247. Pesach 5780

‫פסח תש"פ‬ ‫היה שנת‬ ‫פ‬ ‫ד‬ ‫ו‬ ‫ת‬ ‫תנו‬

‫אֶ חָ ד ִמי יֹודֵ עַ ‪.‬‬ ‫אֶ חָ ד ֲאנִי יֹודֵ עַ ‪.‬‬ ‫ּובָ​ָארץ‬ ‫ֶ‬ ‫אֶ חָ ד אֱל ֵֹקינּו ׁ ֶש ַב ָּּׁשמַ יִם‬

‫הריני בא ללמוד תורה לשמה לעשות נחת רוח לאבינו שבשמים‬ ‫מוצאי שבת ר"ת‬ JLM

MAN

‫מוצאי שבת‬ LON

JLM

BMTH

GLSCW

GHD

‫קבלת שבת‬ MAN

LON

JLM

BMTH

GLSCW

GHD

MAN

247

Issue

'‫פקד יפקד ה‬

‫בס"ד‬

LON

‫פסח תש"פ‬

‫כ"ב ניסן תש"פ‬-‫ט"ו‬ 9th-16th Apr '20

Wishing e veryone a ‫כשר ושמח‬ ‫חג‬

8.20

9.12

9.02

7.42

8.46

9.12

8.58

8.55

8.41

6.27

7.37

7.55

7.42

7.43

7.31

09 Apr

‫א' פסח‬

8.22

9.16

9.05

7.43

8.49

9.17

9.02

9.00

8.45

6.29

7.40

7.59

7.46

7.46

7.34

11 Apr

‫שבת פסח‬

8.25

9.23

9.12

7.46

8.56

9.26

9.11

9.08

8.52

6.31

7.46

8.07

7.54

7.54

7.41

15 Apr

‫ז' פסח‬

8.26

9.25

9.13

7.47

8.58

9.28

9.13

9.10

8.54

-

-

-

-

-

-

16 Apr

‫ח' פסח‬

We can achieve the greatest heights when we are faced with the greatest challenges On the night of the ‫פסח סדר‬, we open the ‫ הגדה‬and begin with the contrast of ‫ לבן‬and ‫;פרעה‬ the latter only wanted to kill the Jewish males while the former wanted to destroy every Jew. The ‫ מהר’’ל מפראג‬asks two questions: Why does the ‫ בעל הגדה‬focus on the evil of ‫ לבן‬and ignore the clearly documented evil of ‫ ?עשו‬In addition, why is ‫ פרעה‬only accused of trying to kill the males when he clearly states his intention to wipe out our entire nation as he pursues the ‫ בני ישראל‬to the ‫?ים סוף‬ The ‫ מהר’’ל‬explains that the ‫ בעל הגדה‬is teaching us the hatred of ‫ לבן‬and ‫ פרעה‬is unique in that it is completely baseless. Even when ‫ פרעה‬pursued the ‫ בני ישראל‬when they left his country, this was not

unfounded hatred because he did not want us to escape. Likewise, the hatred of ‫ עשו‬can be explained as a result of his loss of ‫ ברכות‬to ‫יעקב‬. However, ‫ לבן‬had no such excuses, nor did ‫ פרעה‬when he tried to kill Jewish males.

The hatred of ‫ מצרים‬to the ‫בני‬ ‫ישראל‬, explains the ‫מהר’’ל‬, was not rational, but stemmed from the very essence of ‫מצרים‬. That nation represents the concept of ‫חומר‬, which means the base physicality of this world. The ‫בני‬ ‫ ישראל‬are the ‫צורה‬, which means the inner goal of creation which is achieved by shaping that ‫ חומר‬and transforming it. These two forces naturally are in conflict, and that is why ‫ מצרים‬could not tolerate the existence of ‫בני ישראל‬. However,

‫ פרעה‬sought to destroy only the males, as they are generally charged with the mission of completing the ‫צורה‬.

Rabbi Eli Lefkowitz Director of Mesivta Division, Project Witness Project Witness EDUCATE. INSPIRE. TRANSFORM.

