—-Introduction—-

5

What’s Your Flavour 1 1 Something For Everyone —-Introduction—- Table of Contents INTRODUCTIONS Shmuel Schwarz

Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag Page 24 Eternal Freedom

Overview Page 3 Mychiel Balshine

Michael Williams Page 25 Jews for Dews

President’s Reflections Page 5 Chaim Hibbert Page 26 The Omer Count Aaron Gillis STORIES Page 27 Song Of Songs Seder spies Page 7 Avi Moher Holy Chometz Page 8 Page 28 From Egypt To Shul Almost MH370 Page 10

Six Matzos Page 12

Ninth Day Page 13 ADVANCED

Milky Seder Page 14 Yisroel Meir Adler

True Words Page 14 Page 31 Sale of Chometz

Matzah Care Page 15 Mychiel Balshine

Pesach Jokes Page 15 Page 32 Rabbinical Insomnia Pini Harris Page 34 Matzah and Leaning YOM TOV ARTICLES Yehuda Zev Mendelsohn Dovi Colman Page 35 Obliteration of Chametz Jewish Spring Page 18

Yehuda Zev Mendelsohn

The name Passover Page 19 COMMUNITY

Yaacov Hibbert Rebbetzen Debbie Guttentag

Question Time Page 20 Page 39 Community Update

What’s Your Flavour 2 2 Something For Everyone —-Introduction—- Booklet Overview WHAT’S YOUR FLAVOUR….? …….OF HARDBOILED EGG, SALTWATER AND A NIGHT OF JEWISH CONTINUITY

reminder that even though Pesach By celebrates liberation from Pharaoh’s Egypt Rabbi we are still mourners for the absence of the Jonathan Temple in Jerusalem. But there is an idea beyond the tears. The Guttentag Book of Vayikra teaches that salt is the subject of an eternal Divine covenant, Bris What’s your flavour? The French saychacun a melach olom. Salt was always to be offered on son gout; for Israelis al taam vereyach eyn the offerings on the altar, the korbanos in lehitvakeyach – over the taste and aroma one the Bes Hamikdosh. Salt thus embodies a cannot argue. For us in the UK we say there theological principle. Salt is special because is no accounting for taste. Each person has of its effect as a preservative. Salt makes the flavours and tastes that are special to things last a long time. Salt is covenantal, it them. No more so than on the Seder night – symbolises that which is eternal and an evening of taste and flavour. permanent. We dip into salt water on the Seder night because we are celebrating the The present booklet, edited with skill and Jewish people, enduring, permanent and flair by Mychiel Balshine, presents different eternal. flavours and aspects of the richness of the traditional Pesach experience. It represents The hardboiled egg, too, comes with a the multi-flavoured and diverse Jewish deeper symbolic message. In contrast to educational offering that is available other foods, which cooking and heat softens throughout the year by courtesy of the them, the egg has a unique property; the Forum and Whitefield Community Kollel, more you cook it the harder it becomes; and, here at Whitefield Shul. So in the coming so too, the Jewish people. Persecution from months please avail yourselves of what we the days of Pharaoh’s Egypt, instead of have on offer; and to our many donors and softening the Jewish people, has had the supporters, many thanks for enabling our effect of making them harder and more work to continue and grow. resilient. While ‘in each generation they rise up to destroy us’, we are the people of ~~~~~~ continuity, we are the eternal people.

One of the well known customs of the Seder On Seder night we rededicate ourselves to night, at least in Ashenazic homes, is to eat being part of that story of permanence and hardboiled egg and saltwater. The eternality - one more golden link in the chain conventional explanation is that the of Jewish tradition and transmission. On saltwater represents tears of persecution Seder night we take our children and and the hardboiled egg is food given to grandchildren and we connect ourselves mourners. All designed to provide the with the traditions that we have received

What’s Your Flavour 3 3 Something For Everyone —-Introduction—- from earlier generations and we pass them the news. into to the next generations. Do you remember anything else from your ~~~~~~ childhood? He thinks for a minute and he says, Lag Baymer. Well, already Lag We might never know what power our Baomer that is a more specialised term and performance has on Seder night, what occasion. We are on the right track. But still potential there lies within it, stored up for it is the sort of the word that an outsider future generations in our own family. Here is could have got hold of and learnt specially a story I heard from one of my mentors, the for the occasion, and no real proof. Do late Reb Aba Dunner z’l. His account of you have any memory of being Jewish, or sitting in on a session of the Beth Din in your Jewish life from your childhood? So Moscow which was set up in the early 1990’s the old man is sitting, pulling with his hand to help Russian Jews establish their Jewish at his brow, his forehead; he is going red identity with the exertion, he is tugging at his hair; People who wished to go to Israel had to the sweat is pouring down off him; It is as if first prove that they were Jewish. But there he is reaching back into his past trying to had been no organised Jewish life in Russia pull something out from his childhood for the decades of the communist regime. memory, trying to reconnect with a long lost Nobody had Ketubahs from their parents’ or past. grandparents’ marriage. And so instead And he is saying: Ma, Ma, Ma, Ma… So candidates attended the Beth Din to be they ask him - Yes what is it what can you questioned about their memory of Jewish see, what are you saying? Ma … Ma… practices and rituals from their home and Ma…. - I am a young child, four or five years their childhood. old, I can see that I am sitting at on my An elderly couple had travelled to appear grandfather’s knee; and he is listening and before the Beth Din, The wife - she looked everyone is listening while I say something Jewish; but the husband - it looked a bit out loud… And can you remember what remote, he just didn’t look Jewish. Each you are saying? Ma Ma Ma MaNishtana spouse was interviewed separately in a HaLayla Hazeh And he collapses into a heap formal and official manner. They asked the and there is silence. For eighty years, says husband if he would like to step outside to the old man, I lived not as a Jew, and now at the waiting room. They interviewed the wife the end of my life, I want to go to my and indeed they were able to confirm that homeland to live my last years, so that I can she was Jewish. And so the dayanim said: die as a Jew and so that I can be buried in please call your husband in, and if you Eretz Yisrael. wouldn’t mind to wait outside. As we prepare to link in to Pesach Sedarim The husband comes in. They ask him his of the past and to build from them the name. He doesn’t have a Jewish name. So tastes, the flavours, the sights, the sounds they say to him, do you remember anything from which the memories of Pesach Sedarim about Jewish life? Any word, any term, any of the future will be nourished, let us do so day, any holiday? So he says: Yom with knowledge, with enthusiasm, with love, Kippur. Yom Kippur, the Rabbis ponder; with dedication and commitment, and may that is not a proof that a person is Jewish, the work of our hands be blessed by the everyone knows Yom Kippur. In recent years Almighty. there was the Yom Kippur war that was in Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag

What’s Your Flavour 4 4 Something For Everyone —-Introduction—- and Tubishvart Attack have become ever popular annual events enjoyed by large President’s numbers of people. Many young boys continue to benefit from the Anim Zmirot programme which Reflections culminates in them performing in Shul on Shabbat morning and being presented By Once again, with a certificate by the Rabbi. and for my The summer season of Shabbat Proms, Michael final time as morning and afternoon Kollels together President of Williams with one to one learning with members of WHC, it is my the community between 6-45pm and 7- honour and 45pm Sunday to Thursday, Club 13, Club privilege to write an introduction for the Supreme, Shavuot late night learning WCK/Forum booklet. sessions, Tisha B’Av seminars, Ladies The Forum/WCK and our Shul have Tehillim Group, Children’s Services and enjoyed a successful relationship over the Jewish Philosophy course with Rabbi many years, working in partnership to Mitch Goodman are just some of the long provide members of WHC with events list of offerings from which members which are both stimulating and enjoyable. benefit and for which we must thank the These events, always very well supported Forum. have nevertheless this year surprised all Rabbi Guttentag continues to work those who have been involved in tirelessly to provide guidance and organising them, by attracting even larger inspiration and together with the Forum numbers of people. Trustees, leads the fundraising efforts The prime example was Shabbat UK, which ensure that our community will which from Friday night until after benefit from the efforts of the Forum/ Shabbos, found our Shul and the Evelyn WCK for the future. Lubin Hall, full to bursting throughout and To all those who work tirelessly to I am happy to report that this wonderful provide us with such a wide range of experience is to be repeated later this programmes, I thank you on behalf of the year, on Shabbat Lech Lecha. entire community and look forward to On Purim, the Evelyn Lubin Hall was again many more years of continued success. full, this time with children and their I wish everyone a happy and kosher parents for a fantastic puppet show, Pesach. following which everyone came together in the main Shul for the fullest and most Michael Williams atmospheric reading of the Megillah we can remember. Hamantashen, President sandwiches, drinks and an amazing magic show upstairs afterwards, rounded off a truly wonderful evening.

