בסײד The TJJ Mentor’s By Avi Warman

When we collectively decided to take on this project, I was instantly thrilled and beyond eager to see what would become of it. The TJJ Mentors are some of the brightest, most talented and biggest role models that the TJJ community has to offer. Each and every single one of them is extremely growth- oriented and is certainly going to make a major impact on the Jewish community at large. For this project, each of the mentors took two different aspects of Pesach to present to the TJJ community. They researched, studied and gave over the laws and insights to one of the Jewish people’s oldest traditions. It allows its reader to have insight into each step of the Pesach Seder and beyond. This work is a summary of their presentations. First, I want to say how tremendously proud I am of all the mentors, Amit Dayan, Anna Freiman, Avi Ozery, Aviv Michael, Carly Salk, Daniella Mercer, Elle Brody, Hannah Pool, Jason Firestein, Maya Goldberg, Maya Shamash, Nicole Heres, and Tamar Vann. You guys are incredible educators and the driving force of growth among the TJJ community. Thank you all for your work and commitment to your people. Secondly, I want to thank our TJJ president Dina Aflalo. So much of what was accomplished this year came from her incredible leadership and modeling. Dina, you are an inspiration to me and so many others. You've impacted more people than you can imagine and all because you just genuinely want to grow, it's contagious. I owe you a tremendous amount of gratitude for all your hard work and the support you have been for me this year. Thank you. Lastly, in the merit of the studied and the growth through this project, may we all merit to witness and take part in the Final Redemption speedily in our days and may we all merit to spend Pesach next year together in !

- Avi Warman

בסײד Table of Contents

Introduction by Avi Warman Kashering The House For Pesach/ Ridding The House Of All by Amit Dayan: Page 1 Bedikat Chametz/ Searching For The Chametz by Dina Aflalo: Page 2 Biur Chametz/ Buring Of The Chametz by Amit Dayan: Page 3 Zman Chairusainu/ Time Of Our Freedom by Tamar Vann: Page 3 By Night/ Prayer Of Praise By The Evening Prayer by Daniella Mercer: Page 5 Seder/ The Order Of The Night by Nicole Heres: Page 6 Seder Plate/ The Customary Plate by Nicole Heres: Page 7 Kadesh/ Kiddish by Jason Firestein: Page 8 4 Cups/4 Sayings by Aviv Michael: Page 9 Urchatz/ Washing Of The Hands by Dina Aflalo: Page 10 / Dipping Of The Vegetable In Saltwater by Carly Salk: Page 11 Yachatz/ Breaking Of The Middle Matzah by Aviv Michael: Page 12 Magid/ The Reading Of The Haggadah And Telling Over The Story Of by Elle Brody: Page 13 / Asking The Questions by Maya Shamash: Page 14 Vehi Sheumdah/ The Pattern Of by Anna Frieman: Page 16 4 Sons/ The 4 Styles by Maya Goldberg: Page 17 The Makot/ by Maya Goldberg: Page 18 10 Plagues Ruchtza & Motzi Matzah/ Washing For Matzah And Eating Of The Matzah by Hannah Pool: Page 19 Marror/ The Bitter Herbs by Carly Salk: Page 20 Korech And The Pesach/ Sandwich Or Wrap And The Pesach Sacrifice Offering by Hannah Pool: Page 22 Shulchan Orech/ The Festive Meal by Jason Firestein: Page 23 Tzafun/ by Maya Shamash: Page 24 Borech/ Bentching by Avi Ozery: Page 25 Eliyahu Hanavi/ The Prophet by Elle Brody: Page 26 Shfoch Chamascha/ Opening The Door For Eliyahu The Prophet by Tamar Vann: Page 27 Hallel/ Songs Of Praise by Avi Ozery: Page 28 Nirtzah/Acceptance by Anna Freiman: Page 29 Krias Yam Suf/ The Splitting Of The Sea (The 7th Day Of Pesach) by Daniella Mercer: Page 31 בסײד Kashering the House for Pesach/ Ridding the House of all Chametz By Amit Dayan

We celebrate as a remembrance of our release from slavery in Egypt after Hashem has brought on the ten plagues on the Egyptians who refused to let the Jewish people go. We were enslaved for two hundred and ten years. When we were taken out of Egypt by Hashem, there was no time to let the bread rise, so the fastest way to prepare for their journey was to bake bread in less than 18 minutes, what we call today Matzah. Consequently, any bread that is left for longer than 18 minutes, start to finish, is considered Chametz.

During Passover, we're not allowed to eat, drink, see, or even own chametz! Chametz is food, that is made from flour and water that has been allowed to rise. There are five types of different grains that are forbidden: barley, oats, rye, spelt, or wheat. To avoid coming into contact with chametz, us, the Jewish people, clean our homes and living spaces. This means ridding ourselves of any Chametz. Objects that cannot be cleaned or destroyed before the start of Passover are usually stored away and temporarily sold to someone who is not Jewish. They are then purchased back after the end of Passover.

The practical laws which are halachot, for Pesach are divided into two basic categories. One of these categories of laws is known as “Issurei Chametz” (Prohibitions of Chametz). During this time, Anything that is Chametz, we’re not allowed to have any benefit or have chametz in our possessions. The second category of laws are positive acts we must fulfill in order to satisfy our obligations on Pesach. These include the eating of matzah, the drinking of the four cups of wine (“Arbah Cosot”), eating of Marror (bitter herbs), and Magid, which is the relating of the story of our going out of Egypt. The last, Magid, captures the actual essence of Pesach; for one must try to feel as though he were one of the original Children of who were freed from the physical and spiritual bondage of Egypt.

1 בסײד Bedikat Chametz/ Searching for the Chametz By Dina Aflalo

Let’s start with what is Bedikat Chametz (the search for chametz). This takes place on the night of the 14th of Nissan (the night before the first Seder). We undertake a final search before the Chag begins to ensure there is no more chametz in our homes. Chametz: Any food that is made of grain and water that has been allowed to rise for more than 18 minutes. Traditionally ten pieces of chametz are wrapped in paper that can be burned, then is placed all around the house. Typically, more than one person will look for the chametz. It's nice to do it together as a family!. Before we begin the search, the one leading the search will say the blessing “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to remove the Chametz.” And after the search is completed we recite “Any Chametz or leavened bread which is in my possession which I have not seen, have not removed and do not know about, should be annulled and become ownerless, like the dust of the earth.” The practical Halachot are as follows: We should wash our hands before (without making a Bracha). Each piece does not need to be larger than an olive. Hard chametz cannot be used since it leaves crumbs. states we must search with candlelight rather than moonlight and daylight because we wouldn’t be able to see in the cracks and crevices. We may not use a candle with more than one wick; (For example a candle cannot be used) However, A flashlight may be permitted; some poskim feel it is better because you will not be afraid to check cracks. One may start witha candle and switch over to a flashlight. According to Moshe stern, The (Custom) is to use a wooden spoon to remove crumbs of chametz; We use a wooden spoon because when we burn chametz we should use wood. Chametz should be burned until it is charcoal. We recite after the burning of chametz Kol Chamirah with a slight change. You may throw the bread into crumbs into the wind or sea as a substitute to burning The whole purpose of searching is to ensure the whole home is clean of Chametz. A very interesting idea is Chametz has the same roots as the word Chet, which means sin. When we search for the Chametz, a person is supposed to do, what is called a Chashbon Hanefesh (a calculation of the Soul), we not only search for this physical Chametz, we also search ourselves for our spiritual Chametz, our sin. This time of year is the birth of the Jewish people and our time to renew ourselves. It starts with self- evaluation and removing the dirt from our lives.