The root of ‫’לבן‬s hatred is from his nation of ‫ארם‬, who come from ‫כשדים‬.

We are taught that ‫ כשדים‬are not considered an indigenous people, but rather a parasitic group without a language or identity. This lack of purpose is the antithesis of ‫בני ישראל‬, who fulfill the will of the Creator by achieving greatness in this world.

Both Jewish men and women are part of this equation, and therefore ‫ לבן הארמי‬sought to destroy us all.

The ‫ מהר’’ל‬concludes that Hashem brings challenges upon us because that is where the real growth will occur. The birth of the twelve ‫ שבטים‬happened against the backdrop of ‫’לבן‬s attempt to destroy us, and the origin of ‫בני‬ ‫ ישראל‬was in ‫מצרים‬, a crucible of suffering by the hand of ‫פרעה‬.

This is the lesson of the ‫בעל‬ ‫ – הגדה‬we can achieve the greatest heights when we are faced with the greatest challenges. And that story begins with ‫לבן‬, who was an even greater foe than ‫עשיו‬. p

This week’s Oneg Shabbos is dedicated as a zechus for the Refuah Sheleimah of all those affected by COVID-19.

‫ספר דברים‬

‫ספר במדבר‬

‫לע"נ ר' יקותיאל זלמן נאה ז''ל‬ ‫בן ר' חנניה יו''ט ליפא הי''ד‬ ‫נלב''ע ט''ז אדר תשע''ז‬

‫לע"נ מרת טויבא רחל נאה ע''ה‬ ‫בת ר' שמואל שמעלקא הי''ד‬ ‫נלב''ע כ''ה מנחם אב תשע''ז‬

‫ספר ויקרא‬

‫ספר שמות‬

Please daven for

‫לע"נ‬

‫הב' אברהם יוסף אריה‬ ‫בן רוחמה אילה נ"י‬

‫לרפואה שלימה בתוך חולי ישראל‬ ‫לע''נ ר' מרדכי בן ר' שלום ז''ל‬ ‫נלב''ע ט''ו סיון תשס''ב‬

‫לע''נ ר' בנימין בן ר' מאיר דוד ז''ל‬ ‫נלב''ע ב׳ אדר תשע''ז‬

‫ספר בראשית‬

stafftreats.com

jle.org.uk

‫אריאל יהודה ז״ל‬ ‫בן ר׳ פינחס צבי נ״י‬ ‫קליין‬

‫נלב''ע י״ז תמוז תשע''ח‬

MEDIA PARTNERS N OW R E AC H

ING

OPLE 24,000 PUENTRIES I N 24 C O

Yerushalayim, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Baltimore, Beit- Shemesh, Birmingham, Borehamwood, Budapest, Cancun, Detroit, Edgware, Elstree, Gateshead, Gibraltar, Glasgow, Hale, Henderson, Hong Kong, Ilford, Johannesburg, Lakewood, Larnaca, Las Vegas, Leeds, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Memphis, Miami, Milan, New York, Oslo, Paris, Petach Tikva, Philadelphia, Pressburg, Radlett, Rio de Janeiro, Rotterdam, Ruislip, Santiago, Sao Paulo, Stanmore, Southend, Tallinn, Tarzana, Toronto, Uman, Vienna, Zurich

4

This page is sponsored by M&N Insurance | mninsure.com

Oneg Shabbos Issue 247

The Four Sons The Bad News and the Good News

W

e are all familiar with the Four Sons mentioned in the Pesach Haggadah.

The child that none of us would wish on ourselves is no doubt the Rasha, the wicked son. The Rasha brazenly denies the Torah, dismissing the Mitzvos as troublesome rituals. What would your reaction be if a venerable tzaddik, speaking with Divine Inspiration, would inform you that you were going to become the parent of just such a child? What if a Navi, or Moshe Rabbeinu himself, would deliver the news? Would you joyously thank Hashem for your good fortune, or would you find yourself reeling from the blow, struggling to come to terms with the ominous tidings? Needless to say, the prospect of raising a Ben Rasha is not one that any of us would relish.