Purim Impossible, the Chanukah Party

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Stories Section

Page 7  Seder Spies Page 8  Holy Chametz Page 10  Almost MH370 Page 12  Six Matzos Page 13  Ninth Day Page 14  Milky Seder  True Words Page 15  Matzah Care  Pesach Jokes

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The students HaShirim with fervour and emotion.” But gathered anxiously neither happened; instead, Shabsi cleaned around their master, off the table and went to sleep. Seder the great R’ Aharon of Karlin. It was The students were bewildered; what had Pesach night and their Rabbi seen in this most simple of Jews? Spies they wanted to hear They went back to the Rabbi’s Seder and his every word. spent most of the evening reflecting about Some had travelled from miles away to the simplicity of Shabsi’s Seder and their spend these days with their mentor. What Rabbi’s glowing remarks about this simple earth-shattering insight might he have? In Jew. this particular year, however, those listening The next morning they approached Shabsi to the revered teacher would hear and apologized for having ‘spied’ on him the something very different from what they night before. They told him that the Rabbi expected. Eagerly waiting for the Rabbi to had mentioned that they all should only be start his talk, they listened carefully as he so fortunate to achieve some of the began, “Oy, if only we could all learn from greatness of Reb Shabsi. Although flattered, the great Shabsi…” Shabsi was also at a loss to understand why Now Shabsi, as they all knew, the Rebbe had mentioned him in was a simple woodcutter in the this context. What had the Rabbi village. Certainly, he was a good meant? Jew, but what had he done to be The students realized something worthy of such a reference by then; they had seen Shabsi the great Rabbi of Karlin? A few preparing (quite late) for the of the listeners were curious Seder, but they did not know enough to find out what it was what he had been doing before all about, so they set out for then. So they asked him to Shabsi’s house on the outskirts describe the events that had of town. Although most in town had already preceded his Seder. started their Seder, Shabsi was just setting up for his. “I spent the morning and early afternoon trying to prepare all the special foods we They keenly observed the woodcutter, need for the Seder. I ground the maror and hoping to see some wondrous act that set the matzos aside and mixed the charoses would be deserving of the rabbi’s praise, but together. Last but not least I placed the all they saw was a simple man preparing for bottles of wine we would be using on the his Seder. When all was ready, Shabsi and table. I then called to my wife that I would be his wife performed the rituals of the Seder heading to shul just a little earlier than usual unimpressively and moved through it rather to prepare spiritually for the upcoming quickly. They ate the matzah and maror, evening. I wanted to say some Tehillim. My drank the cups of wine and completed the wife came out into our main room and entire ceremony in a short time. inadvertently brushed against the table and “Aha!” thought the men watching, “NOW we knocked over the bottle of wine. It shattered will see; he will probably stay up the entire into a million pieces and the wine splattered night speaking of the wonders of Yetzias all over the place. Now remember, my wife, as Mitzrayim. Or perhaps he will recite Shir you might imagine, had been working day

What’s Your Flavour 7 7 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- and night for the past few weeks cleaning for He knows that on Seder night we are all but Pesach. She would often stay up half the untouchable. We have displayed limitless night scrubbing areas that I did not even effort and work to ensure that we have a know existed in our home! For the last few house completely free of Chametz. We will nights, she had stayed up cooking and was talk about the exodus all night. So he completely exhausted.” designs a plan of attack in another way. He causes us to get angry; he is able to do this “After having knocked over the wine bottle”, because we are so totally focused on the he continued, “She was so distraught that performance of the mitzvos that we fail to she just lost herself and grabbed the realize what else is going on. On a night as tablecloth and in one sweep pulled it from important as this one, let us garner our the table. In a second everything was strength to overcome whatever may come everywhere. The matzah and maror and our way. If we are patient and charoses and wine were strewn all over in one understanding, then nothing can temper tremendous mess. The scene was pathetic. our desire to make this a truly memorable Becoming hysterical, seeing the mess after all night. she and I had done to prepare for Yom Tov, she ran to her room and cried herself to sleep. Editor’s Note I went out for a while, and when I returned to Our Sages tell us that the greater the potential the house I was shocked to see that the place for holiness, the harder the evil inclination tries was still a mess. I woke my wife to see if she to make someone fall. The night of the Seder is was all right. She began to scream and yell at arguably the holiest night of the year. The Vilna me that it was all my fault that the wine had Gaon writes that there are sixty four mitzvos in fallen over and caused such a mess. I thought that one evening alone. It is thus of no surprise that the evil inclination tried really hard to cause for a moment and realized how much trouble in this story, thankfully however not pressure she had been under for the past few succeeding. weeks and how very careful I had to be. All I told her was, ‘I’m sorry. It will never happen again.’

“I walked into the next room and began to This article originally clean up the mess. It took me a long time but I appeared in Jewish was able to get everything back into shape. I Action, the magazine of the Orthodox Union carefully set the table with items for the Holy Seder. Not wanting to wake my wife, who It was the eve of had gone back to sleep, I began the Seder, Pesach, 5944. The but just then she appeared. With a smile on Chametz entire Jewish her face, she sat down and we celebrated the community of Seder together.” Rotterdam -- men, women, and children -- had just been Turning now toward the students who had transferred from Vesterbork, a deportation been listening to him, Shabsi looked around camp in Holland, to the Bergen-Belsen and shrugged his shoulders. “I really don’t concentration camp in Germany. know why the Rabbi told you anything special about me or my Seder, it was really nothing Conditions in Vesterbork had been harsh, special.” but continued religious observance had to a remarkable extent preserved the Jews' The yetzer hara is very cunning and shrewd. dignity and their will to live. Under the

What’s Your Flavour 8 8 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- leadership of the loved and revered Torah Prof. Harold Fisch: scholar Rabbi Aharon (Bernard) Davids, some semblance of communal cohesiveness Heavenly Father, it is manifest and known to and optimism had been sustained. Upon You that we desire to carry out your will in arrival at Bergen-Belsen, however, daily regard to the commandment of eating existence took a sudden, overwhelmingly matzah, and strictly refraining from Chametz drastic turn for the worse, as most of the on the Festival of Pesach. But we are sick at things that make a human being feel human heart at being prevented in this by reason of were taken away. In what for us -- some 60 the oppression and mortal danger in which years later -- has become a familiar yet we find ourselves. We stand ready to perform impossible-to-imagine scenario, families Your commandments of which it is said, "You were divided, people starved, the absurdly shall do them and live by them," (Vayikra hard labor broke body and soul, and disease 18:5) that is to say, you shall live by them and was spreading fast. not die by them. And accordingly we heed Your warning, as it is written: "Take heed to Matzah for the Seder was, of course, thyself and keep thy soul alive." (Devarim 4:9) unavailable. Therefore we beseech You that You will keep us in life and establish us and redeem us Rabbi Davids, then in his early forties -- speedily from our servitude so that we may in whose wife and three children had been time come to perform Your statutes and separated from him upon arrival in the camp carry out Your will with a perfect heart. -- yearned to keep the spirit of Amen. his family and flock alive, even as their physical strength He then reached for a piece of ebbed. Yet under such bread and took a bite, thereby calamitous circumstances, urging his brethren to do refraining from eating likewise. Chametz would surely bring on illness and death for an Rabbi Davids, along with his unknown number of Jews. What should be son Elijah, died shortly before the liberation done during the week of Passover with their of Bergen-Belsen by the allied forces. small daily rations of bread? His wife Erika and their daughters, along He conferred with other rabbinical with approximately 2,400 others, were authorities in the camp, and after anguished evacuated by train from the camp. During and lengthy discussion of this dilemma, they the two-week journey to nowhere, 570 died agreed upon a course of action. and were buried in a mass grave somewhere along the way. Those who survived the trip On the 14th of Nisan, the Seder night, Rabbi were abandoned by the Nazis near the East Davids sat at the head of the long table in German village of Troebits. the male barracks, conducting the ceremony not from a Haggadah -- for of In 1947, Erika emigrated with her daughters course there was none -- but from memory. to the land of Israel, taking with her a copy When he reached the blessing, "...Who has of the prayer that her husband had sanctified us by His commandments and composed. She died in a Herzliya nursing commanded us to eat matzah..." he lifted up home in 1997. his voice and clearly recited the following Each year, her family and its descendants prayer, as later translated into English by read the prayer aloud on the Seder night, to

What’s Your Flavour 9 9 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- hear again how Rabbi Davids asked for G-d's and consuming obscene amounts of calories help, beseeching a shattered people to do eating scrumptious meals with family and the unthinkable and live, not die, by them. friends. It’s perfect. Sure anyone can always disconnect, but there’s something awesome Editor’s Note about the forced routine that can’t be The Satmar Rebbe once remarked “why come properly explained to one who hasn’t to me for a blessing, go to someone who has experienced it. numbers tattooed on their arm.” But the saying goes much deeper than that in this story.

On 01/13/14 Andy emailed his travel agent his The following account desired itinerary: was written by staff at DansDeals, the travel Hi. Hope all is well. Almost agency involved. See for a full Greetings from Hyatt Regency Hotel in discussion on the many Boston. Thanks for booking up, it's a pretty MH370 reactions to this story. nice place. The whole world’s Let me know if there are any changes to my eyes were are on flight back to Sydney tomorrow. the Far East, wondering how a Boeing 777 can just disappear without a trace. Malaysia Need to do the following trip in March: Air Flight 370 took off from Kuala Lumpur on the 4th March, 2014 at 12:43am, Shabbos Mar 1: Sydney – Hong Kong morning and has yet to be located. Flying is Mar 3: Hong Kong – Kuala the safest mode of transportation that exists today, so the disappearance of an Mar 4: Kuala – Beijing airplane like this is really sobering. Mar 12: Vietnam – Melbourne… I heard the following story firsthand from the travel agent involved. He is an avid Dan’s Thanks Deals follower that I’m friends with. He sent me the unedited exchange that follows and Andy I made the necessary edits to protect the The travel agent, an Orthodox Jew, privacy of the parties involved. proposed the following business class The saying goes, “More than the Jews have itinerary, slightly altering the Kuala Lumpur- kept the Shabbos, the Shabbos has kept the Beijing flight from Saturday to Friday. Jews.” When I think of that saying, I picture Andy, my life if I were constantly wired 7 days a week. As it is, I feel like a slave to my digital Thanks for the inquiry and your continued devices, but the knowledge that Shabbos is business. right around the corner keeps me going. From sundown Friday evening until when I know you're a fan of direct flights. the stars come out on Saturday night it’s 25 hours spent completely offline and it’s Here's the most direct option I can offer blissful. It’s 25 hours spent praying to G-d you.

