PulloutEnglish Section Pesach 5776 up glish S plemen En t Pesach 5776 Chag Kasher V‘Sameach 104• גליון 1734 - המחנה החרדי תשע"ו • HAMACHNE HACHAREIDI / APRIL 21, ‘16 • English Supplement - Pesach 5776 • Harav Pinches Friedman • Yaakov the “Wise” Son Defeated Eisov the “Evil” Son by Feeding Yitzchok the Afikomen on the Night of Pesach • Translation Dr. Baruch Fox • n honor of Pesach, the time of our themselves. Rashi comments: ‘the people occurred so as to enable Yaakov to come freedom and redemption from the bowed’.—on account of the tidings of the Yaakov Avinu Received the Blessings and snatch the blessings. Nevertheless, I redemption and the coming into the land on the Night of Pesach examine the matter of the wise son and and the tidings of the sons which they would wide open with a view to the distant fu- exile in Egypt, it is fitting for us to have. Let us begin our journey of enlighten- turehis spiritual,— envisioning sanctified, that hispure descendants, eyes were sons, the narrator of the Haggodah states: It seems that the Torah provided a - the children of Yisroel, were destined to be Whatthe evil does son. the Regarding wise son thesay? first ”What of the are four the clear answer to the wicked son without the cle that took place on the night of Pesach released from the bondage and slavery of testimonies, the statutes, and the laws which need to blunt his teeth: “You shall say, ‘It is manyment byyears examining before the the exodus magnificent from Egyptmira the Egyptians on that sacred night. Hashem, our G-d, has commanded you?“ And a Pesach offering to Hashem.’ Upon hearing — a miracle that left its imprint on the na- On that holy night, near his death, you, too, should tell him the laws of Pesach: this, the people rejoiced and bowed down”. tion of Yisroel for all future generations. We Yitzchok sought one of his sons to inherit ”It is forbidden to eat ‘Afikomon’ after the They rejoiced at the news of the sons that are speaking of how Yaakov Avinu received the tremendous blessings that his father, korban Pesach.“ they were destined to have. If so, why did the blessings from his father, Yitzchok, by Avrohom, had given him. Hakodosh Ba- Regarding the statement: ”It is for- the author of the Haggodah change the an- obeying his mother Rivkeh’s instructions. ruch Hu said to Avrohom (Bereishis 12:2): bidden to eat ’ Afikomon’ after the korban swer that is written in the Torah? Not only Eisov almost received the blessings from “The blessings belong to you”. As we shall Pesach,“ this can be understood in light of does he not give that answer, instead he Yitzchok by deception, as it is written see, Yitzchok had his reasons for wanting the Mishneh (Pesochim 119b). ”Ein Mafti- advises to blunt the son’s teeth and to re- (Bereishis 25: 27): “Eisov became one who to give the beroches to his eldest son, Eisov rin”,— means that we do not make any re- spond with the harsh words: “Had he been knows hunting”. Rashi adds the following (ibid. 27:2) and he said, ”See, now, I have quests; ”Achar HaPesach”, —after the meat there, he would not have been redeemed.” commentary: He became adept at trapping aged; I know not the day of my death. Now of the korban Pesach has been eaten at sharpen, if you please your gear, your sword the conclusion of the meal; ”Afikomen“,— and your bow, and go out to the field and means taking out food, i.e. it is prohibited hunt game for me. Then make me delicacies to eat after the korban Pesach has been such as I love and bring it to me and I will consumed, so that the taste of the korban eat, so that my soul may bless you before I Pesach remains in one’s mouth. The com- die.“ mentaries have raised the obvious ques- Eisov’s deception nearly succeeded. tion: Yet, Hakodosh Baruch Hu, ultimately ar- Of all the haloches, why did the author ranged to prevent the blessings from fall- ing into Eisov’s hands, due to the intrigue one as the answer to the wise son: “It is for- of our mathriach Rivkeh. She ordered of the Haggodah specifically choose this Yaakov to heed her words of divine inspi- Pesach?” ration (Bereishis 27: 8): “So now, my son, biddenWhy to Did eat the ‘Afikomon’ Author ofafter the the Haggodah korban heed my voice to that which I command you. Change the Answer Given to the Wicked Go now to the flock and fetch for me from Son? there two choice young kids of the goats, In honor of Pesach, I would like to offer and I