Exhortation and encouragement.
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Break Free!
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken
The Shem MiShmuel, a Chassidic Rebbe and scholar, offers a beautiful insight into an apparent contradiction in the Haggadah. The Haggadah says, "Had the Holy One, Blessed be He, not taken our forefathers out of Egypt, then we and our children and our children's children would remain subservient to Pharaoh in Egypt."
First of all, the Pharaohs are long gone, so it is unlikely that the Jewish people would have remained as servants in Egypt even had the Exodus never occurred. But in addition, if we do not wish to set this passage aside as simple hyperbole, then it appears to contradict a central element of traditional Jewish thought: that the entire world was created for Torah, to permit us to pursue spirituality and to come close to G-d.
Without Torah, the world would lack all purpose. So according to the Medrash, G-d created the world with a condition in mind: "if Israel does not accept my Torah, then I will return [all of creation] to 'tohu vavohu,'" referring to the initial state ("without form and void" ) mentioned at the beginning of Genesis. So had He never removed us from Egypt, then the Torah would never have been given, and the world would have quite literally come to an end!
If so, then both Pharaoh and Egypt would have ceased to exist, along with the Jews.
So the Shem MiShmuel offers an answer based (quite appropriately) on Chassidic thought. He explains that 'tohu vavohu' is not simply the absence of anything, but is rather is a creation of its own, a pre-developed state. Had Israel not accepted the Torah, then the world would have returned to 'tohu vavohu' in order to emerge again, but not as a place for Torah. That world, explains the Shem MiShmuel, would be a "bad" world, as it were, dominated by the physical, without opportunities for spiritual development, or approaches to the ultimate good found in G-d and Torah. So although human souls would exist in that world, they would have no opportunity for growth or self-perfection. This is precisely the environment that Pharaoh sought to create for the Jews in Egypt, oppressing them with physical work and leaving them no time for other pursuits. So although those forces might appear in different garb, they would still dominate the Jews today had we not left Egypt. This is what the Haggadah means, that "we and our children and our children's children would remain subservient to Pharaoh in Egypt."
Besides the fascinating outlook on the Haggadah and our world, the Shem MiShmuel's explanation should help us to appreciate and focus upon the opportunities that we have. We are not so overwhelmed with physical work that we have no time for the spiritual. We can and must find opportunities to pursue the eternal, even in our busy lives.
Pesach is an especially good time for growth and change. "In each generation, every person is obligated to see himself as if he went out from Egypt, as it says [in the Torah], 'you shall tell it to your sons on that day, saying "because of what HaShem did for me during my departure from Egypt."' Not only our forefathers did the Holy One, Blessed be He, redeem from Egypt, but even us He redeemed with them." Our Sages taught: Pesach offers us the opportunity to break free of whatever bonds have held us until now, and to grow beyond all limitations.
May we all take advantage of opportunities for growth, those that we find on Pesach, and those offered every day of the year! -
Metzorah
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken
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In the Passover Haggadah, we find a discussion of four sons: one wise, one wicked, one simple, and one who does not even know what to ask. The Haggadah explains that the Torah provides an answer which we should give to each son.
"Concerning the one who does not know what to ask, you should begin on his behalf, as it says in the Torah: 'And you shall tell it to your son on that day, saying, "it is for the sake of this that HaShem did for me when I went out of Egypt."'" [Exodus 13:8]
Rabbi Elazar Menachem Shach, shlit"a, a leading contemporary Torah scholar, says that this passage offers a lesson for all Jewish parents. "And you shall tell it to your son [or offspring]..." - the Torah gives us the responsibility of educating future generations. We must tell them, "it is for the sake of this that HaShem did for me." Why?
In beginning the discussion of Korach's rebellion, the Torah says, "And Korach, the son of Yitzhar, son of Kehas, son of Levi, took..." [Numbers 15:1] Levi was the son of Yaakov, but the discussion of Korach's lineage stops there. Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki quotes the Medrash, which explains that Yaakov knew prophetically that such a rebellion would occur, and asked G-d to exclude his name: "into their gathering may my honor not be joined." [Genesis 49:6] Rav Shach poses the question: why does it matter?
The answer is that G-d knows all that happens, and also all that could have happened. And it is possible that a grandfather bears some responsibility for his grandson's misbehavior. Perhaps if the grandfather would have given his son a better education, then his son in turn would have offered the same to the grandson. This is clearly not always the case - as we all know - and Yaakov requested that his name not be mentioned in association with the rebellion, in order to demonstrate that he had no connection to it, and the root of this evil did not come from him.
Rav Shach further explains that problems can occur even when the grandfather is completely dedicated to Judaism and moral values. We must realize, he says, that children are very sensitive to our emotions, and can "pick up signals" rather than simply listening to our words. They detect messages in our tone of voice, in the liveliness of our expressions, in our interest and warmth. If the father or teacher delivers a lesson properly, but in a cold monotone rather than a lively voice, then the son recognizes it, and his heart grows cold to the subject!
This is why, specifically here, when confronted with the Mitzvah of "and you shall tell it to your offspring," the Torah emphasizes that you should say "it is for the sake of this that HaShem did for me." We learn in the Talmud [Tractate Pesachim 115b] that a person is obligated to see himself as if he (or she) left Egypt. Because only if one transmits this message with liveliness and passion as if he experienced it himself, will it enter and fill the heart of his son!
We cannot use this to blame today's assimilation crisis on previous generations. Many people came to America and scattered to other countries around the globe, but did so without the necessary tools in hand to transmit a warm Jewish education. Interest in Judaism clearly waned, and few noticed how great the problem was growing.
Today, on the other hand, we have all seen this lesson first-hand - it is not enough to drop off the kids at the synagogue a few times weekly, leading up to a big party at age 13, and expect them to grow up to enjoy Judaism. It doesn't happen, it doesn't work. The Haggadah tells us: _we_ must transmit Judaism to our children - not a dry transmission of empty ritual, but a vibrant and warm demonstration of our own love for Torah study, the Mitzvos which we do, and the Jewish people of which we are a part. May we receive G-d's help with this great task He has laid upon us! -
Break Up the Fallow Ground
"Sow for yourselves in righteousness, reap according to loving-kindness, break up the fallow ground for yourselves, [because it is] time to seek Adonai, until He comes and rains righteousness upon you. You have plowed wickedness, perversity you have reaped. You have eaten the fruit of lying, for you have trusted in your [own] way, in the abundance of your might." Hoshea (Hosea) 10:12-13
What kind of farmer plants in fallow ground? Is he wicked and evil? Is he corrupt and full of sin? Possibly... but that's not why he sows untilled soil. Could it be that he is lazy? Or maybe he's just not a very clever farmer. Perhaps he has simply gone mad. It may very well be a mixture of all of the above--but in the end, a farmer who fails to break up the fallow ground has lost more than his sanity... he's lost his way.
Untilled ground can be deceiving. It can be soft and moist at the surface, giving the illusion that the ground is ready for planting. The seed may be sown at a healthy distance from the surface--not too deep, and not too shallow--and for a time, it may even appear that the planting has been a success. But in time, the devastating future of the crop becomes apparent. In the hard and unbroken ground beneath, the seedlings have nowhere to stretch out their roots, and the crop soon finds itself threatened by other plants and invaders that have been lying in wait to take advantage of the helpless land.
When we leave our fields untilled, they are quickly overrun. Wild, unwanted weeds that thrive in the shallow soil will soon slither along the surface and choke out the life of our crops. The rootless seedlings will burn up and be destroyed, having no way to drink from the cool moisture hidden deep within the ground. Upon such land, we can plow only "wickedness," reaping nothing but "perversity"--all because we failed to till the ground and instead "trusted in [our own] way, in the abundance of [our] might."