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The price will be $3450 ($3050 for the long I reconsidered, you are right I should be hauls, and the rest for domestic flights)… more observant, I'll manage without that day in Kuala. Since I'll have an extra night in Andy loved the price, but again requested PEK any recommendations for a good Friday the Saturday morning flight from Kuala night dinner in Beijing? Lumpur to Beijing: The travel agent recommended a place to Thanks for the prompt reply. get a nice kosher meal and booked him the originally proposed itinerary, flying from Price is fine… Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on Friday early One amendment, I need the KUL-PEK fight a morning instead of Saturday. day later. I need the extra day in Kuala. Once Ok, glad to hear. that is set you can lock in. Try this: http://www.chabadbeijing.com/ The travel agent responded that he would not be able to book travel for Fast forward some days. him over the Sabbath, but that The travel agent is in Israel he was free to book that flight and reads this email once by himself: Shabbos is over. The email was sent after Shabbos, at Andy, 7:15pm Beijing time/1:15pm I wish I can give you a day later, Israel time: but you know I just don't like flying Jews on Holy G-d, Shabbat. You sure heard what happened to MH370 I can take out that leg and you can book yourself. The price drop $340. I cannot stop thinking about this.

Andy agreed with that and planned to book This is a true miracle for the books. You are the flight by himself: a true life saver…

I guess I'll just book that myself. Lock in the I cannot think anymore! We'll talk later this rest. week. Don't know how to thank you enough. And the travel agent noted that if he changed his mind to just let him know: Now please change my return. I am not stepping on a Malaysia flight in my life. Ok will lock in. Ticket will be sent in 24 hours as usual. And the travel agent wrote back, equally in shock at the realization of Shabbos saving If you reconsider the KUL-PEK please advise. his client’s life: Shortly afterward Andy did just that: Andy, Hey I am so happy for you! Greetings from LAX airport. Will board my Not I am the life saver. G-d and Shabbat Delta flight in 55 minutes. were your lifesavers. You owe them something.

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Indeed, due to the travel agent worrying would bake them himself. He sent a student about the religious observance of a fellow to a nearby farm to buy wheat. Then the Jew, Andy was persuaded into flying on Rebbe and his students carefully ground the Malaysia Air 370 exactly one day prior to the wheat into flour, mixed it with water, and ill-fated flight he wanted to take. baked as many matzos as they could.

It’s not often we hear a story like this. Our Because the Sekulener Rebbe could get only thoughts and prayers go out to the families a small amount of wheat, there was not of those still missing enough matzos for everyone. He decided to give only three matzos to each of the great Editor’s note rabbis in the city. He sent his students to It must be stressed that the loss of MH370 is a deliver them. tragedy, and any messages taken from the story do not detract from it… Here we focus Soon after the matzos were baked, Rabbi only on the experience of Andy, and the Boruch Hager (the Seret-Vizhnitzer Rebbe), inspiration that can be taken from it. sent his son Reb Moshe to the Sekulener Thus assuming the story is true, its pretty Rebbe. “May I please have matzos for my chilling. father?” he asked.

However a mature Jew needs to understand “Of course” replied the Sekulener Rebbe. “It that not only stories with happy endings are would be an honour to give orchestrated by G-d. Say for you Matzos for your great example the opposite had occurred, and the new flight father”. With great joy he that he scheduled after handed Reb Moshe three Shabbos was in fact MH370. matzos. This too, although tragic, would also have been the “I am sorry” said Reb Moshe hand of G-d. softly, “my father asked me to bring him six Matzos”

“Six Matzos!” asked the Sekulener Rebbe.

“How can I give you six matzos? We barely After World War II have enough to give everyone three! I didn’t ended, many Jews give anyone six matzos…” Six in Europe could not “What can I do?” answered Reb Moshe. “My return to their father told me not to leave until I had exactly homes. In the city six matzos. How can I negate the mitzvah of Matzos of Chernovitz honouring my father?” which was then part of Russia, the Sekulener Rebbe and The Sekulener Rebbe felt he had no choice. many other Chassidic masters and their He gave Reb Moshe three more matzos and followers waited to leave Europe and travel wished him a good Yom Tov. Reb Moshe to a safer place. happily brought the matzos home to his father. It was a few weeks before Pesach and the Sekulener Rebbe realized that the only way A couple of hours before the Pesach began, that they would have matzos was if he Reb Moshe returned to the Sekulener

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Rebbe holding three matzos. “My father we wanted the guests to be hosted and fed, said I should return three of the matzos” he this has been done, just not by us. If we wished to host solely for the sake of the guests, then told the Rebba. there is no need to be upset…

The Sekulener Rebbe could not believe what Likewise, it would appear that the Sekulener he was hearing “now you bring me the Rebbe wished only for the children of Israel to matzos?” he said “I wanted to give you only be able to eat Matzah on Pesach, he therefore three to begin with, why did your father ask did everything he could to achieve this. Whether he himself was a recipient or not was me for six if he only wanted three?” not relevant, for all he cared for was that Jews could eat Matzah on Pesach. Reb Moshe answered “my father told me that the Sekulener Rebbe is such a kind (It is interesting to think from a halachic person he will probably give away every perspective how the Sekulener Rebbe could single matzah that he has and not leave a give up the last Matzos, as the Torah instructs chayecha kodmin, your own obligation single one for himself. My father asked for six proceeds that of others?) matzos so that today, just before Pesach, he could send you back three matzos and you will have matzo for your own Seder”.

Reb Boruch Hager was correct! The Sekulener Rebbe had given away all the Rabbi Yechezkal matzos that he had baked, the only matzos Landau, commonly that he had at his Sader were the matzos Ninth known as the Noda that Reb Boruch had sent him that day. B’Yehudah was the Rabbi of Prague in This story shows us how much our great the 1700s. Rabbis care for others. The Sekulener Rebbe Day worked to bake matzos and give them away He was once to others and Rabbi Hager made sure that walking down the streets of Prague when the Sekulener Rebbe would have matzos for he noticed a 10 year old non-Jewish boy himself. crying. He bent down and asked the boy what was wrong. The boy replied that his This story was taken from the junior maggid series father was a baker. Every day the boy would sell rolls and give the proceeds to his stepmother. Today, he had been mugged Editor’s note and his rolls were stolen. Now, his family In this story the Sekulener Rebbe demonstrates would have nothing to eat. He cried, altruism of the highest degree. The Chazon Ish because he was afraid to face his writes (Emuna Ubitachon, Chapter 1, letter 13) stepmother and face her wrath. a parable of a man and his family who very much enjoyed having guests for Shabbos. The Noda B’Yehudah did not skip a beat as Everything was prepared but in the last he reached into his pocket and gave the boy moment it was realised that an error had been the amount of money he would have made in the arrangements and the guests were to be hosted elsewhere. The family members earned. The boy just stood there in a state were saddened that they were unable to of wonderment. Such things did not happen perform this special mitzvah. The man however every day. said to them, ‘the guests are not a toy, that we should be upset if someone else gets it. Rather Eight years passed. The Noda B’Yehudah

What’s Your Flavour 13 13 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- was sitting in his home late at night studying Torah, when he heard a loud knock at his door. A tall young man stood at the door. Rabbi Yoseph Dov He said, “I know that your Passover holiday Milky Soloveitchik (1420- ends on Monday. The non-Jewish bakers in 1492), author of Prague have all banded together to avenge the Beis Halevi, their Lord who was killed by the Jews. They was Rav of Slutzk, have decided to poison the bread. Rabbi, I Seder Lithuania. have come to warn you. Tell your people not One day a to purchase the bread. Please do not tell blacksmith posed a question to him: Can anyone why, or I will be killed." one fulfil the obligation of the four cups of The Rabbi looked at the young man in a wine with milk? state of shock. “Why? Why are you telling Rabbi Soloveitchik replied in the negative. me this?" he asked. The Rabbi then asked the questioner, “Is it "Rabbi, do you remember, eight years ago perhaps for health reasons that you wish to you found a little boy crying on the street? Do use milk?” you remember how you helped him? That little boy was me, and I never The man replied “No, my family forgot that favour. You Jews are a and I are in good health. I simply compassionate people. You do not cannot afford to buy wine.” deserve any harm. This is my way of repaying the favour. Thank you." Rabbi Soloveitchik promptly gave the man twenty five rubles. The Noda B’Yehudah was in a conundrum. How could he get the When the man left, someone message across to the Jews asked the Rabbi: “Wine for Pesach without revealing the young costs only a few rubles. Why did informants part in the story? Finally you give him so much?” he thought of a solution. He issued a decree the next day that, due to an error Rabbi Soloveitchik replied, “If this man was in the calendar, Pesach must be observed considering using milk for the four cups, for one more day and no one should eat any obviously he cannot afford to serve meat or bread. The Prague bakers lost money; they chicken at the Seder. He needs far more could not sell their poisoned bread to than wine and that is why I gave him twenty anyone else. After complaining to the local five rubles”. authorities that the Rabbi had undermined their business and caused them a financial loss, an investigation was initiated and the poisoned bread was discovered. The Jewish community was spared a tragedy, because Rabbi Yaakov eight years earlier someone had taken True Kaminetsky (1491- notice of the 1946) was a leader tears of a of the Jewish little non- Words nation in the last Jewish boy. generation. He had the puzzling custom not to eat gebroks (food prepared with matzah meal) on