2 בסײד Biur Chametz/ Burning of the Chametz By Amit Dayan

On the morning before Passover, we burn all the chametz that was found during the search, and anything that was leftover from our breakfast or the day before. We have to burn it before the 6th hour of the day, calculated by sunrise. We say the prayer when we burn the chametz which states that any chametz that is still left in our possession by mistake is no longer considered ours and will be considered as the dust of the earth. The prayer goes like this “All leaven and anything leavened that is in my possession, whether I have seen it or not, whether I have observed it or not, whether I have removed it or not, shall be considered nullified and ownerless as the dust of the earth.” It is important to have in mind that any Chametz that I haven’t found is not mine anymore. A nice idea relating to the burning of the Chametz is that since Chametz stands for Cheit, sin, we burn it instead of just putting it away. Similarly, when A person finds negative character traits within himself, he must utterly destroy them. You cannot coexist with sin.

Zman Chairusainu/ Time of our freedom By Tamar Vann

Pesach is known as Zman Chareitanu, which means the time of our freedom. During the seder, the sages say that we are supposed to view ourselves as if we were there, being freed and leaving Egypt. In fact, this is vital to the entire Pesach experience! We know that we were physically freed from pharaoh and the slavery he was putting us through, but what does this mean in a spiritual sense and how can we relate to it? (cont.) →

3 בסײד Biur Chametz/ Burning of the Chametz cont.

The root of the word Mitzrayim, Egypt, is tzar, which means constraints. Rabbi Dessler explains this incredible idea about how just as Mitzrayim constrained us physically, our , our evil inclination, constrains us spiritually. Whatever your Yetzer Hara might be, laziness, speaking lashon hara, or any other type of spiritual illness, it’s now time to free yourself from it. This Pesach, let’s focus on Zman Chareitanu, work to free yourselves from the Yetzer Hara. Let’s go one step deeper. Pesach accrued during Zman Chareitanu Because it was the time of our freedom, and just like it was Zman Chareitanu then, it's also Zman Chareitanu now. You might think that it is Zman Chareitanu this time of year because we got out of Egypt this time of year, but actually the only reason we got out of Egypt this time of year was because this time of year is Zman Chareitanu! The power is in the time and the time is now! But sometimes it’s hard for us to realize our potential, and how much we can truly grow, but if we were to realize how much power we have to change, we’d be at such a high level. On Pesach we are Kings and Queens so that we can remind ourselves of the power we have to free ourselves from the Yetzer Hara. Since we are required to see ourselves as if we’ve just been freed from Mitzrayim, we drink our 4 glasses of wine and we eat our matzah reclining to the left because this is how kings and noblemen dine. It's now Zman Chareitanu! Use this time to work on yourself, and unlock that power inside you that will free you from your Yetzer Hara.

4 בסײד Hallel by Night /

Prayer of Praise by the Evening Prayer By Daniella Mercer

Hallel is a prayer we say on all of the holidays, days that work is forbidden and says that a miracle has occurred. Typically this prayer is said during the day. Why then, is it said after on Pesach, at night? There are several reasons for this. One, when we say Hallel during the Seder, it is broken up into two parts, making us unable to say a Bracha on it. Therefore, we say it one complete time earlier (by Maariv) and make the Bracha on that so we don't have to make a Bracha on the one said during the Seder. Additionally, Hallel is a prayer of thanksgiving, and it is more powerful when sang with many people, as a community. Therefore, it is preferable to sing it once in Shul with the community before saying it at the Seder. Also, the Korban Pesach, or sacrificial lamb, is offered the evening before Pesach and eaten that night at the Seder. As the sacrifice is also an offer of thanksgiving and appreciation of G-d, Hallel is sung with it, also in the evening/night. Pesach is a holiday of miracles, a reminder of how much G-d has done for us as individuals and as a people. He took us out of Egypt! He sent the plagues and split the sea! We have to remember this when singing Hallel and rejoice in all that he has done for us! Pesach is the birth of our nation! How can we not up to sing and dance?!

5 בסײד Seder/ The Order of the Night By Nicole Heres

Seder means Order, like a structure. This is probably the most famous part of the Pesach holiday. The steps of the Seder are as follows: We first begin by doing . We then wash our hands. Then comes karpas, where we dip a vegetable into saltwater to remind us of the tears shed by our enslaved ancestors. There are going to be 3 matzot stacked on the seder table; we now will break the middle matzah in half and the larger piece will be hidden, the smaller piece is returned to its place with the other two matzot. The fifth step is we now get to the Passover story (maggid) where the children ask the four questions known as "why do we only eat matzah?" "Why do we eat bitter herbs?" "Why do we dip our food?" and "Why do we recline on this night?". Following Magid comes "Rachtza" when we wash our hands again and recite the blessing over the matzah. We then eat the Marror, after that, the next step is a sandwich (Korech) is made with both matza and bitter herbs, then the festive meal is eaten. We then eat the meal and conclude with Bentching, Hallel and a song of praise to G-d to redeem us one final time! The laws of the Seder specifically and to accomplish a proper Seder by Jewish law, we have to mention and discuss, the Korban Pesach, Matzah and Marror. The essence of the Seder and why it was established is really for the commandment in the Torah to tell over the story of how G-d took us out of Egypt. This event is the cornerstone of all Jewish faith and it is essential that we never forget this event because it is at the core of what a really is!