will make of them delicacies for your a new explanation, as to why the holy nar- father, as he loves.” Rashi explains in the rator of the Haggodah responds to the wise name of the Pirkei D’Rebbi Eliezer (Chap- ter 32): certainly, two kid goats was not examine the manner in which the author Yitzchok’s usual fare; rather, it must have ofson the specifically Haggodah in addresses this manner: the wickedFirst, let son. us been Pesach; one was used for his Pesach The wicked son says: “What is this service offering and the other was used to make to you? ‘to you’, but not to himself. Since he The Bnei Yissoschor (Nissan 5:14) asks, his father by asking questions that would delicacies. Thus, in the midst of the “seder” excludes himself from the group, he denies concerning the author of the Haggodah’s make him appear to be unusually pious. He night, Yaakov entered, clothed in Eisov’s everything. You, too, should blunt his teeth, response to the wicked son: “Had he been would ask, for example, how tithes should be and say to him: ”It is because of this that there, he would not have been redeemed.” taken from salt and straw... he said to his father, Yitzchok (ibid. 19): It Hashem did so for me when I went out of - This titanic battle between the forces isfine I, Eisovgarments. your firstbornWith fear I haveand trepidation,done as you Egypt, ‘for me,’ but not for him. Had he been thor of the Haggodah himself established of sanctity and profanity, kedusheh and told me; rise up, please, sit and eat of my there, he would not have been redeemed.” the Furtherformula: on “in in eachthe Haggodah,and every thegenera au- tumah, between Yaakov and Eisov, took game that your soul may bless me. Yitzchok The question that bothers the com- tion, a person is obligated to view himself place on the night of Pesach. On that night said to his son, ”How is it that you were so mentaries is well known. The source for as if he has gone out of Egypt... not only did Yitzchok Avinu sat at the head of his table, quick to find, my son?“ And he said, ”Because the evil son’s question is found in parshas Hakodosh Baruch Hu redeem our ancestors, conducted the “seder” according to the dic- Hashem, your G-d, arranged it for me.“ And Bo (12:26)”And it shall be that when your but He redeemed us, as well, with them”. He tates of halocheh, and savored the taste of Yitzchok said to Yaakov, ”Come close, if you children will say to you, ’What is this service clearly states that all of us were included Gan Eden from the meat of the Pesach and please, so I can touch you, my son; are you, to you?’ You shall say, ’It is a Pesach offer- with our ancestors during the exile in Chagigah offerings that his son Yaakov pre- indeed, my son Eisov or not?” ing to Hashem, Who skipped over the houses Egypt; hence, this wicked son was also in pared for him. The possuk informs us that What, in fact, caused Yitzchok to sus- of Bnei Yisroel in Egypt, while He smote the Egypt. So, how can the author of the Hag- Yitzchok’s eyes were blinded on purpose pect that maybe the person standing be- Egyptians, but He spared our households,’“ godah state that had he been there, he (ibid. 27, 1): and his vision was dimmed. fore him was someone other than Eisov? and the people bowed and prostrated would not have been redeemed? Rashi explains: “His eyes dimmed”—this ___ English Supplement - Pesach 5776 • HAMACHNE HACHAREIDI / APRIL 21, ‘16 • גליון גליון 1734 - המחנה החרדי תשע"ו • 103 the two names Hashem and Elokim. maintain his high level of devotion, believ- Yaakov the “Wise” Son Defeated Eisov the “Evil” Son by Let us embellish this idea a bit more. ing wholeheartedly that Hashem Elokim We now realize that Yaakov Avinu received would provide him with: ‘food and cloth- Feeding Yitzchok the Afikomen on the Night of Pesach the blessings from Yitzchok on the night ing’, in the merit of the blessings that he re- ___ of Pesach in the merit of his action of self- ceived from Yitzchok by employing these The answer is revealed by Rashi: Yitzchok found in the commentaries’ explanation realized that Eisov did not usually utter and focus on a subtle linguistic difference Hashem in his statement: “because Hashem, mentions the same two names “Vehayu sacrifice, his mention of the two names of two names. This is why he specifically the name of G-d; and this person had said, that exists between the formulas employed your G-d, arranged it for me”.