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Pesach, although this is normally a custom that although the food and drink was bountiful, reserved for Chasidim, and Rabbi he did not feel it appropriate to make someone else schlep heavy water on his account. In a Kaminetsky was far from being Chasidic. He similar episode, Rav Salanter himself was started this custom when he was a student attending a public function where people were in the Slabodka yeshiva and was invited to washing their hands to eat. It was noted that eat at a certain family’s Yomtov meal on Rav Salanter used only a small amount of Pesach. The young Yaakov didn’t want to water when he normally poured a lot. When asked why he veered from his usual practice he accept the invitation; he had reason to responded that he did not want the person suspect that the family’s adherence of whose job it was to refill the barrel to have extra Kashrut was not of an acceptable standard. labour because of his stringencies. However, if he would just refuse the invitation he would look very ungrateful. Yaakov got a brainwave and told them that it was his custom to refrain from eating gebroks on Pesach, and therefore he was Q: Why do we very sorry but could not attend their have a Haggadah Yomtov meal as they had the custom to eat Pesach at Passover? gebroks. Rabbi Kaminetsky was a man A: So we can Seder famous for his care in ensuring that right words. everything he said was 100% true. From that Jokes day onward, he never ate gebroks on A British Jew is Pesach, so that his excuse given that year waiting in line to be knighted by the Queen. would become true! He is to kneel in front of her and recite a sentence in Latin when she taps him on the shoulders with her sword. However, when his turn comes, he panics in the excitement

of the moment and forgets the Latin. Then, One year, poor thinking fast, he recites the only other health prevented sentence he knows in a foreign language, True Rabbi Yisrael which he remembers from the Passover Salanter from seder: personally "Ma nishtana ha layla ha zeh mi kol ha laylot." Words supervising the baking of his Puzzled, Her Majesty turns to her advisor Pesach Matzos. As his students prepared to and whispers, "Why is this knight different leave for the bakery in his place, they asked from all other knights?" if there was anything in particular in which they should be especially stringent. “Yes,” A little boy once returned home from R’ Yisrael replied. “The woman who kneads Hebrew school and his father asked, "what the dough is a widow. Be especially careful did you learn today?" not to hurt her feelings.” He answered, "The Rabbi told us how Editor’s note Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt." I’m sure this story speaks to all of us… A similar message is taken from Avrom’s request "How?" that only ‘a little measure of water be taken’ to the three guests. The commentators explain The boy said "Moses was a big strong man

What’s Your Flavour 15 15 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- and he beat Pharoah up. Then while he was EliYaHu HaNavi down, he got all the people together and ran towards the sea. When he got there, he Q. What kind of cheese do I eat on Pesach? has the Corps of Engineers build a huge A. Matzo-rella pontoon bridge. Once they got on the other side, they blew up the bridge while the Q. Who was the first business woman in the Egyptians were trying to cross." Torah?

The father was shocked. "Is that what the A. Paroh’s daughter, for she went down to Rabbi taught you?" the bank by the river a drew out a little prophet. The boy replied, "No. But you'd never beleive the story he DID tell us!" Q. What did the lion cub say to his mother at the Seder? Knock, Knock A. Ma—Roar Who's there? Q. Why did Paroh not free the Jews? EliYa A. He was in de-Nile EliYa who?

The Evolution Of Passover Cleaning

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Articles Section

Page 18  Jewish Spring Page 19  The Name Passover Page 20  Question Time Page 24  Eternal Freedom Page 25  Jews For Dews Page 26  The Omer Count Page 27  Song Of Songs Page 28  From Egypt To Shul

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added 7 times in a 19 year cycle. This is due to happen in next year’s Jewish year, Jewish making the first day of Pesach next year come out on the 23rd April.

Spring The Islamic religion also has a lunar calendar, yet they do not add an extra I’m sure I’m month to correlate the lunar and solar By not unique in calendars. Why do we? my reaction to Dovi The different festivals are all tied to the this time of season of the year; Shavuos is called the Colman year. When festival of the harvest; Sukkos is when that winter finally harvest is gathered in and is therefore also caves in to spring, when I am not driving known as the festival of gathering. The time back from work in the dark, when there is a of year a Yomtov occurs in is not random, it freshness about the air and blooms on the reflects the essence of that Yomtov. trees, I can’t help myself feeling more optimistic, in a better mood and generally In this case, too, Pesach is a Yomtov that is more positive about life. relevant to the spring. The Jews were taken out of Egypt, after 210 years of slavery and My personal memories and feel for Pesach persecution. G-d performed all sorts of relate to this sort of weather too. Pesach fantastic miracles for them in the run-up to always falls at this time of year, and the this event. Yet the Torah here stresses that natural smells of Pesach – with healthy the Jews left Egypt in the spring, without doses of Matza and Charoses mixed in – are mentioning any of the miracles of the those of spring. In fact, the Torah tells us Exodus. This is to show that in addition to all that Pesach must be celebrated in the the miracles and glamour of the Exodus, G-d ‘chodesh ha’aviv’, the month of spring, as still arranged for the Jews to leave in the that is the time of the year the Jews exited spring, during weather ideal for their hike Egypt. These words are crucial words in into the desert! The Jews were probably so determining the Jewish calendar. Judaism glad to leave Egypt that they would have follows a lunar calendar; the Hebrew word skipped out, even if it would have been for month, Chodesh, is related to the word snowing. But the timing showed that G-d Chidush, meaning renewal, referring to the was concerned about them, that He loved monthly renewal of the moon. them and planned everything down to the (Symbolically, the Jewish nation is smallest detail. compared to the moon; like it, they have times of light and times of darkness.) When a person loves someone, they don’t just show their love by the big things in life. There are 354 days in the lunar year, The love is in the detail, the tiny little compared to the 365 days of the solar year. expressions of love, the extras which a If so, Pesach having to be in the spring person could really do without. A husband presents a problem. This year, the first day who brings his wife a coffee in the morning. of Pesach is on the 4th of April. This means A mother who warms her son’s socks on the that following the lunar calendar, next year radiator. And G-d bringing the Jews out of the first day of Pesach would be on the 25th Egypt in nice weather. Just like a loving of March, and so on. To avoid this problem, spouse and parent, Hashem also looks after an extra month – ‘Adar the Second’ - is

What’s Your Flavour 18 18 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- His People down to the smallest detail, when it states G-d ‘Skipped over’, this showing his love, care and concern for the cannot mean in a physical manner. It must Chosen Nation. mean figuratively, namely that he missed them out. However this seems very This is why Pesach must be celebrated in strange. Since the whole point of the the spring – to remind us of G-d’s eternal plague was to punish Israel’s enemies, love for the Jewish People. obviously G-d skipped the Jews out. Why the big fuss?

The answer will reveal a new aspect of what Pesach is all about, and not only The Name answer the original question, but perhaps even completely alter our approach to this ‘Passover’ festival. Our Sages tell us; at the time of the exodus, the Jews were no longer the By Have you ever proud family Jacob brought down to Yehuda Zev wondered Egypt. In fact over the hundreds of years where spent in that morally corrupt society, they Mendelsohn Passover got had been so influenced by their masters’ its name from? culture, that they had plummeted to the 49th level of impurity and in fact on the The Haggadah tells us ‘al shem night of departure were on the threshold sheposach’-..., referring to the tenth and of entering the 50th- the point of no return. final plague where G-d himself smote the They had been so corrupted by Egypt’s Egyptian firstborns and skipped over, as it evil, they should have been swept down were, the houses of the Jewish people. the drain of history right along with them, However this begs for further explanation. never to be heard of again. On their own We are commemorating the Exodus, when merit they had no right to be redeemed. we gained our freedom from centuries of But G-d had promised. bondage, as the mighty Egyptian empire was brought crumbling to its knees in a Many years before, in a covenant with our magnificent revelation of Divine patriarch Abraham, G-d had pledged that Providence, when after a long and difficult his descendants would be taken out of journey G-d’s promise to Abraham finally Egypt, and rise to be a holy people, to be a culminated in the birth of the Jewish light unto the nations. So for one night G-d nation, as we rushed into the desert, eager reversed the natural order of the universe. to accept our destiny as G-d’s chosen. Why Ordinarily, G-d waits for man to make the then is the festival named after what first move. Only after man attempts to seems to be such a small detail in the raise himself does G-d reward him by greater scheme of things? elevating him as per his desire. But on that fateful night, there was no time to wait. So Allow me to ask you something else. It is a G-d instantaneously lifted the Jewish basic tenet of our belief, indeed one of the people from their spiritual pit, to the Rambam’s 79 Principles of Faith, that G-d highest, purest levels of holiness. He gave does not have any form and cannot be them a spiritual ascent for which they conceived in any size or shape. Therefore were not, as-yet, deserving, allowing them

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We can now understand what it means that Sometimes there are questions that need G-d skipped over the Jewish houses. In truth answers and sometimes the questions they should have been included in the themselves are the answer! A non-religious plague, but G-d left them out. On a deeper man once told the Brisker Rav that he level, this event was symbolic of the doesn't believe in G-d because he has many aforementioned reversal of the natural questions. The Brisker Rav told him, "you order. And that is why this event gives don't have questions, you have answers". Passover its name. If we take a look at the verses describing the Every year as we sit by the Seder table ‘wise son’ from the Hagadah we read, “If eating Matzah and drinking wine, it is an your child asks you tomorrow, saying, “what auspicious time now as then, to be granted are the testimonies and the decrees and the if we so desire, extra divine assistance, to ordinances that Hashem our G-d, commanded rise above our natural limitations and merit you?”. Many commentators have pointed a boost in our relationship with our creator; out that the ‘wicked son’ uses very similar who now as then is poised to free us from phraseology, “and it shall be when your this long and bitter exile. May it happen children say to you, “what is this service to speedily in our days. you?” and as we say in the Hagadah: ‘to you’ and not ‘to him’, his exclusion is what signs him as a wicked son. But doesn’t the wise son also exclude himself by saying “you”? There are a number of differences between the two questions: amongst them we notice Question the wicked son’s refusal to mention that the service has been ordained by Hashem. Secondly we notice in the wise son’s Time question that he details various different components of service to Hashem, “testimonies, decrees and ordinances” – By Did you know this is another sign that he is a wise son; Yaacov that China has conversely the wicked son makes one 1.3 billion general sweeping statement. A third point is Hibbert people; it that the wise son asks ‘tomorrow’, he asks occupies after deliberation, whereas the wicked son approximately 3,700,000 square miles, and its asks without thinking, impulsively. population density is 327 people per square The underlying point shared by all these mile? There are about eight principle answers is that it’s not the question that is languages spoken there. How long is a wrong rather it’s the way it is asked. In fact Chinese person’s name. the most important difference between the two of them is that the wise son asks, as it The computer is now telling me to put a says in the verse, “If your child asks”, question mark at the end of the last whereas the wicked son just says, “And it sentence! It sounds like a question doesn’t shall be when your children say to you”. He it. But this riddle has no answer; ‘HOW makes his statement and is not on the