In Parshas Bo, at the conclusion of Moshe’s instructions to Am Yisrael, all the people bowed and gave thanks to Hashem (Shemos 12, 27.) Rashi explains that Yisrael were giving thanks for three pieces of news that they had just received. Moshe had informed them of the imminent redemption. He told them that they would be given Eretz Yisrael. And he told them about the children that they would bear. What did he tell them about children?

A few pesukim earlier: “And it shall be, when your children will ask you ‘What is this service to you?’”… Whose question is this? None other than the Rasha, the wicked son! Out of the four sons mentioned in the Haggadah, only the Rasha was mentioned here. For the news that they were destined to bring such people into the world, Klal Yisrael solemnly bowed and gave thanks!? They should have sat on the ground and said Kinnos! What is the meaning of this Rashi?

This question bothered me for years, whenever I learnt this Rashi. I was once looking at Rav Moshe Feinstein’s commentary on the Torah, and BeSiyata Dishmaya, the answer was there! Rav Moshe ‫ זצ"ל‬writes as follows: “Since (after Sinai) there would always be Torah, and Torah sages to provide leadership… there is no need worry about the existence of a wicked son. Even for him, it is easy to become observant of Torah and Mitzvos. And this is always the case – when there are Yeshivos, there is someone whose influence will be able to transform everyone into observant, G-d fearing Jews. So, whatever our children will be like, so long as they have someone to ask, we should rejoice in them.”

Priceless words from a Gadol BeYisrael. Despite hearing about the

Rabbi Shimon Cohen Author of The Majesty of Rosh HaShanah (Mosaica Press) Gateways Publishing Ltd

oppositional tendencies of the youth generations hence, the Jewish people felt completely assured, full of joyful thanks. They knew the destiny of Klal Yisrael, the Nation of Torah. True, on his own, the Rasha would not have merited redemption from Egypt. But when, in future generations, apparently wicked sons would rear their heads, raising challenges that they imagine have never been thought of before, Am Yisrael would know that these children will have whom to ask. Their questions are to be validated, even rejoiced at, and they will always remain precious children of Hashem. The answers are all in the Torah, and as long as Torah scholars and Yeshivos exist, there will be people qualified to give the answers.

As we transmit the Mesorah to our children on Seder night, the words of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt’’l, and the thanksgiving of Bnei Yisrael on that very first Pesach, can renew our optimism that our efforts will be crowned with success, with Hashem’s help. And let’s take a moment to thank Hashem for our dedicated schools, Yeshivos and Seminaries, and all who work so hard to give our children the very best in chinuch, inspiring them with the eternal truth of Torah. M

9th-16th Apr 2020

‫כ"ב ניסן תש"פ‬-‫ט"ו‬

Pesach 5780 We are all familiar with this portion of the Haggadah known as ‫( ארמי אבד אבי‬The Aramean [Lavan] sought to destroy my father):

‫פסח‬

Rabbi Naftali Kassorla Maggid Shiur, Yeshivas Tiferes Yisroel, Yerushalayim

‫צֵ א ּולְ מַ ד מַ ה ִב ֵ ּ​ּקׁש ָלבָן‬ ‫ ְו ָלבָן ִב ֵ ּ​ּקׁש ַל ֲעק ֹר‬,‫ ׁ ֶשפַּ ְרע ֹה ל ֹא ָגזַר אֶ ָלּא עַ ל הַ ְזּכ ִָרים‬:‫הָ א ֲַר ּ ִמי ַלעֲׂשֹות לְ יַ ֲעק ֹב ָאבִ ינּו‬ ‫שם לְ גֹוי‬ ָ ׁ ‫ ַוי ְִהי‬,‫שם ִ ּב ְמתֵ י ְמעָ ט‬ ָ ׁ ‫ ַו ֵי ּ ֶרד ִמצְ ַריְמָ ה ַויָּגָר‬,‫ א ֲַר ּ ִמי א ֹבֵד ָאבִ י‬:‫ ׁ ֶש ֶנּאֱ מַ ר‬.‫הַ ּכ ֹל‬-‫אֶ ת‬ .‫ עָ צּום ו ָ​ָרב‬,‫ָגּדֹול‬ Here Lavan is being presented in contrast to Pharoah in incredibly stark terms. The Baal Haggadah tells us that Lavan was worse than Pharoah, for ‫ פרעה‬only wanted to kill the boys, while Lavan tried to destroy Yaakov, and thus the future of the Jewish people.

