Shai Azoulay

This special Journey Haggadah and Companion reader are graciously sponsored by Pearl & Leonard Mendel with best wishes for a Chag Kasher v’Sameach to the entire TBDJ community.

Looking forward to the day soon where we can all gather together to celebrate with our families and friends! JOURNEY HAGGADAH COMPANION

INTRODUCTION Rabbi Yechezkel Freundlich

The objective of the entire night of the Seder is both Based on this, the eloquently and succinctly summarized by a single Maharal of Prague phrase of the Haggadah: questions why we are even allowed, let כָל הַמַּרְבֶּה לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּ ח alone encouraged, The more one tells the story of the Exodus to spend the entire he is praiseworthy Seder heaping praise This directive colours everything we do at the Seder: on Hashem for the Salvation in Egypt. Won’t we fall Every lean, every dip, every odd custom we do is only woefully short in expressing all that He did for us? to get the children to ask, so that we can tell the story Won’t we end up just insulting the King in our meager over and over again. attempts? The problem is that this simple idea appears to vio- The Maharal’s answer redefines the entire purpose late a guiding principle regarding how we relate to of the Seder. When we tell the story, he explains, we Hashem. are not actually intending to praise Hashem for the The Talmud (Brachot 33b) records an incident in sake of defining His strengths or capabilities. If so, we which a certain chazzan was leading the services be- indeed would have problems as our understanding fore Rabbi Chanina. The shmoneh esrei begins with and comprehension would no doubt fall pathetically .Bless- short“ ,האל הגדול הגבור והנורא :the familiar refrain ed is the G-d Who is great, powerful, awesome and What we are truly doing is expressing hakarat hatov, mighty.” gratitude, for the miracles done for our Fathers and This particular chazzan, however, decided to add for us. We thank Hashem that we are not still slaves a few appellations. He said: “Blessed is the G-d Who to Pharaoh in Mitzraim. Our hearts sing with joy and is great, powerful, awesome, mighty, courageous, appreciation at the wonderous Outstretched Hand feared, strong, brave, absolute and honoured.” with which Hashem took us out. Expressions of ap- preciation, feelings of gratitude, are always allowed. Rabbi Chanina waited until he was finished. Ap- Maybe it’s true that we don’t fully appreciate all of proaching him he asked, “Is that all? Have you com- what Hashem did; maybe our level of recognition is pleted saying all of the praises of Hashem? Indeed far from complete. We still offer praise in the form of it is impossible to praise Him sufficiently!” In fact, he retelling this story– not for the sake of praise but to explained, our meager efforts are analogous to a king say thank you. To appreciate how blessed we are to who has a million gold coins, and his servants praise be the Nation of Hashem, sitting with royalty at our him for being in possession of a handful of copper Seder tables, telling the most wondrous story with the coins. What chutzpah! Their praise is so deficient it goal of appreciating every year a little bit more than is actually insulting! It is only because of fact that we did the year before. Moshe himself uses the phrase “great, powerful, awe- כָל הַמַּרְבֶּה לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִ ם some and mighty” that we have permission to do so as הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּ ח! .well, but certainly not to add more than that

5781 / 2021 3 SEDERS IN WARTIME SHANGHAI Lessy (Ashkenazi) Kimmel

In my 83 years of life I have, of course, participated As the crowd grew in many seders, in several countries, with different larger, the singing be- members of my family. But all others pale in compar- gan and, finally when ison with those I attended, during World War II, at the every male was seat- home of my uncle, Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi, Chief Rabbi ed, the seder itself. of Shanghai. The youngest child in each nuclear family, The tension could already be felt in every home of including me, had to recite or sing the Four Questions, the Ashkenazi family for weeks before Pesach. Each to which my uncle would give short, explanatory an- person had to prepare for the holiday and, under the swers. Eventually, when the children were excused, leadership of my aunt by marriage, the Rebbetzin the discussions became more complex. Taibe, she, along with my mother and my two other aunts, held many long discussions about the meals While waiting for the meal, and between courses, the and the procurement of the necessary items, pooling singing intensified and there was even some dancing, their resources and skills. Considering that seders at although there was not much room for that. For the my uncle’s home in those years were very large, with rest of the Seder, my cousins and I would play togeth- as many as 100 people present, this was no mean feat, er, until we collapsed from the exhaustion caused by all the excitement, and finally fell asleep on anything despite wartime rationing and shortages. we could lie upon, even the floor. The next morning, For a young child like me, practicing saying the Ma excitement again began to build up, in anticipation of Nishtana, in anticipation of asking the Four Questions the second Seder that night. in front of such a large crowd at the seder, the hope of In closing, I remember a frightening experience I had, receiving something new to wear, seeing my cousins, after one particular Seder. Before Pearl Harbor, at the the rest of my family, and being able to stay up late, end of the Seder, usually in the middle of the night, the build-up of excitement was tremendous. everyone returned to their respective homes. Howev- Finally, at last, the time arrived, the night of the first er, thereafter, under the Japanese occupation, a cur- seder. The very long table was set beautifully, in read- few was imposed (I believe it was 11pm), which had iness for the previously invited adult males who would to be strictly observed. At the end of the first Seder be sitting there, each place setting with its own sed- following the coming into force of the curfew, as my er plate, kiddush cup and matzah holder. Many other family and I were walking home much later than al- adult men leaned against the walls. (Women and chil- lowed, we met up with an armed police patrol, and my dren ate apart.) father was asked why we were outdoors, long past the curfew hour. My father explained that we were going The guests started to arrive and soon the room was home after our Passover Seder, which had only just packed with family, other members of the Russian ended. The Japanese policeman knew of the holiday, Jewish community, and Orthodox Bachourim who saw that my father was telling the truth, and let us go had come to Shanghai, mainly from various yeshivot that time, warning us that he would not be so gener- in Europe, including the Mir Yeshiva. The front door ous if it ever happened again. Needless to say, we were was kept open for any latecomer, closed in order to very relieved because otherwise, there could have open it for the long-awaited visit by Eliyahu, and then been very dire consequences, and hurried home. But closed again for the rest of the Seder. this experience was a traumatic one for me. It has af- One year, when the door was opened by one of my fected my reaction to seeing armed personnel there- cousins, a large animal, possibly a goat, dashed into after, and I still remember the fear I felt at the time. the apartment, met by loud gasps from everyone However, in spite of that one experience with the Jap- there, and caused havoc until it was caught. Catching anese patrol, what I remember most is the warmth and it was an event the young children enjoyed very much excitement of the Seders at my Uncle Meir’s, which has and remembered for years to come. stayed with me all my life. ◊