As we stand before the planting-fields of life, we have a choice: to plant in futility in the unbroken, unyielding, unpromising soil; or to break up the fallow ground in our lives--to dig in, lift it up, turn it over, then do it again... and do it deep. Only then will we become a field ready to receive the implantation of righteousness and abundantly yield the fruits of grace. Today, "break up the fallow ground for yourselves, [because it is] time to seek Adonai, until He comes and rains righteousness upon you." -
The Supreme Sacrifice
By Rabbi Pinchas Winston
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FRIDAY NIGHT:
G-d told Moshe, "Command (tzav) Aharon and his sons regarding the law of a Burnt-Offering." (Vayikra 6:1-2)
Pesach 5761 is upon us this Motzei Shabbos. All complicated laws aside because of the fact that the fourteenth of Nissan falls on Shabbos, it represents a special opportunity to go from the holiness of Shabbos into the holiness of Pesach. It is a very fitting preparation for the national birthday of the Jewish people.
So is this week's parshah, which begins with the word "tzav."
Rashi explains that the stronger language is because of financial loss. Unlike other sacrifices, from which the kohanim used to eat, the Burnt-Offering was not eaten except by the altar itself; only the skins remained for the kohanim from which to benefit. The stronger language was to "enthuse" them to make up for any lack of inspiration they might have felt due to the lack of financial gain.
In other words, "tzav" comes against the yetzer hara. Without a yetzer hara, a person is unconcerned about personal physical benefit, and is simply grateful to have a chance to serve G-d. In fact, without a yetzer hara (or with one that has been "tamed" ), the less benefit a person receives for the mitzvah, the happier a person is, because it proves one's sincerity.
This is the answer to the question that arises when one considers the two opinions in Jewish history about whether or not mitzvos will be applicable in Yemos HaMoshiach and Techiyas HaMeisim -- the Messianic Period and Resurrection of the Dead. Are not mitzvos eternal -- so how can they ever not be applicable? But, if there is no yetzer hara, then what value will mitzvos have then?
The answer is that mitzvos are, of course, eternal. And, they will always be applicable because they will always bring tikun to the Upper Worlds. But, they will not be performed THEN because they were commanded of us, but, as second nature, because, without a yetzer hara, we will clearly see the beauty and usefulness of G-d's commandments.
This, of course, is what Pesach is all about.
Pesach, specifically Seder Night, is a once-in-a-year opportunity. It is as if G-d, on that night, picks us up and places us in His hand, and raises us up high so that we can see life more the way G-d does. In fact, the first night of Pesach is like the night of Shavuos, when G-d came down and revealed Himself to the Jewish people, with one very big difference. And that is, whereas Shavuos comes at the end of a process, Leil Seder comes in advance of it.
Shavuos and "Kabbalos HaTorah" comes after forty-nine days of Omer-Counting. It is the fiftieth day, which corresponds to the fiftieth gate of the "Fifty Gates of Understanding." Like the number eight, the number fifty represents rising above physicality, which is represented by the number seven.
In other words, the first night of Pesach is a tremendous gift. It is a taste of spiritual perfection, of closeness to G-d so intense that the yetzer hara is completely neutralized by awe of G-d. It is a night on which one can, if taken seriously, gain a taste of the final and eternal redemption, when the yetzer hara will be no more and mitzvos will be performed purely out of love for G-d and Torah.
Then, by the next morning after the Seder, G-d gently returns us back to our former realities, with the commandment to count the Omer on the following eve, in order to build for ourselves what was given to us for free the night before. After forty-nine days of Omer-Counting, on the fiftieth day and on holiday of Shavuos itself, we are supposed to have risen back up to the level of Leil Seder. However, since we have earned it this time, it is a higher experience than what we underwent then without making an effort.
All of this is alluded to by the three principle parts of the Seder, Pesach, Matzah, and Marror.
Korban Pesach represents Jewish willingness to make a break from other societies that are foreign to Torah. Matzah represents spiritual simplicity, being made only of flour and water, where water represents Torah and flour represents the process of intellectual refinement (Meiri). Marror is a reminder that, whether we see it or not, and whether we believe it or not, Divine Providence is always actively working to bring redemption to the Jewish people.
This is how we break loose of the physical world that works day and night to spiritually bind us, as the Talmud warns us: Everyday the yetzer hara renews itself to overcome a person (Kiddushin 30b). The rest of the year we need "tzav" to help us in the struggle. However, during Pesach, especially Leil Seder, we are given the understanding to do it on our own. -
SHABBOS DAY:
He must take off his garments (and put on other garments, and carry out the ashes outside the camp into a clean place). (Vayikra 6:4)
According to Rashi, this was not a mitzvah, but a matter of proper behavior: garments worn when boiling the pot for one's master should not be worn when pouring a glass of wine for him. In other words, removing the ashes from the altar could be messy work, even though it had to be done as part of the mitzvah to sacrifice to G-d, and therefore, it was not proper to wear the same clothing that was used for the actual sacrifices to remove the ashes.
In the previous posuk, the Torah commanded kohanim to remove ashes daily from the altar. This meant taking a silver pan to the top of the altar, and clearing away cinders on either side, and then scooping up the ashes in the center. The kohen then descended, and when he reached the pavement he turned his face to the north and went along the east side of the ramp for about fifteen feet, and then made a pile of the cinders on the pavement about twelve inches away from the ramp. This process did not remove all the ashes from the altar, and was only done from time-to-time when the need arose for it, when it became impossible to made a wood-pile.
Even in this seemingly technical procedure there is an allusion to the purpose of life, and the goal of Pesach. For, the ashes on the altar did not come from air; they were the by-product of a process, the result of a separation process.
As we have spoken about before, one of the main results of Adam's eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was the intermixing of Truth and Falsehood, which results in Good and Evil. Truth and Falsehood are absolute values, whereas Good and Evil, for the most part, are subjective (you know, "one man's good is another man's evil" ).
Life is about "borrer," the process of re-separating good and from evil and dispensing with the latter. It is about taking things that have good and evil mixed together -- which is just about everything in creation -- and using the good in the service of G-d and removing the evil to where it belongs. This was, ultimately, what the mitzvah of T'rumas HaDeshen -- Removing the Ashes -- was also about.
For, all that burned in the fire on the altar previously was a combination of good aspects and "bad" aspects. The parts that were consumed either by the fire or the kohanim were good, and used for the service of G-d. The bad aspects remained behind, and had to be removed and deposited in the appropriate place, but with honor -- as Rashi points out -- because this too was an important process for life.
Our bodies work the same way. They take food and separate out the "good" parts and reject the "bad" parts, and the physical process by which this is done must also be performed with dignity (kavod habrios). All of this is not so different, conceptually, from the mitzvah to separate out a goat to be given over to "Azazel" on Yom Kippur -- the "Negative Side" in creation.
This is also what matzah symbolizes as well. There are many components to bread, most of which are dispensed with when making pure matzah. Matzah is only flour and water, the latter representing Torah and the former, the end result of a refinement process (from wheat kernel to flour).
The Maharal, on the Haggadah, explains that matzah represents sublime spiritual simplicity, like that of the letter "yud." According to the Talmud, the "yud" was used by G-d to create the World-to-Come, whereas the "heh" was used to create This World (Menachos 29b).
Why the difference? Because, the letter "heh," like all other letters of the Aleph-Bais -- other than the "yud" -- is a composition of other letters (dalet-vav, in the case of the heh), just like the physical world in which we live. However, the letter "yud" cannot be further broken down, and therefore represents the sublime simplicity and unity of the World-to-Come.
