Timely Torah Insights
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Timely Torah Insights Pre Pesach Shabbos Hagadol by Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim Stories Versus Testimonies: Both Count Associate Rosh Yeshiva This Issue is dedicated by Mr. and Mrs. David and Judy Citer L'Iluy Nishmas his mother, Meita bas Avraham a"h (Manya Citer) (Yahrzeit, 8th of Nissan) One of my talmidim loves giving me a newly published sefer before each Yom Tov. For Pesach, he just gave me the new Chasam Sofer Haggadah by Rabbi Yisroel Besser. Last year, it was the Rav Chaim Kanievsky Haggadah and the year prior, the Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman Haggadah. It’s easy to find new material for the Pesach Seder—each year many new Haggadahs come out. In fact, the Haggadah Shel Pesach has the most explanations of all Jewish texts. Still, we’re retelling the same story each year. Why the need for so many new commentaries? One of the pivotal mitzvos of seder night is Sipur yetzias Mitzrayim - telling the story of leaving Egypt. The section in the Haggadah of Maggid focuses on this mitzvah. Why does the Haggadah not call that section “Sipur”? What is the connotation of maggid - telling over something – as opposed to sipur? There are two pesukim in the Torah which instruct us to retell the story of our journey from bondage to freedom. “lema’an tesaper b’oznei vincha”1 - in order that you tell the story in the ears of your children. And “vehigadita lebincha”2 – and you shall tell your children. Here, both terms of Sipur and Maggid are used about retelling the story. What is the difference? The Malbim3 explains that maggid means to tell something which is hidden to the person who needs to hear it. We see this in the pasuk about testimony - “v’im lo yagid”4 - if he doesn't testify. When someone testifies, he is informing the court about information unknown to it, which the court needs to hear in order to deal with the case at hand. Similarly, Maggid in the Seder has us testify about what occurred in Mitzrayim and to disclose unknown details. Rav Avrohom Schorr5 explains this is perhaps why there are so many new commentaries printed each year about the Haggadah. To enhance the concept of “Maggid,” in the Seder, providing new information or another perspective that wasn't mentioned the prior year, keeps the story fresh and exciting. Further, the Rambam6 tells us the story of our redemption must be communicated to children according to their personalities, as the Haggadah discusses regarding the capabilities and outlooks of the Four Sons. It takes time and thought to creatively engage our children…and ourselves. The aspect of sipur - retelling the story of Yetzias Mitzrayim - is also very important. Everyone loves a good story. Indeed, a good storyteller vividly brings out the details which helps the listener visualize and feel like he is actually experiencing the story, which is another specific mitzvah of Seder night!! Rav Matisyahu Salomon7 adds that telling a story makes an impression on both the listener and the person telling the story. The pasuk that instructs us to tell the story concludes with the words “vidatem ki ani Hashem”8 and you (both the teller and listener) will know that I am Hashem. Both the elements of maggid and sipur are critical in communicating the story of our exodus from Egypt. In a study at Princeton University, Israeli professor Uri Hasson found that when you listen to a well-told story, the parts of the brain that respond are the same as those that would respond if you were actually there. He connected people to an MRI machine while they listened to a story. He found that if a storyteller describes an experience - like throwing a football, their motor cortex responds, specifically the part associated with hand and arm movement. The research found that this effect also happens to the person telling the story. So, as the story is being told, both the storyteller and the listener’s brains start lighting up in sync with one another! This is the powerful connection we feel when listening to a well-told story. Maggid tells the story as a reality, disclosing new details about the past, while sipur makes it live and real so we can see ourselves in the story. To really fulfill the potential of this special night of Seder takes much thought and preparation. That’s 1 Bo 10:2 2 Bo 13:8 3 Tehillim 19:2 4 Vayikra 5:1 5 HaLekach VliHalibuv, Haggadah Shel Pesach page 8 6 Hilchos Chametz Umatzah 7:2 7 Matnas Chaim, Haggadah Shel Pesach 8 Bo 10:2 part of why the Shabbos Hagadol drasha is normally given the Shabbos prior to Pesach. This year, we do this one week earlier, since Shabbos is erev Pesach. Let’s