Forward ,תלמידים DEAR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STAFF AND STUDENTS WORKED EXTREMELY HARD ON I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO .סדרים TO ENHANCE ALL OF OUR דברי תורה PREPARING THANK OUR DILIGENT AND PATIENT EDITOR, NOAM WEISSMAN, AS WELL OUR ART I AM SURE YOU WILL ENJOY SHARING THESE .הגדה EDITORS FOR ENHANCING OUR .פסח WITH YOUR FAMILIES OVER תורה WORDS OF

חג כשר ושמח THE HEBREW ACADEMY OF NASSAU COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL

Introduction PESACH IS COMING UP WHICH IS GREAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME KIND OF ANNOYING. IF YOU ARE GOING TO A SEDER, YOU ARE PROBABLY JUST GOING TO HAVE TO SIT AT A TABLE WITH YOUR FAMILY, AND MAYBE EVEN A FEW OTHER PEOPLE UNTIL LATE AT NIGHT. SO, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE ANYWAY? IS PESACH NOT THE HOLIDAY THAT WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR FREEDOM? HOW ARE WE FREE IF WE ARE FORCED TO SIT AT THE TABLE FOR HOURS AND HOURS? EVEN MORE SO, IF ,SEDER), IT MEANS ORDER. SO, IF WE ARE FREE) סדר WE LOOK AT THE HEBREW WORD WHAT IS UP WITH HAVING ORDER?!?! LET US THINK BACK. WE WERE SLAVES IN EGYPT WORKING FOR A HORRIBLE MAN NAMED PHARAOH. YES, IT IS TRUE THAT WE WERE NOT FREE, BUT WE ALSO HAD NO MEANING TO OUR LIVES. ALL WE DID ALL DAY WAS WORK FOR A TERRIBLE PERSON, GET TREATED HORRIBLY, EAT FOOD THAT ONLY ALLOWED US TO BARELY SURVIVE ALONG WITH MUCH MORE. THEN, HASHEM GAVE THE EGYPTIANS THE 10 PLAGUES. HE SPLIT THE SEA FOR THE JEWS, AND AFTER THAT, HE GAVE US THE TORAH! HOWEVER, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE TORAH IS A SET OF LAWS. SO, WE ARE FREE AND NOW WE GET THIS WHOLE OTHER THING THAT WE MUST FOLLOW? THAT IS NOT FREEDOM! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? IT IS A HUGE MISCONCEPTION THAT PESACH IS JUST CELEBRATING THE CONCEPT OF JEWISH FREEDOM. WHILE IT IS TRUE AND GREAT THAT WE ARE FREE, THERE IS MORE TO IT. LET US TAKE PEOPLE IN JAIL FOR EXAMPLE. STATISTICS SHOW THAT ALMOST HALF OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN JAIL ONCE, GO BACK AGAIN. WHY? SINCE THEY ARE SO FOCUSED ON THE FACT THAT THEY ARE FREE. THEY GO OUT AND THEY GO OVERBOARD ON ALL THE THINGS THEY COULD NOT PREVIOUSLY DO, AND THEN SOON ENOUGH, THEY GET THEMSELVES INTO TROUBLE AGAIN. THE FIRST MITZVAH IN THE TORAH, IS ROSH CHODESH (CELEBRATING THE NEW MONTH.) THIS MITZVAH GIVES US A CONCEPT OF TIME, A SYMBOL THAT WE ARE FREE. WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT WE ARE FREE FROM BEING SLAVES, WE ARE NOT FREE FROM DOING NOTHING WITH OUR LIVES. HASHEM DID NOT WANT US TO BE SO FOCUSED ON FREEDOM THAT WE STARTED TO REBEL JUST FOR FREEDOM'S SAKE. THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS HE GAVE US THE TORAH. A SET OF LAWS TO MAKE OUR FREE LIFE MEANINGFUL, NOT JUST FREE. IF THIS IS NOT DONE, YOU MIGHT OTHERWISE BE A SLAVE TO SOCIETY. THEREFORE, WHILE PESACH IS ABOUT CELEBRATING AND RECOGNIZING THE FREEDOM WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO HAVE TODAY, IT IS ALSO ABOUT REALIZING THE NECESSARY ORDER IN OUR LIVES. TJ SERBER

קדש EACH YEAR AS PESACH APPROACHES, I BUY A NEW HAGGADAH. THIS YEAR, I DECIDED TO BUY THE NOVOMINSK HAGGADAH. THE NOVOMINSKER REBBE, ZT” L, DIED ABOUT 1 YEAR AGO AND HIS STUDENTS PUT TOGETHER MANY OF HIS BEAUTIFUL DIVREI TORAH. IN THE FIRST PIECE IN THE HAGGADAH, IT DISCUSSES A LINE IN KIDDUSH, WHICH USES TWO DIFFERENT WORDS FOR HAPPINESS. ONE IS SIMCHA AND ONE IS SASON AS IT SAYS IN KIDDUSH, MOADIM LSIMCHA CHAGIM UZEMANIM LSASON. THIS MEANS, “THE APPOINTED TIMES FOR GLADNESS, FEASTS AND SEASONS FOR JOY.” THE NOVOMINSKER, ZT” L, EXPLAINS THAT SIMCHA SYMBOLIZES THE HAPPINESS ONE GETS FROM ACCOMPLISHMENT, WHEREAS SASON REPRESENTS THE HAPPINESS ONE GETS FROM FINDING SOMETHING WHICH IS UNEXPECTED OR NOT EARNED. THE IDEA IS THAT ONCE YOM TOV ARRIVES WE CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY IN KIDDUSH THAT WE HAVE JOY FROM ACCOMPLISHMENT. WE MADE IT TO ANOTHER HOLIDAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS ALSO AN ELEMENT OF SASON BECAUSE HASHEM BRINGS US TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF KEDUSHA AND THIS IS AN UNEXPECTED JOY FOR US. ALTHOUGH WE SAY KIDDUSH ON EACH OF THE SHALOSH REGALIM, IT IS ESPECIALLY APPROPRIATE ON PESACH. SO MUCH HARD WORK AND EFFORT GOES INTO ALL OF THE PREPARATIONS AND WE TAKE JOY IN THE ACCOMPLISHMENT AS WE SIT AT THE BEAUTIFULLY, ADORNED SEDER TABLE. PESACH IS ALSO AN ESPECIALLY MOMENTOUS HOLIDAY AS IT CELEBRATES OUR FREEDOM FROM SLAVERY. WE ARE NOW FREE TO OBSERVE HASHEM’S MITZVOT AND LEARN HIS TORAH. AS WE SIT DOWN TO THE SEDER THIS YEAR, I KNOW I WILL BE THINKING OF WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED OVER THE PAST YEAR. THE PANDEMIC HAS CHANGED OUR LIVES IN SO MANY WAYS. THIS YEAR WE CAN AND MUST DO OUR BEST TO FEEL THE JOY OF PESACH. I WANT TO THANK THE REBBEIM, MOROT AND STUDENTS WHO PUT IN DIVREI TORAH AND ARTWORK TO MAKE THIS BEAUTIFUL HAGGADAH. THE GEMARA STATES THAT IN NISSAN WE WERE REDEEMED AND IN NISSAN WE WILL BE REDEEMED. MAY THIS YEAR BE THE YEAR OF OUR FINAL REDEMPTION AND THE REBUILDING OF THE THIRD AND FINAL BEIT HAMIKDASH, SPEEDILY IN OUR DAYS! CHAG KASHER V’SAMEACH! RABBI HECHT

קדש BY JOINING OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AT פסח WE CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAY OF MOST PEOPLE ARE COUNTING DOWN סדר, TABLE. FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE סדר THE THE MINUTES UNTIL THEY CAN EAT, AND THOUGH THE ACTUAL MEAL IS DELAYED UNTIL RELATIVELY LATE IN THE EVENING, LESSONS ABOUT WHAT OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS MEALS AND EATING SHOULD BE ABOUND FROM THE MOMENT WE SIT AT THE TABLE.

THE SEDER BEGINS WITH THE RECITATION OF KIDDUSH EVEN THOUGH THE MEAL WILL NOT BE EATEN FOR SOME TIME. NEXT, AFTER TASTING THE KARPAS, AND BREAKING THE MATZAH, WE INVITE ALL DISADVANTAGED JEWS TO JOIN US AS WE ALL THIS TAKES PLACE יציאת מצרים. READ THE HAGGADAH AND RETELL THE STORY OF BEFORE SHULCHAN ORECH. HOW COULD THIS BE?