Thus, the first day of Pesach, the only one we actually have a mitzvah to eat matzah on, is a day for such sublime, spiritual simplicity. It is supposed to be a day on which we are free of "pesoles" -- spiritual waste -- at least to some degree. It is the day on which the altar of our hearts burns and purifies; the NEXT DAY when we begin to count the omer we deal with the "deshen" -- the ashes -- of that process that automatically result when we engage in birrur. -
SEUDAH SHLISHI:
We find that Israel themselves were very surprised about this, as Chazal say in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, Chapter 2, Posuk 8, Paragraph 2: When Moshe told them, "In this month you will be redeemed," they told him, "Moshe Rabbeinu, how can we be redeemed? All of Egypt is dirtied from our idol worship?!" He told them, "Since He desires your redemption, He does not pay attention to your idol worship, but rather, (He is like one) 'leaping over mountains' (Shir HaShirim 2:8 )." This is because every redemption is the result of a revealed light of Arich Anpin. Thus, he was explaining to them that The Holy One, Blessed is He, was dealing with them with a revealed light of Arich Anpin called "Ayin, a level of providence above measure, that is, it is not dependent upon merit or demerit (Drushei Olam HaTohu 2:5:4:3)
In short, when redemption finally comes for the Jewish people, it is not because we necessarily deserve to be redeemed. Quite the contrary! It seems that we were far from deserving of redemption (geulah) in Egypt, and the miracles that G-d did to free us. For, unlike the smaller miracles of everyday life, the miracles of Geulah occur for us for reasons greater that can be traced all the way up to the extremely high level of Light called "Arich Anpin."
And, last week the people of "Geulah" and the rest of the Meah Shearim community witnessed first hand what this means -- again. For reasons that are difficult to understand from a political point of view, Arab terrorists tried to kill dozens of innocent religious Israelis and do untold amounts of damage by leaving a four-bomb car-bomb parked illegally on Rechov Meah Shearim.
The last two attempts were foiled as well. The first bomb was detected by an astute individual at the time the Arab dropped the cell-phone bomb into a garbage bin, and just happened to defuse it in time. The second bomb, a much larger car bomb actually exploded, and in a place that it could have done much destruction, but didn't by the grace of G-d. The story behind this week's attempt, for those who did not read it, follows here: -
Thursday, March 22, 2001/27 Adar 5761
Parking warden foils car bombing
By Etgar Lefkovits
JERUSALEM (March 22) - A car bomb in the heart of Jerusalem's Mea She'arim neighborhood was safely neutralized by police sappers late yesterday afternoon, two hours after an alert municipal parking warden alerted police to a suspicious car. The bomb, which was rigged to a cellphone, was placed inside a stolen car illegally parked on Rehov Mea She'arim. Shimon Roash, 37, a father of three, was doing his daily rounds when he got a message from his dispatcher that there was an illegally parked car in a taxi-only parking zone.
"I looked at the car, and I saw that it was parked in a strange way," Roash told The Jerusalem Post just hours after his actions averted tragedy.
Roash, who has worked for the municipality for six years, refused to be called a hero, stating instead that he was a "messenger of the Lord."
"The Lord did not just send me to the spot today, there was a certain reason behind it," he said.
The car, which Roash said was parked in an unusual, perpendicular manner, immediately aroused his suspicion.
"Look, I come from Kiryat Arba, so I am naturally the suspicious type," he said.
As Roash punched the license plate into his computer, his screen flashed that it was a stolen car.
"I understood that all my suspicions were correct, and I knew that something was very wrong," he recalled.
Roash immediately started screaming to everyone to vacate the area. Then, after he saw that everyone was safe, he ran 200 meters from the car and asked passerby Mooky Moshe to call the police.
Police, who cordoned off the area, successfully neutralized the bomb and hours later detonated it in a controlled explosion. All evening a police helicopter hovered in the air, and policemen on horseback fruitlessly urged the curious to go back to their homes.
It was the third such attack in the area in as many months, and the second bombing thwarted by an alert passer-by.
"It is frightening, but you see how the Almighty helps out if you pray and do the right things" said Solomon Fried, 21, a yeshiva student.
After completing a string of interviews at city hall last night, Roash headed back to Kiryat Arba.
No, he would not take a taxi that the municipality offered to arrange for him; he preferred the bus.
"It's bulletproof, so I'll be safer," he said.
End of article. In the window of Eisenbach's Taxis, I saw the day after the bomb had been defused, was a notice. It had been right in front of their storefront location that the bomb had been parked, and, the notice proclaimed the miracle and the need to give praise to G-d as a result.
In Netanyah, on the other hand, where car bombs have gone off twice in the last few months, the first one was ticketed by a police officer who noticed it had been parked awkwardly, but didn't think twice about it. One half-hour later, it exploded killing and damaging. A month later, another deadly bomb went completely undetected before going off and doing its deadly deed.
Now, on one hand, it is terrifying to think that, after all these years of being ignored by terrorists, bombs are now showing up in Charedi neighborhoods. On the other hand, one bomb! two bombs! THREE BOMBS unsuccessful?!
Quite a miracle? No question about it, though many choose to belittle it.
Do we deserve it? We'd like to think so, but, at least out of humility, we assume that we don't. Then, perhaps, the "miracles of Geulah" are the beginning of the "miracles of Geulah," and the revelation of the light of Arich Anpin. If so, then fasten your seat belts, for what make be coming our way will be so powerful it will take our breath away -- and hopefully any doubts we have about G-d's desire to redeem His people once and for all.
And there is no better time to consider this than at this time of year, for, as the rabbis say, the Jews were redeemed in Nissan in the past, and will be redeemed in Nissan in the future as well. -
MELAVE MALKAH:
For the Conductor, on Yeduson, by Asaf, a psalm. My voice is to G-d when I cry, My voice is to G-d -- please listen to me. On the day of my distress, I sought my L-rd. My wound oozes through the night and does not cease; my soul refuses comfort. (Tehillim 77:1-3)
Speaking of exile, Rashi says that the word "Yeduson" is derived from the word "das" (dalet-tav), which means decree. Thus, every psalm that begins with this word refers to evil decrees and oppressive edicts which are imposed on the Jewish people. Assaf, on the other hand, was someone who found something to sing about even in the bleakest of situations. As well, the commentators say that "night" here refers to the long and painful exile that the Jewish people have been undergoing now for millennia. Dovid HaMelech never was comfortable with exile, even though we have over the long haul.
In the end, when it comes to surviving exile, our only true weapon is "voice," that is, prayer.
Perhaps one of the most important possukim for this week's sheet is this one:
In the sea was Your way, and Your path through the mighty waters; and Your footsteps were not known(20)
They explain this posuk to mean that, even though the miracle of sea splitting was mind-boggling, still, in the end, the waters returned back to their normal course, leaving no sign of what had just occurred there. All that had remained of the life saving miracle was the memories of those who had witnessed it, and therefore, it remained for them to keep it alive and animated.
Such is the way of miracles, at least unto Moshiach comes. They happen quickly, perhaps make a big noise, and then, in a short while, all trace of them disappears, and they become a quickly fading memory in the minds of those who witnessed them. The car bomb that almost was is not there anymore; it was taken to a forest by Ramot and safely exploded, away from the eyes of the public.
If the miracle was forever present, then we'd only get used to it, like birth itself. If the Red Sea were to split once a week, it would simply become a camping area to which people would flock to make barbecues before returning back to work on Sunday once again. Lives would, for the most part, go unchanged.
Thus, a miracle, like the first night of Pesach, is a gift. It is the "first impression" given to us so that we can understand what can be, just like Moshe Rabbeinu's bringing down of the First Tablets just before breaking them before the eyes of the Jewish people. Then we have to re-build that image for ourselves.
This is the power of the Haggadah, and, the more seriously one takes it, the more powerful it becomes. The Haggadah is a structure within which we are supposed to rebuild the miracle of Yetzias Mitzrayim. This is one of the reasons why the mitzvah of telling the story is to begin with "disgrace" and build to "praise" -- to emphasize just what a miracle the Jewish people's rise from spiritual rags to spiritual riches was.
As the prophet says, from death were we brought back to life, just like the Spring which follows after the death of Winter, in "Chodesh Aviv," the month of Nissan, whose root word means "miracle" (nun-samech). G-d may not leave "footprints" when it comes to His miracles, but that is only on the level of the obvious. If the pursuit of the Afikomen teaches us anything at all, it is to know that when one pursues evidence of G-d, there is much reward in the end.
