אור אברהם ניסן לזכר נשמת אברהם ניסן בן נחמן

Halachos and Divrei Torah on Pesach from the Rabbeim of Yeshivas Ohr Reuven תשע"ט

אור אברהם ניסן

Ohr Avraham Nissan ©Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

Arranged, typeset, and edited by: Akiva Gottlieb, Yitzi Bamberger, and Eliyahu Wincelberg

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Contents Rosh HaYeshiva, HaRav Betzalel Rudinsky, Shlit”a Suffering Helps Us Merit Salvation ...... 5 Rabbi Dovid Apter The Rasha ...... 8 Rabbi Menachem Apter From Galus to Geula ...... 10 Rabbi Simcha B. Berger The Two Facets of Matza ...... 13 Rabbi Yosef Fishman 16 ...... בענין בדיקה וביטול חמץ Rabbi Heshy Friedman Summary of the Halachos of Preparing for Pesach ...... 19 Rabbi Heshy Friedman Kitzur Hilchos Leil Seder ...... 30 Rabbi Yisroel Gottlieb The Sanctity of the Seventh ...... 38 Rabbi Yosef Loewy There’s No Need to Worry ...... 41 Rabbi Shmuel Reich Enslaved and Redeemed ...... 42 Rabbi Elimelech Ringel The Afikomen ...... 46 Rabbi Eliyahu Wincelberg Reasons for Taanis Bechorim ...... 50

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אור אברהם ניסן

לזכר נשמת

אברהם ניסן בן נחמן

אליעזר בן אברהם

חיה שרה בת אליעזר הלל

חיה פעסל בת יצחק משה

יצחק משה בן יהושע אריה

חיים דוב בן בן ציון שלום

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Suffering Helps Us Merit Salvation

Rosh HaYeshiva, HaRav Betzalel Rudinsky, Shlit”a Adapted from the Mishkan Betzalel Hagaddah

והיא שעמדה לאבותינו ולנו שלא אחד בלבד עמד עלינו לכלותינו אלא שבכל דור ודור עומדים עלינו לכלותינו והקב”ה מצילנו מידם.

A number of questions can be raised about this short passage. First of all, ,and this,” is ambiguous. What does it refer to? Second“ ”והיא“ the word instead of the simpler ”בכל דור ודור“ why do we use the repetitive phrase appears to be superfluous. It would have ”מידם“ Finally, the word ?”בכל דור“ especially considering that the ”והקב''ה מצילנו“ been sufficient to say enemies referred to here are not even mentioned explicitly. The passage ?”מידם“ so why do we mention ,”עומדים“ does not specify who are והיא “ The Maharsham explains (Techeiles Mordechai, Parshas Va’era) that refers to the kos, and we therefore lift it when we recite this ”שעמדה passage. We are declaring that it was in the merit of the gezeira of stam yeinam – which separates between Bnei Yisrael and the nations by forbidding us to drink wine with them – that we were not completely lost amongst the goyim. Some darshanim say that this is why we cover the as we do during Kiddush – so that the bread ”והיא שעמדה“ matzos during will not be “embarrassed” that we praise the kos to such an extent. However, according to this explanation, it is unclear why we mention this point specifically at the seder. The Sfas Emes writes that the reason for our salvation was our achdus. When we are dispersed and divided, the nations rise against us to destroy when Am Yisrael is not united, the ”שלא אחד בלבד“ us. Unity helps us, but nations attack. This fits well with the themes of the seder, as Chazal state (Shabbos 10a; Midrash Tehillim 10), that were it not for mechiras Yosef, we

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would not have descended to Egypt. (See Mishkan Betzalel Hagaddah on regarding the relevance of the theme of achdus to the seder ”עבדים היינו“ night.) Rav Elyashiv ztz”l explains that there are different types of enemies of Am Yisrael. Some have decreed against our bodies, such as Haman, Pharaoh, and the Nazis yemach shemam, who wished to annihilate each and every Jew. Others, like the Greeks, have decreed against our souls, attempting to it is not that ”שלא אחד בלבד“ make us forget the Torah. Therefore, we say there is only one type of enemy who tries to physically wipe us out. Rather in different generations, there have been different decrees ”בכל דור ודור“ against us, sometimes against our bodies and sometimes against our souls. Perhaps we can add another element to this interpretation. As the Ba’al Haggada describes the terrible suffering experienced by Bnei Yisrael in Mitzrayim, the sensitive Jewish soul may very well experience a questioning thought – why did Hashem do this to us? The truth is that of the two dangers described by Rav Elyashiv, the threat to our souls is greater, and our salvation from it is necessary if we are to survive as a nation. Thus, when Yisrael is assimilating among the nations of the world and is in danger of spiritual annihilation, HaKadosh Baruch Hu “blesses” us with the physical suffering of subjugation to other nations so that we will return to Him with full hearts and be spared from the spiritual danger. In the end, however, He saves us from the physical threats as well. ואת זעקתו “ The Ohr HaChaim writes that this is the lesson of the pasuk which literally means, “Its cries I have heard because of ”שמעתי מפני נוגשיו ”ואת זעקתו מפני נוגשיו שמעתי“ its oppressors”. The pasuk should have read Its cries because of its oppressors I have heard”.1 The Ohr HaChaim explains that it was the pain of the shibud itself that caused the tefillos of Bnei Yisrael to be heard, as they had done teshuva as a result of their .I heard their tefilos because of their shibud - ”שמעתי מפני נוגשיו“ .suffering Even though Bnei Yisrael had sunk to the forty-ninth level of tuma and had almost assimilated entirely in Mitzrayim, it was because they called out to Hashem that they did not change their names, language, and clothing. They distinguished themselves from the Egyptians, and they therefore merited to be redeemed.

1 See the Haggada Mahari Tav of the Satmar Rebbe ztz”l. 6

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refers to the ”והיא שעמדה“ According to this idea, we can explain that yissurim, the suffering that the Ba’al Haggada describes. It was that בכל “ suffering that helped us merit our salvation. As Rav Elyashiv explained aside from the danger to our bodies, we have been ”דור ודור עומדים עלינו threatened by the greater threat of spiritual destruction, and our suffering has saved us from it. In the end, in the merit of our cleaving to Hashem and not changing our names and language, HaKadosh Baruch Hu saves us also .from the yoke of physical servitude ”מידם“ This possibly explains why we lift the kos and cover the matzos at this point. The matzah symbolizes not only our redemption through Yetzias Mitzrayim, but our servitude as well, as it is referred to as lechem oni (see ,We therefore lift the kos .(”הא לחמא עניא“ Mishkan Betzalel Hagaddah on We show .”כוס ישועות אשא“ which symbolizes salvation, as in the pasuk thereby that the shiabud is also part of the salvation, as it saves us from assimilation. We cover the matzos to demonstrate that the shiabud was not actually oni at all, but really salvation.

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The Rasha

Rabbi Dovid Apter

The Rasha asks, “why do we need this avodah?” The Haggadah tells us that in response we “blunt his teeth” or “knockout his teeth.” The question, of course, is that we were all raised to fight with our words; to embody “hakol kol Yakov.” Esav, is understood to be the one who would resort to a physical response to such an issue. If that’s the case, it seems very strange that we decide to slug the guy for asking a question. Additionally, all he is really doing is asking his father if they can open a dialogue about this topic. What is so egregious about this? Doesn’t he deserve a response?

To answer this, we must specifically analyze his words. He starts off with “mah ha’avodah”—"what is this service.” He’s not denying that we must serve Hashem, but he views the avodah as a purely external service. But, in truth, the main goal is to connect with Hashem. One doesn’t necessarily need an external service to be a good Jew at heart.

Rav Ovadyah Yosef explains that we answer him with the words “knock out his teeth.” This is meant to serve as a parable that sometimes externals matter. For example, one needs to eat to sustain his body because without that one cannot live. But if there existed a single pill that could provide someone with all necessary nutrients and energy, he would fulfill his need, but it would come at the expense of all the pleasure that food has to offer. If one eats a delicious steak, besides sustaining his body he gets the added benefit of enjoying presentation, texture, and taste. A pill cannot replicate such pleasure.

The message that we are trying to impart to the rasha is that he’s viewing the avodah as this pill. It’s a necessary job that involves no flavor or excitement. We are telling him, by symbolically knocking out his teeth, that you are doing the equivalent of eating without enjoying any of the benefits 8

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it provides. Your viewpoint requires no teeth at all because your avodah is completely lacking in presentation, texture, and taste.

We are showing the rasha that externals do play a role in life, both in daily life as well as in avodah. As human beings, adding meaning to our mitzvos really does affect us. (Of course, it is just as important to maintain a balance and insure that the externals don’t become the entirety of the mitzva in our minds, rather to use it as a tool to build our desire and enhance our experiences.)

We see this as well in the Haggadah in the case of Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah who was appointed as nasi at the young age of 18. Although his appointment itself was evidence that he was worthy of the position, nevertheless Hashem still made a miracle to make him look old to change people’s perception of him. Because sometimes externalities are important; sometimes so important as to warrant a miracle.

Taking this a step further, we see is Parshas Mishpatim that an eved k’nani is freed when his owner knocks out his tooth. The Kli Yakar explains that this only applies to an eved k’nani, as opposed to an eved ivri since the k’nani is “ruled by his teeth” and is generally solely focused on externalities like food. When his tooth is knocked out, he comes to realize that food is only secondary to life’s real goals which is sufficient for him to earn his freedom. An eved ivri, however, already knows that food is not the focus and therefore is unchanged in this sense by the loss of a tooth.