4 JOURNEY HAGGADAH COMPANION THE SIGNIFICANCE OF KARPAS Rabbi Alexander Zusha Halperin

Most of us never imagined that we’d be spending a Why did Elisha ask second Seder with Covid restrictions. This has been a Ovadyahu’s wife difficult and most unusual year. It is therefore a fitting what she possessed in time to focus on the Seder’s siman (sign) of karpas. her home? Would he The first food eaten at the Seder is karpas. have declined to help her if she hadn’t pos- According to Halacha, karpas can be comprised of any sessed a jug of oil? Did vegetable that is permissible on Pesach except maror the jug of oil really make a difference? or vegetables similar to maror. The answer, according to the Zohar, is a resounding Its quantity is minute. According to the Rambam, kar- yes. pas consists of at least a k’zais. The reason? The hala- chic definition of achila (eating) is a k’zais or more. The The Zohar explains that it is crucial to have something Bach and the Gra rule like the Rambam. with which to perform a miracle. A nes requires a base. In most cases, it is not performed on nothingness. The However, the Rashba and the Rosh say there is no ob- wife of Ovadyahu needed something, even a jug of oil, ligation to eat a k’zais. Their reasoning? Eating karpas with which to hold the miracle. dipped in salt water is only eker l’tinokes (to provoke the children to ask questions), as the Gemara states in This concept is seen in Halacha as well. When a person Pesachim Daf 114. Therefore, a K’zais is not necessary. makes a bracha, it has to be on something. A bracha without a subsequent action or Mitzvah is a bracha The Maharil (Shulchan Aruch 483:6) rules like the Rash- l’vatala (a blessing in vain). ba and the Rosh. The Maharil adds that it is better to eat less than a k’zais of karpas, since eating more than This concept is also on a global scale. Hashem reveals a k’zais raises the question of a bracha acharona. The himself through nature. Nature is the composition of accepted minhag is like the Maharil. miracles. Yet it is miracles based on natural events or occurrences which already exist. Of course, Hashem is Although its quantity is small, the little bit of karpas bli g’vul (without any limitations), and performs mir- consumed at the Seder holds significance. It is valued, acles which are yesh mei’ayin (something from noth- important, and appreciated. Erev Pesach is usually ing). But Hashem’s revelations are often manifested comprised of arranging the Seder and rushing to com- through nature as opposed to breaking nature’s laws. plete last minute Pesach preparations, and meals are often overlooked. Therefore, once seated by the Seder In other words, in order to receive miracles, blessings table, the first taste of food – karpas - is welcomed, or any form of abundance, a base is required, as it says especially since the Seder meal (Shulchan Orech) only “Uveirach’cha Hashem Elokecha B’chol Asher Ta’aseh” takes place after sipur yetzias mitzrayim (the telling (D’varim 15:18). This is done by creating a keli (a vehi- of the story). cle to receive the blessing). In the Book of Melachim, the Navi Elisha was tasked It is for this reason that the first food at the Seder is a with helping the wife of Ovadyahu, another Navi, pay vegetable whose quantity is less than a k’zais. After her debts. Ovadyahu had passed away leaving his eating next-to-nothing all day, the small quantity of wife with no money. She owed a debt to Yehoram Ben karpas holds significance. When it comes to making a Achav, and he threatened to take her two children as keli to receive blessings, a small keli is just as powerful slaves in lieu of payment. as a big one, and is a base for Hashem to provide abun- dance. The wife of Ovadyahu only had a jug of oil, but Elisha asked the wife of Ovadyahu what she possessed the blessings she received were plentiful. in her home. She said she owned nothing but a jug of oil. Elisha told her to borrow jugs from her neighbors, We are required to say a bracha, despite the karpas and pour the oil from her jug into the borrowed jugs. being less than a k’zais. A bracha is essentially thank- She did so, and oil from her jug flowed until the last of ing Hashem and expressing hakoras hatov (gratitude). the borrowed jugs had been filled. This was how she We proclaim the same bracha on the karpas as we was able to pay her debts. would on a much larger quantity of vegetables. ›››