Chag Samayach, Much Freedom, and,
Good Shabbos,
Pinchas Winston -
A Lesson Learned
By Rabbi Raymond Beyda
"Go and ascertain what Laban the Aramean intended to do to Yaakob our Patriarch" Hagaddah Shel Pesah
The instruction given by the author of the Hagaddah to go and learn from the story of Laban requires that we ask "What is the great lesson that he expects us to learn?" Furthermore, he does not give us an answer. Instead we are presented with a recital of the history of Yaakob Abinu a'h from his days living with Laban until he descended to Egypt with his family. What do I learn from that well-known series of events?
Rabbi Don Yitzhak Abarbanel zt'l points out that Laban did not perpetrate any acts of destruction upon Yaakob and his family -- all of his evil was in his mind. It was only through an analysis of his words that we understood his wicked intentions. It was through the kind intervention of G-d that the destruction was prevented. The promise to Abraham Abinu -- that his offspring would live and prosper through the special providence of Hashem -- was the factor that saved Yaakob from harm and that same Hashgaha -- protection -- has protected Jews throughout history.
The Vilna Gaon takes this point one step further. The thing we must "Go out" to learn is that Hashem does miracles for us --even though we are not aware of His intervention on our behalf. There are "Ten Mentions" -- zekhirot -- that a Jew should remember to say every day. They include the Exodus from Egypt, the Shabbat and what Hashem did to Miriam when she spoke Loshon Hara about her brother Moshe Rabenu. One of the things we must keep on our minds daily is "What Balak and Bilaam attempted to do to us when we were in the desert." Why is this on the list with other more outstanding events with obvious lessons?
The story of Bilaam is one of a gentile prophet hired by a King to curse the Jews. The King, Balak, saw that military might could not stand up to the Jews and so he devised a plan to fight fire with fire. The Jews were known for the power of their mouths -- prayer -- and so he hired one who was known for the power of his mouth -- cursing. The one thing he did not take into consideration was G-d's divine intervention for His beloved Chosen People. Every curse turned out to be a blessing. The Jews never met Balak and they were not privy to his failed attempts. G-d's miracle on their behalf was unbeknownst to them --just as Yaakob's rescue from Laban by G-d was without his knowledge of what Laban was really thinking. This is the lesson of our history.
In every generation they rise up against us to destroy us. Sometimes it is an open display of hatred and actions that physically attempt to wipe us out. At other times it is wicked plans that we never discover because our Lord in His mercy derails the enemy's efforts and scuttles his plans without making headlines. "Go out and learn" to be thankful to G-d for all that He does to protect us from annihilation in every generation whether we see it or not.
TABLE TALK -- QUESTIONS FOR THE SEDER TABLE
The Seder opens with the little poem that lists the order of the night's proceedings --Kadesh, urhatz... --literally say Kiddush and then wash your hands. If we look at the list we see that the first 2 "Kadesh" --say kiddush and "urhatz"--wash your hands are in the Hebrew form of a command. "Go and say Kiddush" and "Go and wash your hands." The balance of the list is in "passive" or "descriptive" forms.
"Karpas" -- parsley.
"Yahatz" -- the splitting of the massah.
"Mageed" -- telling of the story.
Why are only the first two in the form of commands?
Answer: The purpose of the Seder is to increase one's awareness of his or her servitude to G-d. We were taken out of the bondage of Egypt for a purpose. We were freed in order to become slaves to our Creator and to serve Him rather that human kings. By the end of the evening we should reach a state of gratitude and appreciation for this act of kindness -- allowing us to serve G-d --with wild praising and song called Hallel. It is, therefore, appropriate that we begin our night in the imperative mode, a tone suggestive of the master speaking to His servant. [Source Shirat Yehudah Hagaddah] -
REMOVING THE LEAVEN OF “SINAT CHINAM”
HATRED WITHOUT A CAUSE
Shabbat shalom dearly beloved:
This is probably the most important article that I have ever written! As we prepare to enter into the Holy Passover and Feast of Matzah (unleavened bread,) it is necessary to cleanse our physical and spiritual houses from ALL leaven! The most devastating leaven (sin) of all is Sinat Chinam also translated as a Hatred Without a Cause. When people discuss, (in Israel) the reason for the fall and total destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem 2000 years ago in year 70 AD, they always say- “The House (Beit Mikdash or Mishkan, the Holy Temple) was destroyed because of “SINAT CHINAM”. In other words, there was a spirit of hatred that was unjust, unfair and futile that destroyed the Second Temple and caused the exile of the Jewish People for 2000 years! Until today we weep when we go to the Wailing/Western Wall, the Kotel. We weep for the destruction of the Temple and Jews from all walks of life. Most particularly the Orthodox Jews pray earnestly with tears for its RESTORATION. The Kotel is the Western retaining wall of the Temple, of the “TEMPLE HOUSE” there is NOTHING LEFT! Just like Y’shua said to His Jewish Disciples prior to His Death, Burial and Resurrection:
“Yeshua came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. He said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down." Matthew 24:1-2
And indeed nothing is left from the Temple itself, not even one stone! We have a lot of archeological remains from the streets next to the Temple, from the houses around it and of course The Kotel (the Western Wall), but of The Temple House itself-NOTHING! And as I mentioned before, we Jews know that all this terrible devastation happened because of SINAT CHINAM- Hatred Without a Cause.
What kind of FORCE is this hatred that can bring so much devastation?
We saw another terrible example of SINAT CHINAM in Nazi Germany, starting from the 9th and 10th of November of 1938. Sinat Chinam went into action through Hitler and the Nazi party during Kristal Nacht, (the Night of the Broken Glass,) when the Shoa (Holocaust) officially started. Recounts of that period tell us that when the green light was given by the Nazi government to attack and to loot Jewish homes, and businesses, because the “Jews killed Christ”; an unnatural hatred was unleashed. German neighbors that lived side by side with the Jews, that were good friends for years, became hateful beasts and attacked them with NO REASON! A hate orgy of cosmic proportions was unleashed, as if a Dormant Beast had been awakened. Psychologists post factum ,(after the fact) have tried to find a logical explanation to such a bizarre behavior. One day the German neighbors loved and interacted with the local Jews, their children played together, went to school together, and the next day they became their murderers! The latent Beast of Hatred without a Cause, or SINAT CHINAM was unleashed! The outcome at the end of its “killing spree” was of course Six Million Jews exterminated, gassed to death and cremated. The “Monster” devoured once again until it was satisfied for a while, and seemingly “went to sleep” because it had its Demonic Belly full! However, the “meal” did not last it too long, and now nearly 70 years later, it is hungry to DEVOUR, and has woken up again!
Another bout of Sinat Chinam happened on 9/11 2001, when the Beast of Sinat Chinam, in the form of Islamic Al Qaida, attacked the USA and, brought down the Twin Towers, and attacked the Pentagon. The attackers were Moslems that had enjoyed the blessings of living in a land of “equal opportunities”, the land of Milk and Honey of the world. These Moslem Arabs were welcomed, and helped, and blessed in America so why did they attack their benefactors? Because of SINAT CHINAM- Hatred Without a Cause!
When the nation of Israel was reborn in the Land of Promise in 1948, the same Sinat Chinam was unleashed against her. 24 hours after the Declaration of Independence all the Arab nations declared war against the tiny infant Jewish State. So Israel was a new born babe having to fight for her life from infancy! Had it not been for the Almighty who upheld us, because of His Covenant with Abraham, (unto 1000 generations!), and the numerous prophecies about the Restoration of Israel; the Sinat Chinam of the Moslem world would have long ago destroyed us!