6 בסײד Seder Plate/ The Customary Plate By Nicole Heres

We already spoke about how during Pesach we have a seder and seder means order. As most of us already know, during this holiday, we eat a lot of interesting and special foods. What you must know right off the bat, is that every food we put in our mouths during the seder has a significance. The Seder plate is on the table in front of us the entire time for this reason. It must be set up before you even begin the Seder. There are six items on a seder plate. These items include: the Karpas (vegetable) which symbolizes the tears of our ancestors and it is dipped in saltwater, (bitter herbs) which symbolizes the bitterness of slavery in Egypt. Chazeret (bitter vegetable) which also symbolizes the bitterness of slavery during our time in Egypt. Then we also have (mix of apple, nuts, & spices) and it symbolizes bricks to show the hard work of a slave. Then we have the Zeroa (shank bone) which symbolizes the lamb sacrificed at the holy temple in ancient times. And lastly, we have the Beitzah (hardboiled egg) symbolizing the festival offerings brought to the holy temple. Aside from these six items on the seder plate, we have the three pieces of matzot. the top matzah represents , the middle matzah represents Levi, and the bottom matzah represents Yisroel. The takeaway of the Pesach seder plate is that everything on the table has a significance from our ancestors when they were in Egypt. It is important to not forget where we come from and symbolization is a very effective way of doing that.

Here is a picture with the proper way to set up your Seder plate!

7 בסײד Kadesh/ Kiddish By Jason Firestein

To start the Seder off, Kadesh is the first section or part of the whole Pesach meal. It the Kiddish/grape juice/ wine, this is the part where we say a blessing on the wine. You may think when else do we make a blessing on the wine. It would be every week on . We make this blessing to sanctify the Shabbat, so too, we are verbally sanctifying the Holiday because it is also a day of holiness. It is a custom to say Kiddish right when you get home so that the children do not fall asleep. For that same reason, the table has to be completely set by the time you arrive home. The Kiddish is the first cup of wine out of the 4 that we drink in the Pesach meal. You must have someone else fill your glass. If you want to be nice you should return the favor and help them also. Make sure that your cup holds at least 86 mil (a little more than three ounces). During Shabbat usually, one person can say the kiddush for everyone but on Pesach, each man and woman says every word together. Then sit down and recline on a cushion to your left side and drink. When we say Kiddish we are trying to sanctify the whole meal. We are trying to make the Pesach holiday a holy thing. We are recognizing that Hashem is the creator of all things. Kadesh means to surpass the boring world. Then once we leave all of our material worries, you can return and sanctify them. This is when our true spiritual freedom comes and introduces into a higher purpose. Have the mindset during Kiddish that elevating physical things into something spiritual is what we as do!

8 בסײד 4 Cups/4 Sayings By Aviv Michael

The 4 cups of wine on Pesach signify the 4 expressions "והוצאתי .mentioned in the Torah of -G D taking us out of Egypt והיצלתי וגאלתי ולקחתי" In English these sayings are “I will bring you out, I will save you, I will redeem you, I will take you”. Pesach is all about going from being enslaved to becoming free. Wine is drunk 4 different times throughout the Seder representing each cup. Once at Kadesh (kiddush), Maggid (telling of the story of Egypt), Barech (), and Hallel. Whenever we drink a cup of wine we must recline to the left to display our royalty and acting like a king. Pesach is a special holiday. It's part of the Shalosh Regalim or the highest holidays (, , and Pesach). This means that Pesach isn't an ordinary holiday. There is more added value to the Chag. Usually, whenever something is counted or done in an order it should be in an odd sequence(1,3,5,7). However, on Pesach we drink 4 cups of wine, an even number, so the answer to why this occurs is because each cup is associated with a , so instead of the cups adding up to 4, it’s as if there’s one cup 4 times. Also, wine makes people happy and this is certainly a happy occasion. It is preferable for the wine to be red, grape juice can also be used. Notice also how the saying mention “I will”, the Torah is hinting to the final redemption when Moshiach comes!

9 בסײד Urchatz/ Washing of the Hands By Dina Aflalo

The second step of the seder is Urchatz. On Pesach, we wash our hands twice at the seder, once before eating the veggies and before we make the Hamotzi on the matzah. Some customs have only the head of the household wash at this point. In some homes the water is brought to the table it's self. Pour water on the right hand then left and repeat. We do not say a blessing this time, the blessing for washing of the hands will be said the second time we wash later in the meal. We wash our hands before eating vegetables, this is in fact a Jewish law that we no longer follow, however, we're extra careful in this time because Pesach is essentially the birth of the Jewish people, and just like we are extra careful with a newborn, so too we are extra careful with ourselves since the nation is like a newborn on Pesach. We are careful with Jewish laws. We wash our hands to clean the impurities of life in this world. Water has the sole purpose of turning us from impure to pure, that's why we wash our hands after touch spiritually impure things, but why would Hashem attribute so much power to water? In order to understand why water has such spiritual power, we must understand the physical power. Water can be found in almost every place on earth, and plants, animal, and even the earth cannot live without water. Since water has such power, Hashem placed a very holy power within. Water has the ability to change a person, which is exactly the mitzvah of Netilat Yedayim represents! This whole story shows us how Hashem has our backs and protects us and liberates us as a father who loves and protects his children forever. Like most things in life, the more we put into our preparation beforehand, the more meaningful of an experience it will be!

10 בסײד Karpas/ Dipping of the Vegetable in Salt Water By Carly Salk

Karpas is the third part of the Seder plate and refers to the green vegetable, usually parsley, but it can be parsley potatoes or celery that is dipped in saltwater. This vegetable symbolizes springtime which is a time of rebirth and also symbolizes the exodus from Egypt which marks their rebirth after hundreds of years of slavery. The saltwater reminds of the tears the Jews cried in Egypt. If we dedicate a whole step in the Seder to remembering the hardships of the Jews in Egypt, it would be equally if not more important to remember how we got there in the first place! The word karpas is the same word as Pasim, this is the word used to describe Joseph's coat. Joseph's coat was a fine garment and was given to him by his father which caused his other brothers to become jealous and that jealousy caused them to throw him in a pit and eventually sold as a slave in Egypt. That is how we the Jewish people got to Egypt in the first place. Therefore eating the karpas reminds us of the slavery and is also hinting to us to remember how we got to Egypt in the first place. This shows us how important it is to not be jealous of one another and treat each other with respect because no matter how you feel about someone at the end of the day, we are family, so rather than being jealous of our family, or mistreat another Jew, we need to support them and show them our love for them. These are the golden rule of being a Jew, treat each other with respect to avoid falling into difficult situations. The blessing we use before we eat the Karpas is Borei Pri Ha'Adamah and we do not lean while saying this prayer. Also, later in the seder, we are going to have the marror so Jewish law states that we need to keep in mind when we say this blessing that this blessing will count for the Marror later.