This contrast is perplexing to say the least. Firstly, in the ‫פשוטו של‬ ‫( מקרא‬the plain understanding of the verses) nowhere do we find that Lavan intended to kill Yaakov, only that he swindled and tricked Yaakov endlessly. Furthermore, if anything, the person whom we do find intended to physically harm Yaakov, was actually Eisav, who came upon Yaakov with 400 men to kill him. So why is Lavan singled out as the one who attempted to destroy Yaakov, and by proxy, the entire nation?

There are many answers to this question, and I would like to suggest a particular approach. As mentioned previously, Lavan was engaged in swindling behavior, constantly reneging on his previous agreements with Yaakov. Whether it was regarding the bride to whom Yaakov was to be married, or the payment he was to receive, Lavan was constantly acting in a duplicitous manner.

At a certain point, for the one who is being subjected to this abuse, it is only natural to become “street smart” and respond in kind, inevitably acting just as duplicitous as the one abusing him. Through this process of “standing up for himself,” he is in danger of having his essence altered and losing his ‫( תמימות‬innocence), leaving himself irrevocably changed for the worse.

Yet, Yaakov withstood one act of subterfuge after another, and came out of it whole, able to proclaim to Eisav ‫עם לבן גרתי ותרי״ג מצות‬ ‫ שמרתי‬- Though I lived with Lavan, I did not sway from the Torah’s commandments (Bereishis 32:5). Yaakov preserved his trait of Truth despite the constant barrage of lies thrown at him.

This was perhaps the attempt to “destroy my father” - Yaakov, the symbol of pristine truthfulness, as it says in Micha (7:20) ‫תתן אמת ליעקב‬.

For if Yaakov had fallen prey to the pernicious attraction of retribution, he could have lost this midda of ‫ ישרות‬that is so tied in with the attribute of Truth. And thus this trait would be lost to us as well. This would literally be ‫ עוקר‬the essence and spirit of our people, a Nation whose very existence bespeaks the ways of G-d, as the Gemara Shabbas says (55a) ‫ חותמו של הקב"ה אמת‬- The seal of G-d is truth.

Pharoah only desired to physically kill the Jews, thereby preventing them from joining his enemies. But Lavan desired to do much worse; he attempted to rot the inner core of our Nation, rendering us hollow without any moral compass, ensuring the spiritual destruction for millennia to come. Lavan tried to destroy ‫את הכל‬, and if successful it truly would have been the destruction of everything.

So, as we go through the portion of Maggid in the Haggadah, we mark the special trait of Yaakov and the essence of our people in stark opposition to the evil of Lavan. May we always remember who we are and the power we have ingrained in us against this evil. o

5

Lights, Camera, Action!

Our Rabbi Ben Goodman dreams and www.mydvartorah.com aspirations Providing tailor-made Divrei Torah make us for all occasions human.

Inspiring us with ambition, passion and motivation, they enable us to impact ourselves and the world around us in a positive and constructive way.

Yet, like professional marksmen we shoot down our dreams before they have even hatched with two devastating words: “I can’t.”

Bringing dreams to fruition requires a generous dose of self-confidence, a rare commodity in a world whose definition of “self” pivots around status, money and the size of your waistline. Lack of self-confidence is a selfperpetuating poisonous condition that robs the world of the greatness of the human spirit Tackling low self-esteem is a tricky business. Words of confidence rarely empower a diffident person; on the contrary, a diffident person will manipulate words of confidence to reinforce their lack of confidence. In reference to the Korban Pesach, the Sefer HaChinuch, a monumental work on the 613 Mitzvos published anonymously in thirteenth century Spain, provides a fundamental insight into the working of the human mind and by extension, the key to gaining self-confidence.