CLEARY, THE PESACH SEDER PROVIDES A LESSON IN THE ETIQUETTE OF EATING. BEFORE AND AFTER EATING, AND IN DOING SO, WE ברכות ALL YEAR LONG, WE RECITE ,NIGHT, HOWEVER פסח RAISE THE PHYSICAL ACT OF EATING TO A HIGHER PLANE. ON WE SHOWING HOW A TRULY “JEWISH MEAL” IS ORGANIZED.

ONE WHO SITS DOWN TO EAT, PARTICULARLY ON A HOLIDAY, MUST FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE JEWISH PEOPLE, LIKE THIS DAY, HAVE BEEN SANCTIFIED BY HASHEM. FURTHERMORE, A MEAL MUST BE PRECEDED BY THE RECOGNITION THAT THE POOR ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE AT OUR TABLE. THOUGH WE DO NOT FOLLOW THE PRACTICE OF ONE OF THE BABYLONIAN AMORA’IM, WHO WOULD RECITE THE HA LACHMA ANYA), DAILY, WE SAY THESE) הא לחמא עניא ,INVITATION TO THE POOR WORDS ON PESACH NIGHT TO SINGLE OUT ONE OF THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF EVERY MEAL. MAIMONIDES WRITES THAT IF NO POOR PERSON ATTENDS ONE'S SEDER, HIS SEDER IS SIMPLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF FILLING HIS STOMACH. EVEN AFTER KIDDUSH HAS BEEN RECITED AND AN INVITATION TO THE POOR HAS BEEN SENT, WE ARE STILL NOT READY FOR THE ACTUAL MEAL.

IF WE PERFORM THE SEDER CORRECTLY, WE HAVE EATEN AT LEAST ONE MEAL DURING THE YEAR THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE. IN THIS SENSE, THE SEDER SHARES COMMON GROUND WITH OTHER MITZVOT AND PRACTICES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. FOR EXAMPLE, IT IS NECESSARY FOR EACH OF US TO REGRET OUR SINS EVERY DAY. NEVERTHELESS, CERTAIN DAYS OF THE YEAR HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON REGRETFULNESS. LIKEWISE, THE NEED TO REMIND OURSELVES OF OUR HOLINESS AS HASHEM’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE POOR, AND OUR OBLIGATION TO ENGAGE IN THE STUDY OF TORAH BEFORE TENDING TO OUR PHYSICAL NEEDS IS A DAILY CHALLENGE. THE SEDER NIGHT DURING THE YEAR IS SET ASIDE TO HIGHLIGHT THESE DUTIES.

SARAH KALTER

קדש

WE ALL KNOW THAT THE 1ST STEP OF THE SEDER IS KADESH. HOWEVER, KADESH JUST SEEMS LIKE A FANCY WAY OF SAYING KIDDUSH. IF THAT’S SO, THEN YOU MIGHT ASK THE QUESTION: WHY DOES KIDDUSH OR KADESH NEED TO BE SAID WITH THE REST OF THE SEDER? IT CAN, LIKE FOR ALL THE OTHER YOMIM TOVIMBE SAID EARLIER IN THE NIGHT. IT ALSO ASKS THE GREATER QUESTION: WHY DOES THE SEDER NEED TO BE A SEDER AT ALL? WHY CAN'T WE JUST DO THE MITZVOT SEPARATELY? HALACHICALLY THE ONLY THING THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID ON SEDER NIGHT IS MAGGID ALONG WITH EATING MATZAH AND MAROR. SO WHY CAN’T WE DO IT LIKE A NORMAL YOM TOV AND BE ABLE TO MAKE THE KIDDUSH ON THE DAY, AFTER SHKIAH? WE CAN DO THE REST AT TZEITZ. THROUGH ANSWERING THIS QUESTION, I THINK WE CAN LEARN A LITTLE ABOUT PESACH AND WHAT THE SEDER MEANS.

WHAT MAKES PESACH SO UNIQUE, IS THAT UNLIKE OTHER HOLIDAYS, SUCH AS SUKKOT, THERE IS ONE NIGHT, ONE COMPILING OF ALL THE MITZVOT THAT NEED TO BE DONE ON PESACH. THE LIST OF THESE MITZVOT INCLUDE:

1. SEEPOOR YETZIAS MITZRAYIM (TELLING OVER THE STORY OF BEING FREED FROM EGYPT) 2. EATING MATZAH 3. EATING MARROR (BITTER HERBS) 4. EATING THE AFIKOMEN (AN EXTRA PIECE OF MATZAH FOR DESSERT AS A REMINDER OF THE KORBAN PESACH) 5. SAYING HALLEL 6. DRINKING THE FOUR CUPS OF WINE 7. DEMONSTRATING ACTS OF FREEDOM AND KINGSHIP. FOR EXAMPLE: EATING WITH A PILLOW CUSHION AND LEANING AS WE EAT AND DRINK AND BEGINNING THE MEAL "WITH A DIP."

THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF THE SEDER WE CHECK OFF ALL THESE MITZVOT. HOWEVER, ONLY THE MITZVOT D'ORAITA (FROM THE TORAH) NEED TO BE SAID AT THE SEDER NIGHT. THESE INCLUDE: SEEPOOR YETZIAS MITZRAYIM, EATING MATZAH, EATING MARROR, AND EATING THE AFIKOMEN. EACH STEP IN THE SEDER PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ACHIEVING THE MAIN GOAL: REMEMBERING AND TELLING THE STORY OF HASHEM FREEING US FROM EGYPT. THE RAMBAM SAYS THAT EACH OF THE DALED KOSOT IS TIED TO A DIFFERENT MITZVAH. HE STATED THAT KOS #1 GOES WITH KIDDUSH OF THE DAY. IT IS ALSO STATED THAT EACH KOS REPRESENTS THE 4 PHRASES OF REDEMPTION, V’HOTZASEE, V’HEETZALTY, V’LAKACHTY, V’GAALTY. SO, WE SEE FROM THIS THAT SINCE THE KIDDUSH OF THE YOM IS TIED TO THE 1ST KOS, AND THE 1ST KOS IS TIED TO THE 4 PHRASES OF REDEMPTION, AND THE 4 PHRASES OF REDEMPTION TELL THE STORY OF HOW HASHEM FREED US FROM EGYPT. THEREFORE, SINCE KADESH IS CONNECTED TO TELLING THE STORY OF HASHEM FREEING US FROM EGYPT, WHICH IS A MITZVAH FROM THE TORAH AND MUST BE SAID SEDER NIGHT, WE MUST SAY KADESH AT SEDER NIGHT. WE CAN LEARN A VALUABLE LESSON FROM THIS WHICH IS THE FOLLOWING: JUST HOW EACH STEP OF THE SEDER IS CRUCIAL FOR TELLING THE STORY OF REDEMPTION, WE ALSO EACH HAVE A SPECIFIC PURPOSE AND MUST MAKE THE MOST OF IT.

RAMI KESSOCK

קדש

THE GEMARA IN MASCHET PESSACHIM 101A DISCUSSES THE MITZVAH OF KIDDUSH ON SHABBAT AND YOM TOV. THE GEMARA QUOTES SHMUEL AND RELATES THAT IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE MITZVAH OF KIDDUSH, THE KIDDUSH MUST BE SAID B’MAKOM SEUDAH - IN THE SAME PLACE AS THE MEAL AND THE KIDDUSH MUST SERVE AS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE MEAL.

THIS HALACHA IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE MITZVAH. IN FACT, THE RABBIS TEACH US THAT IF A PERSON MAKES KIDDUSH AND GOES TO ANOTHER HOUSE TO EAT HIS MEAL HE HAS NOT FULFILLED HIS OBLIGATION TO SAY KIDDUSH AND HE MUST SAY KIDDUSH AGAIN IN THE HOUSE WHERE HE INTENDS TO EAT THE MEAL.

WITH ALL THIS IN MIND IT BEGS THE QUESTION HOW CAN WE FULFILL OUR MITZVAH OF KIDDUSH ON THE NIGHT OF THE SEDER IF WE WON'T BE EATING UNTIL AFTER MAGGID? (WHICH FOR SOME FAMILIES CAN TAKE HOURS)

[ASK THE PEOPLE AT YOUR SEDER WHAT THEIR ANSWERS MIGHT BE]

RAV SHLOMO ZALMEN AUERBACH THE FAMOUS ROSH YESHIVA AND TZADIK EXPLAINS THAT IN GENERAL IF A PERSON SAYS A BRACHA AND MAKES AN INTERRUPTION (A HEFSEK) HE MUST REPEAT THE BRACHA. HOWEVER, IF A PERSON SIMPLY DREW OUT HIS BRACHA WITH KAVANA IN DRAMATIC FASHION (BAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCHHHHHH AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH HHHHHAAAAAASSSSSSHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEMMMMMM) YOU MIGHT LOOK STRANGE BUT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS BRACHA.