11 בסײד Yachatz/ Breaking of the Middle Matzah By Aviv Michael

Yachatz is the fourth step in the Pesach Seder. There are 3 matzoh that are covered and the top Matzah correlates to Cohen, the middle Matzah to Levi and the bottom Matzah signifies Yisrael. The top and bottom matzot are not touched. However, the middle Matzah is broken into half. The larger half is left to the side to be eaten as the dessert later as know as the Afikoman. Then the smaller piece is to be used to bless Hamotzi a little later on in the Seder. During the step of Yachatz, the middle Matzah is broken into two pieces, but rather eating the whole middle Matzah, half is put to the side for Afikoman, so the question is why do we need to keep half the Matzah instead of eating everything as Hamotzi? This is because Pesach is all about how we were slaves and poor people. Matza is a poor man’s bread and poor people don't know exactly when their next meal will be, so like poor people, we must ration our "bread" to last for us. Another idea is that the bread is ‘poor’, meaning it's lacking additional ingredients. We can learn from this the trait of humility. Just as the Matzah is the central part of our Seder and it isn't all that fancy, so too we don't need to walk around arrogant and show off to be considered important.

12 בסײד Magid/ The Reading of the Haggadah and Telling Over the Story of the Exodus By Elle Brody

On the seder night, we celebrate our liberation from slavery in Egypt, our redemption and freedom. As mentioned earlier, the telling of the story of leaving Egypt is the whole purpose of a Seder, and this is the step in which we do that. Leaving Egypt was a momentous time in however for some reason, in the Maggid, there is very little information about actually leaving Egypt but only all the other background information. The straight definition of the word Haggadah is to tell, so where is the story? Seems odd that there isn't much mention of the actual story of leaving Egypt, isn't that what we are supposed to be doing right now? Why does the Maggid consist of other topics and not a straight story of leaving Egypt? The reason why MAGGID chooses this format to tell the story is based on a statement in the Mishna. This passage is referred to as the farmer’s declaration, it is what the farmer would say upon bringing his new fruits to the Beit Hamikdash. In the tenth chapter of Masechet : “Ve- Dorshin Me-Arami Oved Avi Ad Sof Ha-Parasha” – and then we elaborate on the Pesukim from ‘Arami Oved Avi’ until the end of that unit – and that is exactly what the Haggadah does. You are probably wondering what in the world does this mean... Arami Oved Avi translates to An Aramean Tried to Destroy My Father.. again what are you saying? This line comes from the story of how Laban, the Aramean and Yaakov's father in law, intended to slaughter Yaakov and his entire lineage, which would uproot Israel's existence entirely, however it is told that Hashem personally warned Laban not to harm Yaakov ... still not catching on? This was going to be the first act of anti-Semitism. You would think we should discuss the story of us leaving Egypt, however we are reciting the passage THAT PROVES G-D KEPT HIS PROMISE TO TAKE US OUT. When we recall the story Laban (the first act of anti-Semitism), someone who tried to destroy us forever, we also recall G-d’s promise to redeem us. The farmer could only be in that situation if he is living proof of that promise being fulfilled. Now, why should the Maggid go through the whole story of leaving Egypt when the best proof of it happening is actually us still around today? What are we telling? That we are still here thousands of years later. That no matter when someone tries to destroy us, G-d will always redeem us as promised. We are essentially those farmers and we are living proof of the leaving of Egypt and even more so, a living miracle. The story is much bigger than just Egypt itself. The Jews coming out of Egypt is the birth of the Jewish people as we know it. We needed to go through Egypt to become Am Yisrael, however, leaving Egypt was the beginning of the journey, not the end.

13 בסײד Ma Nishtana/ Asking the Questions By Maya Shamash

One of the most famous sections in the Haggadah is the 4 questions, know as the Ma Nishtana. What makes this night different from all other nights?

1. On all other nights we eat leavened products or Matzah, but on this night only matzah 2. On all other nights, we eat all vegetables, but on this night only bitter herbs. 3. On all other nights, we don't dip our food even once, but on this night we dip twice. 4. On all other nights, we eat sitting or reclining, but on this night we only recline.

These four questions highlight key aspects of what makes Pesach special and allows us to dive into the story of Egypt as we go through the halachot of the Seder. These questions are traditionally asked by the children or youngest family members at the table, but if none are present they must be asked anyway. Depending on the family, it can be traditional to ask these questions in different languages, this is a popular custom. Now, we ask these questions each year on Pesach, but why? The goal of these questions goes beyond this holiday. Not only does it engage the children at the dinner table so they don’t fall asleep, but it also teaches them a key aspect of . In Judaism, and what makes it special, is that we are told to question everything. What brings us to the truth and closer to Hashem is asking questions. By having the children ask the adults these questions we teach them to ask and to inquire after our traditions. We go through so many different holidays and events on the Jewish calendar, yet many forget why. Don’t settle for the simple answer of “oh it’s tradition”. Learn about it. Keep asking.

14 בסײד Ma Nishtana/ Asking the Questions cont.

Ask your advisors, mentors, peers, , anyone. Judaism is so incredible because it tells us to ask, and through that, it helps us grow and learn as not only Jews but as individuals as well. You may have also noticed, however, that these questions aren’t necessarily answered specifically throughout the seder. This is another beautiful lesson that helps us understand that even when you ask a question, you may not get a straightforward answer. But that doesn’t matter, what matters is that you asked and that you can continue to ask different questions to find the answer. Those who don’t ask questions often struggle in life, whether it be in their math class, with their Jewish learning, or anything really, but they struggle because they don’t know or understand how or why they're doing something. We can easily and often lose ourselves when we fail to understand. Just like keeping Tznius - modesty- or davening or just kissing the when you enter a room, we tend to neglect and let go of these traditions that we hold, because we just don’t know why we do them. I challenge you all, to ask a question every day. Whether it be simple or a huge what is life kinda question, just ask. So much more value and meaning can be added to our lives if we just take a moment to realize or understand why you or others act a certain way or think a certain way. There are advisors from TJJ and mentors who would love to tell you and share their love for Judaism and why they participate in certain traditions, and I can promise you that if you ask them questions you won’t be disappointed, even if they may not give you a super straightforward answer, you can keep asking others and about different things. So just to kind of pull it back into the upcoming holiday, Ma Nishtana, asking these questions, teaches us to question the world so that we can grow and become the best versions of ourselves that we can be, which is what Judaism is really all about and most importantly understand the story behind Passover because that story is the foundation of our faith!