When dealing with the rasha, we tell him that his teeth are still in, which, given his outlook, makes him like the eved k’nani. We need to “knock his teeth out” to free him of these notions and allow him to celebrate Pesach like a freed man. He needs to learn this message of the eved, and go through the same process as the eved, so that he can celebrate Pesach as a free man; as a man who finally understands the need to focus on real goals. Like this, with using our words, we can all celebrate the redemption with building our connection to Hashem.

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From Galus to Geula

Rabbi Menachem Apter

At the beginning of the seder we say, “hashata hacha, l’shana haboa b’arah d’Yisrael.” Since it is the night of geula, we are yearning for geula. Similarly, at the end of the seder we say” l’shana haboa b’Yerushalayim.” It is not enough to just mouth the words, to talk the talk – we must walk the walk. So, what can we do to hasten the geula?

The Chofetz Chaim (B’Shalach) quotes the Tana d’vei Eliyahu: When Klal Yisrael were in Mitzraim they made a bris sheya’asu gemilus chesed zeh im zeh -to perform chesed with each other. They realized that this is the only way for them to bring their geula and escape the gezeiros of Pharaoh. Klal Yisrael understood that if they do chesed with each other Hashem will reciprocate and do chesed with them. Indeed, this is what brought the geula. As the Medrash says, “nochisa b’chasdecha” – you led them out with kindness because of the kindness they showed to each other. The kabbala alone to do chesed was powerful enough.

Rebbetzin Hindel Brim, wife of the great tzadik Rav Chaim Brim (1922- 2002), was seriously ill. The doctors couldn’t do anything, and her condition was getting worse every day. Rav Chaim went to the Zviller Rebbe (Rav Gedalya Moshe) for a bracha. Rav Chaim said, “she is the mother of young children who need her care. Please help her.” The Rebbe thought for a while and said, “if you find 50 people who are each willing to give up a year of their life for her, she will be saved.” The couple wondered how they would find 50 people willing to do this. They got to work and with determination and, with siyatta d’shmaya, eventually succeeded in getting 50 people to sign a shtar that they would give 1 year of their life for the Rebbetzin. Rav Chaim took the shtar to the Rebbe. The Rebbe scanned the 50 names and said, “B”H, the tefillos have been accepted in Shomayim. The

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Rebbetzin will live another 50 years, and those who pledged a year will not lose it.”

What was needed to save her life was the demonstration of mesiras nefesh by these people who were willing to give up a portion of their lives for someone else. Rebbetzin Brim lived exactly 50 years to the day and the Brim family still has in its possession the shtar with the 50 names. Mi K’amcha Yisrael! The kabbala alone was enough to bring the yeshua for her.

In the Haggada, we say regarding the rasha, “ilu hoya shom lo hoya nigal.” There is a glaring difficulty with this statement. In parshas Shemos, Moshe sees Dasan and Avirom fighting and he says, “rasha lomeh sakeh es reiecha?” Rashi comments that “reiecha” is “rasha k’moscha.” Moshe calls both of them reshaim. Nevertheless, as is evidenced by all their troublemaking in the midbar, they were both redeemed from Mitzraim. If they were reshaim, why were they redeemed?

We can answer this question with a yesod from Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin. He asks, “Why didn’t Dasan and Avirom die during the makka of choshech with all the other reshaim?” He answers that the Medrash says that they were officers – shotrim – overseeing the work in Mitzraim and they were the ones who took beatings to lighten the burden and protect the Jews working under them. Many of the shotrim were zoche to ruach hakodesh later because of their suffering on behalf of Klal Yisrael. Dasan and Avirom weren’t worthy of ruach hakodesh but they had enough zechusim to save them from dying in makkas choshech.

Similarly, the Hagadda says that the reason the rasha would not be redeemed is “she’hotzi es atzmo min haklal.” This doesn’t apply to Dasan and Avirom because they were part of the klal. They suffered for their fellow Jews and therefore were worthy of redemption even though they were reshaim.

The Chofetz Chaim teaches us that Klal Yisrael are worthy of a yeshua when they do chesed. Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin teaches us that an individual Jew is worthy of a yeshua by doing chesed -helping another Jew. 11

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We have the opportunity to bring the geula in the same way. Let us work on raising our level of ahavas Yisrael and chesed.

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The Two Facets of Matza

Rabbi Simcha B. Berger

There seems to be a contradiction regarding exactly when the Jewish people first began eating matza. Was it only after they left Egypt, or did they eat matza on the night that they left? In the paragraph called "Matza Zu" (this Matza) Rabbi Gamliel says that we didn't have time to prepare food during our quick exit which resulted in us eating matza. This sounds like we ate matza only after we left. On the other hand, we begin with "ha lachma anya" which says that we ate the matza while still in Egypt. How do we reconcile these two opinions?

Additionally, there is a discrepancy between the way we fulfill the obligation of matza on Passover. On the first night of the Seder we're obligated to eat matza. This is known as a mitzva chiyuvis-- an obligatory commandment. On the rest of the holiday there is no obligation to eat matza, however, we fulfill a mitzva kiumis (voluntary mitzva) by eating it the remainder of the holiday. Why are there two types of commandments for eating matza?

The answer is that we eat matza for two separate reasons. Matza represents two important themes on the evening of the Seder. It is both the bread of faith and the bread of freedom.

Let's examine the differences. By commanding the Jewish people to leave Egypt and travel to the desert Hashem was expecting the Jewish people to follow Him blindly into a desolate environment with just a few provisions. And they did! The prophet Zechariah refers to this as "the love of our bridal days." We showed Hashem that we were blinded by love and devotion. We eat matza as a reminder and testimony to that devotion, with a timeless message that we're willing to do it again. This is the bread of faith. This is the matza we commemorate eating when we LEFT Egypt. 13

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There is, however, another aspect to eating matza at the Seder. The matza that we eat at the Seder also represents the matza we ate together with the Korban Pesach on the evening that we left; the Bread of Redemption. This is the Matza referred to at the beginning of the Seder as “Lachma Anya.”

There are many differences between these two. First, the matza we eat at the Seder is used as the catalyst to recall Hashem taking us out of Egypt -- and that mindset is obligatory. On the other hand, the matza that we ate after leaving Egypt showed our faith in Hashem. Faith is very personal. One can't be forced to believe. It must come from oneself. Therefore, that second type of matza cannot be forced. Yet every time we eat Matza we fulfill a commandment despite there being no obligation to eat it.

Additionally, the matza that we eat on the evening of Passover at the Seder must be plain flour and water (lechem oni) - no oil or eggs can be mixed in. Why? Because that would be called matza ashira (rich matza). One can only fulfill the obligation at the Seder with plain or simple matza. On the rest of Passover, however, one can use any type of matza and fulfill the Commandment of eating matza. Why? The matza of faith - the second category - represents our trust in Hashem and it can be fulfilled even with "rich matza". However, the matza of redemption - category 1 - can only be accomplished with lechem oni (simple matza).

The Seder begins with Matza that we refer to as "lechem oni." Let us begin by analyzing the name. Why is it appropriate to eat bread of affliction on a day that we’re supposed to be remembering our freedom and exodus? The Maharal explains that "oni" which is widely translated as affliction really refers to an ani - a "poor person." The matzah that we use for the Seder is not bread of affliction. Rather, what we are proclaiming is that this bread is poor. This is like a poor person who has nothing but himself. The Matzah consists of just flour and water. Nothing else. According to Jewish law, this is the only form of matzah that is permissible to eat this evening. Rather than using Matzah that has been made from fruit juice or other ingredients, lechem oni is matzah that is basic.

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Now what does that have to do with freedom? Freedom is Independence. The essence of freedom is to be free. That means that a person has no one involved in their life unless they choose to involve them. This, of course, is independence. "Lechem Oni" or "Poor Bread" symbolizes the accomplishment we are looking to get out of our Seder. To be free and independent, just like when we left Egypt. This was the matzah eating IN Egypt together with the Korban Pesach.

We begin the Seder pointing to the Matzah and saying " ha lachma anya..." “This is the poor bread that our fathers ate IN Egypt.” It was through this bread that they were redeemed. Later, we mention "Matzah Zu." This refers to the complete faith that the Jewish people demonstrated upon leaving Egypt. They went into the desert with no proper provisions and trusted that Hashem will take care of them completely. The first matzah must be lechem oni and is eaten at the Seder. It's an obligation. The second aspect of matzah that we mention and eat at the Seder is the matzah of faith. We eat this matza the entire seven days. This is not obligatory. Rather, we eat as much as we want, just like faith that cannot be forced. It's our prerogative. The more we eat, the more we show on our own how important the relationship to Hashem is to us.

Wishing everyone a Chag Kasher v' Samayach.

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בענין בדיקה וביטול חמץ

הרב יוסף שמעון פישמן

פסחים דף ב במשנה

אור לארבעה עשר בודקין את החמץ לאור הנר. וברש"י כתב הטעם כדי שלא יעבור עליו בבל יראה ובל ימצא.

והקשו עליו בתוספות הרי הבודק צריך שיבטל וממה נפשך אינו צריך לבדוק שלא לעבור בבל יראה ובל ימצא?

וביארו התוספות שענין הבדיקה אינה מן התורה אלא מדברי חכמים כדי שלא יבוא לאוכלו. כיון שלא בדיל מיניה כל השנה. או מפני שמצינו שהתורה החמירה בענין חמץ לעבור עליו בבל יראה ובל ימצא לכך ראו חכמים להחמיר בו ולהשביתו דילמא אתי לאוכלו.