RAV SHLOMO ZALMEN AUERBACH RELATES THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE SEDER. ALTHOUGH WE SEEM TO BE INTERRUPTING BETWEEN OUR KIDDUSH AND OUR EATING, THE SAYING OVER OF THE HAGGADAH IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE MEAL. THE RABBI’S TELL US THAT ONE REASON WHY MATZAH IS CALLED “LECHEM ONI'' IS BECAUSE IT IS “BREAD” THAT YOU SAY MANY WORDS ABOUT. PERHAPS THE MATZAH CANNOT EVEN BE EATEN AS PART OF THE MEAL UNTIL IT HAS BEEN INFUSED WITH THE KIDDUSHAH OF THE HAGGADAH. AND THUS, THE MAGGID IS NOT AN INTERRUPTION BUT RATHER A PREAMBLE TO THE MEAL AND THEREFORE A BRIDGE BETWEEN KIDDUSH AND THE MEAL.

RABBI ASHER DWORETSKY

מגיד

מגיד (Ha Lachma Anya) הא לחמא עניא

WE BEGIN THE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH TO THE MAGGID הגדות IN OUR THIS IS THE BREAD OF AFFLICTION הא לחמא עניא- SECTION OF THE SEDER BY SAYING WHERE THE FIRST הגדות OF SLAVERY). HOWEVER, IN HISTORY, THERE WERE OTHER) .(KAF) "כ" WITH THE ADDITION OF THE HEBREW LETTER כהא לחמא עניא :LINE READ

IN A HAGGADAH LIKE THIS, THE FIRST LINE WOULD READ: “THIS IS LIKE THE BREAD OF AFFLICTION OR SLAVERY THAT OUR ANCESTORS ATE.” WHAT IS THE AND HOW SHOULD הגדה, ACTUAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE 2 VERSIONS OF THE ?THIS IS LIKE =כהא THIS IS OR=הא ,WE READ THIS PARAGRAPH AT OUR SEDER

WE CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION BY READING THE FOLLOWING PARABLE. A FAMILY LIVED IN GREAT NEED, AND THE FATHER WAS MISERABLE AT SEEING HIS CHILDREN INADEQUATELY DRESSED AND OFTEN HUNGRY. FINALLY, THE WHEELS OF FORTUNE TURNED, AND PROSPERITY REPLACED POVERTY. FOOD BECAME PLENTIFUL, CLOTHING NEAT, AND LIVING CONDITIONS COMFORTABLY. IN GRATITUDE, THE FATHER INTRODUCED A QUAINT FAMILY HOLIDAY: ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR DELIVERANCE FROM POVERTY, HE AND HIS FAMILY DRESSED THEMSELVES IN SHABBY CLOTHES AND ATE A FRUGAL MEAL TO REMIND THEMSELVES OF BYGONE DAYS. THEN THE FATHER AND MOTHER DISTRIBUTED GIFTS TO THE CHILDREN IN KEEPING WITH THEIR PRESENT GOOD FORTUNE.

SEVERAL YEARS LATER THE FAMILY HAS PLUNGED INTO POVERTY ONCE AGAIN. WHEN THE CHILDREN FIRST NOTICED THEIR FATHER’S SHABBY SUIT THEY GREETED HIM WITH JOY, ANTICIPATING THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY. BUT THIS TIME THE THREADBARE CLOTHES WERE NOT COMMEMORATIVE, THEY WERE THE GARMENTS OF REAL POVERTY.

WE CELEBRATE OUR DELIVERANCE FROM EGYPT. DURING THE TIMES פסח, ON OF THE TEMPLES, THE MATZAH AND MAROR WERE MERELY REMINDERS OF THE MISERABLE PAST. LIKE THE FRUGAL MEAL AND SHABBY SUIT WORN ONCE A YEAR, THEY JOYFULLY CELEBRATED THEIR LIBERATION FROM SLAVERY. WHEN THEY THIS IS LIKE THE BREAD OF כהא לחמא עניא - :BEGAN THEIR SEDER THEY WOULD SAY SLAVERY. HOWEVER, IN GENERATIONS OF RENEWED EXILE LIKE TODAY, THE MISERY AND PERSECUTION OF THE JEWS FROM THE PAST IS STILL ALSO QUITE REAL הא לחמא עניא- TODAY. FOR THIS REASON, WHEN WE START THE HAGGADAH, WE SAY THIS IS THE BREAD OF AFFLICTION (OF SLAVERY). NOWADAYS, WITHOUT THE TEMPLE, WE ARE TRULY STILL TASTING THE ACTUAL BREAD OF AFFLICTION. THIS IS WHY THERE ARE 2 DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF HOW TO BEGIN THE SEDER. MAY WE THIS IS LIKE THE BREAD OF SLAVERY כהא לחמא עניא- MERIT TO SAY THE WORDS OF NEXT YEAR!

RABBI MORDECHAI HARRIS

(Ha Lachma Anya) הא לחמא עניא

MOST OF THE TIME, WHEN YOU THINK OF THE PESACH SEDER, YOU THINK MATZAH, MAROR, AND SLAVERY, BUT WHEN WE LOOK DEEPER INTO SOME OF THE SONGS AND CONCEPTS, WE CAN SEE HOW THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO IT. SOME OF THESE DEEPER IDEAS CAN BE LEARNED FROM THE SONG HA LACHMA ANYA. HA LACHMA ANYA IS A PARAGRAPH THAT WE SAY DURING MAGGID THAT INVITES ANYONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE A PLACE TO EAT TO COME AND ENJOY THE SEDER AND THE “KORBAN PESACH”. WOULDN’T IT MAKE MORE SENSE TO PLACE THIS INVITATION IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SEDER, BEFORE KIDDUSH IS SAID? ALSO, HA LACHMA ANYA IS IN THE LANGUAGE OF ARAMAIC, WHICH IS NOT PARTICULARLY UNDERSTOOD BY EVERYONE. IF KIDDUSH HAS ALREADY BEEN RECITED AND THIS SONG ISN’T EVEN WRITTEN IN HEBREW, WHAT DOES THIS INVITATION IN PARTICIPATING IN THE SEDER SERVE?

THE POINT OF THIS SONG IS NOT ACTUALLY TO HAVE A MEAL WITH THE POOR OR UNFORTUNATE, BUT TO JUST MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME AT THE SEDER. THE GUESTS MAY NOT FEEL EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE IN PARTICIPATING IN THE SEDER, AND THIS PRAYER IS TO MAKE THOSE WHO ARE THE GUESTS FEEL LIKE GUESTS OF HONOR. GENERALLY, BEING INVITED INTO A COMPLETE STRANGER'S HOUSE BECAUSE YOU CAN’T SUPPORT YOURSELF IS EMBARRASSING, SO WE SAY HA LACHMA ANYA TO SHOW THE GUESTS THEY ARE IMPORTANT, BECAUSE ORDINARY PEOPLE WOULDN’T BE INVITED IN SOMEONE’S HOUSE.