What’s Your Flavour 20 20 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- lookout for an answer. He is somewhat lightness. This is the beauty of a question – a sarcastic with his rhetorical question. His searching question – searching for the truth. question is his answer – his justification for This is the attitude of the wise son. his behaviour. The Brisker Rav [1446-1959] famously Allow me to explain a little deeper. Reb explained that the Mitzvah of retelling the Moshe Shapira explains; the word ‘she’ailoh’ Pesach story on Seder-night differs from the - “question” has in its root the letters ‘aleph’ daily Mitzvah to recount the story in that on and ‘lamed’ making up the word “al” Seder-night it must be done through meaning – lacking. Something is missing - ‘answers and question’. Hence the “Mah and I am in search of the answer. Indeed we Nishtanoh”, the four sons that ask, “Who see again that ‘she’ailoh’ refers to a void knows one..? two ..? three?...”, and the that needs filling because the word for a various movements of seder items done to grave is ‘she’ol’. Similarly ‘sho’ul’ means to promote questions. lend – when you lend me you fulfil that Reb Tzadok Hacohen [1423-1900] takes this which I am lacking in. This is the beauty in a one stage further. He suggests that the question. You are looking for the truth via question and answer format of the Seder is questioning. This is the wise son, he has a an integral part of the Pesach-freedom question, a ‘she’ailoh’, a void, something experience. By creating the questions we that needs addressing. The wicked son on give ourselves the opportunity to search the other hand has no void he is fine the for the answer. When we find it we way things are – just keep this religious stuff experience the freedom that is Pesach! out of my life – it makes no sense. It’s no coincidence that the national When the spirit of Hashem departed from children’s museum that we visit quite often Saul and he was tormented by a spirit of in nearby Halifax is called Eureka. Children melancholy we read in Samuel how they are experts at being inquisitive. May we brought King David to come to cheer Saul always stay young at heart and always be up. What was the special quality of King asking and searching. May we all merit that David that he was suited for this job? He is our questions are indeed questions – not G- described as being someone who “knew d forbid answers and justifications. May we how to play music”. Expounds the Talmud experience the happiness and freedom of that really what this means is that he knew finding our answers; from EUREKA to how to ask. EUPHORIA! The Maharal of Prague [1520-1609] explains that just as music makes a person happy so too does a decent question, an intriguing riddle. King David was employed to cheer up Saul by asking him questions and Shabbat Proms brainteasers. Interestingly Saul’s name is from the very same letters as ‘she’ailoh’ – to Don’t miss the Shabbat Proms; a summer question! The excitement and ‘simcha’ that lecture series brought to you by The lies behind a question, is that it creates that Forum . opportunity for a void to be filled. If I’m Look out for more information bothered by a question I can be prepared to hear an answer – Eureka – “I have found it”. Kid’s activities on site, run by Mychiel From the darkness I can appreciate the Balshine

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What’s Your Flavour 22 22 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- New Opportunity! What better gift can we send to our loved ones who are no longer with us? Dedicate an entire day of learning , teaching and inspiration on the yahrtzeit of a loved one. A present which will uplift them, and give eternal joy to their dear soul. With your donation of only £7 a week (standing order), The entire team of Rabbis at the prestigious Whitefield Community Kollel will dedicate all their learning and teaching to the Community In loving memory of the departed. Their names will be featured on our special digital Remembrance Board with a special plaque. To book your date, please contact: Rabbi Yanky Prijs, 07920 444417, yp1 @hotmail.co.uk

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even when things seem to be peaceful, our enemies continue to plot and scheme ways Eternal to shed Jewish blood. So when we lean to delight in our Passover Freedom wine, we no doubt find ourselves asking; are we indeed free from all oppression? What is this liberty and redemption that we are By The festival celebrating? of Passover The answer to this question is the Shmuel is the time understanding that the redemption from we Schwarz Egypt wasn’t just a moment within itself celebrate when we regained our freedom. The our exodus Maharal writes, that the redemption from from slavery, our newfound freedom. The Egypt was the key to our redemption from question can be asked however; do we not all the future exiles the Jewish Nation were continue to be in exile? Has the persecution destined to endure in the future till the not continued right through the millennia ultimate redemption. since we left Egypt almost four thousand years ago until this very day? The reason for this being, at that time when G-d redeemed us from Egypt, in doing so He One doesn’t have to look beyond the past chose us to be His favoured nation. century for examples. Pogroms and Receiving this special status was in effect massacres swept across Europe, leading to the rebirth of Jewish people, now as the possibly the greatest genocide in the history “Chosen Nation”. Having entered this of mankind, the Holocaust. Six million of our unique relationship with the Almighty, this brethren met their untimely death at the was the guarantee that we will never remain hands of the Nazis. enslaved forever and that the time will Even with the creation of the State of Israel, come when we are deserving to enjoy the time and time again our ‘friendly’ full extent of our superior status as G-d’s neighbours have joined together in battle to chosen nation. drive us into the sea. Which country in the Mark Twain wondered ‘What is the secret of world has had its very existence threatened the Jewish immortality’? Despite having been so many times? It was only last summer that oppressed time and time again we’ve risen we found ourselves at war once again and above all challenges and possibly the just a few months since we witnessed the sweetest revenge against all our enemies is barbaric slaughter of Jews during prayer in a that the Jewish people prospers further. Jerusalem synagogue. In fact those empires and nations that stood Europe itself has become a haven of Islamic against us have disappeared from the extremism. This holiday of redemption and horizon. The Egyptians, the Babylonians and freedom follows a winter in which we the Romans, who each in their time witnessed the massacre of Jews shopping dominated the world and used their power for Shabbat in Paris, as well as a synagogue to discriminate against the Jewish people, guard in Denmark. are now history, yet the Jewish people live We’ve learnt from bitter experience that on. The secret of our immortality is, that as

What’s Your Flavour 24 24 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- the Chosen Nation our existence is forever We can suggest that since Pesach occurs guaranteed, despite all the oppression and around the beginning of the dry summer persecution that we may have to endure. season and draws large crowds to the synagogue, it was seen as an appropriate So yes indeed, we may look around and see time to recite this prayer. the ugly effects of our present Exile, yet that isn’t a reason not to rejoice in the Another reason for the choice of timing is redemption from Egypt, for as we have that Yitzchock’s blessing to Esov, which explained, the seed of our redemption from took place on the first day of Pesach, began this present exile, was sown all those years ‘May G-d give you of the dew of heavens…’ ago at the time of our exodus from Egypt, The Medrash comments that this day is when we became the Chosen Nation. therefore an auspicious time to pray for dew.

So as we are entering the season of reduced rainfall, it is appropriate to relate the following story.

Jews For It was the War of Independence, 1944, and a small Jewish force was gathered by the Dews Hagana to conquer the Holy city of Tzfas. Militarily speaking, this feat was almost impossible to achieve. The Jewish forces By During the were greatly outnumbered by the Syrian Musaf prayer troops and had a very limited supply of Mychiel on first day of weaponry. Balshine Pesach the Chazzan dons One thing they had however was a small a traditional rocket called the Davidka. It was almost white kittel and leads the congregation in useless as a weapon, causing little damage the majestic prayer for dew. It is done and being very inaccurate. One thing it did during the repetition of the Amida and is though, was make a tremendous noise! The usually sung to a melodious tune. time was ripe and the Jews fired a number of Davidkas at the enemy. Dew is a lifeline and vital commodity for many plants and animals. Israel, for Shortly after this great clouds gathered and example, enjoys a Mediterranean climate, it began to rain. It almost never rains in which means that it rains in the winter but Israel in May! The Syrians thought to almost never in the summer. These hot themselves; ‘what weapon can make it rain parched months would take their toll on in the Israeli summer… only one thing… acid many creatures if it was not for the blessing rain from an atom bomb!’ The Syrians of dew. Dew gathers throughout the night panicked thinking the Jews had the world’s when environmental conditions are right most powerful weapon, remember, this was and forms a small layer of water droplets on only three years after Hiroshima. Thus in a exposed surfaces. This water is then few hours of panic, the entire Arab brigade available to be consumed and is a life line fled the area, facilitating the complete for much of the flora and fauna. return of Tzfas to Jewish hands…

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While reciting the prayer for dew we recall human beings. The Torah hints to us that that it is Hashem who controls nature and physical independence by itself still leaves provides for us. May we be blessed with man – from the Torah perspective – on the bountiful dew, as well as some nice weather animal level. The counting of the forty-nine too. days signifies a sevenfold refining process and marks our progress to full human status with the acceptance of the Torah at Sinai, seven weeks after the exodus.

Are there any other ideas behind this The Omer Mitzvah? Rabbenu Nissim writes; ‘Moshe told Israel Count while they were still in Egypt: “you will soon have the opportunity to worship G-d”. Excited by this news, they asked when will By The Torah this be? He replied: “at the end of fifty days.” commands us Thus they each began counting fifty days in Chaim to count forty anticipation… Based on this, the sages Hibbert nine days from ordained the counting of the Omer.’ the day the Omer offering This can be compared to a prince who was was brought until Shavuos which is the travelling on a road and encountered a man fiftieth day. who had been cast into a pit. The prince told him: “I shall raise you from the pit, and after What and when is the Omer? some time I shall give you my daughter in marriage”. The man in the pit was overjoyed The Omer is an offering of barley that was and said to himself: “not only is he willing to brought on the second day of Pesach. Barley raise me from the pit – he will also give me ripens early in the land of Israel and already his daughter in marriage!” The prince by Pesach the grain is ready for harvesting. fulfilled his promise and freed him, then he However the Torah commands that before dressed him in fine clothing and gave him we take any of the new harvest for presents of silver and gold. When the man ourselves we have to first present some saw that the prince had fulfilled part of his before the altar of G-d. The amount to give promise, he began to count the days in was the measure of an Omer – symbolically, anticipation of the time when the prince one days food supply for a human being; would fulfil the remainder of his promise. hence the name, ‘the Omer offering’. Thus it was forbidden to partake in the new grain Thus by counting the Omer, we express our until the Omer offering had been brought. excitement of receiving the Torah at the culmination of the count on Shavuos. We begin counting from the day of the Omer offering, what connection does that But we do not have the Omer offering have to the Mitzvah? today, so is there still an obligation to count? The Omer offering on Pesach was from the barley harvest whereas the offering on This Mitzvah is applicable today even Shavuos was of wheat. Barley is generally though the Temple no longer stands and we used as food for animals. Wheat is food for no longer bring the Omer offering. There is

What’s Your Flavour 26 26 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- however a dispute whether the obligation Shabbos during Chol Hamoed so we read it today is of a biblical or rabbinic nature. on Shabbos which is the 4th day of Pesach).