ובר"ן יישב דברי רש"י מקושית התוספות שמן התורה יכול לקיים מצוות תשביתו באחד משני דרכים. ע"י בדיקה וביאור או ע"י ביטול לבד. והר"ן ביאר שעדיין לא ניתקן חיוב ביטול והיה די בביטול מן התורה וחכמים תיקנו דווקא שביתת חמץ ע"י בדיקה וביעור שמא לא יבטל אדם בלב גמור. או כדברי התוספות שמא יבא לאוכלו. דהיינו שחכמים קבעו לבדוק חמץ כי בזה יצא עוד מעלה. והר"ן הוסיף בסוף דבריו שמן הפסוק משמע שהתורה החמירה לבער חמץ מפני חשש אכילה.

וביאר החת"ס בשם רבו מדכתיב תשביתו שאור מבתיכם כי כל אוכל חמץ משמע שהביעור חמץ היא כדי שלא יבא לאוכלו. ומצוות חכמים היא לבדוק ולבער ולא ע"י ביטול לבד לקיים מצוות תשביתו אלא ע"י בדיקה לקיים מצוות ביעור חמץ.

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והוסיף הר"ן שמשמע מן התנא במשנתנו שעדיין לא נתקן כלל אמר רב יהודה אמר רב הבודק צריך שיבטל.

והר"י ביאר שרש"י בא להגדיר הגדר של התקנה של בדיקת חמץ שתהיה בדיקה שמצילה מידי ב"י וב"י ולא לסמוך על הביטול אלא שהבדיקה תפעל להציל והביטול אינה אלא שמא ימצא גלוסקה.

וכעין חובת קידוש על הכוס בליל שבת שחכמים תיקנו שלא יצא אדם חובתו של קידוש מן התורה עד שיקדש דווקא על הכוס ואינו די בקידוש שבתפילה. וכן לעניין בדיקת חמץ שנתקן שאדם ייצא חובת השבתת חמץ דווקא ע"י בדיקה וביעור.

ובצל"ח ביאר שרש"י נקט שהבדיקה היא מפני ב"י וב"י כדי לקיים המשנה גם לדברי רבי שמעון שאין חמץ נאסר בהנאה אלא משתחשך ולא משעה שישית וכיון שהר"ן ביאר שביטול פועל ע"י שמסכמת דעתו לדעת התורה שחמץ נאסר בהנאה מימלא אינו שייך לביטול להתקיים אלא משתחשך ונימצא שבלא בדיקה וביעור יעבור משעה שישית בב"י וב"י.

ונראה לבאר את שיטת הרמב"ם לענין תשביתו שמשע מדבריו שמצוות השבתת חמץ הוא רק ע"י ביטול ואילו הבדיקה אינה אלא מרבנן.

והיינו שבאמת הר"ן ביאר שהטעם שבדיקה מועילה מן התורה היא משום שמן התורה יש לסמוך על החזקות וכיון שבדק אם ימצא חמץ אחר הבדיקה אינו עובר באיסור למפרע.

ויש לדקדק בזה למה לא יעבור בשוגג על ב"י וב"י הרי החמץ היה ברשותו והיה יכול לבטל ואם כן היה ביכולתו להציל עצמו מן האיסור ואין להחשיבו לאנוס כיון שיכל לבטל והוא פשע שסמך על הבדיקה. וזהו הביאור לראשונים שחולקים על שיטת הר"ן.

וליישב שיטת הר"ן יש לומר ע"פ דברי הפנ"י שחמץ שאינו נימצא בבדיקה אין עוברים עליה למפרע כיון שנאמר בתורה "לא ימצא" והוא בדק ולא מצא ממילא אינו עובר שוב אפילו אם נימצא חמץ אחר כך כיון שלא ניכלל בבל ימצא שהרי לא נימצא

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בבדיקה שעשה כהוגן. וביאר עוד שכל החיוב ליבדוק נובע מן הלשון בל ימצא שזהו החיוב ליבדוק מן חמץ שיתכן שימצא בפסח.

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Summary of the Halachos of Preparing for Pesach

Rabbi Heshy Friedman

Summary of contemporary Halachos of preparing for Pesach based on the Shulchan Aruch, Mishna Berura, Chayei Adam, and Pesakim of Rabbi Betzalel Rudinsky.

Shloshim Yom Kodem Hachag

• The main purpose of shloshim yom kodem hachag is to become acquainted with the halachos of Yom Tov. It is therefore proper to have a seder limud of the halachos during this time.

• It is a great mitzva to provide poor people with ma’os chittim to enable them to purchase Yom Tov provisions. Today this is best accomplished by providing them with money so they can buy their Yom Tov needs.

• When buying or referring to meat, there is a problem calling it “Meat for Pesach,” since we don’t have a Korban Pesach today, and want to avoid the possibility of meat sounding like it is for a korban. One should rather call it “meat for Yom Tov.”

General Kashering Concepts

• Anything that is being kashered must be thoroughly cleaned prior to kashering.

• An item which will be kashered cannot be used with heat within 24 hours of kashering.

• Hagala only suffices for cooking utensils used for cooking; items used on the fire require libun.

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• We are generally machmir to have designated pots, cutlery, and the like for Pesach use only, due to their widespread availability as well as the complicated nature in kashering them.

• If one does need to kasher utensils, it is preferable use a kashering service, due to the many technicalities involved.

Ovens and Cooking Appliances

• Self-cleaning ovens can be kashered by running the oven through the self- clean cycle.

• Non self-cleaning ovens can be kashered by fully cleaning the insides, preferably with Easy-Off, and then running the oven on the highest cycle for an hour. Those who are machmir not to kasher such ovens as per R’ Moshe Feinstein should line the surfaces with foil.

• Stove grates can be kashered by placing them inside a self-cleaning oven, or by cleaning them and putting the fire on the highest setting until they are red hot. The latter process should not take more than 20 minutes.

• Enamel stovetops cannot be kashered and should therefore be covered with foil.

• Oven knobs should be perfectly cleaned or covered. Oven hoods and exhaust fans do not require kashering, though they should be thoroughly cleaned.

• Microwaves are generally used with open food throughout the year, and therefore should not be kashered for Pesach due to possible splatter on the walls.

• If a microwave was only used with covered food during the year, it can be kashered by heating up water until it produces steam that fills the entire microwave. Trays need to be removed or covered.

• Warming drawers cannot be kashered and should only be used when designated for Pesach.

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Hagalah

• Metal sinks can be kashered through hagalah by pouring boiling water over the entire surface.

• Porcelain sinks cannot be kashered; inserts are recommended.

• Faucets do not need to be kashered, they just need to be cleaned.

• Granite, marble, and stainless steel countertops can be kashered through hagalah by pouring boiling water over the entire surface.

• When doing hagalah, the water needs to be boiling, and the pouring cannot have any interruption in the stream.

• Hagalah on sinks and countertops requires that every area have direct contact with the poured water; contact through water that spreads afterwards does not suffice.

• Hagalah on sinks and countertops requires that they not be used with hot within 24 hours. Additionally, the pot or kettle being used for pouring needs to be Kosher for Pesach, or not used within 24 hours prior to kashering.

• There is a debate among poskim whether Formica or quartz composite (i.e. Silestone) can be kashered. Rabbi Rudinsky and many Kashrus organizations feel they cannot be kashered and should therefore be covered.

• Teflon pots and pans, and utensils with any plastic, are generally considered non-kasherable.

• A steamer for hagalah may only be used when the specifics are discussed with a Rav.

• Glassware may not be kashered according to Ashkenazic custom.

• Items generally used for cold such as silver bechers may be used with a thorough cleaning. However, the prevalent custom is to do hagala on bechers. 21

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• Tablecloths washed in a washing machine can be used on Pesach.

General Kitchen Guidelines

• Refrigerator and freezer shelves can be scrubbed clean and need not be lined, though the prevalent custom is to line the shelves.

• Refrigerator handles, oven handles, and the like do not need to be covered, but should be thoroughly cleaned.

• Refrigerator gaskets do not need to be cleaned.

• Non-kasherable surfaces that have contact with food during the year need to be covered.

• Appliances that generally don’t have direct contact with food and are not used for anything hot, such as can openers and corkscrews can be used on Pesach if they are thoroughly cleaned.

• Cabinets that are going to be used to store food or items used with food on Pesach should be cleaned and lined.

• Cold water coolers need to be thoroughly cleaned, after which they may be used on Pesach.

• Hot water coolers and urns may be used if they are thoroughly cleaned and were not used for chametz during the year.

• Hot water coolers used for chametz (i.e. oatmeal) during the year should be avoided on Pesach.

• Paper goods and styrofoam cups should preferably be purchased prior to Pesach, since they may have minute starch residue.

Medications, Cosmetics, and Other Products

• Medications in tablet form without any flavor do not present any problem regarding chametz. However, it is best to try to get a brand that is approved for Pesach when possible.

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• Liquid and chewable medications that are not on an approved list may contain chametz and should only be used under the direction of a doctor and Rav. (Do not discontinue use of any medication without professional consultation.)

• Kitniyos ingredients do not present a problem regarding medication.

• Vitamins and supplements require a valid Pesach certification.

• In general, cosmetics do not present any problem regarding Pesach. An exception is lipstick, which should be on an approved Pesach list. An approved lipstick that was used during the year should have the top layer removed for Pesach use.

• Shampoos, soaps, moisturizers, and deodorants are not a problem.

• Perfumes, spray deodorants, shoe polish, and similar products are not fit for human or animal consumption, and therefore not a problem to keep and use on Pesach. However, they should be purchased prior to Pesach should they contain chametz ingredients.

• Any item that goes in the mouth, such as mouthwash and toothpaste, needs to be on an approved Pesach list.

Selling the Chametz

• One only needs to sell items containing tangible chametz. Chametz utensils and kitniyos can be stored away and do not have to be sold.