5781 / 2021 5 The minuscule piece of Karpas illustrates the impor- taken for granted in regular years. tance of thanking Hashem for the seemingly “small” On this Leil HaSeder, known as the “Night of Educa- blessings, just as we would for the big ones. Karpas re- tion”, let us remember that making a keli – regardless inforces the notion of hakoras hatov - of appreciating of its size - creates a vessel for the reception of bless- the “little” things, of valuing that which is often over- ings, and that hakoras hatov for the “small” blessings looked. It reminds us that expressing our gratitude for is the keli to receive even greater blessings. By being the “small” things is just as important as acknowledg- makir tov on “little” things, may Hashem provide us ing the big ones. and all of klal yisroel with an abundance of brachos, Through embracing, recognizing and cherishing the and may we merit the geulah shleima. ◊ “little” things (aka the karpas) we are essentially cre- This concept is taken from Hagaddah Shel Pesach ating a base – a keli - to receive a multitude of bigger Shiras Miriam from HaRav Yosef Tzvi Rimon. blessings. The jug of oil to Ovadyahu’s wife is what gratitude is to us. Like karpas, both are small keilim opening doors to greater abundance. This year has forced many of us to be grateful for blessings often

ALL YOU NEED IS TO BELIEVE Eitan Levy

Each year when approaching Pesach, we prepare for 2. Why do we invite Maggid, the pinnacle of the Seder. The entire section those who do not of Maggid is meant for telling the story of our Exodus have meals to come from Egypt. As we start Maggid, the first thing we say into our homes once we are already well .הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא is into our Sedarim? Depending on what your own family customs are, )כָּ ל דִכְפִ ין יֵיתֵ י וְיֵיכֹל, כָּ ל whether it is singing it in a nice melody, or for all those דִצְרִ יְך יֵיתֵי וְיִפְסַ ח( Moroccans out there who wave the Matzah around everyone’s heads, this point in the Seder is the time 3. Why are we already jumping to our wants for next where most of the children are fully awake and ev- year when we have just started the discussion of the eryone is focused. With that in mind, I thought that it main topic of the night? would be very fitting to try and dive in to understand )הָשַּׁתָּא הָכָ א, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵ ל. הָשַּׁתָּא עַבְדֵי, .the deeper meaning of this passage ) לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּנֵי חֹורִ ין Before really getting into it I would like to pose a few questions when analyzing this passage: When beginning to try and answer these questions, has a very interesting approach to נתיבות שלום The try and answer all three. He suggests that the way הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא דִּי אֲכָ לּו אַבְהָתָנָא בְאַרְעָא דְמִצְרָיִם. כָּ ל דִכְפִ ין יֵיתֵי וְיֵיכֹל, כָּל דִצְרִ יְך יֵיתֵי וְיִפְסַ ח. to break down the Haggadah is into three different parts. We know that the entire theme of the story of הָשַּׁתָּא הָכָ א, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵ ל. הָשַּׁתָּ א Yetziat Mitzraim is the basic trust and belief that one עַבְדֵי, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּנֵי חֹורִ ין. This is the bread of destitution that our ancestors ate has to have in Hashem. This is exactly what we say in the land of Egypt. Anyone who is famished should when starting this paragraph. The bread that we ate come and eat, anyone who is in need should come and in Egypt was considered to be the poor man’s bread. partake of the Pesach sacrifice. Now we are here, next When eating that type of bread, one is putting full year we will be in the land of Israel; this year we are in Hashem that no matter what sustenance is אמונה slaves, next year we will be free people. provided to us and what we are missing, we will still believe that the ultimate creator has a broader plan ידִּ אֲכָ לּו אַבְהָתָנָא בְאַרְעָ א Why do we mention .1 .the bread our ancestors ate in Egypt if we for us - דְ מִ צְ רָ ִ י ם know that really they only ate this when leaving The next point that seems difficult to understand is Egypt?

6 JOURNEY HAGGADAH COMPANION why we are inviting people to our tables when we ››› is out, and the skies are clear. It’s easy to believe in have already started? It seems rather disrespectful! Hashem when you can see the path that he is helping you pave, and you are ready to follow it. The Pasuk ּכָ ל דִ כְ פִ י ן suggests that when saying נתיבות שלום The we are speaking about one who is hungry. Additional- therefore indicates that all of that is great, but what It is in the night . מ אֱ וֶ ּו נ ָ ְת ָך ב ל ּ ַ י ּ ֵ ל ֹו ת ly, he suggests a beautiful interpretation of what type is most important is of hunger we are really speaking about here. The hun- where everything is dark and you don’t know where ger here is not necessarily one in need of a big plate of you are headed. Everything seems blurry, nothing is food, rather it is one who is starving for a stronger and going right, all you have is poor man’s bread to eat, closer connection to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. We there- but you know that Hashem will provide that light at should the end of the tunnel. He will make sure to illuminate , יֵיתֵ י וְיֵיכֹל ,fore say that the one who is hungry come and eat. Eat what? Eat this poor man’s bread the way in order for us to ultimately reach every single which is the first step in achieving a stronger belief in Jew’s goal which is the final redemption. Hashem which will lead to an automatic tightening of In the times we are living in, where it has been just the bond with Hashem that we are all hungry for. over a year since the start of this terrible pandemic This idea transitions perfectly into the last question that has affected so many people’s lives, we must rely we asked. We start speaking about our future at the on this crucial lesson learnt from this opening passage and know that even if we can’t see הָ א לַחְמָ א עַנְיָא which means of , הָ שַּׁ ּתָ א הָ כָ א beginning when we say here and now. Here and now as we are all dwelling the light at the end of the tunnel now, it is there and all we need to do is keep believing. With our continuous אמונה in exile, the one thing that unites us all is the that we have in Hashem that even when we end by prayers and devotion to becoming closer to Hashem, and Hashem moving the pieces to where they need לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָ ה בְּאַרְעָ א דְיִשְׂרָאֵ ל. הָשַּׁתָּ א עַבְדֵי, לְשָׁנָה saying that next year we will be Israel and to be, we Im Yirtze Hashem will come out of this time ,הַבָּאָ ה בְּנֵי חֹורִ ין that know we may be slaves but next year we will be stronger as individuals, stronger as a community, and free, the one thing that will last throughout is that stronger as a Jewish people. We should be zoche to ◊ .the trust and belief that Hashem will see the third and final redemption in the near future ,’’אמונה פשוטה“ keep bringing us higher and higher and through that we will always be improving our Avodat Hashem. The Baal Shem Tov Hakadosh used to say that no matter how good life is going for us, and no matter how close we are getting to Hashem, we can never lose sense of that is needed, because once we forget, the אמונה the fall that we, god forbid, will take will not be the easiest to get up from. Rebbe Ahron MiKarlin (The Beis Aharon) tells us that the concept of us saying that those who are hungry are invited to come eat is referring to those who are hungry to fix themselves. That they realize they have a lot to repair in order to continue working on the peo- ple they are striving to be. A very famous Pasuk in Tehillim that we very often find ourselves singing at a tish, kumzitz or during the holidays is found in Perek 92, Pasuk 2 of Tehillim where we say: טֹוב לְ הֹדֹות לַ יהוָה ּולְזַמֵּרלְשִׁמְָך עֶלְ יֹון לְהַגִּיד בַּ בֹּקֶר חַסְדֶָּךוֶאֱמּונָתְָך בַּלֵּ ילֹות “It is good to praise the LORD, to sing hymns to Your name, O Most High, To proclaim Your steadfast love at Shai Azoulay daybreak, Your faithfulness each night” The way that I like to suggest the understanding of אמונה this Pasuk is that it’s easy to believe and have during the day where everything is bright, the sun