What are the basic laws of this Mitzvah? Shir Hashirim is a love song written by King Solomon, which is an allusion to the love  Each individual is commanded to count between Hashem and His nation. the days of the Omer. The Mishna Berurah writes that the reason it  The correct time for counting the Omer is read on Pesach is because allusions to the is the beginning of the night. If one redemption from Egypt are made in some of counted earlier but after sunset, he is its verses. However, on a deeper level we not required to count again but can explain how the whole Shir Hashirim is nevertheless it is proper to do so, albeit connected to Pesach. without a Brochah, after the appearance of the stars. The Ramchal (R’ Moishe Lutzato) writes(2)  The Brochah and the counting should be that the Torah commands us “veyadata said whilst standing, but if one sat while hayom ve’hashivosa el levavecha, ki Hashem counting he has nevertheless fulfilled who Haelokim ba’shomayim mima’al ve’al the obligation. ho’oretz mitochas, ein od” - “And you should know and affirm in your heart, that Hashem  Before reciting the Brochah, one should is the G-d in the heavens and the earth, preferably know the number of the day. there is nothing else.”(3)  If he neglected to count one day, he may no longer recite a Brochah when he This commandment is to have Emuna (faith) subsequently counts but he must in Hashem. The verse is clearly stressing nevertheless continue to count. that Hashem is in the heavens and the earth, teaching us He is everywhere and there is no  There is no She-hecheyanu for this other force, power or will apart from Him. Mitzva. Writes the Ramchal, one of the reasons this world was created is to test us in our beliefs.

Hashem hides from us and gives us the job to look for Him. We must build into our belief that whatever happens, whether Song Of good or bad, is all preordained from Hashem, as the Rabbis taught, “Keshem she’mevorechim al hatov, kach mevorechim Songs al hara”. In the same way as we make a blessing on the good, so too do we make a blessing on the bad”(4). This means that the (5) By The Remoh(1) Blessing is made with the same emotion . Aaron (Rabbi Moshe This is because we have to come to a level Isserlis) where we see Hashem in the bad, just like Gillis writes that we see Him in the good, because we know there is a that all of it is His will and Master plan, as custom to read Shir Hashirim (Song of the Verse says, “There is nothing else”. Songs) on the Shabbos that falls during Chol In exile this test is more crucial, as we see Hamoed of Pesach. (This year there is no Hashem even less. When the final

What’s Your Flavour 27 27 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- redemption arrives, we will be shown how those 116 years, and He will always be there Hashem has been there with us in every for them. This brought them to an situation and how everything has fit understanding of Hashem in some way. Shir perfectly into His master plan. Hashirim is a love song, telling us of a tremendous longing for the re-living of that The Ramchal continues that this is in itself a redemption. May we merit to witness this reason for the exile, so that the redemption final redemption speedily in our days. will teach us that Hashem was there even in סעייף ר"צ סימן ט .the bad and that it was all in His plan. This 1 ספר דעת תבונות אות ל"ד .2 shows us His Oneness to an even greater 3. Devarim 4:39 extent, that the bad is also Divine 4. Maseches Brochos Chapter 9 Mishna 5 5. Gemorah Brochos 60b Providence, truly ein od there is NOTHING 6. The author of “Maase Hashem” writes that this is one of the ELSE. reasons we went down to Egypt, to reveal Hashem’s glory. 7. Introduction to Shir Hashirim 8. See “Maamar hageulah” of the Ramchal where he explains how This concept also applies to the Exile in the verses of Shir Hashirim describe the different stages of the Egypt(6), and its redemption thereafter. As redemption of the future. 9. Even though there are actually 117 verses, the first verse is not we go through Pesach, we re-live Hashem’s part of the song. revelation to us and strengthen our faith 10. This is counted from when the last of the sons of Jacob, who was Levi, died, for as long as they were alive Pharoh did not enslave that He is continuously around us and we them. should serve Him.

Rashi(7) writes that Shir Hashirim is a love song from a woman who was separated from her husband and is longing to see him again. This is a parable between us and From Egypt Hashem, as we long for Hashem to end His exile and to see Hashem in His Full Glory To Shul once again.

The song represents our longing for Hashem to repeat the revelation like He did in Egypt, By A central to show us his Divine Providence and to Avi theme of show us His glory. After all, the final reward Pesach and is the pleasure in knowing and Moher the Haggadah understanding Hashem our Creator. This is is Geula – the done through realising what He has done in Redemption of the Jewish nation from this world and understanding His Holiness(8). Egyptian slavery.

Through the bad, we will understand the This is also the main topic of the book of good. On this the Rokeach (one of the Shemos, or as the Ramban so aptly titles it writers of Tosfos) writes, that this is hinted ‘sefer hageula’ - the book of redemption. to in the 116 verses in Shir Hashirim(9). The Although most of the book of Shemos is Jews worked for Pharoh in Egypt for 116 dedicated to the redemption and to the years. They suffered 116 years(10) and after miraculous events that surround it, there is that Hashem revealed Himself to them. another very important component to it and When Hashem redeemed them, the reward that is the Mishkan (Tabernacle). He gave them was to realise and understand The Ramban comments (1) that these two that He had always been there throughout subjects are linked. He writes that even

What’s Your Flavour 28 28 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- after the deliverance of the Jewish nation permanent place for Hashem to rest His from slavery and the miraculous splitting of presence with them. The Mishkan was the the sea and even after the giving of the actualisation of this and thus the Torah at Mt Sinai, still the true goal of the culmination of the exodus. With this we redemption had not been reached until the understand very well why the sections building of the Mishkan. discussing the Mishkan are in fact a focal part of the book of Shemos, of the story of (2) He explains, that the Mishkan was the exodus. symbolic of Mt Sinai. Quoting one example; the Golden Cherubs which stood on top of Today we do not have the Mishkan or Bais the ‘Aron’ (ark) and from between whom Hamikdosh, but we do have our ‘mikdash the voice of G-d was heard to emanate, was me’at’, mini sanctuary, which are our shuls reminiscent of the fire on top of Mt Sinai and study halls where the fire of Torah is still from which G-d spoke. very much alive. Let us take this opportunity to consider the sanctity and the respect that The idea is that there needed to be a way to they deserve so we can merit to see the keep alive the lofty heights that the Jews redemption speedily in our days. had reached at Mt Sinai. There would have been no point in bringing the Jews to such 1) Introduction to Shemos 2) Introduction to Parshas Teruma awesome heights of spirituality if there was no way to continue it and without a

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Page 31  Sale Of Chametz Page 32  Rabbinical Insomnia Page 34  Matzah & Leaning Page 35  Obliteration of Chametz

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Chametz which is not lying in one’s own property over Pesach- as in - Chametz owned by a Jewish person that is stored in Sale of the hands of a gentile is still included in the prohibition.

Chometz The problem with Chametz owned by a Jew over Pesach has further ramifications even after Pesach, when the Chametz remains By There is so much about prohibited for benefiting from forever more. Yisroel Meir Pesach that This problem is most commonly found in Adler we do in stores owned by Jewish people who are not adherence to observant and retain their Chametz over time honoured Pesach, the Chametz then becomes tradition; how we clean, what we eat, how forbidden. Only merchandise that is new we prepare it and even which songs we stock and has not been under Jewish sing. There is one aspect of preparation ownership over Pesach can be bought. which for many is intriguing and seems like There are stringencies in the ownership of some kind of magical cop out – the selling of Chametz. For example: even the mere Chametz. But it is not so, the sale of the responsibility for a stock of Chametz is Chametz is a regular sale like any other you deemed ownership with regard to Pesach. may do in any area of your own business. Another example is that partial ownership is Selling Chametz is a way of avoiding as problematic as complete ownership, transgression of the following three Biblical which widens the scope of problems that prohibitions that are transgressed by can arise. owning Chametz on Pesach: Now we will take a brief look at some 1) "Bal yera'eh u-val yimatzeh": the Torah fascinating cases of ownership of Chametz prohibition to own Chametz during Pesach - that are discussed extensively by today’s even if we do not derive any benefit from it leading Rabbinic authorities. The ownership of shares in a company that owns or deals 2) “Issur hana'a”: the Torah prohibition in Chametz is one of the more common against deriving benefit from Chametz on problems today: Really it would make more Pesach - even if the Chametz does not sense to sell ones shares together with the belong to us rest of the Chametz that one sells. It would seem even more logical to sell the 3) “Chametz she-avar alav ha-Pesach”: the company's Chametz itself. After all, if I own rabbinic prohibition against deriving benefit it I can sell it, and if I DON'T own it I don't from Chametz which belonged to a Jew have to sell it! The problem with this during Pesach and was not properly approach is that the company is likely to disposed of. acquire or create more Chametz during Pesach. It seems that the most prudent "Bal yera'eh u-val yimatzeh" forbids the course is to explicitly mention to the Rabbi ownership of Chametz by a Jewish person at the customary pre-Pesach sale that over Pesach, therefore the sale of Chametz, shares in Chametz-owning companies are even of that which remains in the property being sold together with the other Chametz. of a Jewish person is going to negate the This would mean that any growth or problem. It is even forbidden to own

What’s Your Flavour 31 31 Something For Everyone —-Stories Section—-—-Articles Section—-—-Advanced Section—- additional Chametz added to ones share in Rabbinic authorities that would not concur the company over Pesach would happen in with this ruling. The underlying issue is the the hand of a gentile. Each Rabbi will have necessity to keep in touch with a Rabbi his own way of dealing with this and will when dealing with all aspects of the sale of apply his method when you go to sell your Chametz! To quote Rabbi Stefansky of the Chametz. Vine Street Shul (Rosh Kollel emeritus of the WCK) “just as you don’t use an Internet A more obscure idea is discussed in the search engine to search for your Chametz, responsa of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein and don’t use the online option to sell your Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, involving Chametz Chametz”! that one has a right to by law but does not actually have in his property yet. For example a prisoner who by law has a right to his daily meal which is Chametz is encouraged to sell this right or swap it....