15 בסײד Vehi Sheumdah/ The Pattern of Antisemitism By Anna Frieman

In Vehi Sheamda, we talk about the greatest miracle in Jewish history, the continued existence of the Jewish people. We, a small and exiled nation, have outlived and outlasted everyone else. The Pesach story marks the beginning of the cycle of Anti-Semitism. The Jews were welcomed into Egypt, but as they became שבכל .successful, they were reminded that as Jews, they will always be different .In every generation, people have risen to destroy usדור ודור עומדים עלינו לכלותינו. - There is a pattern of being embrace, successful, and then oppressed that repeats itself throughout Jewish history. And, after all of this - after fighting the Greeks and Romans, Persians and Babylonians, Russian and Germans - we shouldn't exist. We lift the cup of wine and cover the Matzot. Why? Vehi means "and this," which refers to the with . Hashem promised us exile and oppression but also redemption and a relationship with him. The cup is symbolic of Jewish destiny. When we that Hashem saved us - but also theמצילנו מידם - raise it, we don't just remember covenant and the eternal relationship we have with Hashem as his chosen nation. We cover the Maztot, like Challot, to not embarrass them. We are the chosen nation of a G-d of love and mercy, and therefore we need to have extra compassion and show our relationship with Hashem through more sensitivity to His creations-- > reaffirms us as chosen and as immortal. We show that we are the emblems of morality, and so we are immortal yet hated. We still have our enemies today; Hezbollah, Hamas, anti-Semites, assimilation, ourselves, but we always come out triumphant because just as the covenant promised us suffering, it promised us victory. We are oppressed for the same reason we prevail because we are Jews, and our destiny is to be different. We can look at the pain of Vehi Sheamda as random human cruelty or recognize it for what it really is; the Divine plan and the cycle of anti-Semitism. By lifting the cup and covering the Matzot, we recognize that our existence is a miracle, that the covenant still stands, that we are the immortal nation, and that we are not truly home until we come back to the covenant to find our confidence, our faith, our purpose, our moral vision, and our future in Israel.

16 בסײד 4 Sons/ The 4 Styles By Maya Goldberg

Later in the Hagaddah, we have the 4 sons. The wise one, the evil one, the simple one, and the one who doesn’t know how to ask. The wise one, known as the Chacham, asked "what are the testimonies and judgments our G-d has commanded of you? The answer you give to him is to explain the laws of Passover. The Wicked one, known as the Rasha, askes the same question except says your G-d instead of our G-d. The response to the Rasha is to "break his teeth" so to speak, that is, to respond with belittling him, “we were redeemed, not you” he is excluding himself so he is therefore excluded. The simple one, known as the Tam, asked what's going on? To him, you’re supposed to answer a simple, easy to understand answer. He comes in with no ulterior motive, just curiosity. For the one who doesn't know how to ask, Known as Sheain Yodaia Liyishael, you are supposed to open the conversation up for him. This could mean setting up an environment to ask questions. These are not just 4 random kids. They are the 4 types of Jews or 4 types of sides of ourselves. We see the Rasha in us when we ask a question not out of curiosity, but out of spite or trying to stump someone. We all know those people. We also know the people that learn about Judaism from a strictly intellectual place. The Tam is coming from a place of pure curiosity with no ulterior motives. Its trust. The one who doesn’t know how to ask questions are the Jews that just show up but never engage. They think Torah and religion is lame and not relevant to them. We should evaluate where on the spectrum we fall and more importantly where we want to fall. Another takeaway is that education has to be different for each kid. Each kid has to be taught in their own way. Another really nice idea is that there is the fifth son. But where is he? The one that doesn't even show up. The ones that don't know that Passover is here. People may look down at the Rasha but t least showed up to the table, but the fifth child is the saddest. When we meet a Jew who is so distant from his identity that he doesn't know about Pesach, it's our job to bring him in!

17 בסײד The Makot/ 10 Plagues By Maya Goldberg

Next, we discuss the 10 plagues. A common question asked is, if G-d is so powerful, couldn't He have taken the Jews out with 1 plague? Why did He need 10? The answer is that there are 10 because God specifically targeted Different aspects of his rule. The ten plagues are Blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, death of cattle, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, death of the firstborn. The Egyptians had dark magic and practiced in idol worship. These 10 plagues pinpointed each false god they had, ultimately to teach the lesson to the whole world that G-d is one and all-powerful, no other force was relevant. Another answer is that G-d created the world in 10 sayings, each plague was to demonstrate G-d’s mastery over every element of creation! And that serves as a pillar of faith for us for all eternity, after all, if we never witnessed such an event how could we have full faith that G-d is the master of all things? When reciting the 10 plagues during the Seder, it is customary to dip your finger into your glass of wine and put a small drop onto your plate. The reason for this is because while the Egyptians chose evil, they were still a creation of G-d, therefore we pay tribute to the destruction of G-d’s creation. Lastly, a bit of perspective: The plagues took one full year, 3 weeks of warning followed by 1 week of the plague, and so. We were in Egypt for 210 years, but 1 year of plagues. When the plagues began, not only did the oppression stop but the Jewish people became very wealthy. Through 209 years of slavery, we managed to hold onto our identities, but 1 year of ‘the good’ life caused us to lose %80 of our nation. It makes you wonder about the cost of comfort...

18 בסײד Ruchtza & Motzi Matzah/ Washing for Matzah and Eating of the Matzah By Hannah Pool

Rachtza is when we wash our hands before the Matzah. We wash right 2 or 3 times and left 2 or 3 times depending on your custom. When we wash, we recite the prayer of Al Netilat Yadayim. It is a Halacha And we must eat Matzah within 4 minutes. is made with yeast which the fermentation allows for it to rise, and Matzah has none and cooks for 18 minutes in the oven. We must cook the Matza for not even a second longer than 18 minutes in the oven because then it becomes Chametz. The eating of the Matzah is the step of the Seder referred toas Motzi Matzah. There are 2 Brachot that we recite, the first is a classic “Hamotzi Lechem Min ”, the second is “Al Achilat Matzah”, then we dig in! In case you weren’t aware, Challah and Matza are both made from flour and water. One a loaf of bread, one a giant cracker. The difference between the two is that Challah is made with yeast which the fermentation allows for it to rise, and Matza has none and is prepared and cooked under 18 minutes in the oven. This teaches us about arrogance. Challah/ chametz is the bread of arrogance and Matza is the bread of humility. Since bread can represent one’s self and treat to themselves, it is okay that we have it all year round, but for 8 days of the year we are challenged to examine and come to terms with our selves and know that the self is important, but with an abundance of “self”, we become selfish. The 8 days of Pesach keep us in check, it focuses on teaching us humility. Another lesson is that Matzah is related to Mitzvah and Chametz is likened to Chet, which means sin. We must complete the Matza before 18 minutes and not even a second longer. This is because if we do, then it becomes Chametz. We can apply this to all of our lives by saying that we must take initiative to not let our Mitzvot become Chet, sin. When a Mitzvah presents itself we must seize the opportunity or it could go to waste. We only have a certain amount of time, nobody can change that, only G-d, and we all have things that we could be doing and inspiration that we get and we might say that we will do it later, we will start when we go to college or in 3 weeks, but the time is when the time is supposed to be, don’t delay the time if G-d already gave you the opportunity!