• If selling areas in the house, one should not sell partial cabinets or partial spaces in the refrigerator/freezer.

• If one is selling chometz in a car, this should be specified in the sale contract.

• One should follow their family minhag regarding the sale of chametz gamur.

• For those who do not to sell chametz gamur, this is only on actual bread- related products such as cookies, bread, cereal, noodles, etc. Products that 23

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are taaruvos chometz, including all alcoholic beverages, may be sold even if one does not sell chametz gamur.

• For those who do not to sell chametz gamur, to give such chametz over to a friend prior to the sale with the intention of getting it back after Pesach can be a serious problem, since the friend is likely not to fully acquire the product.

• The best approach to mechiras chametz is for the sale to take place prior to the bedika. Some Rabbonim, including Rabbi Rudinsky, are makpid on this. Therefore, one should have all the areas designated to be sold marked as chametz no later than 50 minutes after shkiya.

• The timing of the mechiras chametz goes by one’s location, not by the location of the chametz. For example, if you are in California, you have 3 additional hours to sell your chametz that is in New York, and if you are in Eretz Yisrael, your chametz in New York must be sold 7 hours prior.

• If selling the entire house, It is preferable to be out of the house by the time the sale goes into effect; however if need be one can remain in the house overnight.

Zman Bedikas Chametz

• The proper zman of Bedikas Chametz according to most opinions is at tzais hakochavim. One should follow their general shiur for tzais hakochavim as they normally follow for ending Shabbos.

• It is important to start the bedika at the proper zman.

• A shliach in the home may be appointed for someone who is running late or not available to start the bedika at the proper zman.

• It is preferable to daven maariv early prior to the zman of bedika.

• One may not sit down to eat or start to occupy oneself with a busy task within half an hour of the zman bedika.

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• It is preferable not even to snack on shehakol foods once the zman of bedika arrives.

• One should start the bedika at the proper zman even if he did not finish cleaning yet. The remainder cleaning will be part of the process of bedika.

Bedikas Chametz – Areas

• The proper way to do a bedika is by thoroughly going through the house and feeling confident at the end of the search that all rooms were properly checked.

• One only needs to check places where there is a possibility for chametz to have been in that area. Areas that one does not generally enter with chametz, such as attics or crawl spaces, need not be checked unless there is a reason for suspicion.

• When young children are present in a home, any area where a child can place chametz should be checked. A personal recommendation is to also check inside toys with compartments.

• One should check pockets of their clothing as part of the bedika process. However, clothing washed in a washing machine need not be checked if they have not been worn since washing.

• Liquids such as detergents or bleach may be poured over an area that contains visible chametz that is out of reach.

• Seforim do not need to be checked unless they will be brought to the table on Pesach and have been used in the vicinity of food during the year.

• Cars should be checked after checking one’s home. One should not make a brocha if they are doing a bedika on just their car.

• If one has several locations to check, the brocha for bedika is made only upon the checking of the first location, even if travel will be required between the different locations.

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• If one works locally and is not selling his work office, the office should be checked after the bedika of their home is complete.

• If one travels out of the local vicinity to work, the work office should be checked prior to leaving work the day of bedikas chametz (or earlier if they are going away.)

Bedikas Chametz Specifics

• The minhag is not to make a shehecheyanu on bedikas chametz, though it is preferable to make a shehecheyanu on a new garment or new fruit and have in mind the bedika and biur chametz.

• Only a single-wick candle may be used for the bedika.

• One may partly substitute the candle with an incandescent bulb flashlight. This is especially recommended for corners, closets, and cars. However, the bracha and initial bedika should be with a candle (fluorescent and LED flashlights should be avoided.)

• One may not talk at all from the bracha until the beginning of the bedika. Once the bedika has started, one should only talk about items related to the bedika.

• It is advisable to assign different people to inspect different areas, to ensure all areas are properly covered. Unless supervised, those checking should be over bar/bas mitzva (though bedieved a child over ten also suffices.)

• One is not required to use a wooden spoon or feather for the bedika.

• One can and should keep the lights on in the room in addition to using a candle or flashlight.

• One should keep in mind that they are not checking for crumbs, but rather pieces of chametz larger than a kazayis.

• Small pieces less than a kazayis are only a problem if they are doughy, or in the vicinity of a place where one normally eats.

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• The prevalent minhag is to place 10 pieces of chametz around the house. However, one should be careful to keep track of where the pieces were placed so they don’t get lost, and they should only place them in locations that are required to do bedika. Additionally, it is best if all together the pieces total less than a kazayis.

Bedikas Chametz for those who are Travelling

• One who will leave his home prior to the 14th of Nissan does a regular bedika but does not make a bracha.

• If one rents a room in a hotel and is there on night of the 14th of Nissan, bedika on the room is done with a bracha.

• One who only arrives to a hotel on Erev Pesach needs to do a bedika when he arrives, but without a bracha.

• One who will leave his home after to the 14th of Nissan and will be selling his home over Pesach should leave an area of the home unsold in order to have a place to do a bedika.

Bitul Chametz

• One should remember to do the bitul both by night and by day.

• The night bitul should be made after the bedika is completed, and all the remaining chametz has been set aside in a designated area.

• The day bitul should be said only after the last of one’s chometz has been completely burnt or otherwise removed.

• One may not eat chametz after the day bitul is declared.

• One should not rely on a shliach for bitul, but rather every person should make their own individual bitul.

• One needs to understand what they are saying in the bitul, and it is therefore recommended for women and children to declare the bitul in English.

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• When one does the bitul, they should have in mind that they are disowning the chametz, and that it no longer has any value.

Burning the Chametz

• One is not allowed to be busy with other things or sit down to eat once the time of biur chametz arrives.

• Taking garbage with chametz down to the curbside suffices in removing it from one’s domain.

• One should ensure the chametz that is being burnt is the last of the unsold chametz in his domain.

• It is preferable not to burn chametz in a public burning area, since the chametz will become hefker prior to it having been burnt.

• One needs to be very careful that chametz being burned is completely burnt. This is especially true regarding large chametz items which may not fully burn unless the fire is very large.

• Chametz should not be wrapped in foil.

Erev Pesach

• Matza may not be eaten on Erev Pesach from the morning onwards. Many have a minhag not to eat matza from Rosh Chodesh Nissan.

• Children under the age of chinuch may eat matza all day, even prior to kiddush.

• Egg matza on Erev Pesach should also be avoided after the 4th hour, and it is even recommended for Sefardim to be Machmir today on this.

• Eating gebroktz cake made from matza meal should be avoided on Erev Pesach. Matza Balls can be eaten until chatzos.

• In order to maintain an appetite for the matza at night, one may not sit down to a meal after 10 hours into the day (4 hours after chatzos.) Snacking, however, is permitted in small quantities, even on meat or fish.

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• Melacha is prohibited on Erev Pesach from chatzos onwards. This includes any involved melacha that is not related to Pesach preparation.

• One can have a non-Jew do melacha for him on Erev Pesach.

• Bechorim that go to a siyum need to eat at least a kazyis or drink a reviis. The food does not need to be mezonos.

• A bechor has to be present at the siyum; sending the food home does not suffice.

• There is a big advantage to having Erev Pesach matzos for the first seder if one can get a hold of them; a kazayis per person suffices for this.

Please note: This guide is meant only as a practical reference guide. It is recommended one properly learn the Halachos in greater detail.

Special thanks to Dr. Moshe Frommer, Ari Silber, Yisroel Meir Gold, and Dov Gottlieb for their assistance in compiling this guide.

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Kitzur Hilchos Leil Seder

Rabbi Heshy Friedman

Summary of contemporary Halachos of the Leil Seder based on the Shulchan Aruch, Mishna Berura, Chayei Adam, and Pesakim of Rabbi Betzalel Rudinsky.

Preparations for the Seder

• One should set their table on Erev Pesach, and ideally everything should be prepared beforehand in order to start the seder immediately upon returning from shul.

• The finest dishes and utensils should be used for the sedarim.

• Having Erev Pesach matzos, which are matzos baked after the sixth hour, is a well-rooted practice. Therefore, one should make an effort to have a kazayis for the leil seder.

Hallel after Maariv

• One does not need wait for tzais hakochavim to start maariv. However, hallel in shul should be recited only after tzais hakochavim.

• Hallel in shul following maariv is an old minhag quoted as far back as the Talmud Yerushalmi. It should therefore be recited, unless one has a strong family minhag not to say it.

• If one has a minhag not to recite hallel in shul and is davening in a shul that does say it, he should stay and recite hallel with the tzibur.

• If one cannot get a minyan for hallel during maariv, he should recite it alone. Regarding the brocha, he does like his family minhag.

Kiddush

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• Kiddush should be said after the zman of tzais hakochavim, based on the time one normally keeps for Motzei Shabbos.

• Once the zman arrives, it is important to make kiddush as soon as possible, especially when young children are present.

• It is preferable that every adult, both men and women, as well as every child above the age of chinuch, have their own kos for kiddush and the 4 kosos.

• Additionally, everyone (men, women, and children) should recite their own kiddush. Kiddush may be recited in an undertone together with the ba’al habayis or with others making kiddush out loud.

• Prior to the kiddush, one should have in mind that he is also fulfilling the mitzva of the arba kosos.

• One should have in mind for the brocha to apply to all the other special mitzvos of the night when making the shehecheyanu.

• Since women typically make a shehecheyanu during hadlakas neros, they should not make another shehecheyanu while reciting kiddush.

• To avoid the possibility of a hefsek before drinking, a woman should preferably not answer amen to the shehecheyanu made by a man when making kiddush together with him.