Rabbi Sternbuch discusses another case which is quite common yet not something Rabbinical one may have considered to be a problem. A person who flies on Chol Hamoed Pesach has by virtue of booking a ticket bought the Insomnia rights to the Chametz meal that will be served on the flight! In principle this is not a problem because the eligibility to claim By There is a rights of ownership of Chametz is only unique mitzvah problematic when the Chametz lies in his Mychiel on Pesach own property. However in this case his level Balshine night to discuss of ownership may be considered stronger the story of the than that, because his purchase of a ticket is exodus. The (1) considered ownership of part of the actual Talmud records a dispute regarding how Chametz on the aircraft. The fact that the long into the evening the storytelling should food does not yet exist will not negatively last. R’ Elazar Ben Azriah says only until (2) affect the sale when the seller is a non Jew. halachic midnight, after that the time is up! R’ Akiva however says the mitzvah lasts Jewish law states that the sale of something throughout the night, and does not end that has yet to come into existence is not a until the morning. valid sale when the parties dealing are both Jewish. Rabbi Sternbuch goes on to write With this in mind the commentators query that although there is a concept that his the famous episode of the Seder in Bnei (3) unwillingness to purchase forbidden items Brak . The Haggodah records that five automatically omits them from the sale as great Rabbis stayed up all night long one cannot sell something to a buyer discussing the exodus. Included in this were against his will, still he advises that one state both R’ Elazar Ben Azriah and R’ Akiva, the blatantly when booking the ticket that he disputants mentioned above. does not wish to include a meal in this Now it is understandable why R’ Akiva purchase. This may be as fascinating as it is stayed up all night, as he holds that the obscure and certainly not something I would mitzvah is valid all the way till dawn. R’ have thought of; and yes, there certainly are

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Elazar Ben Azriah however holds that once According to Rabbi Elazar Ben Azaria the midnight has arrived, the mitzvah time has mitzvah to study the laws only applies in the ended and is obsolete. Why then did he stay shaah she-matzah u-maror munachim up all night contrary to his opinion? lefanecha, the time when matzah and maror are placed before you,” and ends at We can even go so far as to ask that for R’ midnight. However, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria Elazar Ben Azriah to continue to relate the agrees that the mitzvah of le-shabayach la- story of the exodus past midnight is in fact Hashem, to praise Hashem, and to tell over bitul torah! This is because telling biblical the miraculous events and how G-d saved stories is the most basic form of Torah study the Jewish people applies the entire and cannot be compared to analytical evening. Talmudic study. If he was anyways staying up all night he should have engaged in a Thus it was with the second element of the more advanced form of learning. Thus to Mitzvah that R’ Elazar ben Azaria busied join in with the other Rabbis when himself with past midnight, although the according to him there was no mitzvah is in first element of the mitzvah had in fact a sense Bitul Torah. (4) finished.

Furthermore, Abarbenel (5) askes that if R’ 1. Based on Tractate Pesochim 120b, which Elazar Ben Azriah was looking for another discusses the time limit for eating the Yom Tov mitzvah to fulfil, then the most Korban Pesach. The mitzvah of relating appropriate mitzvah would have been to go the story of the exodus only applies while to sleep. This is because sleep is highly the Korban Pesach can still be eaten, the enjoyable and on Yom tov we are meant to shaah she-matzah u-maror munachim engage in joyful things (6). Why did he deny lefanecha. himself this special mitzvah in order to engage in an activity for which the relevant 2. Halachic midnight is half way between time had already passed? sun set and sunrise.

The author of Nitfai Mor (7) answers these 3. Ma’aseh Bbnei Brak… ArtScroll family questions by pointing out that the story Haggadah, Page 26 took place in the town of Bnei Brak. The 4. This is based on Rav Shlomo Kluger's Talmud (4) tells us that R’ Akiva (R’ Elazar insights to the shulchan oruch in Sefer Ben Azriah’s disputant) was the Rabbi of where he discusses סימן תרפ'ז, Hachaim Bnei Brak. Thus in deference and out of מבטלים תלמוד ‘ the halocha which says respect to the local authority, R’ Elazar Ben He understands תורה לשמע מקרא מגלה’ Azriah put aside his view in place of his that although hearing the megilla is a colleague’s. basic form of learning, is still called bitul However, my father’s Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi J torah compared to more in depth B Soloveitchik (9), suggests a different Talmudic study. Thus the is מבטלים תלמוד תורה approach. He argues that there are in fact expression two elements, shtei dinim, to the mitzvah of appropriate. sippur yetzias mitzrayim, (relating the 5. In his Haggadah, Zevach Pesach, gate 13 of Passover story). One is simply to discuss and the introductory questions analyse the many miracles that happened that evening. The second, is to study the 6. Devorim 16:14, ‘Vesomachta Bechagecha’ hilchos hapesach, the laws of korban Pesach.

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7. See ‘pearls of light’ by Rabbi Joseph The Gemorah in Pesochim 104a says in the Pearlman, Volume3, Page 67 name of R’ Yehoshua ben Levi; “One who ate a kezayis (olive sized piece) of matzah 8. Sanhedrin 32b whilst reclining has fulfilled the obligation.”

9. Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Rav Yitzchok From this the gemorah derives; one who Elchonon, New York. Died 1993. See the reclined whilst eating the matzah has journal ’Pesach To Go’ – 5772 – Rabbi fulfilled his obligation; However if he ate in Menachem Genak – Sippur Yetzias an upright position then he has not fulfilled Mitzrayim as a special form of Talmud his obligation. Torah, Pages 11 – 13. See there for his full argument to support this interpretation. The Rosh(1) ( Rabbeinu Osher ben Yechiel 1250-1327) derives from this gemorah that somebody who eats the matzah without reclining has not fulfilled his obligation of

eating matzah and must eat his matzah again whilst reclining. We see from this that the mitzvah of reclining at the seder is Matzah & like our second option above, as in, the leaning is an essential part of the mitzvah of eating matzah and eating matzah without Leaning reclining negates the fulfilment of the mitzvah. This is apparent from the fact that By the Rosh writes that ‘he would need to eat Seder night is a matzah again whilst reclining’ for had he Pini commemoration already fulfilled the mitzvah of eating Harris of the exodus matzah earlier, why would he be required to from Egypt. We eat matzah again, let him recline sit together with irrespective of the matzah. our families and exhibit our freedom by However the Rambam(2) writes “…and behaving at the seder in a manner fitting for when should one recline? At the time of aristocracy. One aspect of this, is the eating the Kezayis of matzah and drinking requirement to recline to the left whilst the four cups. At all other times of eating sitting at the seder. This applies primarily and drinking it is praiseworthy to recline. during the eating of the matzah and the drinking of the wine. It would seem from these words that the Rambam holds like the first option This mitzvah to recline can be viewed from mentioned earlier that reclining is an two perspectives. Either there is simply an independent mitzvah. This is apparent since independent mitzvah to recline, and the he clearly states that it is praiseworthy to Rabbis instructed us to fulfil this mitzvah at recline during other times of eating and the aforementioned times. Or perhaps the drinking i.e. from the fact that it is mitzvah of reclining is not independent, praiseworthy to recline at other times, we rather it is an essential component of the can derive that reclining in general at the mitzvah to eat matzah and drink wine i.e. seder is a mitzvah, even though it is done the mitzvah to eat matzah is to eat it while independently to the eating of the matzah. reclining.

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This opinion of the Rambam however seems difficult in light of the gemorah mentioned above, for surely its simple reading implied the opinion of the Rosh? Obliteration

The Brisker Rov (Rabbi Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik 1447-1959) answers by looking Of Chametz at the Gemorah in a different light. Originally we understood that the gemorah meant to say that someone who ate his matzah By The Torah without reclining, has not fulfilled the Yehuda Zev commands us obligation of eating matzah (as reclining is in two places part of the mitzvah of matzah). The Mendelsohn (Exodus 12:19) שבעת ימים שאור ,Rambam however, explains the Brisker Rov for seven days leaven לא ימצא בבתיכם " – could understand the Gemorah to be saying that one who ate matzah without reclining, may not be found in your houses”, and (ibid ולא יראה לך חמץ ולא יראה לך שאור בכל (has not fulfilled the mitzvah of reclining, 13:7 no Chametz nor leaven may be seenגבולך" . - even though the mitzvah of matzah has (4) been fulfilled. in your possession in all your borders”. The Talmud (Pesachim 1b) interprets these two The Shulchan Oruch(3) rules like the opinion verses as belonging to one commandment, of the Rosh, that one who forgot to recline the prohibition-issur of owning Chametz on while eating matzah must eat again whilst pesach. This issur is commonly known as the reclining. However the Rema quotes the issur of Bal yeroeh. Ravya who is of the opinion that since nowadays the concept of reclining while This commandment is generally understood eating is unusual even amongst the upper to be a prohibition on having Chametz in class, it is no longer a symbol of freedom ones possession during pesach, and need not be done at the seder. transgressed by simply being in ownership Although not the generally accepted ruling of Chametz on pesach. A comparable it can however be relied upon in retrospect; mitzvah would therefore be the prohibition for instance, in a case where one of owning dishonest weights 1 inadvertently ate the matzah without (Deuteronomy 25:13,14 ). reclining he can rely on this opinion to excuse him from the need to eat the matzah The Rambam-Maimonides in his again whilst reclining. compendium of jewish law—Mishneh Torah 2 writes as follows “one does not receive lashes for a transgression of Lo yeroeh velo סי' כ' .1 yimotzei except if he acquired Chametz on הל' חמץ ומצה פ"ז ה"ה .2 pesach or he formed Chametz on pesach etc.; 3. Orach Chaim 472.7 however if he already had Chametz in his possession prior to pesach and simply did 4. The chiddush of the gemorah according not dispose of it before the onset of pesach to the Rambam is that had he reclined although he has transgressed both only for the matzah, that alone would prohibitions he is not given lashes, as he has suffice to fulfil the mitzvah of reclining. not done any action.” The rambam is referring to the law brought down in the