19 בסײד Marror/ The Bitter Herbs By Carly Salk

Marror means something bitter and for Passover, it refers to the bitter herbs in our seder plate. The bitter taste of the herbs reminds us of the bitterness of our slavery in Egypt. By eating the herbs we feel bitterness ourselves, and can more easily imagine ourselves as slaves. When we dip the Marror in the Charoset we are associating the bitterness we feel with the hard labor the Israelites experienced at the hands of the Egyptians. It is easier to relate to an idea when you experience a part of it yourself. We eat the marror after we have eaten the matza. First, we take a Kezayit (size of an olive) of the Marror and dip it into Charoset, a traditional concoction of apples, nuts, wine, and other sweet ingredients. We then make the blessing of Al Achilat Marror. The reason we don’t also make a Borei Peri Haadamah is because we had the Marror in mind when we made that blessing by Karpas. Once the blessing is made, eat the Marror straight away. You should not speak between making the blessing and eating the Marror. While we eat our marror we do not lean and it should ideally be eaten in one mouthful but slow down enough to chew it, since tasting the bitterness is an integral part of the experience. The marror should be bitter, have sap, and be grayish in appearance. It also needs to be a vegetable that grows from the earth, not from a tree. You are able to find in your local supermarket. Every aspect of Passover is to teach us something as Jews. The entire experience in Egypt is a template for Judaism and the first time we were referred to as a nation. Eating Marror during our is symbolizing that the only way to experience freedom is by contrast, through suffering. Suffering and bitterness is an integral part of being a Jew because of the intrinsic value suffering holds. We weren't put here in this world to just relax, we were put here to struggle and push through that struggle to achieve greatness. (cont.) →

20 בסײד Marror/ The Bitter Herbs cont.

Marror is also letting us Jews know about our status in the world and how you are never supposed to be comfortable while trying to achieve your own redemption. The Jewish people are on a mission in this world, we weren’t put here to just stay stagnant. Suffering is put into our lives to help us grow because growth is our purpose. additionally and most importantly, growth is the greatest pleasure a Jew can experience. So, you can either avoid this idea (and suffer even greater) or embrace it. Becoming the best person you can be and having a close relationship with G-d is the greatest experience of all time, so by avoiding this idea, you are still going to experience suffering and pain, but gain nothing in return. So, rather than trying to avoid this pain, embrace it and allow it to push you to become a better version of yourself and gain a closer connection to G-d. The suffering will all end when we are redeemed for the final time, until we as a nation get there, bitterness will never let us forget we got a job to do!

21 בסײד Korech and the Korban Pesach/ Sandwich or Wrap and the Pesach Sacrifice Offering By Hannah Pool

From the moment you eat the Matzah until you finish eating Korech, you aren’t supposed to talk. Eating the Matza on Pesach remained a Biblical Mitzvah, which means that it says in the Torah that we must. Marror was only mentioned when being eaten in conjunction with the Korban Pesach, therefore it became a Rabbinic Mitzvah, which means that the Rabbis passed it down to us. The Matzah had to be eaten first on its own because eating the Marror with it would affect its taste. If we would eat the Matza with the Marror, then the taste of the Marror would also be affected, so we eat Marror on its own, too. Once the two have been eaten on their own, they could be eaten together. Now we are ready to make our sandwich! Some add Charoset to make it not as hot. Once you have made the sandwich consisting of Matzah and Marror, you recite the following "In memory of the Temple according to Hillel. This is what Hillel would do when the Temple existed, He would wrap the Matzah and Marror and eat them together, in order to fulfill what is stated (in the Torah), (Exodus 12:15): "You should eat it upon Matzot and Marrorim." The two steps in the seder before Korech is Motzi-Matza and Marror. You may wonder why do we have Matza, then Marror, then the two together. In the times of the Beit Hamikdash, when we still had a Korban Pesach, they took the Korban Pesach, Matza, and the Marror and put them together and ate them together. (The Korban Pesach was the Lamb sacrifice that the Jews were commanded to offer before the night of Pesach andthe sacrifice we will bring when Moshiach comes). After the destruction of the Temple and we had no more Beit Hamikdash, the question arose of what we should do if we have no Korban Pesach and what do we do with the Matzah and Marror? The Matzah represents freedom and the Marror represents bitterness, and they are eaten together. The theme of the seder goes from slavery to redemption (freedom). This signifies that we fully appreciate the Significance of Galut (exile) and Geulah (redemption) the freedom that we now have from when we were slaves in Egypt and the yearning for the future redemption from the exile were in today! From there we enjoy a meal with our families.

22 בסײד Shulchan Orech/ The Festive Meal By Jason Firestein

The time that you have all been waiting for! The meal! We eat kosher for Passover foods in this meal and enjoy the time to talk with our families! On other Holidays and Shabbat, we would have eaten hours before but Pesach is special because of its long seder. There is a Minhag (custom) to eat a hard- boiled egg. This is only a custom. The reason is because an egg symbolizes mourning and even at the most joyous occasions, we as a people cannot forget that we are not whole with our the Beit Hamikdash. Try your hardest to stay focus on the holiest of the day. To finish the seder strong. This is the part of the Seder where a lot of people start to get tired. They had a long hour or two reciting all of the other parts of the seder. A lot of kids start to fall asleep now. Let’s make sure we stay focused on the day by not letting our conversations wander into topics that detract from the day. Try to share words of Torah or reflection on ourselves and the nation. One of the things that we should not forget is that this is not the last part of the seder and we should make sure that we finish strong!

23 בסײד Tzafun/ Afikoman By Maya Shamash

Remember the Matzah we put away at the beginning of the Seder? Well, it's time to bring that out for dessert! This step of the Seder is called Tzafun, it is the eating of that Matzah which is called the Afikoman. The special piece of Matzah that is hidden throughout the meal and the children all try to find to possibly win something. This being a popular custom geared to keeping the children engaged. It is custom for the Afikoman to be placed under the pillow of the head of the house, and from there the children can either snatch it or find it depending on the household tradition. The Afikoman should be the last thing to be eaten from the Passover Seder (excluding the final 2 cups of wine). We hide the afikoman not only to keep the children awake until the end of the Seder, but to prevent it from getting mixed with the other Matzah. Also, we wrap the afikoman to show how our ancestors in Egypt wrapped their unleavened bread when rushing to escape. The idea behind the children being involved is to keep them awake and make sure they are asking questions about why it is that we do these traditions. This is the reoccurring theme of the night. The Afikoman being eaten as dessert represents our liberation from Egypt, and just as we had to wait through the seder and retelling of the story of Pesach to get to the Afikoman, we also must await our final redemption from Moshiach. In the same way, we crave dessert because it is o so sweet, so too we must crave the final redemption and Moshiach because it will be super sweet.

