʤʮ ʡʩʺʫ ʩʰʲ ʩʰʥʲ ʭʧʬ apparent contradiction in his Mishneh Torah. He rules person [ani]. Just as a poor that two whole loaves are required for a regular Yom Tov ʯʠʫ ʳʠ ʤʱʥʸʴʡ ʥʫʸʣʹ 7 person breaks up his food meal. Why make a distinction for Seder night? The ʤʱʥʸʴʡ into pieces, so do we. Rambam confronts this question by quoting the Gemara RQµOHKHPRQL¶:8 In a straightforward interpretation of these Gemarot, the Rif, the Rambam and the Rashba rule that we use two Why do we not make the ʺʥʸʫʫʩʺʹʬʲʪʸʡʮʥʰʩʠʤʮ matsot at the Seder.2 One is broken and half put aside for berakha on two loaves as on ʭʥʹʮʭʩʡʥʨʭʩʮʩʸʠʹʫ the Afikoman (Yahats), the remaining one and a half are other festivals? Because it ʥʫʸʣʤʮʩʰʥʲʭʧʬʸʮʠʰʹ used for Motsi Matsa and Korekh.