HA LACHMA ANYA IS FULLY IN THE LANGUAGE OF ARAMAIC, WHICH IS NOT UNDERSTOOD BY EVERYONE. THE ONLY PART THAT IS NOT ARAMAIC, IS THE LAST PART THAT SAYS, “HA’SHATAH AVDAI, L'SHANAH HABA'AH BENEI CHORIN”, WHICH IS IN HEBREW. MANY MEFORSHIM RESPONDED TO THIS QUESTION OF WHY MOST OF HA LACHMA ANYA IN ARAMAIC IS. ONE OF THE MEFORSHIM’S ANSWERS THAT REALLY STOOD OUT WAS FROM THE BELZER REBBE. HE COMMENTS: WHEN THE JEWS LEFT MITZRAYIM, THEY WERE ELEVATED TO THE LEVEL OF ANGELS, AND THE MATZAH THEY ATE HAD THE TASTE OF MAAN, THE “FOOD OF ANGELS.” ON THE SEDER NIGHT TOO, WE ARE ELEVATED TO THE LEVEL OF ANGELS BY EATING MATZAH. WHEN WE INTRODUCE THIS “FOOD OF ANGELS,” WE DO SO IN ARAMAIC, SO WE DON'T MAKE THE ANGELS JEALOUS. ON THE SEDER NIGHT, THE SHECHINAH REVEALS ITSELF. BY RECITING THIS SECTION IN ARAMAIC, WE ARE DECLARING THAT HASHEM IS WITH US AND WE CAN MAKE REQUESTS TO HIM DIRECTLY, WITHOUT REQUIRING THE ANGELS TO TALK TO HASHEM FOR US. CONCLUSION: WE LEARN A LESSON HERE THAT WE SHOULD PUT ALL OUR EFFORT INTO THIS TEFILLA BECAUSE HASHEM IS REALLY LISTENING TO US! TONIGHT, HASHEM IS CLOSER TO US THAN EVER DURING THIS TIME AND IT SHOULD BE SAID WITH CONCENTRATION! WE SHOULD NOT TAKE THIS PART OF THE SEDER FOR GRANTED AND REALLY MEAN WHAT WE SAY, EVEN MORE SO THE PART THAT WE SAY IN ARAMAIC. THIS YEAR MAY WE MERIT THE FINAL REDEMPTION AND BE TRUE BNEI CHORIN!

ALANA RUBENSHON AND REBECCA EHRENHAUS

עבדים היינו

AVADIM HAYINU IS THE ANSWERING PARAGRAPH TO MAH NISHTANAH. IT OPENS BY REMEMBERING THAT WE WERE SLAVES IN EGYPT, AND THAT HASHEM SAVED US. WHY DO WE START OUR ANSWER BY RECOLLECTING OUR SUFFERING IN MITZRAYIM? DON’T WE FIRST WANT TO TELL THE CHILDREN OF ALL THE WONDERFUL MIRACLES THAT WERE PERFORMED FOR US? THE PURPOSE OF MAH NISHTANAH IS TO GET THE CHILDREN TO ASK. WE WANT THEM TO BE INTERESTED, AND TO LEARN, EVEN IF IT IS PROMPTED. THE MISHNA STATES THAT IN TELLING THE STORY OF LEAVING EGYPT WE MUST “BEGIN WITH THE SHAME AND END WITH THE PRAISE.” IT IS CUSTOM FOR A JEWISH STORY TO BEGIN IN SADNESS BUT END IN JOY. WE ARE THEN TOLD WHAT THREE OF OUR WISE SAGES BELIEVED WAS IMPORTANT ABOUT THE STORY, AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE BEGIN THE ANSWER WITH TELLING OF OUR SUFFERING. HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO PESACH IN A GENERAL SENSE? TALMUD CITES TWO OPINIONS, THOSE OF RAV AND SHMUEL. SHMUEL EXPLAINS THAT THE MAIN IDEA OF THE STORY IS THE PHYSICAL REDEMPTION. WE WERE SLAVES AND RESCUED FROM THE LAND BY HASHEM. RAV EXPLAINS THE ESSENTIAL TEAM IS THE SPIRITUAL REDEMPTION. BECOMING G-D'S CHILDREN, THE JEWISH NATION. HE CHARACTERIZES PESACH AS PART OF A LARGER STORY THAT DETAILS FROM EARLY IDOL WORSHIP TO ACCEPTING G-D. RAMBAM DRAWS ON THE DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW. HE EXPLAINS DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE SEDER STORY; ONE THAT WE TELL OURSELVES, AND ONE THAT YOUNGER CHILDREN ARE TOLD. SHMUEL FOCUSES ON THE STORY TOLD FOR CHILDREN. IT IS DRAMATIC, FULL OF MIRACLES, SUSPENSE, A VILLAIN AND HERO. A TALE THEY HAVE HEARD MANY TIMES, BUT ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS. RAV DETAILS THE MORE COMPLEX. HE SPEAKS OF THE JOURNEY OF FAITH, OF THE EVOLUTION OF OUR NATION. TO ANSWER WHY IS THIS NIGHT DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER NIGHTS WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT JUST COMMEMORATING MIRACLES AND SALVATION. WE ARE CELEBRATING THE PHYSICAL AND THE SPIRITUAL. WE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR SLAVERY, THE BAD WE WENT THROUGH, BUT ALSO THE GOOD THAT IT BROUGHT. AT THE ENDING PARAGRAPH AVADIM HAYINU REMINDS US THAT EVEN THE WISE AND LEARNED MUST RETELL THE STORY OF EXODUS. FROM THIS, TOO, WE CAN SEE THE VALUE OF LEARNING BOTH STORIES. ELANA MAX

Kol Hamarbeh … Harei Zeh Mishubach

AT THE END OF THE PARAGRAPH OF AVADIM HAYINU, THE AUTHOR OF THE HAGGADAH SAYS, “THE MORE ONE TELLS ABOUT THE STORY OF YETZIAT MITZRAYIM, THE MORE HE IS PRAISEWORTHY.” IN ESSENCE, BY TELLING OVER THE STORY OF THE EXODUS, WE ARE EXPRESSING OUR GRATITUDE (HAKARAS HATOV) TO HASHEM. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A MASHAL (PARABLE) FROM RAV SHLOMO BREVDA ZT”L AS TO WHAT IT MEANS TO TRULY EXPRESS HAKARAS HATOV.

MASHAL – PICTURE THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO: THERE WAS A PERSON WHO WAS THE LONE SURVIVOR FROM HIS FAMILY FROM THE HOLOCAUST. HE FOUND HIMSELF ALONE, WEAK, RAVAGED BY VARIOUS ILLNESSES, POOR AND IN ESSENCE WITH NOTHING. UNBEKNOWNST TO HIM, HE HAD A VERY WEALTHY UNCLE IN AMERICA WHO HAD FOUND OUT THAT HIS NEPHEW SURVIVED THE WAR. THE UNCLE SPARED NO EXPENSE AND IMMEDIATELY SPENT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO HAVE HIS NEPHEW BROUGHT TO AMERICA. HE MET HIS NEPHEW AT THE PORT WITH TREMENDOUS JOY AND EXCITEMENT. HE BROUGHT HIM INTO HIS HOME, FED HIM, CLOTHED HIM AND TOOK HIM TO THE BEST DOCTORS TO HEAL HIM. BUT IT DIDN’T STOP THERE – HE TAUGHT HIM HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH, TAUGHT HIM THE FAMILY BUSINESS, FOUND HIM AN APPROPRIATE SHIDDUCH, BOUGHT THEM A HOUSE, FURNISHED THE HOUSE, ETC.… THE NEPHEW GOT MARRIED, HAD CHILDREN AND LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

THE DAY CAME WHERE THE NEPHEW’S OLDEST SON WAS TO GET MARRIED AND AS YOU WOULD IMAGINE, THE UNCLE WAS INVITED TO THE WEDDING ALONG WITH OTHERS. IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF THE DANCES, WITH ALL THE MUSIC BLARING, THE NEPHEW LEANED BACK TO HIS UNCLE AND WHISPERED INTO HIS EAR, “MY PRECIOUS UNCLE, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME.” THE UNCLE’S FACE TURNED RED AS HE GRABBED HIS NEPHEW BY HIS JACKET AND DRAGGED HIM OUT OF THE CIRCLE INTO THE HALLWAY. PINNING HIS NEPHEW AGAINST A WALL HE SAID, “THIS IS HOW YOU SHOW ME THE GRATITUDE AND THANKS THAT YOU OWE ME FOR ALL THE GOOD THAT I HAVE DONE FOR YOU!!”

AS YOU COULD IMAGINE, THE NEPHEW WAS STARTLED AND SURPRISED BY HIS UNCLE’S RESPONSE. “BUT UNCLE,” HE SAID, “DIDN’T I SAY THANK YOU! HOW SHOULD I HAVE THANKED YOU?” THE UNCLE RESPONDED, “THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID: MY PRECIOUS UNCLE, I WAS LEFT ALONE FROM MY FAMILY, WEAK, SICK, POOR, UNCLOTHED, BAREFOOT AND WITH NOWHERE TO LIVE. AND YOU WITH YOUR GREAT MERCY SPENT COUNTLESS AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO BRING ME TO AMERICA. YOU FED ME, CLOTHED ME, TOOK ME TO DOCTORS, TAUGHT ME THE LANGUAGE, TAUGHT ME THE BUSINESS, MARRIED ME OFF, ETC.… AND ALL THAT I HAVE UNTIL THIS DAY IS BECAUSE OF YOU. AND EVEN IF I WOULD LIVE A THOUSAND YEARS, I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO THANK YOU ENOUGH!” THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO EXPRESS TRUE HAKARAS HATOV!