use this week to help make our Seder exciting and relevant to the children and participants of all ages! Personally, I like using props for the makkos (plagues). My favorite are the many ‘mini wild animals’ I have, or the golden chariot I use for pharaoh chasing the Jews. I even have a five foot skeleton in my closet which I don't take out anymore, since it scared one of my daughters. New commentaries and explanations should be relatable to each child’s age and maturity. Consider having prizes and incentives for active participation as well. By making it exciting and actively listening when someone is talking, we make our Seder into a transformative experience for the whole family! Hilchos Shabbos Erev Pesach by Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim [Please note that all times listed below regarding the 4th, on Shabbos, the sale will be executed on Friday the 13th of 5th or 10th hour of erev Pesach, are for Passaic, NJ. Those Nissan. Most Rabbanim execute the sale Friday morning at outside Passaic need to calculate those times locally] the start of the fourth hour of the day. Thursday, 12 Nissan, March 25 Any Chametz saved for use on Shabbos, must be consumed Ta’anis Bechorim - Fast of the Firstborn entirely or flushed down the toilet before the end of the fifth hour of Shabbos. One may not place any chametz Normally the fast is Erev Pesach, the 14th of Nissan. saved for Shabbos in a cabinet with the sold chametz. However, one may not fast on Shabbos, so the fast is moved Therefore, one should put aside only a small number of to a prior date. Since it is not proper to fast the entire day rolls for Shabbos night and the early morning seudah. of Erev Shabbos, the fast is observed this year two days earlier on Thursday, 12th of Nissan - March 25, 2021.1 If a Shabbos, 14 Nissan, March 27 firstborn does not want to fast, he must partake in a Siyum Shacharis or seudas Mitzvah2. Most shuls schedule a Siyum Shacharis should be scheduled to start early in the immediately after Shacharis, which exempts the first born morning so that it concludes with ample time for people to who attend, from fasting. have their Shabbos seudah with Challah before the fifth Bedikas Chametz (Search for Chametz) hour of the day.5 The search for Chametz is ordinarily performed the night Shabbos meals before Pesach, on the night of the 14th of Nissan. This year, These meals present both technical and halachic the 14th of Nissan is Leil Shabbos - Friday night, so, the challenges. Technically, the house is completely pesachdik Bedika is conducted a night earlier, on Thursday night, 13th but one needs bread for lechem mishna for the Shabbos of Nissan - March 25, 2021. The search is made as in all meals. It is prohibited to eat Matzah on Erev Pesach;6 most years with a candle (or a flashlight). The bracha of “al biur people have the minhag not to eat matzah starting from chametz'' is recited before one begins the search. At the Rosh Chodesh on, and some start from Purim. Therefore, conclusion of the Bedika, Kol Chamirah (the annulment of the practical but challenging option is to eat a chametz chametz) is declared, as is done in a regular year. All bread product, such as challah, a roll, or pita. remaining chametz that one intends to burn the next Obviously, care needs to be taken not to eat chametz morning or to eat until Shabbos morning must be placed in alongside or near Pesach items. One option is to place a secure location where it will not get scattered or moved plastic tablecloths over the table and eat bread, preferably 3 inadvertently. one that produces the least amount of crumbs (pita bread) Friday, 13 Nissan, March 26 and later remove the plastic and shake it out outside. The Burning of the Chametz rest of the meal may be eaten on the Pesach items, 7 The burning of the chametz normally takes place on the provided it does not contain any chametz. 14th of Nisan before the sixth hour of the day. Since this Cooked chametz foods should not be used for the meals year the 14th is Shabbos, and it is prohibited to make fire this Shabbos, as washing the pans from the chametz or burn items on Shabbos, the burning of chametz will take residue presents a great challenge.8 To avoid dealing with place a day earlier- Friday, 13 Nissan, March 26, 2021 crumbs from the rolls used on Shabbos, many people eat before the sixth hour (11:48 AM). Although the burning of them outdoors. However, if one plans to just make Kiddush chametz occurs on Friday, chametz may still be eaten until and eat the challah outside, e.g., on a porch or deck the fifth hour of Erev Pesach which is 10:33 AM on attached to the house, and then eat the rest of his meal Shabbos morning, 14 Nissan.