4 Kosos

• Those with a low tolerance for wine should drink a smaller halachic shiur and/or dilute the wine with grape juice, as long as the alcoholic content is still discernible.

• If one is unable to drink any wine at all, grape juice may be used in such a circumstance.

• Chamar medina beverages are very much bidieved and therefore should be avoided.

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• If one’s preferred wine is mevushal, he should use mevushal wine over non- mevushal wine that he prefers less.

• Red wine is preferred over white wine; however, if one has a superior white wine, the white wine should be used.

• One may color white wine by adding red wine or grape juice to attain the benefit of red wine.

• However, pouring red wine or grape juice into white wine for the purpose of coloring it should be done prior to Yom Tov, although one may pour white wine into a cup that already has a little bit of red wine or grape juice in it on Yom Tov.

• To accomplish proper derech cheirus, when one drinks the arba kosos, it is preferable to drink slowly but without a hefsek in the drinking.

• One need not rinse the cup of wine between the 1st and 2nd cup or between the the 3rd and 4th cup. However, the cup should be rinsed after the meal prior to the kos on birchas hamazon.

Shiurim of the 4 Kosos

• The minimum shiur for a cup acceptable for the 4 kosos is a reviis.

• The largest shiur for a reviis is about 5.3 fl. oz., or 150 gm. (Chazon Ish.) The smallest shiur is about 2.9 fl. oz., or 86 gm. (R’ Chaim Na’eh.) The generally accepted view of R’ Moshe Feinstein’s shiur is 3.3 fl. oz. (98 gm.), although he cites in Iggros Moshe a shiur of 4.5 fl. oz. (133 gm.)

• Halacha limaaseh, one should try to drink at least 3.3 fl. oz; if one can drink more than 4 oz., that is preferred. If the Leil Seder falls out on Friday night, when kiddush is d’oraisa, the larger shiur is preferable.

• One should try to drink the entire contents of the cup. However, one is only required to drink rov kos - a majority of the contents, even if it is a large cup.

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• One should choose a cup wisely to ensure that he will be able to drink at least rov kos (and preferably the entire kos) within the proper shiurim.

Heseiba

• For heseiba, the key is to be comfortable and relaxed. Leaning in a way where one feels awkward defeats the purpose of the heseiba.

• Heseiba is required during the drinking of the arbah kosos, achilas matza, and afikoman. Heseiba is also preferable during korech and while eating the meal.

• Most opinions do not require heseiba during the recital of maggid.

• There are different minhagim regarding women doing heseiba. One should follow their family custom.

Karpas

• When one makes a ho’adama on karpas, he should have in mind the brocha to also include the maror.

• When Pesach falls out on Friday night, the saltwater for karpas should be made prior to Shabbos.

• Ideally, one should eat less than a kayazis of karpas so as not to create a safek for borei nefashos.

• Even if one ate a more than kazayis of karpas, he should still not make a borei nefashos.

Maggid

• Upon completing yachatz, one should remember to fill the second cup at the start of maggid.

• Prior to starting maggid, one should have in mind to also fulfill the mitzva of sipur yetzias mitzrayim.

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• The maggid should be short but intense. It is important to stay focused that people don’t get bored, and that everyone is interacting in the sipur yitzias mitzrayim. Additional vorts and divrei Torah should be saved for the meal.

• There is a mitzva to give children candies at the seder to encourage them to ask questions.

• Different opinions exist regarding covering and uncovering the matzos. However, when lifting the kos at the end of maggid, the matzos should certainly be covered.

• If one is unable to recite the entire maggid, at a minimum the most essential parts of maggid including ma nishtana, Rabban Gamliel, the beginning of hallel, and asher go’al must be said.

Achilas Matza

• One should preferably use Erev Pesach Matzos for the matzos mitzva.

• If one only has a small amount of Erev Pesach matzos, and there is not enough for both achilas matza and the afikoman, it is preferable to use them for the afikoman.

• When making a hamotzi on the matzos, one lifts all three matzos in his hand.

• The prevalent minhag is then to release the matzah on the bottom, and then make al achilas matzah while still holding the top two maztzos.

• The top matzah and broken piece should then be eaten together, with the top matzah functioning for achilas matzah, and the middle one functioning for lechem oni. The bottom matzah is used for korech.

• If one forgot to lean while eating the matzah, an additional kazayis should be eaten with heseiba.

• One should not to go off topic on discussions not related to matzah or maror from washing on the matzah until eating the korech.

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• One should not pause or take a break while eating the first kayazis of matzah.

Shiurim of Achilas Matza

• L’chatchila, five kazaysim of matzah should be eaten at the seder: o Two kazaysim during motzei matza (one for achilas matzah and one for lechem oni) o One kazayis for korech o Two kazaysim for afikoman (One as a remembrance of the korban Pesach, and the other as a remembrance to the matzah eaten with the korban Pesach)

• B’dieved, one kazayis during motzi matzah, one for korech, and one for the afikoman suffices.

• There is a machlokes regarding the shiur of kazayis for achilas matza whether it goes by weight or volume.

• The kazayis range among the contemporary Poskim is from 1.76 oz. (Chazon Ish) to 1.0 oz. (R’ Chaim Na’eh). R’ Moshe Feinstein gives a shiur of 1.5 oz.

• One should be stringent on the larger measurement since it is a mitzva d’oraisa; however, since we eat two kazaysim, the smaller shiur will generally suffice.

• Practically speaking, a kazayis in most hand matzos according to a 1 oz. shiur will typically be no larger than 1/3rd of a Matzah.

• The first kazayis of matzah should be eaten toch k’day achilas pras, which ranges from 3 to 9 minutes. According to the Mishkan Bezalel Haggadah, one can rely on 4 minutes for this.

Maror and Korech

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• One dips the maror in charoses, shakes off any excess charoses, says the brocha of achilas maror, and eats a kazayis without leaning.

• The preferred type of maror is romaine lettuce. One may combine more than one type of maror to satisfy the kazayis requirement for achilas maror.

• To minimize hefsek, the brocha of al achilas maror should be recited after dipping the maror in the charoses.

• One should also have an additional kazayis of maror for korech.

• The Mechaber says to dip the korech into charoses. The Rema argues and says that we do not dip the korech in charoses.

Afikoman

• The afikoman should be eaten preferably before chatzos. If one missed the chatzos deadline, the afikoman should still be eaten afterwards.

• If the afikoman is lost or is there is difficulty negotiating the terms for its retrieval, it can be substituted with other pieces of matzah.

• Nothing should be eaten after eating the afikoman. If one did eat, he should have an additional kazayis of matzah.

• Aside from the last two cups of wine, it is preferable not drink anything after the afikoman except for water.

Barech and Hallel

• The general minhag is to first say shefoch chamoscha, and afterwards pour the fourth cup of wine which is specific to the hallel.

• Although normally a guest is given the honor to lead zimun, it is customary for the baal habayis to lead at the seder.

• Hallel should be said responsively. The leader says hodu laShem and ana Hashem aloud, and those present respond after him.

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• If one inadvertently said the brocha of melech mehulal batishbachos prior to hallel hagadol, he should continue with hallel hagadol, nishmas, and yishtabach, but not say the brocha again after yishtabach.

• One should make sure to drink at least a full reviis on the last kos, in order to qualify for the brocha of al hagefen.

Nirtza

• After finishing the fourth cup, one should not drink anything except for water. In extenuating circumstances, there are leniencies for light drinks, especially on the second night.

• One is not required to complete all the piyutim in nirtza.

• The Shulchan Aruch cites that upon completing the seder, one should focus on hilchos Pesach, yetzias mitzraim and on the miracles Hashem performed for our forefathers, until sleep overtakes him. Although this is difficult to do, it is certainly praiseworthy.

Please note: This guide is meant only as a practical reference guide. It is recommended one properly learn the Halachos in greater detail.

Special thanks to Dr. Moshe Frommer, Rabbi Dovid Apter, and Rabbi Benzion Brodie for their assistance in compiling this guide.

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The Sanctity of the Seventh

Rabbi Yisroel Gottlieb

The first day of the yom tov of Pesach commemorates the awesome power and might of the Ribbono Shel Olam as He took us out of mitzrayim on His own. As we say in the hagadah, “ani v’lo malach, ani v’lo saraph…”, Hashem took us out without any human or superhuman assistance. The redemption of the first days stands in stark contrast to the redemption that is celebrated on the seventh day of Pesach where we mark the culmination of the redemption with the splitting of the sea. In that instance, with the newly freed bnei Yisroel trapped between the advancing Egyptian army behind them and the expanse of the sea before them, they once again waited for Hashem to deliver them from harm. This time, however, when they called out to Hashem, He responded by challenging them to take the first step and plunge into the sea. Upon emerging safely from the other side, the b’nei Yisroel sang the epic shira that we recite daily and read on the seventh day of Pesach.

It is interesting to note that the Jewish People did not see fit to sing shira upon their initial redemption from mitzrayim even though that was seemingly a greater miracle with G-d doing all of the heavy lifting for us. Instead, they chose to sing shira at kriyas yam suf, where the miracle was somewhat lessened by our participation in the process. Why?

Rav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik, in a monumental shiur delivered at the Moriah Synagogue in Manhattan in Iyar of 1958, offered a beautiful insight to explain this incongruity. Rav Soloveitchik began by nothing a similar incongruity in the bracha acharona that we make following the consumption of fruit vs. the bracha we make following the consumption of bread. Fruit comes to us as a finished product. There is minimal work that must be put in by man in order for him to enjoy the fruit of the trees. The

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heavy lifting is done by G-d himself. By contrast, bread requires an enormous amount of human input. Man must plow, plant, water, harvest, thresh, grind, knead and bake. Bread is a product of the partnership of man and G-d. Yet on bread we recite the full birchas hamazon, while the fruit of the tree gets a bracha of al ha’etz at best and often only a simple borei nefashos.