5781 / 2021 7 ~ CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS ~

Iraqi Traditions moved the skins and pits with cheesecloth, Michele Shemie Cale then boiled down the The last generation of Iraqi Jews that largely emigrat- syrup more to make ed just post Israeli Independence from 1949-1951 gen- thick molasses, a de- erally did not speak about their lives in Iraq to their light to eat! Silan com- first-generation Canadian children. There are a few bined with ground key reasons for this silence (a recent topic of research walnuts formed the ex- in Canadian departments of Jewish studies), but the quisite Charoset that I main one was the desire to fit into Canadian life with- grew up eating every out looking back or dwelling on the enormous loss of Pesach here in Canada. their lives in Iraq. As part of this first generation of Although unusual, one of my aunts led the Passover Canadian Iraqi Jews, I am starving for details of this Seder instead of her husband. What was not unusual life lost by my parents’ generation. Only when I mar- was that the women were not discouraged to be edu- ried an Ashkenazi Jew and told my father of the new cated enough to do so. traditions I was constantly learning, did my father tell The end of Passover was another important tradition me about the traditions in Iraq that mirrored the reli- among the Iraqi Jews. At the end of Passover, everyone gious significance of the Ashkenazi traditions of my would say, “Sentak Khuthrah” which in Arabic means, husband’s family. “have a green year”. Families would gather and have In preparation for Pesach, my father’s home (which in- a big dairy spread in the garden outside. Fresh bread cluded 12 children) experienced a complete deluge of was served, thin bread, much like Indian Naan bread, cleaning. My young cousins remember being told to as well as fresh yogurt. Yogurt and cheese were not simply leave and play with their cousins to stay out of eaten by Iraqis during Passover. The Iraqis ate all kit- the way. Special workers were hired to come for a few niyot (except chickpeas, because the word for “chick- days to re-fluff the cotton mattresses, a very difficult peas” in Arabic sounded too much like “chametz”), task, especially for so many beds. Different workers but abstained from fermented items like yogurt and came to beat the carpets outside, another task that cheese during Passover. The fresh yogurt was made involved hard labour. And yet more workers came to by Arab farmers, close neighbours, for their Jewish re-copper all the pots! The pots were not changed for friends for the occasion. My father tells of the delight special “Passover” pots; instead, they were completely of this fresh bread and yogurt. Everyone would wish re-covered with new copper. each other a “green year” by tapping each other on My grandmother and aunts used fresh dates to make the head with green leaves of some sort. In my family date syrup, or “Silan”. They boiled dates for hours, re- we used the leaves of carrots. ◊

Interesting Customs Around the World and each person takes a turn carrying it around David Guttman the table. Jewish families in Gibraltar add brick dust to their Sephardi Jews from Af- charoset mixture. Since only a little bit of dust is used ghani and Iranian de- every year - one brick can last many generations. scent, during “Dayenu” A Hungarian tradition is to bring gold and silver jewel- sling huge scallions or ry to the seder table to commemorate what the Egyp- green onions at each tians gave the Israelites to speed up their exodus. other to remember the In India, in addition to the Elijah cup, a Pharaoh’s cup Israelites being whipped is put on the table. Wine is poured out from that cup during their slavery. into cups of the Seder participants to symbolize Pha- Some Polish Jews in Gora Kalwaria pour water on the raoh’s diminished power. floor and act out the crossing of the sea. ◊ Romanian Jews fill a pillowcase with heavy objects (Source: PJ Library)