Throughout Christian History this Beast has operated in all religious wars. It has caused the bloodshed between Catholics and Protestants, and Protestants and other Protestants. It has caused the hatred between Evangelicals and Charismatic, between denominational Christians and non denominational Christians, between Messianic and non Messianic; in Israel between Jews and Arabs, Secular and Orthodox, Orthodox and Messianic, Messianic and MAP (Messianic, Apostolic, Prophetic); In Rwanda between the Tutsis and the Hutus, and in most all of Africa between one tribe and another. This Beast functions among little children that hate each other without a cause at school; That is why School Violence is so prevalent these days to the point where it is actually DANGEROUS to send your child to public school! The outcome of this BeastÂ’s operations is always DEVASTATION! Sinat Chinam is behind most of the Psychiatric problems especially among the young. Most of the young people that are hospitalized in Psychiatric wards are full of HATRED against their PARENTS! Sinat Chinam is running its course endeavoring to destroy and annihilate an entire generation through abortions, drugs, illicit sex. homosexuality, etcÂ…It is all the fruit of deep seated hatred! The defeat of this Beast is the KEY for Revival and Restoration both in the personal as well as in the universal arena! -
“Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of Yahveh. "He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse." Malachi 4:4-6
In order to defeat this Beast, we need to REMEMBER YahvehÂ’s Holy and Righteous standards, and then receive the Spirit of Elijah, the End Time anointing of reconciling the irreconcilable, restoring the unrestorable; beginning at the relational level between Fathers and sons.
The number one reconciliation needs to happen between Adam-Man and his Creator Abba Father-Elohim. That is why accepting the Jewish Messiah is a matter of life and death! The rejection of the Messiah YÂ’shua caused the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. It is YÂ’shua that the Religious Administration hated without a cause! He did not fit their theology! Then later on the Beast of Sinat Chinam continued through the Gentile Christians as they hated the Jewishness of Messiah and the TORAH. That in turn caused them to hate their Jewish brothers and their Spiritual Parents. That hatred was established as Replacement Theology and the Beast kept on running its course! Today that same Beast functions through Islam against the Jews, the Israelis, the Zionist and the whole World!
But this Beast is to be found in the youngest of children and among the most “saintly” of believers in Messiah. It is prevalent amongst the young people who hate Elohim as if He is to blame for all the evil in the world! This Beast goes into action when we reject someone because they are “different” than us or, their ministry does not fit our theology, or because we got offended or disappointed! Any time that we do not actively want the BEST for our fellow human, Sinat Chinam is working! Any time we actively hate, have jealousy, selfishness, bitter judgment and try to trip others by lying or conniving, we are actually entertaining this dangerous Beast!
That is why Sinat Chinam caused the destruction of the Second Temple, and it is threatening to destroy Israel, the Church, the Nations and the Third Temple!
In these End Times, the Beast of Sinat Chinam knows that its time is very SHORT, so it is unleashing a Cruel Battle in all fronts. Removing the Leaven of Sinat Chinam is a matter of Life and Death! It begins with you and I, and then we can help remove it also in others! YÂ’shua gave us the ANTIDOTE and it is LOVE! Not the perverted version of humanism, and the hippies, but rather the Holy Version of Elohim. This LOVE is not disconnected from Loving Elohim and His Commandments with all of our hearts, minds and strength, but rather it is ROOTED and GROUNDED in true Righteousness and Holiness. It is rooted in the very nature of YÂ’shua! He was completely obedient to His FatherÂ’s Commandments, and that is why He was willing to lay down His life so we can all LIVE and be completely FREE of Sinat Chinam! The more we are like YÂ’shua, the freer we are of Sinat Chinam, and the more we are threatened and hated by those that are still entertaining the Beast. They will falsely accuse us, manipulate, connive and even feign love, but it will be a false love! Our enemies will be many both within and without the Body of YÂ’shua, from within our natural families, both in Israel and in the nations Sinat Chinam is running rampart ready to devour! We have but one option:
LOVE!
"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? "If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48 -
In these High Tech generation, when we have everything available to make our business and or ministry extremely professional and influential, there is ONLY ONE “piece of equipment” that will really work! It is as old as Yah, and His Word, and this is LOVE! Whether you have lots of money or not, weather you are computer literate or not, weather you have a 20.000 seat auditorium in your congregation or 50, weather you are a TV Evangelist or a street preacher; weather you are a Jew or a Gentile. Only real necessary piece of equipment is LOVE; True love, unfeigned love, non hypocritical and transparent love. A LOVE that does not conform to evil, but rather confronts evil, and is willing to lay down its life. A LOVE that does not seek its own and trusts God! A LOVE that is not afraid to be TRUE even at the expense of our own lives, and yet it is not spiteful, self seeking, bitter, easily offended and motivated with anything else but LOVE. Sinat Chinam destroyed the Second Temple, and we cannot allow it to destroy the Third Temple where Jew and Gentile are built together as a Spiritual House, the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
As Spiritual Salmons, we must go against the current of Sinat Chinam at the expense of our own lives! We do not fit in the Sardine Box of compromise and hatred!
“Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood, but who can stand before jealousy? Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” Proverbs 27:4-6
We cannot allow this Beast of hatred to destroy the world! This Beast hates you and I and it functions through perverted LIES. This Beast is satan himself, the very snake that was in the Garden of Eden! It is the very Lucifer that rebelled against Elohim in the Third Heavens because of JEALOUSY! It hates you and I, it hates all Mankind! It hates TRUTH, for it is the very Father of Lies. It lurks and functions in the dark and so does LEAVEN. Leaven in order to rise needs a dark, warm place. This Pessach make sure that ALL leaven of bitterness, OFFENCES, hatred, jealousy, vengeance and LIES leave your heart and mind, that we may celebrate the Feast in Holiness, Righteousness and LOVE!
“Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For the Messiah our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1 Corinthians 5:7,8
Sincerity and Truth go hand in hand with true LOVE.
“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
LOVE NEVER FAILS
Chag Sameach! Happy Feast of Passover!
Your loving friends in Israel
Bishop Dominiquae and Rabbi Baruch Bierman
And the Kad-Esh MAP Team -
God's Hornets
"And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee" (Exodus 23:2
.
What the hornets were we need not consider. They were God's own army which He sent before His people to sting their enemies and render Israel's conquest easy. Our God by His own chosen means will fight for His people and gall their foes before they come into the actual battle. Often He confounds the adversaries of truth by methods in which reformers themselves have no hand. The air is full of mysterious influences which harass Israel's foes. We read in the Apocalypse that "the earth helped the woman."
Let us never fear. The stars in their courses fight against the enemies of our souls. Oftentimes when we march to the conflict we find no host to contend with. "The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." God's hornets can do more than our weapons. We could never dream of the victory being won by such means as Jehovah will use. We must obey our marching orders and go forth to the conquest of the nations for Jesus, and we shall find that the LORD has gone before us and prepared the way; so that in the end we will joyfully confess, "His own right hand and his holy arm, have gotten him the victory."
C.H. Spurgeon -
Sensitive to Warning
"Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before Me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD" (2 Kings 22:19).
Many despise warning and perish. Happy is he who trembles at the Word of God. Josiah did so, and he was spared the sight of the evil which the LORD determined to send upon Judah because of her great sins. Have you this tenderness? Do you practice this self-humiliation? Then you also shall be spared in the evil day. God sets a mark upon the men that sigh and cry because of the sin of the times. The destroying angel is commanded to keep his sword in its sheath till the elect of God are sheltered: these are best known by their godly fear and their trembling at the Word of the LORD. Are the times threatening? Does infidelity advance with great strides, and do you dread national chastisement upon this polluted nation? Well you may. Yet rest in this promise: "Thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace: and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which l will bring upon this place." Better still, the LORD Himself may come, and then the days of our mourning shall be ended.
C.H. Spurgeon -
Living as if You Were Dead
Romans 6:11
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
What are the things that arouse the strongest emotions in you? Perhaps it is a rude motorist who cuts you off in traffic. Perhaps it is the anger you feel when you are wrongfully accused. Perhaps it is frustration that results from not having enough money to meet perceived needs. When do emotions turn into sin?