To explain both, Rav Soloveitchik pointed to the famous tanchuma in parashas Tazria where Turnus Rufus challenged Rebi Akiva by asking what is greater, the handiwork of man or the handiwork of G-d. Rebi Akiva, knowing Turnus Rufus’s intention to malign the mitzvah of milah, responded that man’s handiwork is greater, and he invoked the contrast between raw grain and bread as the example to illustrate that point. The point that Rebi Akiva was bringing out, which escaped Turnus Rufus, is that the greatest sanctity lies in the partnership between G-d and man. When Hashem invites us to join with him in building His world, we reach the purpose of creation, and we attain the greatest of heights. Deliverance at the hand of G-d alone pales by comparison to when Hashem offers us a hand in delivering ourselves.

Thus, the fruit of the tree, the gift that comes from Hashem fully finished and ready for us only merits a truncated bracha acharona, whereas bread, the embodiment of Hashem’s empowerment of man to create and build, is marked by the full and complete birchas hamazon.

That, as well, explains the dichotomy that exists in the sanctity of the Har Habayis vs. the sanctity of Har Sinai. Har Sinai, where Hashem Himself came down and delivered the Torah on the mountain, was off limits to both man and beast during the days of matan Torah. But, as soon as the Presence of Hashem left the mountain all restrictions were lifted and all were free to ascend the mountain once again. By contrast, the Har Habayis retains its sanctity in perpetuity even after the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash. The difference? The kedusha of Har Sinai was imbued by Hashem alone with the giving of the Torah. The sanctity of the Har Habayis is the product of both man and G-d, Hashem choosing the place and us

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building the bayis. That sanctity is far greater and has far greater staying power.

That is the essential difference between the redemption of the first days of Pesach and that of the last days. In the redemption of the first days we were merely the objects of the act of redemption that was carried out by G-d. In the redemption of the last days, we became the subjects as well, taking part in the act of our own salvation, partnering with G-d and achieving the ultimate purpose of redemption. When man can partner with Hashem and can participate in building and redemption, then we reach the ultimate goal of creation and the very soul sings out in praise as our ancestors did some 3,300 years ago on the far side of the yam suf.

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There’s No Need to Worry

Rabbi Yosef Loewy

Unfortunately, many people dread the arrival of chag hapesach out of fear and trepidation that they have not cleaned enough and things are not perfect. There is so much strife that fills many homes as the Yom Tov of Pesach approaches and things get increasingly hectic. How does one come to this chashuv yom tov with menuchas hanefesh and true excitement?

I would like to share with you a beautiful Netziv that can serve as a life changer for many people’s hachanos for Pesach. He writes that the Yom Tov of Pesach is overflowing with many mitzvos. According to the Gra, there are sixty four mitzvos on leil haseder! Almost the entire 5th chelek of Mishna Berura is devoted to the various halachos and mitzvos of this yom tov. We start with ridding our homes of all chametz, searching for chametz, buying proper matzos, drinking four cups of wine, maror, and so much more. One can attain such a high level and achieve real happiness through accomplishing all the mitzvos. There is also a worry that so many people have that maybe I didn’t do enough. There might be a few crumbs left that I failed to see, perhaps the matzos were not baked perfectly, and so on. This mindset can impede on the individual’s happiness and observance of the mitzvos.

The Netziv says one should rest assured that if effort was put in and you did everything you can, one must be happy and joyous on the chag and not worry at all. Don’t think for a moment that you are lacking or you are missing something. We can trust that HaKadosh Baruch Hu will do the rest. As we sit down to the first seder, the only feelings that should fill our body are feelings of simcha, cheirus, and enthusiasm for the tremendous opportunity to be mekayem so many mitzvos on this auspicious night.

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Enslaved and Redeemed

Rabbi Shmuel Reich

The Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 21) describes the fulfillment of the mitzvah of sipur yetzias Mitzrayim as mentioning the nissim and “inyanim” that happened to our forefathers in Mitzrayim, and how Hashem took revenge against Mitzrayim. The Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvos; 157) expounds further, mentioning four components of sipur yetzias Mitzrayim: what Hashem did for us, the evils that the Mitzriyim committed against us, how Hashem took revenge against Mitzrayim, and thanking Hashem for the kindnesses He has bestowed upon us. While the interesting questions, gimatrios, and vertlach that we and our children say over enhance the seder in many ways, they do not necessarily address the mitzvah of sipur directly. We will focus here on elaborating upon two components in the story of yetzias Mitzrayim, each as described in detail by a classic commentator on Chumash, to facilitate telling over the actual story in greater detail. The first description is that of the evolution of the shibud as described by the Ramban. The second is that of the turning point and beginning of the geulah as described by Rav Shamshon Rafael Hirsch.

Beginning of the shibud according to the Ramban: Shemos, 1:10,11:

Pharaoh and his advisors rejected the idea of directly attacking Bnei Yisrael for several reasons. The first is that this would be an inexcusable act of treachery since Bnei Yisrael had first come to Mitzrayim upon the request of the previous king and hadn’t done anything wrong. Secondly, the Egyptian public, with whom this conversation had taken place, wouldn’t have allowed such an act. The third is that the Bnei Yisrael had already grown to be a large nation at this point so a war with them would be costly.

Therefore, instead of outright attacking them, Pharaoh initially placed a tax upon them. This was considered a normal thing to do, and therefore 42

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showed no indication of malice at all. He then told the midwives to kill the baby boys as they were being born. This was not a command for the general public, and it was done in a way that would be difficult to detect. The next step was to tell the Egyptians that whoever sees a baby boy should throw him into the river. This was specifically said to the nation at large rather than to government officials, ensuring that Bnei Yisrael would in fact be able to file complaints with local law enforcement against perpetrators. They would then be told that if they brought witnesses to the crime, justice would surely be served. This would absolve the government from any measure of blame. Once this was in motion, the Mitzriyim didn’t only take babies whom they encountered, but even began to seek babies out. This is what the pasuk means when it says v’lo yechaleh od hatzfinu.

It seems that the duration of this gezeirah was not that long, since it only begun after Aharon had been born and ended shortly after Moshe was born. It is unclear exactly how and why it ended, but one possibility is that Bas Pharaoh asked her father to end it. Another possibility is that the word got out that this gezeirah had actually come from the government. Once this became known they needed to quickly end it. A third possibility is based on the midrash which says that once Moshe was thrown into the water Pharaoh’s astrologers said that the threat of the Jewish savior was over.

The idea that the Egyptian government wished not to be implicated in any of this is repeated at the end of Parshas Shemos when people said to Moshe that “hiv’ashtem es reicheinu b’einei pharaoh” by telling him to let them out. What this meant was that once Pharaoh felt threatened by the demand to let Bnei Yisrael free he would no longer need an excuse to hide his attacks against them - he would be able to do it outright in the name of quelling a rebellion.

The shibud itself also began slowly. A human tax was taken from Bnei Yisrael to serve for a month or more at a time. The remainder of the time they could be home. The Sarei Misim oversaw taking the human tax and ordered them to build cities for Pharaoh. This, however, did not break the spirit of the Bnei Yisrael as the Egyptians had hoped it would.

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Consequently, the next step was that any Mitzri could force any Jew to do work for them at any time.

Additionally, while the original human tax working for the government involved exclusively building with materials provided, the personal labor for the individual Egyptians was far more extensive. Laborers were given straw that they needed to make into themselves and then provide bricks for the builders. Additional difficult labor out in the fields was also given to Jewish laborers. This work was enforced with constant pressure as well as physical and verbal abuse. This is what is meant by “es kol avodasam asher avdu be’hem b’farech.” They lived off meager rations provided by the king. According to the midrash that Bnei Yisrael were always only slaves to the crown, the aforementioned pasuk will need to be understood as referring to the Sarei Misim rather than to all Egyptians.

Shmias Ha’tefillos according to Rav Shamshon Rafael Hirsch: Shemos, 2:24,25:

The death of the Pharaoh who began the shibud (assuming he did die) began a new chapter in the shibud. Until this point Bnei Yisrael could hope that the conscience of Pharaoh and the Egyptians would ultimately prevail over them to end their oppressive treatment of the Bnei Yisrael. However, once Pharaoh had died, they realized that the opportunity for this possibility had passed. The reason for this is that those who were responsible for the gezeirah would always view it as their creation and therefore their responsibility. But once it was passed on to another generation, they would just view it as status quo. As such, it would not only absolve the law from scrutiny, but perhaps even bear the strength of being a tradition of sorts - something that should be upheld for no other reason than out of respect for those who instituted it. This sense gave a feeling of newfound desperation and hopelessness. It seemed to them that they would now be mistreated slaves forever.

This is what is meant by ”vata’al shav’asam min ha’avodah - they cried due to their enslavement which they now imagined had become permanent. The term used to describe their cries is “na’akasam” which refers to one last call of desperation before it is too late. Although their conscious cries 44

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were about their state of slavery, Hashem heard a subconscious cry over their moral future - they were approaching a level of tum’ah that would be irreversible. Hashem therefore deemed it time for the geulah at this point - in order to fulfill the promise to the Avos about the future of their descendants. Hashem responded to these cries with every term of paying attention that there is – va’yizkor, va’yeirah, va’yeidah and va’yishma.