8 JOURNEY HAGGADAH COMPANION fifty-one weeks of the Mimouna year, thawing out our David Ettedgui recently reacquired cha- In most households and during most years, the lead metz and setting the ta- up to Passover often includes an array of cleaning ble for the first guests products, cookbooks, and countless trips to the gro- who are about to arrive. cery store. While none of this is foreign to us, in the Et- While it’s hard to believe, tedgui household the real Passover sprint takes place this will be the second at the conclusion of the holiday. Or at least it did in our year that aromas of mou- pre-Covid world. fletta and other freshly I’m of course referring to Mimouna preparations. In- baked treats that usual- deed, no sooner is Havdalah concluded and the house ly permeate throughout our home will be absent and is turned into a frenzy tucking away Passover dish- that the traditional greeting of good fortune, terbech, es and cutlery in exchange for those used the other will be exchanged via text message rather than aloud in the vestibule; we are fortunate enough to now be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. At the conclusion of the seders we proclaim, “next year in Jerusalem!” While that’s our collective wish and desire, if anything because they’re all vaccinated, if mashiach does tarry, we hope next year will be in all of our homes, surrounded by family, friends and, of course, lots of moufletta. Terbech! ◊

VŒUX POUR PESSAH Rabbi Michael Shalom Edery

C’est avec beaucoup de fierté et d’enthousiasme que tion de notre potentiel je m’adresse à vous pour la première fois en cette spirituel qui déjoue avec veille de Pessah. Je ne peux m’empêcher de vous félic- subtilité notre dimension iter a tous et a toutes pour l’accueil chaleureux auquel physique très souvent re- j’ai eu droit a mon arrive depuis quelques mois au sein sponsable de comprom- de votre communauté exemplaire a bien des égards. ettre l’expression joyeuse Votre dévouement, votre sérieux et votre envie d’ap- de notre flame intérieur : Notre Nechama. A l’instar prendre nous conduira ensemble, j’en suis convaincu, de nos ancêtres libérés de l’oppression de Pharaoh il à la réalisation de projets à grande échelle qui feront est plus facilement possible pour nous d’assumer no- de nous un exemple a suivre pour d’autres institutions tre acquis historique et spirituel et de nous présent- au sein de notre ville. er avec fierté comme le peuple du livre : la race de Nos sages nous enseignent que le concept clef de prophète par excellence. la fête de Pessah est la liberté. Selon le judaïsme la Je vous adresse mes vœux les plus sincères en vous notion de liberté est définie comme une libération souhaitant un Chag kasher et sameach dans la joie et personnelle que chacun d’entre nous peut vivre de la sante. ◊ manière particulièrement intense pendant pessah. Cette libération se présente comme une extériorisa-

5781 / 2021 9 JERUSALEM, EGYPT, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN Roni Raffeld-Bluth

“In every generation a person must see himself as never be left behind, though he personally had gone out of Egypt” (Mish- and in order to reach nah Pesachim 10:5). This Mishnah places a great re- Jerusalem every per- sponsibility on our shoulders. Many explanations have son must carry their been given to the question: How can we remember an own “bones of Jo- event that happened thousands of years ago? If I may, seph” — the ossified stories of the past, their heritage, I would like to offer a different interpretation by shar- and their memories. ing a personal experience. Ribak’s poem took me back ten years, to my mili- Every tary service, where I met people who “have a certain“ - ”ּכָ ל אָדָ ם צָרִ יך מִצְרַיִם” Amnon Ribak’s poem Person Needs an Egypt”, is a different interpretation Egypt” and are “searching for Jerusalem.” of the exodus that focuses on personal transformation In 2008 I joined the IDF and served four years as a rather than on the journey of a nation. company commander of MAKAM soldiers (the IDF’s Every person needs to have a certain Egypt, Center for Promoting Special Populations), in a base to draw himself out called “Havat Ha’Shomer”. This base aims to help and with a mighty arm, to care for soldiers who are part of populations at risk or with gritted teeth. and to give them the tools to integrate into society. These populations include minorities, immigrants, un- Every person needs terror and great darkness, and comfort and promise and redemption, educated youth, and youth with low socioeconomic or that he would know to look up at the sky. criminal backgrounds. Every person needs one prayer, My first position in “Havat Ha’Shomer” was a team that would always be on his lips. commander. Following my three-month training pe- A person needs to bend once – riod, I stood before this special group of soldiers that Every person needs a shoulder. I had so intensively prepared to get ready for their Every person needs to have a certain Egypt, military service. These adolescents were now “my sol- to redeem himself from the house of slavery, diers” – my team. At that moment I understood that to flee in the middle of the night to the deserts of fears, no amount of preparation could really prepare me for to march straight into the waters, the challenging position I faced. to see them split on both sides. These very kids who in civilian life I would have avoid- Every person needs a shoulder, ed, who I would never really speak to, about whom I on which to carry the bones of Joseph, had been warned – were now going to be the focus Every person needs to straighten their backs. of all my energies, and my entire life for the next ten Every person needs to have a certain Egypt, weeks. I realized that I was going to live with them, and a Jerusalem, dream about them, laugh with them, cry over them, and a long journey, to be disappointed, to be excited. My life was sudden- they he will remember forever ly intertwined with theirs. Our mutual successes de- on the soles of his feet. pended on each other. Ribak writes that every person needs a certain Egypt Nothing prepared me for the difficult and complicat- :He ed personal stories of my soldiers in Havat Ha’Shomer .(”לִהְ יֹות מֹׁשֶ ה עַצְ מֹו מִ ּתֹוכָ ּה“) to draw himself from focuses on self-redemption and is asking the readers: A soldier whose family didn’t have money to buy food What is your Egypt? Ribak pleads with the reader to for Shabbat and was the sole breadwinner; a solider find that piece of his or her life that is difficult, that whose family severed ties with him when he decided entails “terror and great darkness”, and to confront to enter the army, and who didn’t have a home to go it. To walk straight “into the waters” and through the to when on leave; a soldier under threat after borrow- “desert of fears”. This poem indicates that the past can ing from loan sharks; a soldier who went AWOL and ›››