24 בסײד Borech / Bentching By Avi Ozery

Benching is something we do so often but rarely do we understand the full meaning behind it. The basic idea of benching is that it's one of the positive commandments directly from the Torah, it's said after eating a meal with bread and being “satiated”, one should offer praises to - G d for his meal. Jewish law requires one to say it in the same spot the bread was eaten. Behind all this, the Bracha itself is split into four different Brachot: ranging from praising for the food, the land, Jerusalem, and overall gratitude. The question many of us have is-- why is benching so long? As mentioned earlier, Benching is one of the positive commandments from the Torah. The specific way to Bench on Passover is as follows: Fill up the third cup of wine, say the Bracha, bench completely as you normally would (include the passages related to Passover (and Shabbat if applicable)), say the Bracha you would normally say on wine, drink the wine, and then say the final Bracha for finishing the wine. When taken into perspective, look back to our ancestors and remember how long it took them to put a meal together. Rather than the minutes it takes us now, it took them hours to get water, get their meat, and do whatever they had to do for their next meal. This shows us how grateful we are to be able to have the convenience we have today of making food almost instantly. Moreover, the Bracha doesn't only thank Hashem for the food we just ate. It thanks Hashem for so much more, ranging from showing our gratitude for our parents, the , and finally the food.

25 בסײד Eliyahu Hanavi/ Elijah the Prophet By Elle Brody

At this point, we fill the 5th cup at the center of the table for Eliyahu Hanavi. You may be wondering who is this Eliyahu and why does he get his own cup? Eliyahu Hanavi is a prophet, it is told that Eliyahu frequently comes down to earth to help Jews or reveal secrets of the Torah. Eliyahu HaNavi was one of the very few to be taken up to Heaven without dying. He is known as the “Angel of the Covenant,” he is present at a baby boy’s and he visits us every year at the Passover Seder. Before the War of Gog and Magog, it is said that a prophet will arise to rectify Israel’s conduct and prepare their hearts for the Final Redemption, as it is written: “Behold, I am sending you Eliyahu the prophet, before the advent of the great and awesome Day of G‑d.” There are many supposed reasons behind the tradition of Eliyahu Hanavi having his own cup but this one sparked my attention the most: The fifth cup is poured for Eliyahu Hanavi as it is said that when he comes to announce the presence of Moshiach, he is also to answer all unanswered halachic questions, for example, whether or not we are supposed to drink this 5th cup. Since we don't know the answer we don't drink the last cup in anticipation of all the knowledge and answers he will bring. So Eliyahu was chosen to be present during 3 events, why these 3? I believe they represent the 3 parts to our story, the past the present and the future. What does a Brit Milah and Pesach have in common: Avraham Avenu and Hashem made a contract for the Jewish people (aka the covenant) which is represented by the Brit Milah where Eliyahu Hanavi is present, which represents the past as is this event marks the beginning of the story of the Jews, the beginning of the Jewish people. This is also why he is known as the “Angel of the Covenant”. Then Pesach comes along and we sit down, eat, sing and dance but most importantly we are testifying through the Seder that Hashem kept his promise to Abraham and we are still here! So Eliyahu Hanavi comes to witness this as well representing the present. So what is the missing piece? The future. The final time Eliyahu Hanavi will present himself is by the comingof Moshiach during the war of Gog Umagog. We are yearning for Moshiach’s arrival. We are praying and waiting! So pour a cup and open your doors for Eliyahu Hanavi and Biezrat Hashem (with G-d’s help) by next Pesach we will be with Moshiach!!!

26 בסײד Shfoch Chamascha/ Opening the Door for Eliyahu the Prophet By Tamar Vann

This is the moment of the Seder where we get up and go to the door to welcome Eliyahu Hanavi. When we open the door for Eliyahu Hanavi, and we say Shfoch Chamaschah in the Haggadah, we’re saying to Hashem, “Pour your wrath upon the nations that did not know You and upon the kingdoms that did not call upon Your Name!” So we’re straight up asking of Hashem to torture and kill off everyone who doesn't believe in Him and won’t follow His ways. This sounds quite extreme, but at the end of the day, we need to realize how these people have affected the rest of the world, and what that effect has had on us Jews. When Moshe went to ask Pharoah to let Bnei Yisrael go serve God, Pharoah literally asked “Who is the Lord that I should heed Him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” (Parsha Shemos) It’s no secret that Pharaoh was severely punished for this. He denied God and he denied Emes (truth) and for that, he and his people suffered tremendously, until finally, it led to the redemption of Bnei Yisrael. Today we’re surrounded by influences of people who deny God, and because of it, we’re not as great as we could be. We’re drowning in filth coming from the rest of the world that’s preventing us from reaching our full potential. It’s become so severe that everywhere you turn there's some form of idolatry. It’s sad to say, but this influence has really taken a toll on the Jews. There are Jews out there that have turned so far away from God that many of them don't even say Shfoch Chamaschah in their Seder because they don’t think it’s politically correct. It truthfully isn’t their fault. They don’t know any better. They were subject to these unGodly influences, and because of it, they suffered a spiritual death. When we, the Jews, are being influenced by the unGodly behavior of the rest ofthe world, that’s where we draw the line, we have to speak up and ask Hashem to get rid of it, destroy it, whatever it takes. We have to ask Him to unleash his wrath on them because we can’t survive like this. How can we be the light unto the nations if their darkness is putting out our light? We all have so many influences trying to restrict us from following the ways of Hashem, and having Emes in our lives. So when we open the door for Eliyahu Hanavi this Wednesday night, let’s ask Hashem to protect us from these influences, and save us from them just like he did when he took us out of Egypt.

27 בסײד Hallel/ Songs of Praise By Avi Ozery

Hallel itself means to praise. We sing this series of blessings on moments where we see miracles in our past-- ranging from to Yom Hatmzaut. Hallel, as a Bracha, is composed of different chapters from Tehillim. On the first night of Passover, Hallel is split in half. The first half is said before eating Matzah and talks about the past such as splitting of the red sea, being freed from Egypt, etc. The second half is said at the end of the meal, where it talks about the miracles that will happen in the future-- mainly talking about bringing Moshiach. Make sure to fill your fourth and final cup of wine at this point of the Seder before you begin Hallel. Why is Hallel a song rather than just a prayer? There are times in life where words just don't do it justice. I think a song in general, as oppose to a regularly spoken Bracha, has so much more power to bring both the physical and the spiritual parts of ourselves. I think if we can all take upon us to incorporate or add this into our Chag, it’ll be much more meaningful and make us feel the Chag even more. Since these are songs of praise, sing them! Take any tune that uplifts you, makes you feel inspired and connected and sing along to the words of Hallel!