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Talmud (Makkos 2a) that malkus — the 39 merely failing to destroy ones Chametz is lashes generally incurred for a lav-negative also considered a transgression of this commandment is only applied for an act. prohibition but only because he is thereby Any lav which does not involve a positive passively retaining Chametz in his action, does not incur malkus3. Therefore, possession. says the Rambam, one will only incur lashes for ownership of Chametz if an action was involved in his transgression, for example if Let us examine this closer. According to the he went out and bought Chametz on way we understood originally and indeed pesach, or mixed flour and water together on how it remains by the issur of fraudulent pesach, thereby creating Chametz. weights the transgression is not performed by the owner, rather he is liable when the This statement of the Rambam however, is circumstances are such that he is in seemingly difficult to understand. If we ownership of these forbidden items. were to take on as explained above, that (Obviously he will only be liable if he could the prohibition is merely to have Chametz in have got rid of it, the Torah never penalises ones’ possession, why is the fact that he someone for something he had no control acquired the Chametz with an action over!) However our new understanding of sufficient to incur malkus? Surely the events this issur changes the picture entirely. The which led up to his being in ownership of prohibition is everything to do with the the Chametz are not an integral part of his owner; he is liable for the way he dealt with transgression, therefore how can that the Chametz! To bring this point out more action be enough to fulfil this requirement clearly, let’s say someone unknowingly has necessary for malkus? C hametz in his possession. According to our Furthermore, the Rambam himself with present understanding not only will he not regard to the other prohibition of this be liable but he hasn’t done anything nature, namely the owning of corrupt wrong, even unintentionally6. Since the weights, makes no such distinction4, and existence of the Chametz is not known to suffices by saying that this prohibition does him, his failure to destroy it cannot not involve any action and therefore does constitute a preservation of Chametz. not incur malkus? In light of this subtle but crucial alteration in Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik in his work the understanding of this issur, the Hararei Kedem, poses the above question and Rambam’s assertion suddenly becomes clear. offers an alternative, innovative approach to Although the regular way one transgresses the whole subject. He begins by noting the this prohibition is by inactively keeping language of the Rambam 5 when he brings Chametz in his possession, if he actively this issur in his list of the issurim which incur brought Chametz into his possession, malkus. He says ‘...and one who sustains whether if he acquired it or created it, his chometz in his possession...’ act is definitely an integral part of his transgression, thereby fulfilling the necessary requirement to incur malkus! Rav Soleveitchik infers from this that the issur of bal yeroeh is fundamentally different 1. In the days before modern scales, shop from the other prohibition of ownership. owners would weigh their produce on The prohibition is not purely to possess double sided scales against metal weights Chametz, rather to preserve and maintain inscribed with their weight. Not only are Chametz in ones’ possession. Of course, we commanded not to cheat anyone, G-d

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forbid; but even simply owning weights when a transgression was performed which bear a different inscription than with a positive action can it incur lashes. their true weight is prohibited. 4. Hilchos Geneiva (7,3) 2. Hilchos Chametz u’matza (1,3) 5. Hilchos Sanhedrin (19,4) 3. All the negative prohibitions in the Torah, 6. It must be noted however that if one which do not have a death penalty failed to fulfil his halachic obligation to ascribed to them, are punishable by 39 search his property he would still be lashes. However some exclusions apply, considered an unintentional transgressor for example the one noted here, that only for keeping chametz.

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Community Whitefield shul was buzzing this year with a crop Update of first-time events kicked off by Shabbat UK by and launched in Rebbetzen the summer by Rabbi Guttentag Debbie at a meeting in his Guttentag home.

Dovi Colman spent the summer holidays laying the groundwork for the weekend and Mychiel Balshine then worked for several weeks fine- tuning and co-ordinating the programme.

The weekend began with a pre-Shabbat treasure hunt to find oil for lighting Shabbat torches outside the shul. This was followed by the Noah march in which 60 children wearing animal masks paraded round the shul for lecha dodi. Everyone joined in with the exuberant dancing at the end.

Friday night dinners and (indoor!) Shabbat street parties were hosted all round Whitefield. Lewis and Debra Harris of Young Whitefield organised a dinner for 200 young professionals who attended shul and then sat down to a gourmet meal with activities laid on for their children.

The shul hall was packed out on Shabbat afternoon for a seuda shlishit and comedy panel organised by Shelley Blackston and chaired by Shelly Rubinstein. Panellists were Ashley Boroda, Phil Greene, Simon Hilton, Stuart Sklair, Stephen Pearlman and Michael Rubinstein. This was followed after Shabbat by a sparkling havdala ceremony organized by Michael Marks and led by Zvi Gefen of Aish and people went home with a warm good- time feeling.

What’s Your Flavour 39 39 Something For Everyone —-Community—-

Shabbat UK in Whitefield was phenomenally successful thanks to the incredibly hard work of Mychiel with the assistance of volunteers such as Francine Levy and Simon Rosenthal.

Three craft and fun sessions took place during the winter - Succot, Chanukah and Tu B’Shvat. Between 50 and 100 children attended each event.

The highlight of the year was Purim with four separate events taking place.

On Shabbat parshat Zachor, as a lead up to the big day the children’s service met superhero who defeated Dalek and the Wicked Witch. (with grateful thanks to Marilyn Bar Ilan, Sara Shipman and Devorah Weinstein who performed the short show together with Debbie Guttentag)

Purim impossible 3 took place on the Sunday. This was run by Mychiel together with Ben First. The challenge was to make 103 mishloach manot which would then be distributed around the community. (The first year they made 101, last year 102…)

Whitefield shul kids together with Whitefield ladies drama club put on a puppet show for the community before the megillah reading. This was directed by our very own Marilyn Bar-Ilan who put everything it takes into rehearsing her young and not so young actors. Sara Shipman acted as producer and taught the children the opening song and dance routine and mothers Karen Eells and Lisa Miller worked backstage. Janey Semp ran the music. The show was written by Debbie Guttentag.

The young actors were:

Zac Shipman, Elli Shipman, Mia Kaivanto, Ben Kaivanto, Ilan Miller, Louis Fagen, Olivia Levine, Isabella Eells and Ruby Eells.

What’s Your Flavour 40 40 Something For Everyone —-Community—-

The voices backstage were:

Marilyn Bar Ilan, Sara Shipman, Judith Phillips, Hilary Caplan, Debbie Guttentag.

Over 200 adults and children attended the puppet show. The place was heaving. The children then took part in a fancy dress parade compered by Janey Semp.

To everyone’s delight many of the parents and children then stayed on for the megillah, wooed by the promise of a prize. The noise in shul was deafening and the megillah reading took an hour and a half. Worthwhile indeed to see our children having the time of their lives in shul!

After the megillah the community gathered in shul for hamantashen and pizza. This was followed by a magic show performed by club 13 graduate Ryan Harris.

Our sincere thanks to Lesley Harris who pulled together all of the different aspects of Purim day. The incredible attendance at the megilla was a result of her vision and hard work.

In addition to all this busy activity the shul has continued to run children’s services every week. Devorah Weinstein runs a children’s service for ages three to six and Mychiel runs the Junior service for seven to twelve year olds. The Rabbi attends every week, chatting with the kids and talking to them about the sedra and Rebbetzen Debbie comes every so often to tell a story with the puppets.

Club 13, the pre-Bar mitzvah club run by Mychiel has continued to meet weekly throughout the winter with an innovative and exciting programme and fantastic outings.

In addition boys have been attending one-to -one learning in the kollel. There’s also been anim zemirot training to give boys confidence

What’s Your Flavour 41 41 Something For Everyone —-Community—- to get up there in front of the community on Shabbat morning. A big mazal tov and yasher koach to the following boys for their achievement in learning anim zemirot:

 Benjamin Joels Year 6 King David  Zac Berkeley Year 4 Bury and Whitefield  Ilan Miller Year 3 King David  Conrad Hilton Year 6 Manchester Grammar School  Spencer Barnett Year 5 Bury Primary  Leo Jamil Year 4 Bury and Whitefield  Louis Lerman Year 6 King David  Rafi Goldberg Year 7 Bridgewater Grammar  Dylan Benjamin Year 4 King David  Conrad Benjamin Year 2 King David  Toby Burton Year 5 King David  Charlie Berger Year 5 Bury and Whitefield

Thanks to the many volunteers and to all the parents and children who take part in our activities. You are the future of Whitefield shul.

In particular, thanks to Mychiel’s wife Miriam who assists her husband with his many activities. She is often to be seen manning a stall and tidying up after everyone while keeping an eye on her two small children.

Rebbetzen Debbie Guttentag

What’s Your Flavour 42 42 Something For Everyone —-Community—-

What’s Your Flavour 43 43 Something For Everyone —-Community—- THE FORUM is a dynamic organisation providing educational programmes as well as exciting youth activities for the Whitefield community

In association with the WCK, Reg. Charity Number 1004263

Dedicated In Loving Memory Of Patricia Salter (Pesha Bas Reuven) A”H & Leonard Salter (Hersh Leib Bas Shraga) A”H Donated by their sons Phillip and Paul Salter Together with their families

What’s Your Flavour 44 44 Something For Everyone