Whenever our peace is upset over events and circumstances in life, we have moved past emotions into sin. Sin says that circumstances of life now dictate anxiety, worry, fear, or anger. Consider the attributes of a dead man. He does not get angry when slandered. He does not worry about the future. He does not fear what can be done to him. Why? Because he is dead. Nothing can harm a dead man.
Christ said we are to live as if we are dead-dead to the temptation of responding to stimuli in our life that are designed to stir up the sinful nature that resides in each of us. We do not have to respond to that nature; we can consider it dead. Christ said He is enough. When He is our all in all, nothing can move us. If we are moved, then Christ is not our all in all.
OS Hillman -
The Consequence of Faith
Romans 6:4
We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
If you commit yourself to live for Christ in and through your business life, there will be a consequence of faith. You could avoid much hardship and take a much easier road in life if you do not choose to live an obedient life of faith in Christ. This is a spiritual law. None of us is excluded from identification with the cross.
When we commit ourselves to fully follow Christ, He begins a "circumcision" process in each of us designed to rid all that is of the world system from our lives. This circumcision is required of every believer. Moses had much preparation from God for His calling to free the people of Israel from Egypt. He spent years in training as a young boy in the family of Pharaoh. He tried to free the people through the flesh by killing an Egyptian. That cost him 40 years in the desert of loneliness and toil before God said he was prepared to free the people from their suffering. God invested much in Moses; however, that preparation was not enough. Experience and preparation had to be mixed with obedience. God required his family to be circumcised. Moses failed to circumcise his son before returning to Egypt. This was so important to God that He was going to kill Moses if he did not uphold his commandment. "At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him" (Ex. 4:24).
Are there any areas in your life that have not come under the lordship of Christ? Is there any lack of obedience that will prevent you from being used fully by the Lord? Ask Him to show you this today so that you might be fully used of God.
OS Hillman -
Growth Period
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken
"And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when the Omer was brought, seven complete weeks will they be." [23:15]
Our Sages tell us that the period of counting between Pesach and Shavuous came to separate the Exodus from Egypt and acceptance of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. The Jews in Egypt were stuck at a very base, non-spiritual level, and they needed this time period in order to grow and develop spiritually in order to be prepared for the reception of the ultimate spirituality, G-d's blueprint for Creation, the Torah. Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin, author of Oznaim L'Torah, writes that the Omer remains relevant every year. We say this about all holidays - that in Judaism they are not merely commemorations, but an opportunity to relive the events. As the Haggadah says, "in every generation a person is obligated to regard himself as if he left Egypt."
Regarding the Omer, Rabbi Sorotzkin tells us that it has always been known to G-d that Israel - as a nation and as individuals - will fall from their spiritual heights. Therefore, he says, G-d set aside this time for us to work on spiritual growth each and every year. This period was sanctified for all time as conducive to self-purification and development.
There are several such time periods during the year, times when we can grow and accomplish more and more. The holidays form a natural spiral, leading us ever upwards in a lifetime of spiritual growth. Just... take advantage of it! -
The Symphony Of Life
By Rabbi Shlomo Jarcaig
"For a six-day period you shall eat matzos and on the seventh day shall be an assembly to the L-rd, your G-d; you shall not perform any creative work." (Deuteronomy/Devarim 16: This seventh day is the day that G-d split the Sea of Reeds (often mislabeled the Red Sea) for the Jews, and drowned the Egyptians who chased after them. After the Jews were saved, the Torah records the song they sang as thanks to and praise of G-d. This song is prominent in Jewish life; it is repeated in its entirety in our daily morning prayers.
The Midrash (Shemos Rabbah 23:4) states that prior to the splitting of the sea no one had sung to G-d as the Jews did in response to this miraculous salvation. Many commentators are troubled by this Midrash since we do have records of earlier songs, including Psalm 92, the psalm honoring the Shabbos day, which is attributed to Adam. What was so unique about the Song at the Sea that our Sages' consider it the first? And why is there a continued emphasis on that song today?
Rabbi Gedaliah Schorr (1) explains that this song excels because it is the first time that the depth and magnificence of the message draws on the full essence of the beauty of music. A song is comprised of many notes - some high, some low, some euphoric, some discordant. Each note on its own is nothing special. The beauty of song is bringing together all the individual notes and chords to create something magnificent. A song without the low notes would lack richness and beauty. Similarly, our own lives are replete with many experiences - high points and low points - that comprise the symphony of life. With our finite, human perspective we do not appreciate the reason for the low points and would prefer the song of life to be without them. All of the songs written in praise of G-d prior to this one were expressions of gratitude for the evident blessings and high points in life.
With the Egyptians drowned in the sea and real freedom finally at hand, the Jews now appreciated there was a reason for the decades of suffering they had endured. The low points helped testify to the glory of G-d in the song of life; the song would be incomplete without them. For the first time, a song praising G-d included praising Him for the events one may perceive to be bad. Thus, we continue to emphasize that song today. It constantly reminds us that whether we understand it or not, there is a purpose behind life's challenges and in due time we will understand and appreciate the beauty of every aspect of our lives.
Have a Good Shabbos and Good Yom Tov! -
A New Outlook
By Rabbi Shlomo Jarcaig
When the Torah discusses the holiday Pesach (Passover), it refers to it as the Holiday of Matzos (see Devarim/Deuteronomy 16:16). Matzos are of such a central theme of Pesach that the Hagada opens the Maggid section - the portion of the Seder that discusses the Departure from Egypt and the mitzvah (Divine command) to discuss, especially with our children - with Ha Lachma Anya/This is the Bread of Affliction that our fathers ate in the Land of Egypt. When describing the reason behind the mitzvah of eating the matzos, the Torah says, "for seven days you shall eat matzos because of it (the Paschal offering) - bread of affliction, for you departed from the land of Egypt in haste - so that you will remember the departure from the Land of Egypt all the days of your life". (ibid. 16:3) Rashi explains the nature of their haste was they did not have time to let their dough rise. On Pesach we celebrate our redemption from Egyptian slavery and our birth as a nation. Many miracles took place in order for this to happen. The haste in which we left and lack of time to let the dough rise seem insignificant details relative to the G-d's primary goal of the sequence of events: our redemption. Why are matzos the focal point of the holiday? Moreover, the Torah calls matzah Lechem Ony, a poor man's bread. But if we are celebrating our exodus from bondage and servitude, are not poverty and affliction contrary to our celebration?
The Maharal (acronym of Rabbi Yehuda (ben Betzalel) Loewe; 1526-1609; Chief Rabbi of Moravia, Posen and Prague and a seminal figure in Jewish thought in the last half millennium, he authored numerous works in all fields of Torah) explains that a person is truly prepared for redemption - and the freedom of choice that accompanies it - when he not bound by anything beyond himself. The wealthy person is easily constrained by the responsibilities of his many belongings and the demands they make upon his time and energy. This weight impacts his choices. The most basic physical need that occupies the attention and guides the decisions of man is his need for sustenance.
But, explains Rabbi Loewe, in order to become G-d's nation, we had to put aside our previous lifestyles - the mindset of the nation enslaved to the most immoral, materialistic culture on earth - and prepare to follow the word of Hashem without delay. Matzos are made from the most basic elements, flour and water, and must be made within a short period of time. The Jewish nation's exodus from Egypt in such haste that their dough did not have enough time to rise demonstrated a willingness to put aside their own will and follow that of G-d. This celebration of emerging from Egypt as G-d's nation encourages our focus upon the reason we were redeemed; the matzos awaken within us the understanding that we must follow G-d's will first, and only then think about our belongings and time. It is through this transformation of outlook that we were redeemed 3315 years ago, and - by following the same guidelines - will be redeemed again. -
Forget Your Belt... It's Time to Go
Rabbi Moshe Peretz Gilden
Every year around early July, Eitan Aronovitch and his family in the Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem prepare for a large feast. The kitchen bustles with activity as the finishing touches are added to the succulent spread. All are dressed impeccably; a holiday spirit is in the air. By all appearances this is a normal pre-holiday scene. But something is strangely missing: belts. No one is wearing belts! There is not a belt to found anywhere in the home. They are preparing to celebrate "The Holiday of the Belt".