I THINK THE LESSON IS OBVIOUS, TO EXPRESS TRUE HAKARAS HATOV AND GRATITUDE IS TO DETAIL ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT IS DONE FOR YOU. THAT IS WHY THE AUTHOR OF THE HAGGADAH SAYS, “THE MORE ONE TELLS ABOUT THE STORY OF YETZIAT MITZRAYIM, THE MORE HE IS PRAISEWORTHY.” WE RECOUNT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING EVERYTHING THAT HASHEM HAS DONE FOR US AND SAY THANK YOU!

IN THESE TRYING TIMES, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO FOCUS ON ALL THE GOOD THAT WE HAVE AND EXPRESS OUR TRUE HAKARAS HATOV TO HASHEM AND BY EXTENSION OUR PARENTS WHO HAVE DONE SO MUCH FOR US AND CONTINUE TO DO SO MUCH FOR US. HOPEFULLY, THROUGH FOCUSING ON ALL THAT WE HAVE AS OPPOSED TO ALL THAT WE ARE LACKING WE WILL ALL BE ZOCHE(MERIT) TO SEE OUR ULTIMATE GEULA (REDEMPTION), BIMIHERA BIYAMEINU (SPEEDILY IN OUR DAYS), AMEN!!

RABBI JASON OLSHAN

ארבע בנים

THE TORAH REFERS TO FOUR SONS: ONE WISE, ONE WICKED, ONE SIMPLE AND ONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO ASK A QUESTION. WHAT DOES THE WISE SON SAY? "WHAT ARE THE TESTIMONIALS, STATUTES AND LAWS HASHEM OUR G-D COMMANDED YOU?" YOU SHOULD TELL HIM ABOUT THE LAWS OF PESACH, THAT ONE MAY EAT NO DESSERT AFTER EATING THE PESACH OFFERING.

WHAT DOES THE WICKED SON SAY? "WHAT DOES THIS DRUDGERY MEAN TO YOU?" TO YOU AND NOT TO HIM. SINCE HE EXCLUDES HIMSELF FROM THE COMMUNITY, HE HAS DENIED A BASIC PRINCIPLE OF JUDAISM. YOU SHOULD BLUNT HIS TEETH BY SAYING TO HIM: "IT IS FOR THE SAKE OF THIS THAT HASHEM DID FOR ME WHEN I LEFT EGYPT. FOR ME AND NOT FOR HIM. IF HE WERE THERE, HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REDEEMED."

WHAT DOES THE SIMPLE SON SAY? "WHAT'S THIS?" YOU SHOULD SAY TO HIM "WITH A STRONG HAND HASHEM TOOK ME OUT OF EGYPT, FROM THE HOUSE OF SERVITUDE."

AND THE ONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO ASK, YOU START FOR HIM, AS THE TORAH SAYS: "AND YOU SHOULD TELL YOUR SON ON THAT DAY, SAYING 'IT IS FOR THE SAKE OF THIS THAT HASHEM DID FOR ME WHEN I LEFT EGYPT.'"

THE WISE SON AND THE WICKED SON SEEM TO BE OPPOSITES, BUT THEN WHY ISN’T THE WISE SON CALLED THE “GOOD SON”? IS THE SIMPLE SON THE OPPOSITE OF THE ONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO ASK? IF SO, HOW ARE THEY OPPOSITES? THE SIMPLE SON'S QUESTION - "WHAT'S THIS?" - IT IS AS SIMPLE AS CAN BE. WHO, THEN, IS THE SON WHO DOES NOT EVEN KNOW HOW TO ASK? A LITTLE BABY? THE WICKED SON IS TOLD: "IT IS BECAUSE OF THIS THAT HASHEM DID 'FOR ME’ WHEN I WENT OUT OF EGYPT - FOR ME AND NOT FOR HIM - HAD HE BEEN THERE HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REDEEMED." WHY IS THE WICKED SON ANSWERED IN THIRD PERSON? IT APPEARS THE SAME VERSE IS USED TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS OF THE WICKED SON AND THE SON THAT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO ASK. THE FOUR SONS SEEM TO BE BROKEN UP INTO TWO PAIRS. ON ONE SIDE YOU HAVE THE WISE AND SIMPLE SONS, AND ON THE OTHER YOU HAVE THE WICKED SON AND THE SON THAT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO ASK. THE SIMPLE SON SEEMS TO HAVE THE SAME DESIRE TO LEARN AS THE WISE SON DOES, BUT JUST CANNOT EXPRESS THAT DESIRE TO OTHERS. THE SON THAT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO ASK LACKS THE SKILLS TO KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT, SO HE LOOKS UP TO THE WICKED SON, ALSO HE WANTS TO SHOW THAT SAME MOCKERY FOR THE TORAH. UNLIKE THE WICKED SON, HE DOES NOT SPEAK UP SINCE HE DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO. WHEN FOCUSING ON THE SECOND GROUP, WE REALIZE THAT EACH SON LACKS THE KNOWLEDGE TO SEE RIGHT FROM WRONG. THEY JUST WANT TO DO WHAT THEY FEEL IS RIGHT, BUT THEY DO NOT WANT TO SEE IT FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. FROM THIS WE CAN LEARN A GREAT LESSON. IN ORDER TO LEARN FROM OTHERS, ONE NEEDS TWO CRUCIAL INSIGHTS. FIRST, "I AM LACKING. THERE IS MUCH THAT I DO NOT KNOW." AND SECOND, "OTHERS POSSESS THE KNOWLEDGE WHICH I NEED."

MARK ROSENSTOCK

ארבע בנים

THE FOUR SONS REPRESENT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF JEWS. THE CHACHUM, THE SMART PERSON IS THE PERSON THAT IS CONTINUALLY ACTIVE DURING THE SEDER. THE TAM, SIMPLE PERSON IS THE PERSON THAT IS NOT SUPER ACTIVE LIKE THE CHACHUM BUT KNOWS HOW TO ASK QUESTIONS. THE SHEANE YODA’AH LISHOL, A PERSON THAT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO ASK QUESTIONS, IS SOMEONE WHO GOES TO THE SEDER BUT HAS NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON. THE RASHA, THE BAD PERSON, ASKS QUESTIONS BUT EXCLUDES HIMSELF. WHEN WE MENTION THEM, WE SAY; ONE IS SMART, ONE IS SIMPLE, ONE CANNOT ASK QUESTIONS, ONE IS BAD. WHY DON’T WE JUST SAY THE FOUR SONS ARE SMART, SIMPLE, SOMEONE WHO CANNOT ASK QUESTIONS, SOMEONE WHO IS BAD? HASHEM DID THIS ON PURPOSE TO SHOW EVERY JEW IS IMPORTANT, AND HE LOVES EVERYONE, SO HE GIVES EVERYONE A SPECIAL MENTION. THIS SHOWS THAT A REBBE/MORAH SHOULD LOVE ALL OF THEIR STUDENTS, AND A PARENT SHOULD LOVE ALL THEIR KIDS, WHETHER THEY ARE VERY EASY TO WORK WITH OR VERY DIFFICULT.

ADDISON FLOUMENHAFT

עשר מכות

ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC EVENTS IN THE ENTIRE PASSOVER STORY IS THE TEN PLAGUES. ALL JEWS LEARN ABOUT THE PLAGUES SINCE PRE-SCHOOL, AND WE LEARN IT DEEPER AND DEEPER EVERY YEAR. WE ALL LEARNED THAT THE FIRST PLAGUE WAS “DAM” WHICH MEANT ALL THE EGYPTIANS' WATER TURNED TO BLOOD. WE ALSO LEARNED THAT THE SECOND PLAGUE WAS “TZPHARDEIA” AND THERE WERE FROGS JUMPING EVERYWHERE. MY QUESTIONS ARE: WHY HASHEM DIDN’T JUST BRING 1 GREAT AND POWERFUL PLAGUE THAT ENDED IT ALL RIGHT THEN AND THERE? WHY DID THE JEWS HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH THE TIME IT TOOK FOR THE TEN PLAGUES TO BE BROUGHT DOWN? WHY DID PHARAOH NOT LET THE JEWS GO EARLIER? DID G-D TAKE AWAY PHARAOHS FREE WILL IN THE TORAH IT SAYS IN MULTIPLE PLACES THAT HASHEM HARDENED PHARAOH'S HEART? G-D SAID THIS TO MOSHE HIMSELF. THEN THE LORD SAID TO MOSES, “GO TO PHARAOH. FOR I HAVE HARDENED HIS HEART AND THE HEARTS OF HIS COURTIERS, IN ORDER THAT I MAY DISPLAY THESE MY SIGNS AMONG THEM, AND THAT YOU MAY RECOUNT IN THE HEARING OF YOUR SONS AND OF YOUR SONS’ SONS HOW I MADE A MOCKERY OF THE EGYPTIANS AND HOW I DISPLAYED MY SIGNS AMONG THEM—IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.” IT SAYS IN THE TEXT THAT G-D HARDENED PHARAOH'S HEART WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