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The Afikomen

Rabbi Elimelech Ringel

On Pesach we celebrate the great physical and spiritual redemption of the Jewish people from the Egyptian oppression. The awesome wonders performed at that time exhibited Hashem's great love for us and the Divine will for us to be His Chosen Nation. This redemption gave us the independence to serve Hashem with purity and to follow the guidance of the holy Torah that Hashem subsequently bequeathed to us. By observing the Seder, we try to experience this deep bond that our forefathers forged with Hashem at that time. Accordingly, the rituals that we practice during the Seder are replete with heartfelt devotion and faith in Hashem. It is for this reason that children have such an important role in the Seder proceedings, for we seek to bestow the heritage of our strong bond with Hashem to our dearest asset — our children.

Throughout the years, different customs with great significance have developed. Every one of these customs serves as a heartfelt expression of our inseparable bond with Hashem. The tradition that children snatch away the Afikomen matzoh only to be returned in exchange for some type of reward seems, at first glance, out of place on this lofty evening. Let us proceed together to understand the significance of this Seder night custom.

Parents often find their children's sleeping patterns to be far from amusing. When bedtime arrives, those little eyelids just refuse to close upon their fun filled eyes. Yet on those special evenings that we want our youngsters to be up and around, parents often find their little angels sleeping blissfully, while adorned in the elegance of their party finery. The Seder night is one of those special evenings. It is on this evening that we want our children to be alert and involved. We want them to ask the traditional Mah Nishtanah

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(The Four Questions) thereby giving us the opportunity to transmit to them the rich and timeless heritage of the Seder night. Nevertheless, children are children, and there is a concern that slumber will overcome them. It was in light of this concern that our Rabbis (Talmud Bavli Pesachim 10a) instituted a custom that the Seder participants grab the matzoh one from another. The purpose is that when the children witness this seemingly odd, and humorous, behavior their curiosity will propel them to inquire about the significance of matzoh and related observances instead of succumbing to sleep.

Since this custom was originally established for the sake of our children, it eventually came to include stronger child involvement. Instead of adults grabbing the matzoh one from another, the custom developed that the children do the grabbing. Hence, the custom that the children snatch away the Afikomen matzoh at the start of the Seder. It is then returned at the culmination of the Seder meal when the child will be rewarded for his efforts. The enthusiasm of this custom and the anticipated reward gives our youngsters the inspiration to remain alert throughout the recounting of our great and important exodus, while basking in the warm and lofty spirit of the Seder evening.

Now, it is definitely most convenient to blame everything on the kids. Nevertheless, sometimes it is the adults who lack the enthusiasm to carry out the mitzvah properly. On Pesach one can find himself to be quite weary. A hectic Erev Pesach, then a couple of cups of wine, and on top of all that a heavy sumptuous Seder meal, combine to wear most of us down to exhaustion. One can become tired to the extent that he might even forget to eat the Afikomen at the culmination of the meal. However, the custom of snatching the Afikomen prevents this from happening. For when it comes to the end of the meal, we will have our lovely little "reminders" prodding us for gifts in exchange for the Afikomen, thereby keeping us very aware that we must still do the mitzvah of eating the Afikomen.

On a deeper level, the Gemara (Brachos 40a) states: A child does not call out "father" or "mother" until he has tasted grain. Grain has the properties that give a child the ability to blurt out his first words "father" and

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"mother." Yet even though a child calls out "father," "mother," he does not comprehend the deep bond that these titles define. He fails to understand that to a certain extent he is one unit with his father. Their compositions are extremely similar, and the lifeline of blood that flows through their veins are indicative of their deep and everlasting relationship.

Our traditional matzoh is a lot more than a delicious, crispy cracker. Matzoh is a product of the faith and trust in Hashem that our heroic forefathers displayed. When Hashem declared that it was time to leave Egypt, our ancestors did not hesitate. They just flung their unbaked dough over their shoulders and proceeded as they were commanded. The scorching heat of the Middle-Eastern desert baked this dough into the matzoh we know of today. It is for this reason that matzah is referred to in the holy work Zohar as "The Food of Faith."

The saintly Chasidic master Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi draws an analogy between the grain eaten by children to the matzoh — a grain product— eaten by the Jewish people on Pesach. Just as grain gives a child the intelligence to call out "Father," so too, the matzah — the food of faith— has within itself the ability to elevate us to the great and awesome realization that the Almighty is our "Father", and we are one with Him. Although, like a child, we might not yet comprehend the deep affiliation that this title represents, nevertheless a father remains a father.

If someone would steal an object, and would then request a present for its return, people would be repulsed and enraged at this display of unmitigated brazenness. If a child would do so to his father, a dedicated father would not honor this request. Furthermore, he would most definitely rebuke his son. Yet, despite the crime, a father naturally feels an inner urge to fulfill his dear son's request. This urge lessens the child's crime in his father's eyes. For the father feels that it is like one hand stealing from the other hand.

On Pesach we affirm our father-son relationship that we have with Hashem by eating matzoh — The Food of Faith. We therefore have the custom that the children "steal" this very matzoh from their own fathers. The children then make the unjustified request for a present in exchange for its return, 48

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and we grant it to them. The symbolization is as follows: Since we have sinned, it is like we are children who just ate grain and don't comprehend the essential definition of the title Father. Our request is that although we ourselves are guilty of causing the distance that had diminished the spiritual elevation and goodness we have received from Hashem, we still beg: "Father! Return us back to you and give us a present — your closeness that brings along with it an outpouring of your genuine goodness and spiritual elevation." For just like every father, Hashem has the urge to bestow kindness and holiness upon his dear children. We further plea, "L'shana Habaah B'Yerushalayim." Please, Father, despite our transgressions return us home to Yerushalayim, where we will merit to be under your celestial wing, to attain spiritual protection, and a true state of peace.

L'shana Habaah B'Yerushalayim

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Reasons for Taanis Bechorim

Rabbi Eliyahu Wincelberg

The vast majority of Rishonim,1 including the Tur and Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 470:1), Pasken based on Meseches Sofrim (21:3)2 that firstborns should fast on Erev Pesach. The Tur (ibid.) explains that the reason for the fast is to commemorate the fact that the Jewish firstborns were saved by makkas bechoros. This is a strange thing to need to commemorate. The makkos simply did not apply to us. We did not need to commemorate that the Jews were able to drink water while all the Egyptians drank blood by makkas dam, that the wild animals didn’t enter Goshen by makkas arov (Shemos 8:18), that not one animal belonging to a Jew dies by makkas dever (Shemos 9:6), that the hail didn’t enter Goshen by makkas barad (Shemos 9:26), or that all of the Jews had light by makkas choshech. Why should the firstborn Jews have died? The Jews weren’t affected by any of the other plagues!3 The Orchos Chaim (Chelek Aleph; Din Arvei Pesachim Veshaar Yamim Tovim; os 13) writes that the reason why the firstborns were specifically targeted by makkas bechoros is because they were the priests for the avodah zarah there. Based on this, the Orchos Chaim points out that it is likely that among the Jews, many of which were idol-worshippers as well, many firstborns would have been priests for avodah zarah (See Yechezkel

1 A notable exception is the Rambam who doesn’t quote this Halacha. 2 That is the primary source. However, some Rishonim such as the Mordechai (Pesachim 610) and the Orchos Chaim (Chelek Aleph Din Arvei Pesachim Veshaar Yamim Tovim os 13) quote Yerushalmi Pesachim 10:1 as the source. A discussion as to whether or not this is a valid source is beyond the scope of this discussion. See Rosh Pesachim 10:19 with Kobran Nesanel (ad loc. os Samech and os Ayin), Birkei Yosef (Orach Chaim 470:1), and Sefer Taanis Bechorim (pg. 4-11). 3 Many Jews died by makkas choshech, but they weren’t affected by the plague of darkness itself. Hashem merely used the cover of darkness to remove them without the Egyptians being aware that Jews were dying left and right. 50

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20:7 [as explained by many commentators] and Shemos Rabbah 21:7). If so, since this was primarily an attack on those that were the priests for avodah zarah, the Jewish firstborns should have been killed were it not for Hashem’s mercy. However, the explanation that Taanis Bechorim commemorates the salvation of the firstborns remains troubling. We don’t generally commemorate being saved by fasting. Generally, when we are saved, we commemorate that by eating. As Alan King said, “A summary of every Jewish holiday: They tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat!” Shouldn’t firstborns be celebrating their salvation through feasting, as opposed to mourning it through fasting? To make matters worse, the Midrash Rabbah writes (Shemos Rabbah 19:7) that we do not mourn the suffering we had in Egypt. This is comparable to a king who married a woman from across the sea. On her way to the king her boat was rocked by terrible waves for days making her fear for her life, but in the end she survived. When she finally reached the king and informed him what had happened to her on the way the king told her “I don’t want you to commemorate all the suffering you experienced getting here. Instead, I want you to remember the day that you were saved and make it a day of celebration every year.” This is understandable. Nobody wants to start off their marriage with the wife focusing on how miserable her journey to the wedding was. That would make the whole marriage start off on the wrong foot. Hashem, as well, did not institute any days of mourning to commemorate the terrible suffering we experienced in Egypt.4 We only celebrate the salvation. If so, why do we fast to commemorate what the bechorim went through? Based on the strength of these questions, some, such as the Sefer Pe’er Yitzchak (25:4), have suggested that the entire concept of Taanis Bechorim is based on a ta’os sofer and indeed, the author brings a number Gedolim who were firstborns did not bother fasting or even attending a siyum or

4 We do eat marror and recount the bad times we had (maschil begenus umesayem beshevach), but the goal is not to mourn the suffering we endured under the hands of the Egyptians but rather the goal is to help us appreciate our miraculous salvation. 51