Eitan Aronovitch was one of the hostages from the Air France flight hijacked in the summer of 1976 and brought to Entebbe. The Jewish passengers were immediately separated and shepherded into a different room in the airport. They spent their nights on the cold, hard floor. Eitan removed his glasses and his belt to afford himself minimal comfort while he slept.
Suddenly, the door crashed open! Everyone woke up with a frightful jolt. "Israel Defense Forces! Everyone out! GO! GO! GO!" Eitan, in a panic, groped through the dark and found his glasses. "Where's my belt?" "Forget the belt!" shouted a soldier. "The plane is leaving." Eitan raced out and joined the flight to freedom.
When Eitan returned home, he asked his Rabbi how to appropriately celebrate his appreciation of G-d's Divine Providence and obvious miracle. The Rabbi explained the parallel to our celebration on Pesach (Passover) of the Exodus from Egypt. Pesach is known as the "Holiday of the Matzos" because, as the Torah describes, the Jews were in such a hurry to leave they did not have sufficient time for the dough to rise. Thus, we eat matza, unleavened bread. In the same way we use matzos to celebrate our swift salvation, so, too, Eitan was instructed to celebrate the swiftness of his rescue with an absence of belts.
The month of Nissan is intrinsically a time of redemption, and the Messiah's arrival, which is due to occur in Nissan, will mirror the exodus from Egypt in its suddenness. We will be called upon to drop our possessions and greet him wherever he may be.
The illustrious Chassidic legend, Rabbi Nochum of Chernobyl, was spending the evening at an inn and awoke at midnight to recite the Midnight Prayer. The innkeeper, frightened by the impassioned crying, ran in asking for an explanation. "I am mourning the destruction of the Holy Temple and am praying for the Messiah to come." The innkeeper's wife wanted the rabbi to stop; they had just finished paying for their farm and livestock and had no desire to leave it all behind to go to Jerusalem. Rabbi Nochum reminded her that the Cossacks could come at any time and confiscate all of their possessions, so she might as well look forward to redemption. "Rabbi," she responded, "you may continue to pray for the Messiah. Just tell him to come and bring the Cossacks to Jerusalem!"
We recite at the beginning and end of our Seder, "Next year in Jerusalem!" but are we REALLY waiting for the Messiah to come? Are we ready to leave everything behind? When the door bursts open and it's time to go, let us be sure not to miss the plane while we grope for our belts.
Have a good Yom Tov! -
Rabbi Eliyahu Hoffmann
Father-on-Loan
Nisan. Pesach. A time of redemption. "Just as they (we) were redeemed in Nisan (from Egypt), so too in Nisan they will again be redeemed." (Rosh HaShanah 11a) The ge'ulah ha-asidah (future redemption) is likened to our redemption from Egypt. In what ways will they be similar?
Hashem (G-d) appeared to Moshe in the form of a burning bush. He had a message for the Jews: "Behold, I have seen your affliction in Mitzrayim (Egypt) and I have heard your cries... I shall descend to rescue you from the hand of Egypt." Moshe replied to Hashem: "Who am I... that I shall take the Children of Israel out of Egypt?" Hashem answered, "For I shall be (Eh-yeh) with you. And this is your sign that I have sent you: When you take the people out of Egypt, you will serve [Me] upon this mountain." (Shemos 3:7-12)
Rashi explains this cryptic passage. Moshe asked Hashem: In what merit are the Jews leaving Mitzrayim? What have they done to deserve this special treatment? Hashem answered: Although they have done nothing yet, they will in the future be doing a very great thing - they will soon stand upon this mountain (Mount Sinai) and accept My Torah.
R' Elazar, the son of the illustrious Rebbe R' Elimelech of Lizensk zt"l once spent Shabbos at the court of the famous Rebbe R' Pinchas of Koritz zt"l. After davening (prayers), as is the custom in Chassidic courts, R' Pinchas held a Tisch (a communal Shabbos meal led by the Rebbe). Being the son of a great tzaddik (righteous person), R' Elazar was given a seat next to the Rebbe. At one point, R' Elazar, caught up in his own holy thoughts, sighed to himself, "Oy - Tatte," (O Father - a reference to G-d). R' Pinchas, who was renowned for his cutting truthfulness and abhorrence of lip-service, overheard his krectz (sigh). He turned to him and whispered, "Who says?" [i.e. Who says that you in fact are so close to Hashem as to refer to Him as your Father?]
R' Elazar was crushed. What hurt him the most, he reckoned, was that R' Pinchas was absolutely right! Was he really so close to Hashem? Was his whole avodah (service of G-d) no more than lip-service?
He returned home dejected. His father, R' Elimelech, noticed right away that something was amiss. He asked his son, and R' Elazar told him what had happened, and how broken-hearted he felt. "What?!" R' Elimelch exclaimed. "And if one doesn't have a Father - must he remain an orphan? The pasuk says: 'Sh'al Avicha - You have to borrow a Father!' [This is a play-on-words of the passage (Devarim 32:7) which reads, "Sh'al avicha ve- yagedcha, Ask your father, he will tell you." The word sh'al, to ask, can also mean to borrow.] Sometimes, when we feel very far away, we have to take Hashem as our Father - on loan."
This insight provides the answer to one of the prime catch-22's in life. We constantly ask Hashem to give us all our needs - sustenance, health, peace-of-mind, etc. Yet if we reflect on our past deeds, we are often left with an empty feeling in our stomachs. Why? Why should He? What have I really done with my life that I now brazenly stand before Hashem and ask that He sustain me like a father to a son? Have I really lived up to even a small percentage of the potential which He has given me?
Yet were He to forsake us now, if Hashem would say, so to speak - enough is enough - then we would certainly be lost. For how could we even begin to correct our ways, to fix that which is wrong, if Hashem will not continue to sustain us and provide us with our needs? So we ask that Hashem give us *on credit*. True, our avodas Hashem (service of G-d) has been lacking to this point. Our sacks - which should be overflowing with Torah and mitzvos - are woefully empty. We have nothing with which to "pay" for the good which we ask. But, we beseech Hashem, please give us anyway. We will surely repay You in the future. What was, was. But from now on, we will resolve to undertake our avodas Hashem with renewed zest, with energy and vitality and excitement. We will learn more, daven better, and treat others with more respect. We "borrow" from the Father that we have scorned. And though our behaviour as His children may be wanting, He extends us credit and continues to provide for us. Because He trusts us - we will repay Him.
This, explains the Choizeh (Seer) of Lublin, is the merit with which the Jews were taken out of Mitzrayim. Hashem answered Moshe, "Eh-yeh - for I shall be with you." The word Eh-yeh alludes to this concept. Eh-yeh is in the future tense, "For I shall be." What I am now is not what is important. I will be good. *I will be something great*. This is why Hashem, in the context of the Exodus, refers to Himself as "Eh-yeh asher Eh-yeh, I Will Be As I Shall Be." (3:14) His special treatment of the Jews has no justification based on the present context. But, "When you take the people out of Egypt, they will serve [Me] upon this mountain..." Though it is not apparent, they will one day be a great nation. A nation of righteous individuals, who will serve Me and accept My holy Torah upon this mountain.
As the final redemption draws closer and closer, one is sometimes thrown into despair. Are we really worthy of redemption? Aren't we straying further and further from the way of the Torah? But we must be strong. We must remind ourselves that the Jews of Mitzrayim were not redeemed until they reached the absolute bottom. The point at which they no longer had any merits of their own. All they could do is cry out to Hashem, "Tatte!" They were redeemed not because of what they were, but because of what the future held. They were redeemed because they promised Hashem: If You take us out of bondage, then we will serve You with all our hearts and all our souls. We too must be ready. Ready to do what we can now - ready to grasp at the promise that the future holds.