DURING THE FIRST 7 PLAGUES PHARAOH WAS STILL LEADING AND KEEPING THE JEWS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, BUT AFTER THE 7TH PLAGUE HE WANTED TO LET THEM GO AND HE AND HIS COUNTRY HAD ENOUGH. PHARAOH BECAME SCARED AND HE REALIZED THE JEWISH G-D. HASHEM HARDENED HIS HEART BY GIVING THE COURAGE TO FIGHT HASHEM AND KEEP US IN EGYPT. SO, HASHEM STRENGTHENED HIS HEART AND GAVE HIM THE STRENGTH TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT FOR WHAT HE WANTS. THE REASON HASHEM DID THIS WAS HE WANTED TO EXPLAIN THE STRENGTH OF THIS “NEW” NATION. BY PUNISHING THE EGYPTIANS, HE SHOWED HIS STRENGTH. BRINGING 1 LARGE PLAGUE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE SAME EFFECT AS THE 10. WE SUFFERED FOR THE LONGER GOOD WE WERE SAFE BY G-D UNTIL WE WERE NOT FOLLOWING IN HIS RULE.

חג שמח!!!!!!

RAFFI BRANDLER

דיינו

ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS OF THE SEDER FOR ME EVERY YEAR IS WHEN MY FAMILY SINGS DAYENU TOGETHER. IN THIS CHAPTER WE DESCRIBE THAT IN EVERY STAGE OF OUR REDEMPTION IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH IF HASHEM WOULD HAVE STOPPED RIGHT THERE. BUT HASHEM WENT ON AND DID MORE AND MORE AND MORE FOR US. AMONG THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WE ARE THANKFUL FOR IS THAT HASHEM TOOK CARE OF US IN THE DESERT AND FED US THE MANNA FROM HEAVEN. NOW IT CERTAINLY IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE MANNA. IT WAS THE PERFECT FOOD, FULLY DIGESTIBLE, FULLY TASTE CUSTOMIZABLE, EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE AND IT CAME WITH SAME DAY DELIVERY RIGHT TO THEIR DOORSTEPS!

WHAT IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THERE IS A PASSUK IN DEVARIM 8:3 HE SUBJECTED YOU-ויענך וירעבך ויאכלך את המן אשר לא־ידעת ולא ידעון אבתיך י“ THAT SAYS THAT TO THE HARDSHIP OF HUNGER AND GAVE YOU MANNA TO EAT, WHICH NEITHER YOU NOR YOUR FATHERS HAD KNOWN”. THIS PASSUK SEEMS TO DESCRIBE THE MANNA AS A HARDSHIP THAT WE WERE SUBJECTED TO. HOW CAN YOU HAVE IT BOTH WAYS, WAS IT A KINDNESS OF THE GREATEST MAGNITUDE OR WAS IT A HARDSHIP AND A CHALLENGE FOR US?

RABBI NOSSON TZVI FINKEL ZATZAL ANSWERS THAT, IN REALITY, THE GIVING OF THE MANNA WAS A TREMENDOUS ACT OF KINDNESS AND IT IS ONLY OUT OF HASHEM’S TREMENDOUS KINDNESS AND DESIRE TO SEE THE GOOD IN US THAT HE VIEWED IT AS A TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE AND HARDSHIP. THERE WAS SOME HARDSHIP RELYING ON YOUR NEXT MEAL TO COME OUT OF THE HEAVENS EVERY MORNING AND NOT HAVING A FULL CUPBOARD TO FALL BACK ON, BUT IN HASHEM’S EYES THAT SMALL HARDSHIP WAS A NOTICEABLY BIG HARDSHIP.

THIS YEAR HAS BEEN FULL OF HARDSHIPS BOTH BIG AND SMALL. EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THE ATTENTION GOES TO THE BIG HARDSHIPS THAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH, IN HASHEM’S EYES EVERY HARDSHIP IS A BIG DEAL IRRELEVANT OF ITS SIZE. THERE IS NOTHING SMALL ABOUT ANY OF OUR CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE EYES OF HASHEM. SO, WE SHOULD GO ON BEING THANKFUL FOR ALL OF THE GOOD THAT WE HAVE IN OUR LIFE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME REMEMBERING THAT HASHEM IS WITH US AND CHEERING US ON THROUGH ALL OF OUR DIFFICULTIES AS WELL.

HAVE A CHAG KASHER VESAMEACH! BY: RABBI SHLOMO BURGER דיינו

EVERY YEAR, ADULTS AND CHILDREN ALIKE LOOK FORWARD TO THE SINGING OF DAYEINU. DELVING BEYOND THE SURFACE OF THIS BELOVED PART OF THE SEDER, MANY TZADDIKIM HAVE SOUGHT TO UNDERSTAND ITS DEEPER MEANING. AFTER ALL, MANY HAVE ASKED, IF HASHEM BROUGHT US TO HAR SINAI BUT HAD NOT GIVEN US THE TORAH, CAN WE REALLY SAY THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT, I.E., DAYEINU? THROUGHOUT MANY OF THE STANZAS, WE CAN WONDER HOW WOULD IT POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN ENOUGH? OUR HISTORY WOULD SEEM INCOMPLETE. RAV DOV MOSHE LIPMAN EXPLAINS THAT THE THEME OF DAYEINU BOILS DOWN TO A MESSAGE OF “GAM ZU LETOVAH.” IF HASHEM WOULD HAVE BROUGHT US TO HAR SINAI AND NOT GIVEN US THE TORAH, THEN AS STRANGE AS IT SOUNDS, THAT WOULD INDEED HAVE BEEN ENOUGH, DAYEINU. HOW SO? BECAUSE EVERYTHING HASHEM DOES IS FOR OUR ULTIMATE BENEFIT. NO MATTER IF WE UNDERSTAND IT OR NOT, KOL MAH DE’AVID RACHMANA LETAV AVID, EVERYTHING HE DOES IS LETOVAH, IT’S 100% GOOD. SO IF HASHEM WOULD HAVE DECIDED TO STOP THE PROCESS BEFORE MATAN TORAH, THEN IN THAT REALITY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH. THIS LESSON IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US AS WE TRY TO STAY STRONG THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. SO MUCH SEEMS AT FIRST GLANCE TO BE ANYTHING BUT GOOD. SO MANY THINGS SEEM TO BE HAPPENING IN A NOT IDEAL WAY. WE FEEL THAT WE’RE MISSING OUT ON SO MUCH GOOD. DAYEINU REMINDS US TO STOP AND THINK AND REMEMBER — GAM ZU LETOVAH, IT IS REALLY ALL FOR OUR BENEFIT, WHETHER WE ARE ZOCHE TO RECOGNIZE THAT NOW OR NOT. MAY WE ALL BE BLESSED WITH YESHUOT AND THE GEULAH SHLEIMAH BEKAROV, WHERE WE WILL IMMEDIATELY BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND HOW EVERYTHING HASHEM DOES IS SO GOOD AND SWEET!