28 בסײד Nirtzah/Acceptance By Anna Freiman

Nirtzah is the completion of the Seder when we reflect upon the night and assert we have fulfilled all the Mitzvot. We ask Hashem to reward us, to bring us close, to redeem us in Zion, and then we say the infamous closing line of the Seder, “Leshana Haba B'Yerushalayim.” Next year in Jerusalem. But, how can we say this? We're so comfortable in our lives. Under normal circumstances, we can get on a plane and next year can always be in Yerushalayim, but it never is. So why do we make this empty promise? Why do we close out the Seder with a lie? Yerushalayim comes from two words: Yireh, He will see G-d, and Shalem, completion. It is the city of peace; the link between our bodies and souls, between Heaven and Earth, between the ideal and reality. But, Yerushalayim also comes from Yerusha, inheritance, and the suffix Ayim, which denotes more than one. We see here, there is more than one Jerusalem. We have more than one inheritance. It says in Tehillim (122:3) “Yerushalayim built up, a city knit together.” explains it as there being a lower earthly Jerusalem - the city we know today - and a higher Yerushalayim of intimacy, peace, and completion. This is the city of Yireh and Shalem, this is the part of our inheritance we are missing, and this is the city we ask for the end of the Pesach Seder. There’s a story in the (Makkot 24b), where four famous Rabbis travel to the Temple Mount, and they see the devastating sight of foxes running in the ruins of the Beit Hamikdash. Three of them begin to sob, while the fourth, , laughs. When asked why, Rabbi Akiva said he saw Uriah’s prophecy of destruction being fulfilled, which meant that Zecharia’s prophecy of redemption and rebuilding would soon come true. For 2000 years, “Leshana Haba B'Yerushalayim” was a flicker of hope that sustained the Jewish people in the midst of chaos and despair. We always poured that fifth cup for Elijah as a cup of hope, but we were never ready to drink it. But, now, for the first time in two millenniums, we have the earthly Yerushalayim. LeShana Haba BeYerushalayim isn’t a matter of hope. (cont.) →

29 בסײד Nirtzah/Acceptance cont.

Our inheritance isn’t a matter of faith. Mashiach isn’t a matter of wishful thinking. It’s a reality. When I was trying to figure out what to say tonight, I read a Washington Post article explaining the concept of yearning for a better tomorrow, and it’s last line said: “Next year, G-d willing, back to normal.” I’m seeing the same thing everywhere. People, myself included, can’t wait to go back to our normal lives, but we’re so wrong. When we are praying for this all to be over, we can’t be praying for a normal world. We can’t be praying for our old lives. Our old lives, our lives without the Temple, are not normal. And they’re not enough. We need to be praying for something bigger and better. We need to be praying for the real Yerushalayim. We need to be praying for Mashiach. When quarantine started, everyone had such fire and passion because we thought Mashiach was coming. But, quickly, we lost hope and we stopped fighting. Even though nothing’s changed. Mashiach is still waiting. Our chance to bring him is still here. It’s still on us. It's hard to talk about this whole thing because it hurts to believe that we might be home for the Seder this year. So, for the next 3 days, Screw it. Screw Leshana Haba BeYerushalyim. Let's fight for this year in Yerushalayim. Let’s fight for Mashiach now. And if Mashiach isn’t here by Wednesday night, when you’re closing up the Seder, and you say L'shana Haba B'Yerushalayim, recognize what it means. That even though you’re stuck at home, you’re not really home. That the Jerusalem we know and love is not the fullest Yerushalayim. And that each and every one of us needs to fight like hell to fix that and merit our inheritance. And at your Seder, scream it out. Yell LeShana Haba B’Yerushalayim. Know we are closer than ever to this being true. But we aren’t there yet. And, for as long as it takes, we need to keep fighting to make sure this isn’t an empty promise. So fight hard. Do your part. And remember, it's up to us to make it happen, but it really could always be tomorrow in Yerushalayim!

30 בסײד Krias Yam Suf/ The Splitting of the Sea (the 7th Day of Pesach) By Daniella Mercer

The splitting of the sea occurred on this holiday in a holiday called Shvi’e Shel Pessach, or the seventh day of Pesach. This day comes after Chol Hamoed and is considered a holiday unto its own. There is so much we can learn from this story. On our way out of Egypt, we did not take the fastest route through the . Rather we took a circuitous route through the desert, leading Pharaoh to think we were lost and giving him the chance to change his mind about our freedom. So why did we take this route? there are two reasons. One reason is so that we had the opportunity to shed the muck and corruption of Egyptian society and allow the desert to reshape us into a people ready to accept the Torah. (similar to what is happening with corona and the distance we are creating with society). Additionally, -G d had planned for us to be cornered between the sea and the Egyptians, he wanted to see our enemies destroyed. G-d literally instructed to turn around and intentionally position the Jewish people with their backs to the sea, this means that this event was absolutely intentional and not circumstantial. With that in mind, the lessons we learn from this event must be monumental. In the Mishna it says Le'eitana, or that the sea returned to its strength, however, the rabbis point out this word in Hebrew can also be read as litena'o, or the sea returned to its stipulation. What is the significance of this? When the sea was created on the third day, it was under the agreement that it would split when the Jews arrived. (cont.) →

31 בסײד Krias Yam Suf/ The Splitting of the Sea (the 7th Day of Pesach) cont.

The purpose of creation was for Jews to receive the Torah, so if the sea were to stand in the way of that, it would have no purpose on earth. Once we arrived at the sea, it did not split immediately. We were given the commandment to move forward, but the tribes were hesitant to head into the water. Nachshon from the tribe of Judah saw what was happening and jumped into the water. Only when his nose was submerged and he was drowning did G-d instruct Moses to split the sea. This is symbolic of the faith we must have in Hashem, it may be that he only reveals himself to us after our noses are submerged in water. Water typically hides what is under it, you cannot see down to the bottom of the sea. When the sea split we were able to see all that was hidden in the depths of the ocean. This is symbolic of the way we were able to access Hashem at the time. In the Mishna, it says that a simple maidservant, the average person, saw what Isaiah and Ezekiel (2 major prophets) did not. This means that when the sea parted every individual was given a direct connection to G-d more powerful than two of our biggest prophets. On this day, Shvi’e Shel Pesach, we have access to a realm of spirituality usually hidden to us, and we must try to tap into that. Once we exited the sea and it closed on the Egyptians, the sea spat out their bones so the Jews would not worry that the Egyptians had found another route, rather they were dead. The Jews began to sing a song of thanks and praise for Hashem known as Shirat HaYam or Song of the Seas, which we sing on Shvi’e Shel Pesach as well as Shabbat Shirah and Shabbat chol Hamoed. After this song was over Miriam led the women in another song, and it is written that they played instruments while they were singing. But how did they have instruments? Is that what they were thinking of as they rushed from Egypt? If you had to leave your home last minute, is an instrument something you would bring? Rashi explains that the women had such faith that Hashem would provide them with a miracle that they though to bring instruments to celebrate with as the fled from Egypt. My blessing to everyone is that we all have that same faith and foresight and may that faith be strong enough to usher in the final redemption!

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