10 JOURNEY HAGGADAH COMPANION fears for his life. Each had his own Egypt to grapple I’m especially moved when I remember the incredible with; my job was to give them the tools that would feelings that those soldiers gave me. And I realize that help them to carry their difficulties throughout their they were a milestone in my life as much as I was in personal journey to Jerusalem. theirs. “I have learned from all my teachers,” and from my soldiers more than all. Back to the question of how can a person see himself as if he personally had left Egypt? I don’t think the in- tention is solely about the exodus of the Israelites as a collective, but also to inform everyone’s own personal journey. By learning about my soldiers’ lives, I understood that although every person has an Egypt, he needs to be reminded that he also has a Jerusalem; it is his re- (burden) ”משא“ sponsibility to overcome his personal (life’s journey) ”מסע חייו“ and to carry it through his towards self-redemption. Or as Ribak interpreted it - Jerusalem.

◊ ”לְׁשָנָה הַּבָאָהּבִ ירּוׁשָלַיִם“

PESACH’S CORE TEACHING FOR PARENTS Abba Brodt

So much is wrapped up in the timeless, iconic holiday multitude of ways, of Pesach. With its universal themes of slavery, libera- giving full expression tion and redemption, and a particularly detailed set to “ve’higadeta le’vin- of obligations, laws and customs, there is a depth and cha” – “And you shall breadth to the traditions and teachings that we are tell your children,” obligated to pass on to the next generation, our chil- (Shmot 13:8). dren. Being part of such a This transmission of tradition is not taken lightly, and diverse community here in Montreal, and connected is given vivid expression in the story of the Four Chil- more broadly to family and friends in Israel and across dren in the haggadah. The archetypal four children, the Jewish world, means that many of us have over the each built and wired differently, both in outlook and years gathered quite the eclectic haggadah collection ability, and our ongoing duty as parents (and educa- in our homes. tors) to find the right words and teachings for each of them, in the hopes that they will learn, understand In our haggadah collection, there is a stark contrast and appreciate what is being taught, and actually contained in two radically different haggadot, about רשע hopefully) want to not just show up again at next the Four Children, specifically about the rasha) years seder, but consciously continue on their own child, the proverbial wicked son, which I come back to meaningful Jewish journeys. every year at the Seder table because it so powerfully resonates with me as a father and as a Jewish educator. There are more than 1,000 different haggadot that have been published over the years. These haggadot The first teaching of the wicked child is found in a vary in geographical origin, denominational orien- very litvishe charedi haggadah. It’s a very fire and tation, hashkafic outlook, political and social focus, brimstone, black and white understanding of who this and historical emphasis; each generation retells the kid in the family is. This haggadah devotes a full nine Pesach story and shares its own teachings in its own pages of commentary to this issue, with words like ›››

5781 / 2021 11 immorality, heresy, no compromise and silencing evil dren is just as important as how we teach them. literally leaping off the pages. This child is irredeem- This is especially true on this Pesach, the second year able and has no place in the family. To save the other in a row of its kind, with no guests or extended fam- three, this one has to go. It’s awful and it’s absolute. ily expected at the seder table. The seder is typical- The second teaching is found in a more eclectic chas- ly something that needs to be experienced not with sidic haggadah, and it’s so beautiful. It’s based on a friends and family alone, but with others in the com- Belzer chassidic teaching. The haggadah says: “when munity who are kol dichfin, who are “hungry”, both lit- ,ha’keh et erally and figuratively, for a warm home-cooked meal ,הקהה את שניו ,you talk to the wicked child shinav, blunt his teeth.” This child, who is on the outs for the messages and teachings of the Pesach experi- with his .or her family, she came to the seder, she didn’t ence in particular and of Judaism in general, and who -wicked” is made require the stability and love of family and communi“ ,רשע have to come at all. The word .ty to draw them in רup of three letters. The outside, external letters are and , which make the word , “bad”, but the inside .Once again, there will be no buffer guests or relatives רע ע letter, the core is shin, . The three lines that make up -What we share won’t be filtered through polite com ש the shin, in a Torah scroll, are written with a crown on pany, or refracted through multiple conversations. ש :one of them All that external focus will be turned inwards, on our- The three lines that make up the shin symbolize Avra- selves and our children around the seder table. And ham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, and the crown symbolizes as the last year has taught us, that can be challenging. keter malchut, the crown of G-d’s Kingship. So this year, think of the teaching of the shin, take a We know that this child is struggling, that the external deep breath, close your eyes, and open them to see, is not always so good. To this kid, we are instructed to really see the miracles sitting around your seder table, ha’keh et shinav, blunt their shin/teeth. and the quiet, deep nobility contained in each of your ,הקהה את שניו We are told that in order to reach this child, knock children, all built differently, all beautiful in their own their shin loose, remind them of who they are at their way. core - they are linked to their ancestors, and they are of Jewish nobility, they are kings and queens, and As we all sit with our families, may we do so with lots they are here for a powerful, holy purpose. Believe in of simchah and remind ourselves of who we are at our your kids, even if they are a bit off. Aren’t we all? core - God’s children, and the ayniklech of Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah. ◊ The key learning from all this - what we teach our chil-