HAVE A WONDERFUL PESACH! MORAH KLEIN

Pesach, Matzah, U’Marror

ONE PECULIAR ASPECT OF THE HAGGADAH STANDS OUT YEAR AFTER YEAR: RABBAN GAMLIEL USED TO SAY: ANYONE WHO FAILS TO MENTION THREE THINGS ON THE NIGHT OF PASSOVER HAS NOT FULFILLED HIS OBLIGATION. AND WHAT ARE THEY? THE KORBAN PESACH, MATZAH AND MAROR. THE SIMPLEST INTERPRETATION OF RABBAN GAMLIEL'S STATEMENT IS THAT HE IS REFERRING TO THE COMMANDMENT TO TELL THE STORY OF YETZIAT MITZRAYIM ON THE FIRST SEDER NIGHT. RABBAN GAMLIEL INFORMS US THAT, UNLESS THE MITZVOT OF THE KORBAN PESACH, MATZAH AND MAROR ARE NOT DISCUSSED, WE HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE OBLIGATION OF “TELLING OVER THE STORY” OF OUR REDEMPTION. HOWEVER, STRANGELY WE SEE THAT THE MITZVOT WE ARE DOING ON THE SEDER NIGHT ARE NOT A PART OF THE STORY. HAD RABBAN GAMLIEL INSTRUCTED THAT ANYONE WHO FORGETS TO MENTION THE TEN MAKKOT HAS NOT COMPLETED HIS OBLIGATION OF RETELLING THE EXODUS STORY, WE WOULD UNDERSTAND WHY. BUT EXPLAINING THE COMMANDMENTS THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO PERFORM ON THE NIGHT OF PESACH - THOUGH IMPORTANT - IS NOT A COMPONENT OF TELLING THE STORY. WHY SHOULD SKIPPING THAT PART OF THE HAGGADAH INVALIDATE OUR SEDER NIGHT OBLIGATION? WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JUST THE STORY OF YETZIAT MITZRAYIM? WHY ARE WE ENTERING INTO A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF PESACH INSTEAD?

ONE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION CAN BE FOUND IN THE BASIC LANGUAGE OF THE TORAH ITSELF: “WHEN YOUR SON ASKS YOU TOMORROW, SAYING, 'WHAT ARE THE TESTIMONIES, THE STATUTES AND THE ORDINANCES THAT HASHEM OUR GOD COMMANDED YOU?' AND YOU SHALL SAY TO YOUR SON, 'WE WERE SLAVES TO PHARAOH IN EGYPT, AND HASHEM TOOK US OUT OF EGYPT WITH A STRONG HAND. AND HASHEM PLACED SIGNS AND WONDERS - GREAT AND TERRIBLE - IN EGYPT, AGAINST PHARAOH AND HIS ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD BEFORE OUR EYES. AND WE HE TOOK OUT FROM THERE...AND HASHEM COMMANDED US TO DO ALL OF THESE STATUTES, TO FEAR HASHEM OUR GOD; FOR OUR BENEFIT ALL OF OUR DAYS…” AFTER READING THIS WE CAN RECOGNIZE THAT THE MITZVAH OF RETELLING THE STORY OF YETZIAT MITZRAYIM IS ALWAYS PAIRED WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE TORAH. WITH THIS UNDERSTANDING, WE CAN IDENTIFY NOW THAT THE PURPOSE OF TALKING ABOUT THE STORY OF YETZIAT MITZRAYIM IS NOT JUST TO ENTERTAIN OUR FAMILY WITH HISTORY OR MIDRASHIC TALES BUT RATHER TO ENHANCE OUR OBSERVANCE OF JUDAISM. THIS IS THE MESSAGE RABBAN GAMLIEL IS SENDING US ON THE SEDER NIGHT. THE GOAL OF PESACH IS TO RENEW AND REJUVENATE OUR DEDICATION TO HASHEM EACH YEAR THROUGH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE MITZVOT OF THE CHAG. IF WE WALK AWAY FROM THE SEDER TABLE WITH BEAUTIFUL NEW EXPLANATIONS OF THE HAGGADAH TEXT BUT WITHOUT A BETTER SENSE OF WHY THE KORBAN PESACH, THE MATZAH AND MAROR ARE RELEVANT TO OUR LIVES, THEN WE HAVE NOT FULFILLED THE MITZVAH OF DISCUSSING THE EXODUS. THE EXPERIENCE HAS ENTERTAINED US BUT HAS NOT TRANSFORMED US. OUR JOB IS TO DISCOVER THAT THE CONCEPTS, VALUES AND IDEALS EXPRESSED IN THE EXODUS NARRATIVE MANIFEST THEMSELVES IN THE MITZVOT THAT WE PERFORM ON PESACH AND ALL YEAR ROUND. THE AFTEREFFECT OF THIS ANALYSIS OF THE HAGGADAH IS THAT THE ULTIMATE AIM OF THE SEDER IS THE ENRICHMENT OF OUR OBSERVANCE OF JUDAISM. WE CANNOT ALLOW THE ANNUAL RETELLING OF OUR ANCESTORS' DRAMATIC EXODUS TO BE SIMPLY REDUCED TO A HISTORICAL TALE. OUR GOAL SHOULD BE TO UTILIZE THE HAGGADAH AS A MEANS OF ENHANCING OUR APPRECIATION OF THE ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MITZVOT OF PESACH. CHAG KASHER V’SAMEACH! MORAH ELISHEVA HAKIMIAN

רחצה

HAVE DIFFERENT NAMES THEIR BOTH WASHING? THE רחצה AND ורחץ WHY DO רחצה. AND MATZAH FOR ורחץ ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT YOU WASH FOR LETTUCE AT SO WHY DID G-D CHANGE THE NAME? WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MEANING YOU SEE MEANS BATHE NOW HERE WE SEE THAT GOT IS רחצה .A WHOLE NEW MEANING MEANS ורחץ REMINDING YOU THAT WASHING FOR LETTUCE ISN’T NORMAL. WHILE “AND WASH'' BEING AS STRICT BECAUSE HERE WERE DOING OUR USUAL WASHING ROUTINE. THIS SHOWS YOU THAT EVEN THOUGH GOD IS SO TIRED FROM TAKING US OUT OF EGYPT BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO HE STILL IS TAKING CARE OF US TODAY.

BY: SHAYA LUBNER

מוציא-מצה

Jonathan Eshaghian

Jonathan Eshaghian מרור

,SAYS IF SOMEONE SWALLOWS THE MAROR AND DOESN’T CHEW IT אור החיים THE THEY DO NOT FULLY FULFILL THE MITZVAH. YOU NEED TO TASTE THE BITTERNESS OF THE MAROR WITH THE SWEETNESS OF THE CHAROSET TO COMPLETE THE MITZVAH.

THE SEDER IS A PROCESS JUST LIKE LIFE IS. IN LIFE, WE HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THE GOOD AND THE BAD. WE CAN’T SKIP OVER ANYTHING. BOTH THE GOOD AND THE BAD ARE NEEDED TO ADVANCE IN LIFE. IT IS THE SAME WITH THE SEDER. IF WE JUST STOPPED AT MAROR AND DIDN’T CONTINUE, IT WOULD NOT BE A PROPER SEDER.

IN LIFE, WE NEED TO FEEL THE BITTERNESS, NOT TRY TO AVOID AND DENY IT. SAYS WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT THE BAD. WE NEED TO FACE THE BITTERNESS רבי נחמן KNOWING THAT HASHEM IS HELPING US ALONG THE WAY. HASHEM PLACED THIS HARD OBSTACLE IN FRONT OF US BECAUSE HE KNOWS WE CAN FACE IT AND BECAUSE WE NEED TO HAVE FAITH IN HIM.

ONCE ONE BECOMES HAPPY IT WILL BE EASIER TO FACE THE BITTER OBSTACLE. AFTER WE COMPLETE THE HARD CHALLENGE ONE CAN REALIZE WHY HASHEM GAVE IT TO THEM, AND HOW HE WAS BEHIND IT THE WHOLE TIME. AT THE SEDER WE DON’T EAT THE MAROR BY ITSELF, WE EAT IT WITH THE CHAROSET. THIS IS TO TEACH US THAT ONE CANNOT GO THROUGH SADNESS AND PAIN ALONE BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT WITH HAPPINESS.

AMY MORRIS AND CASEY OSTROW

The Two Paupers

THERE WAS ONCE A JEWISH BEGGAR WHO USED TO GO FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE ASKING FOR FOOD. BEFORE PESACH, HE RAN INTO ANOTHER BEGGAR WHO DID NOT KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT JUDAISM AND ASKED HIM WHERE HE WAS EATING THIS HOLIDAY. THE FIRST BEGGAR SAID THAT PASSOVER IS HIS FAVORITE NIGHT. “YOU JUST SHOW UP AT THE SYNAGOGUE AND YOU WILL BE INVITED TO A BIG FEAST.”

ON THE FIRST NIGHT OF PESACH THEY WENT TO THE SYNAGOGUE, AND SURE ENOUGH, BOTH GOT INVITED TO DIFFERENT HOMES FOR THE FESTIVE CEREMONY.

THE NEXT DAY THE TWO MEN RAN INTO EACH OTHER. THE SECOND BEGGAR TURNED TO HIS NEW FRIEND AND SAID "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME LAST NIGHT? YOU CALL THAT A MEAL? IT WAS TORTURE!!

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT HAPPENED?" THE FRIEND ASKED.