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other seudas mitzvah because they too felt it was a ta’os sofer. However, being that virtually all major Halachic works over the last thousand years have felt that Taanis Bechorim is halacha lemaisa it behooves us to understand what the purpose of it could possibly be. Shu”t Lecha Shlomo suggests that generally we don’t fast to commemorate various tribulations we were saved from because we ourselves did mitzvos or teshuva and merited to be saved. However, by yetzias Mitzraim we were utterly bereft of Mitzvos and it was only because Hashem graciously gave us the Mitzvos of dam Pesach (the blood of which was placed on the lintel and doorposts) and dam Milah that we were able to be saved. Therefore, Chazal instituted that firstborns should fast in order to diminish their fat and blood as a reminder that their blood should have been spilled. Perhaps we can suggest in a similar vein that we don’t generally need to mourn the terrible things that happened to us that we were saved from because the purpose of all the fast days that we mourn nowadays is as the יש שם ימים שכל ישראל מתענים בהם “ Rambam (Hilchos Taanis 5:1) writes מפני הצרות שארעו בהן כדי לעורר הלבבות לפתח דרכי התשובה ויהיה זה זכרון למעשינו הרעים ומעשה אבותינו שהיה כמעשינו עתה עד שגרם להם ולנו אותן הצרות. שבזכרון דברים אלו נשוב להיטיב שנאמר )ויקרא כו, מ( "והתודו את The purpose of a fast day is to remember the ”עונם ואת עון אבתם" וגו'. ways our ancestors suffered for their misdeeds which they did not correct and we ourselves are following in their footsteps and sinning. If our ancestors had dealt with the problem head on by doing Teshuva, there would be no need to mourn this day. However, by makkas bechoros our ancestors never dealt with the problem by doing teshuva. As the Orchos Chaim said, the firstborns deserved to die for worshipping avodah zarah, and even when we came to the sea before krias Yam Suf the sea was not going to split for us because we were idolaters (Shemos Rabbah 21:7). Indeed, even after Matan Torah the firstborns still struggled with avodah zarah and were the first ones who sinned by the Golden Calf (Yerushalmi Megillah 1:11). Thus, since the entire salvation happened without the firstborns ever fully repenting for their sins it remains a day of mourning, although since the firstborns were not actually killed out of Hashem’s mercy, we don’t remember the tragedy but rather that the firstborns were

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miraculously saved from receiving the fate they deserved and therefore Taanis Bechorim is not treated with the same stringency as other fast days. There are also several other reasons for Taanis Bechorim that circumvent the entire issue of why firstborns fast to commemorate the miracle of their salvation altogether by providing other reasons why firstborns fast: The Chassam Sofer (Pesachim 108a d”h “kol maali yoma depischa”) suggests that Taanis Bechorim is similar to Taanis Esther. The same way that on Taanis Esther the Jews fasted as a merit that they should not be killed in battle so too the firstborns fasted on Erev Pesach as a merit that they should not be killed for their sins, and nowadays we do the same to commemorate that. The Chassam Sofer adds that it is likely that fathers fasted on behalf of their firstborn sons who were ketanim to ensure that they wouldn’t die for their father’s sins which is why nowadays as well fathers fast on behalf of their firstborns under bar mitzvah. In the journal Otzar Hachaim (5691 pages 96-99) another reason is suggested by Rav Ehrenreich. At the point that Hashem slaughtered all the firstborns in Egypt He sanctified all of the Jewish firstborns (Shemos 13:2, Bamidbar 3:13 and 8:17) and made them the Kohanim (Shemos 19:22 and 24:5 with Rashi). However, when they sinned by the chet ha’egel the bechorim lost their right to be the priests and that right was given to Shevet Levi (Bamidbar Rabbah 3:3, 3:10, and 4:8). Therefore, the bechorim fast to demonstrate their sorrow over the loss of their incredible opportunity to serve Hashem as Kohanim. It is also possible that this is what the Tur meant when he said that the fast is to commemorate the fact that the bechorim were saved. They are remembering the fact that they were saved by Hashem by way of Hashem sanctifying them which they subsequently lost. This explanation also explains why, unlike all the other fasts, if one attends a siyum they no longer need to fast. Even though the firstborns are no longer capable of bringing the korbanos, learning Torah is equivalent or perhaps even greater than bringing korbanos (Sifri Devarim 41, Menachos 110a, Avos D’Rebbi Nassan 4:1). Through making or even attending a Siyum the bechorim are showing that despite having lost their incredible opportunity to serve Hashem through bringing korbanos they can still serve Hashem on at least the same level through learning Hashem’s Torah. 53

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Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Pa’amei Kol Torah, cited in Sefer Taanis Bechorim page 22) points out that claiming that the reason for Taanis Bechorim is to remember that the firstborns were saved by makkas bechoros is difficult because makkas bechoros did not happen on the 14th of Nissan, it happened on the 15th. The reason we commemorate it on the 14th cannot merely be because the 15th is Yom Tov so they moved it to the 14th. If that were the case the fast should have been moved to the 13th since the 14th of Nissan is also somewhat of a Yom Tov, as it is Erev Yom Tov and the day that the Korban Pesach was brought. There are even restrictions against doing various forms of melachah on the 14th.5 Furthermore, if Taanis Bechorim was really because the bechorim were saved it should be the descendants of those bechorim who fast, not other bechorim who were descended from people who weren’t bechorim at the time of makkas bechoros. Future bechorim wouldn’t have been affected by the fact that the bechorim were spared unless their ancestors were bechorim at the time of makkas bechoros, so why are they the ones who fast? Rav Shlomo Zalman therefore suggests that the reason for Taanis Bechorim is actually because when the bechorim came along with the rest of Klal Yisrael to bring their korban Pesach on Erev Pesach they were incredibly pained, depressed, and embarrassed about the fact that they lost their opportunity to be ones performing the avodah in the Beis Hamikdash and instead had to merely watch as the Kohanim did the avodah in their place. This was especially difficult for them because the korban Pesach that they were bringing actually celebrates the very moment that they became sanctified. Because of the bechorim’s incredible pain and sadness they did

5 Furthermore, the same way we see that when Purim is on Sunday, Taanis Esther is moved back to Thursday, as opposed to Friday (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 686:2) and when Erev Pesach fall out on Shabbos, Taanis Bechorim is shifted back to Thursday as well (470:2). The Aruch Hashulchan (470:4) Mishna Berura (470:6) explain that the reason Taanis Bechorim is shifted back to Thursday instead of Friday is because since its anyway not in the proper time it is preferable to distance it from Shabbos so that the bechorim do not enter into Shabbos while fasting. Based on that, if Erev Pesach were not the real time for the fast it would seem inappropriate to reschedule the fast to Erev Pesach thereby causing the bechorim to enter into Pesach while fasting. 54

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not eat or drink at all that day, and they instituted it as a day of mourning for all those who would have been the ones doing avoda as well.6 7 Perhaps we can weave elements from several of these reasons together to form another beautiful explanation for Taanis Bechorim. Chazal tell us (Rosh Hashana 11a) that the same way we were redeemed in Nissan we will be redeemed again in Nissan at the end of our current exile.8 Yalkut Shimoni (Shemos 12:42 and Yeshaya Remez 436) and Rashi (Eruchin 11b d”h “megalgilin zechus”) imply that this means that we will be redeemed on the exact same dates as our original redemption from Egypt. When we are redeemed and the Beis Hamikdash is rebuilt the service in the Beis Hamikdash will be restored to the firstborns (Ohr Hachaim [Bereishis 49:28 d”h “asher diber” and Bamidbar 3:45 d”h “vihayu li”], Tikkunim Chadashim of the Ramchal [54], and Ahavas Yehonasan [Hafataras Emor]). However, although the redemption culminates on Seder night, it doesn’t start then. Throughout Erev Pesach we begin experiencing the redemption of Pesach. Chametz starts to become forbidden to us, we become forbidden to do serious melachah that is not for Pesach purposes (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 468:1-3), and this is the time that we would bring the korban Pesach should the Beis Hamikdash be rebuilt. Furthermore, in Egypt the effects of makkas bechoros started before Pesach with the firstborns waging war against their fathers (Midrash Aggada Shemos 11:5, Midrash Tanchumah [Buber] Bo 18, Midrash Tehillim 136, Yalkut Shimoni Tehillim

6 The reasons of Rav Shlomo Zalman and Rav Ehrenreich both do not explain why firstborn Kohanim and Leviyim fast. They are still doing avodah in the Beis Hamikdash. Furthermore, these explanations do not explain why boys who are firstborns only from their father fast, as they were not sanctified by makkas bechoros (this is why they do not need pidyon haben). It is likely that these reasons are not intended to be the only reasons but rather complimentary reasons. See Sefer Taanis Bechorim (5:1) for more on why it is not just the bechorim from the mother that fast. 7 See Sefer Taanis Bechorim (page 23) for more reasons for Taanis Bechorim. 8 See Drashos HaRan (end of Drush 3) that we pasken that we will be redeemed in Nissan like Rebbi Yehoshua says and not in Tishrei as Rebbi Eliezer says. 55

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136, Pesikta Rabsi 17).9 Thus, this is a very opportune moment for the firstborns to remember the way they had been entirely spared in Egypt many years earlier by way of being taken into the service of Hashem and they fast that day in the zechus that the Beis Hamikdash should be rebuilt and they should be worthy to be the ones doing the avodah and bringing the korban Pesach on this day in the Beis Hamikdash just as they had been many years earlier.

9 See also Zohar Pinchas 249a that Hashem’s throne will become complete on Erev Pesach with the wiping out of Amalek. 56

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In honor of our 50th wedding anniversary.

Dr. Don and Meryl Rosenblum

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