PESACH AND THE POWER OF SPEECH Yoni Drazin

Although we may love the salty sensations of Karpas, of the great sages say, the burning bitterness of maror, and the thrill of hid- there is not even one ing/finding the afikoman, there is no denying that the extra letter. So, we real meat and potatoes of the Passover Haggadah is must ask ourselves found in the fifth section: Maggid. This section, for what exactly the To- the most part, takes us on an adventure through the rah is coming to teach story of yetzias mitzrayim, intriguing and educating us? the youth about the story, while also causing them to ponder and ask questions. As adults on the other When the Torah describes Pharaoh and the Egyptians ּובְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵ ל יֹצְאִ ים hand, besides for telling over the story ourselves, we chasing after the Jews, the pasuk says .As the Israelites were departing defiantly - ּ ְ ב ָי ד רָ מָ ה -must ask what exactly we have to learn from the Exo dus. Although the idea of the Torah merely recounting Haven’t they already left? There is a similar formula- what occurred to our ancestors in Egypt seems nice tion by the story of Bilaam who looks at the Jewish אֵ -למֹוצִ יאָ ם מִמִּצְרָיִםכְּ תֹועֲפֹת םרְאֵ לֹו and plausible, unfortunately, or fortunately, the Torah people and says is not a history book. It is a guide book, and as many - God who is freeing them from Egypt. Here, too, ›››

12 JOURNEY HAGGADAH COMPANION leaving/freeing in the present tense. we are even slaves to ourselves and to our thoughts. The reason why our religion stresses the idea of tell- The Ohr Hachaim picks up on this and offers a beauti- ing over the story of the Exodus, and in particular on ful interpretation. He says the holiday of Pesach and in the section of Maggid, is כי לא יציאה ראשונה לבד אלא - the Exodus didn’t just to show us that Hashem can always set us free, all we בכל שנה ושנה מוציאם כנזכר happen 3000 years ago, rather each and every year we have to do is call out to Him. Talk to Him, pray to Him, go through our own “Exodus” so to speak. This can ex- even scream for Him. Hence, it is only fitting, as men- בכל דור ודור חייב (plain the gemara in Pesachim (116b tioned in many sefarim, that the word is short for פסח in each - a mouth that is anointed. A mouth that can - אדם לראות את עצמו כאלו הוא יצא ממצרים פה-סח -and every generation, each person must view them speak to Hashem. A mouth that is no longer in exile. selves as if they left Egypt. Oftentimes, during this pandemic, it feels like we are The Kabbalistic and Hassidic sages take this idea even in exile. There are so many things which we took for further and make it even more personal. They explain granted that are simply inaccessible and even unfath- that the Jews didn’t only endure a physical enslave- omable now. The one thing Hashem did leave us with, ment in Egypt. It was also, and maybe even primari- is our ability to communicate with Him. Maybe what ly, a spiritual and intellectual enslavement. Not only God is telling us through this pandemic is that he is were we suffering through bone breaking work, we always there. It shouldn’t take a global pandemic and were also deprived of the very things that unify and millions of people dying for his nation to talk to him. distinguish us: our ability to believe in Hashem and Rav Tzaddok HaKohen talks about the Jewish people communicate with him. Pharaoh and the Egyptian only calling out to Hashem in times of stress and sor- mindset and beliefs were so contradictory to our own, row; therefore, God sometimes sends hardships just so that we forgot all about Hashem. We were so deep that we talk to him. However, says Rav Tzaddok, if we down in the depths of the exile that we weren’t even communicate and talk to God even when times are thinking about the possibility of redemption. We for- swell, then there will be no need for hardship. got that we had the most powerful teammate in exis- tence on our side: God. So, we should all use this Pesach to reflect on our abil- ity to talk to God and put these thoughts to action. One of our primary modes of connecting with God is Let’s learn a little harder, daven a little harder, and sing speech. We pray, we learn, we discuss holy subjects, a little harder at our Seders and maybe we will see the and sometimes simply talk to Hashem. We also see end of this pandemic and the end of the ultimate ex- that in our religion speech can have great power, like ile, so we can all spend next Pesach together in the marriage taking effect by virtue of simply one phrase: holy city of Yerushalayim. ◊ -In Egypt, that was all lost. The pa .הרי את מקודשת לי -liter - ק ֹּ ר צֶ ר ּו חַ suk describes Bnei Yisrael in Egypt as ally shortness of breath, but also understood as lack of words, lack of speech, and lack of communication is מצרים with Hashem. Similarly, the Arizal writes that ,literally strain of the throat - מיצר גרון from the word but also exile of speech. Rav Yaakov Meir Shechter ַ ו ּ ָי מָ ת brings the same idea: the pasuk in Shemot says the king - מֶלְֶך מִצְרַיִםוַיֵּאָנְחּו בְנֵי ליִשְׂרָאֵ ןמִ ההָעֲבֹדָ וַיִּזְעָ קּו of Egypt died and the Israelites were groaning under the bondage and cried out. The question is, shouldn’t it be the opposite? Why are they only groaning after the king dies and the workload lessens? Rav Yaakov answers exactly our point: that the whole time the king was alive and his rule was over the Jews, they were so deep into exile that they couldn’t open their mouths to call out to God. Only after the king died could they sigh, moan and call out to their Father in Heaven. Yaeli Vogel We all have our own exiles. We are all enslaved to certain things, habits, ideas, and gadgets. Sometimes