"WHAT HAPPENED? FIRST, WE DRANK A GLASS OF WINE. I LIKE WINE, BUT NOT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH. MY HEAD STARTED SPINNING A BIT BUT I FIGURED THAT ANY SECOND WE WOULD BEGIN THE MEAL AND I WILL BE OKAY. THE SMELL OF THE FOOD FROM THE KITCHEN WAS GREAT. WHEN IT FINALLY APPEARED THAT WE WERE GOING TO EAT SOMETHING, I WAS GIVEN A PIECE OF CELERY DIPPED IN SALT WATER- YUCK! THEN THEY STARTED TALKING, AND TALKING, AND TALKING IN HEBREW. ALL ALONG I'M SMILING AND NODDING MY HEAD AS IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE SAYING BUT I WAS DYING OF HUNGER. THE SMELL OF THE FOOD FROM THE KITCHEN WAS MAKING ME INSANE. FOR TWO HOURS, THEY DIDN’T BRING ANYTHING OUT! JUST TALKING, AND MORE TALKING. THEN, JUST WHAT I NEEDED.... ANOTHER CUP OF WINE! THEN WE GOT UP, WASH OUR HANDS, SIS BACK DOWN AND ATE THIS BIG WAFER CALLED MATZAH THAT TASTES LIKE NEWSPAPER, LEANING TO THE LEFT (NO IDEA WHY...). I STARTED CHOKING, AND ALMOST THREW UP. AND THEN FINALLY THEY GIVE ME THIS LETTUCE, I TOOK A BIG BITE AND WHAM! MY MOUTH WAS ON FIRE. MY THROAT! THERE WAS HORSERADISH INSIDE! NOTHING TO EAT BUT HORSERADISH! YOU GUYS ARE CRAZY.”

"WELL, I JUST GOT UP AND LEFT. I HAD ENOUGH!"

"WHAT A SHAME” SAID THE FIRST PAUPER. “AFTER ALL THE BITTER HERBS, WINE AND MATZAH, A DELICIOUS MEAL IS SERVED DURING SHULCHAN ARUCH. YOU SUFFERED SO LONG; YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST HELD OUT FOR A FEW MORE MINUTES...!" THE MAROR IS EATEN DURING THE SEDER TO REMEMBER THAT BEFORE BECOMING A FREE NATION, B’NEI YISRAEL HAD TO FIRST GO THROUGH SOME BITTERNESS IN ORDER TO APPRECIATE TRUE FREEDOM. SO TOO TODAY, WE ENCOUNTER DIFFICULT TIMES AS WE WAIT TO RETURN TO YERUSHALAYIM AND BUILD THE BEIT HAMIKDASH. JUST AS IN THE STORY, IF WE ARE A BIT MORE PATIENT, WE WILL REACH OUR GOAL AND TASTE THE SWEETNESS OF THE FINAL REDEMPTION, TOGETHER WITH MOSHIACH IN YERUSHALAYIM.

NETANEL SADIGH

Jonathan Eshaghian כורך

BITTER HERBS, AND ,מצה WHAT IS THE POINT IN MAKING A SANDWICH OUT OF TO UNDERSTAND THIS BETTER, LET US TALK ABOUT HOW WE MAKE THE ?חרוסת THEN WE PUT BITTER HERBS AND CHAROSET IN BETWEEN מצה SANDWICH: WE BREAK BACK TOGETHER OF מצה WHY DO WE DO THIS? TO GLUE THE .מצה THE TWO SLICES OF COURSE! BUT THAT REALLY DOES NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION. WHY DO WE GLUE IT BACK TOGETHER? THE ANSWER IS TO SHOW THAT WE WERE ONCE WHOLE LIKE THE THEN WAS. WE WERE GLUED מצה LIKE THE מצרים WE WERE THEN BROKEN IN .מצה .חרוסת WAS WITH THE BITTER HERBS AND מצה LIKE THE הר סיני BACK TOGETHER AT AND THEN GLUED BACK TOGETHER WHEN WE גלות WE WERE THEN BROKEN AGAIN AT גלות WE WERE BROKEN AGAIN DURING THE SECOND .בית המקדש BUILT THE SECOND תורה AND HAVE NOT BEEN GLUED BACK TOGETHER YET. BUT WITH MORE AND MORE WHICH IS THE SIGNIFICANCE) תשובה AND (חרוסת WHICH IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE) OF THE BITTER HERBS), WE CAN BE GLUED BACK TOGETHER ONCE AND FOR ALL.

ZACH HAIRONSON

Avner Neman הלל

THE BEAUTIFUL SONG OF HALLEL HAS A FASCINATING HISTORY. ACCORDING TO SOME OPINIONS IN THE GEMARA, IT WAS RECITED AS EARLY AS DURING THE TIMES OF MOSHE RABBEINU IN THE MIDBAR AND LATER WRITTEN DOWN IN SEFER TEHILLIM BY DAVID HAMELECH. IN THIS TEFILLAH, WE PRAISE HASHEM FOR HIS VARIOUS FORMS OF KINDNESS, AND WE DAVEN TO HIM TO SAVE US FROM OUR CURRENT HARDSHIPS AND HELP US SUCCEED. THROUGHOUT THE AGES, COUNTLESS JEWS HAVE BEEN SINGING THE SONG OF HALLEL, AND AMONG THEM WERE THREE INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUALS- CHANANYA, MISHAEL, AND AZARYA.

CHANANYA, MISHAEL, AND AZARYA WERE JEWISH PRINCES WHO WERE TAKEN INTO EXILE AND BROUGHT TO THE PALACE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR, THE KING OF BAVEL. WHEN THEY REFUSED TO BOW DOWN TO THE STATUE THAT NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD SET UP, HE ORDERED THAT THEY BE THROWN INTO A FIERY FURNACE AS A PUNISHMENT. AS THEY WERE BEING LOWERED INTO THE FURNACE, THESE HOLY PRINCES WERE RECITING THE WORDS OF HALLEL AND BEGGING HASHEM TO SAVE THEM- NOT FOR THEIR OWN SAKE, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF GLORIFYING HIS NAME AND MAKING A KIDDUSH HASHEM.

HASHEM HEARD THEIR TEFILOT AND SENT ANGEL GAVRIEL DOWN TO COOL OFF THE FIRE. WHEN NEBUCHADNEZZAR SAW THAT CHANANYA, MISHAEL, AND AZARYA COULD NOT BE CONSUMED BY THE FLAMES OF THE FIRE, HE WAS AWED BY THE POWER OF THEIR G-D, ALONG WITH ALL OF THOSE PRESENT, AND A TREMENDOUS KIDDUSH HASHEM WAS MADE. WHEN CHANANYA, MISHAEL, AND AZARYA WERE TAKEN OUT OF THE FURNACE, THEY AGAIN RECITED PARTS OF FOR HIS KINDNESS HAD“ -"כי גבר עלינו חסדו“ ,HALLEL, THIS TIME THANKING HASHEM OVERWHELMED THEM.

THE MIDRASH EXPLAINS THAT THESE THREE PRINCES REFINED THEIR CHARACTER SO MUCH THAT THEY EACH REACHED THE LEVEL OF ANGELS, WHERE THEIR BODIES EXISTED PURELY FOR THE SAKE OF HASHEM. THEREFORE, IT IS NO WONDER THAT THEY WERE NOT CONSUMED BY THE FLAMES OF THE FURNACE; AFTER ALL, FIRE CAN ONLY CONSUME THAT WHICH IS PHYSICAL!

WE ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO STRIVE FOR THE LEVEL CHANANYA, MISHAEL, AND AZARYA REACHED. HOW SO? BY PRAISING HASHEM WITH EVERY ACTION THAT WE TAKE. WHEN WE KEEP IN MIND,EVEN THOUGH THE MOST MUNDANE ACTIONS, THAT HASHEM IS THE ONE RUNNING THE SHOW, AND HE IS THE ONE WHO GAVE US THE ABILITY TO DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE ARE DOING, WE ARE DRAWING CLOSER TO THE LEVEL OF THESE THREE PRINCES, WHO LIVED PURELY FOR THE SAKE OF HASHEM AND WERE WILLING TO LIVE OR DIE IN ORDER TO SANCTIFY HIS NAME.

MAY WE BE ZOCHE TO RECITE HALLEL TOGETHER WITH CHANANYA, MISHAEL, AND AZARYA, AND THE REST OF OUR NATION IN YERUSHALAYIM THIS PESACH!

MORAH SARA JAEGER