"In Nisan they were redeemed from Egypt and in Nisan they will again be redeemed." "As in the days of your Exodus from the land of Egypt, I will [again] show you wonders." (Michah 7:15) Avinu She-ba-shamayim, Father-in-Heaven, may we once again experience the redemption and salvation that our forefathers in Egypt felt when You removed them from slavery and made them Your nation! -
Another link in the chain...
By Rabbi Yisroel Ciner
This week we celebrate the holiday of Pesach. We've mentioned a number of times that our holidays are not mere commemorations of events which transpired long ago. Rather, they serve as the tools which enable us to access that very same spiritual potential which was maximized then and is available, once again, now.
It's interesting to note that even amongst those whose level of commitment to other mitzvos and holidays might not be so strong, the commitment to some degree of a Pesach celebration has remained very firm.
Pesach, the Exodus from Egypt, marked our beginning as a nation. Not just a nation like the myriad others, but a nation whose course and destiny would be guided by Hashem to bring this world to its ultimate purpose. That connection to Hashem which Avrohom Avinu {Abraham the Patriarch} began on a personal, individual level, which was continued by Yitzchok and then by Yaakov and his twelve sons, the tribes of Israel, became the fortune and destiny of the nation at large at the time of the exodus. As Hashem revealed Himself to us at Sinai and revealed to us His holy will in the form of the Torah, it is the majestic responsibility of Bnei Yisroel {the children of Israel} to reveal His existence and involvement in this world to the rest of the nations.
As I was reviewing the Haggadah with some boys from my shiur {class}we came to the following passage. The Haggadah states that the Torah, in commanding us to relate the exodus to our children, speaks of four sons: echod chacham {one, wise}; echod rasha {one, evil}; echod tom {one, simple}; v'echod she'aino yodaiah lish'ol {and one, that doesn't know how to ask}.
One of the boys asked why it was necessary to write the word 'one' before each of these types of sons. We offered a possible explanation that the Haggadah is teaching us that every person is an individual with his gifts and abilities (sometimes still latent) and must be respected as such. Additionally, as the Haggadah then delineates, each must be treated and answered in an appropriate manner in order for the answers to hit home. There must be different approaches for different people--there is no 'one' method or answer which will be universally effective.
The rasha asks: What is this service that you do? He is clearly excluding himself from the whole business. Why do you bother with all of this outdated, silly ritual? The answer he is given is cutting and to the point. This is why Hashem took me out of Mitzrayim {Egypt}. Me. Had you been there with such an attitude, you would not have been redeemed.
continued.... -
Another Link in the Chain...
This is why Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim. We, through the observance of the Torah and its commandments, bring the presence of Hashem into this world. Taking that presence which is hidden and allowing it to be revealed. A process, a chain stretching from the time of the exodus throughout the generations, throughout thousands of years until the time of the moshiach {messiah}. Ultimately reaching to the point in time when the whole world will recognize and accept Hashem as the Master of the universe.
Imagine the dedication, love and gratitude that those who left Mitzrayim felt toward Hashem. Imagine their resolve to follow each and every iota of ritual that the Creator commanded, knowing that it's an integral piece of the puzzle, building the world toward that state. "In each and every generation a person is obligated to view himself as if he himself left Mitzrayim.[Haggadah]" Only then does a person feel a true obligation to continue the chain that was started then.
Imagine a chain that is painstakingly being formed, link by link, stretching across a great canyon. The other side has almost been reached. The work of thousands is on the verge of completion. Then, with only two or three links remaining, the people entrusted with those links get careless! They just don't bother to make sure they are attached. As others look on in horror, they see that chain slip from their grip, falling back, back across the great divide, until it's hanging limply from its starting point. All of the effort and work, sweat and tears, erased in a moment of indifference...
Every generation, every person, another link in the chain. We are the final links of the chain that stretches from the exodus to the moshiach, from the beginning of our nationhood to the end of time. Incredible pain and determination have been endured to produce this chain. I doubt there's a single Jew alive today who doesn't have ancestors who gave up their life for their Judaism, who sacrificed all that they had to guarantee that they would continue that chain. (Every convert is considered a direct descendant of Avrohom Avinu himself, the one who was willing to sacrifice that which was most dear to him.) How can we be careless and indifferent? How can we, the final, critical links of this chain, break that which was built from the blood of our great grandparents?
Perhaps that is one of the feelings which come around and is 'felt in the air' every year at this time. It is absorbed even by those who might not be as observant other times of the year. The feeling and realization that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves and that we have responsibilities to others who came long before us.
As we, during this z'man geulasainu {time of our redemption} attempt to feel as if we ourselves left Mitzrayim, let that be followed by our running to greet the moshiach, heralding the final and ultimate redemption, proudly presenting ourselves as those final, strong links in the chain of our nation.
Wishing you a kosher and joyous Pesach,
Yisroel Ciner -
Sipur Yetzias Mitzrayim: Once Upon a TimeÂ…
The Mitzvah:
There is a mitzvah for a father to relate to his children on the Seder night all the wondrous miracles that transpired at the Exodus; how G-d struck the Egyptians with the Ten Plagues and split the Reed Sea to liberate the Children of Israel from their oppression as they dramatically experienced salvation (Exodus 13:8 ).
Faith in the exodus from Egypt is a cornerstone of Judaism.
Reference to yetzias Mitzrayim, the departure from Egypt, is found no less than 50 occasions in the Torah. Nor is one hard pressed to find one of a plethora of commandments related to recalling the miraculous redemption from slavery. Take tefillin and tzitzis as two examples.
All this points to how this is more than just “another” historic event in the annals of Jewish history. That it is to be recalled and replayed out, again and again, for time immemorial throughout Jewish history illuminates how it takes on a pivotal role in answering the question “who” and “what” is a Jew?
But what is the significance of this event? And just why is it such an integral part of the Seder night tradition and the transmission down the generations on the– such that “one who expands relating about the Exodus, that person is praiseworthy”?
Pesach “the festival of our freedom” commemorates the liberation from slavery, their release from harsh oppression and from the depravity influence of Egyptian culture.
It is on this monumental date that the Jewish people came into being.
However the Jewish peopleÂ’s formation was not the end goal. True, salvation from Pharaoh after 210 years was most welcome. But the achievement of nationhood was not to be taken and evaluated in isolation.
Instead, the significance of the Exodus and its indelible imprint upon the Jewish psyche is “because of what this historic event set into motion”. The holiday of Pesach – and its dazzling miracles – is to be seen in a wider context – in conjunction with the festival of Shavous 50 days afterwards.
The creation of this people was to attain their special status as “chosen nation” by accepting the Torah. Only upon freeing the Jewish people, granting them liberty from their oppressors and Egyptian masters, were they then on track to accept the Divine Law at Sinai from the Master of the Universe.
On the Seder night, in particular, the detail of our salvation and the supernatural interference by G-d in the history of the world, is related and colorfully conveyed from one generation to the next. A pillar of our faith, Pesach celebrates the miraculous redemption that set the scene for the eventual acceptance of Torah and mitzvos into the world.
The endpoint to the redemption of Pesach was Shavuos. What makes us into the Jewish nation is our Torah observance. Torah is what defines and vitalizes the Jewish people (Rav Saadiah Gaon).Hence the first of the Ten Commandments is directly attributed to the Exodus: “I am Hashem Your G-d Who took you out of the Land of Egypt, the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). And no doubt the 50 citing of the Exodus allude to the 50 days from their salvation through seven weeks until their acceptance of Torah on Shavuos.
Pesach was when we became the “Jewish nation”. And on Shavuos we sealed our status as the “chosen nation”. Accordingly, just as there is a mitzvah to study and transmit Torah to one’s children (Deuteronomy 6:7) there is a corresponding commandment to convey the story of our liberation onto our children.
It is this faith that has and continues to be lovingly related by father to son, from generation to generation, at the Seder night. -
"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh" (Proverbs 4:20-22).
God's Word is the guideline in which He operates. When you allow your heart to become established in God's Word, you provide the raw materials He needs to make things happen in your life.