5781 / 2021 13 THE SEDER: ACT I Dean Mendel

Over 25 years ago I married into a wonderful tradi- out the evening. With tion that animates our Seder each year. My sister-in- so many parts, most law created an elaborate play that fully engages all of us play double or ages. Every year it is revised, (and usually expanded), triple duty, changing to reference events of the past year. A key feature our voices for each that distinguishes our play from others is that it is de- character, often get- signed to have readings interspersed throughout the ting all mixed-up in first half of the Haggadah. the process. The current version has over thirty characters, in- When my uncle passed recently, the grandkids, grand cluding four thought bubbles (full of fun facts, pow- nephews, and nieces reminisced that they will nev- erful explanations and commentary about current er forget his authentic and powerful Pharoah. Each examples of slavery and freedom), four narrators, year, his wife insisted on wearing a beautiful crown and an “Interesting Note”. Of course, the usual cast of as Bhatia, Pharoah’s daughter. For many years, I was characters is full of personalities including G-d, Mo- privileged to speak G-d’s parts. In my interpretation, ses, Pharoah, Pharoah’s Advisers, Pharoah’s Taskmas- G-d was all decked-out in a white bathrobe, standing ters, Jewish Slaves, Amram, Yoheved, Aaron, Miriam, on the fanciest dining room chair, with a booming Bhatia, and Tziporah. Over the years, some unique voice and grand gestures. In recent years, my eldest extra characters have been added, including Serakh daughter’s version has been much more nuanced and bat Asher, Shifrah, and Puah. When the kids were too far gentler. For my wife and I, and especially for my young to read, they were so proud and animated in four kids, it’s a highlight each year – so meaningful, their roles as a seder plate, frogs, sheep, and the Chil- so much fun and so full of truly memorable experi- dren of Israel. We always use lots of props and cos- ences. ◊ tumes, and many of us remain in character through- From the play...

Jews have observed Unfortunately, today there are many Passover throughout dire ways in which people have restricted circumstances in history. freedom. Passover can inspire us to Jews have observed Passover think about people who are not as in the basement “cantinas” fortunate as we are and about ways in of righteous friends during which challenging circumstances may the Inquisition. During the be improved. A seder reinforces the Holocaust, they observed it in ongoing relevance of our shared past ghettos, concentration camps to our future. Passover reminds us that and forests. These were Jews whatever are our modern day Pharaohs, made slaves by other events, circumstances can get better. The story but insisting on celebrating of a people who move from slavery to their right to freedom even freedom, reminds us that change in a in its physical absence. given realm is achievable and that the past and present need not constitute the future.

14 JOURNEY HAGGADAH COMPANION MATZOH AND SLAVERY: A NEW UNDERSTANDING Kathryn & Ira Kroo

Each year we read in the Haggadah that the Israelites left Egypt in such haste that they did not have time to leaven bread. We commemorate this by eating mat- zoh for seven days. Until 2021 this mad dash with un- leavened bread is what our family always understood as the reason we eat matzoh. free and so were unable to be proactive. Despite the But over the last 12 months, as a result of the restric- promise of an escape from slavery, a future in their tions of the covid pandemic and the prohibition own land, and a land of milk and honey, they were not against attending shul on Shabbat, a very curious mentally prepared to leave Egypt. thing happened. Kathryn and I began to study the weekly parshas in much greater depth than ever be- Hashem tried to change this mindset and make them fore and we learned all kinds of new and unexpected participants with the command of the paschal lamb, things. but as well specifically told them to them to eat mat- zoh and bitter herbs with it. He wanted them to un- One of our ‘discoveries’ was that the Israelites were derstand the dreadfulness of their condition as slaves; in fact commanded to make matzoh well before the matzoh is a poor man’s bread and unpleasant bitter night of the actual Exodus on 14 Nissan. We learned herbs were to remind them of their suffering in Egypt. that on the first of Nissan Moses commanded the Is- Yet on the night of the 10th plague, when the first-born raelites (Bo 12:3) “On the 10th of this month they shall of all the Egyptians were slain and (Bo 32:33) “Egypt take for themselves – each man – a lamb or kid…” and imposed itself strongly upon the people to hasten as part of this mitzvah, on the 14th day (Bo 12:8) “They them and send them out of the land”, they were not shall eat the flesh on that night – roasted over the ready and did not leaven their bread in preparation. fire – and matzohs: with bitter herbs shall they eat.” Then we read (Bo 12:11).: “So shall you eat it: your loins At the very beginning of the Haggadah reading we girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your are told that each generation must understand that it hand; you shall eat it in haste – it is a Pesach offering is as if we too were taken out of Egypt and freed from to Hashem.” slavery (Bo: 12:14) “a remembrance for you… for your generations, an eternal decree”. So how are we to explain that we read (Bo 12:34) “The people picked up its dough before it could become In our home during the annual repetition of the Hag- leavened, their leftovers bound up in their garments gadah, we always discuss the concept of slavery and upon their shoulders”? Why did the Israelites not pre- how it applies to our own lives in various ways; slaves pare other food and leaven dough well before the ac- to our work, to our material things, to our passions and tual night of the Exodus? They certainly had plenty desires, etc. To which each of us always nods our heads of time. in agreement. We can learn from this a much deeper and more pro- But with the new insights learned this year the mes- found perspective on what it means to be a slave – sage will be hopefully more powerful and inspira- to whatever the particular facet of our lives we are tional. It is truly not easy to overcome what we often beholden to. The Israelites, despite the terrible hard- become ‘enslaved’ to; complacency is often the easier ships and suffering they had endured for hundreds of route. It really requires recognition, effort, and con- years, were not able to grasp the concept of being set stant striving far beyond just nodding one’s head. ◊

You’ve reached the end of the Haggadah Companion. The Journey Haggadah starts at the opposite side of the book. 15