The Sefer HaChinuch describes how several of the Mitzvos related to the consumption of the Pascal Lamb reflect the Jewish People’s liberated and exalted status. The Torah commands us not to break any of the lamb’s bones – free men do not eat ravenously; nor to take away leftovers – food is readily available for royalty; and to eat the lamb roasted – aristocracy’s preferred choice of cuisine.

The Sefer HaChinuch explains how these Mitzvos find root in the principle of “Adam Nifal K’fi Pe’ulosav” – ‘Man is stirred by his actions.’ Our behavior directly affects the way we think and consequently our self-perception. By eating like free men on that wondrous night of salvation, after 210 years of bitter slavery, our freedom began to permeate our hearts.

Instead of leaving Egypt with shackled minds, we left Egypt as free men both in body and spirit.

If you’re having trouble realizing your dreams and aspirations, step over your low self-esteem and feign the person you want to be. If you’d like to feel spiritual, then act more spiritual. If you’d like to feel love for someone, then act as if you love them. At first you may feel strange and even fraudulent but in a short time, with Hashem’s help, you will become that person and never look back. Never sell yourself short and never underestimate what you can achieve. The stage is yours – let the show begin. M

6

Oneg Shabbos Issue 247

Learning from the Past

This page is sponsored ‫לע''נ ביילא בת ר׳ משה ע''ה‬

Rabbi Chaim Burman Amsterdam Kollel Rav, Bendigamos, Amsterdam

and Becoming Better People

N

)‫"וכל המרבה לספר ביציאת מצרים הרי זה משובח" (הגדה‬

ormally translated as, “The more one discusses yetziyas mitzrayim [on the night of the Seder], the more praiseworthy it is”. Rav Ezriel Tauber, however, had an additional way of translating this phrase: “The more one discusses yetziyas mitzrayim the better one becomes”. He based this reading on translating the word ‫משובח‬, which normally means “praiseworthy” but can also mean “improved”, as in Chazal’s statement ‫( יש שבח עצים בפת‬trans. bread carries an enhanced (‫ )שבח‬taste from the wood that burned to bake it).

By telling the stories of yetziyas mitzrayim we become better people.

On one level this is because we’re doing a mitzvah min hatorah and every mitzvah we do brings us a bit closer to perfection. On a deeper level, by telling these stories we are connecting those to the deep messages of emunah and trust in the ribbono shel olam that we rediscover when we recount those miracles, demonstrating just how powerful Hashem is and just how much

‫חג כשר‬ ‫ושמח‬

he cares for us, his people. By reliving the yetziyah through our stories, we integrate that knowledge and this reorientation gives us a more accurate worldview and helps us to live with more trust in Hashem. That makes us into better people too.

Finally, when we look back to the past, we can learn from it and make today better too. As soon as we forget our past (personal or national) then we can’t learn from it anymore.

There’s always a temptation to think of the past as irrelevant history. But, in truth, if I want today to look better than yesterday, I have to remember what yesterday was like first. Part of the message of the hagadah is that we can use our past to become better people. On a personal level, that means learning about oneself by examining, in retrospect, one’s reactions to different situations. When we know what kind of situations inspired us, irritated us or energised us, we can identify and utilise those factors to enhance our day-to-day life.

The pursuit of history is only useful as far as it makes us or our world a

better place. There is little benefit of recounting histories or anecdotes that won’t lead to improved personal or social standards. If aspirations towards accurate retelling of events will be detrimental, then it’s probably better to leave out the accurate historical exploration altogether. Sometimes we feel that we have a duty to set the “record straight” by disclosing facts or events solely for the purpose of “being right”. That’s not always justified. There are numerous examples of this idea. Negative speech, even when entirely true, can be loshon hora.

Chazal mention that there are certain halochos that, although true, should not be disclosed to an am ha’aretz if they would be misinterpreted in a way that would lead to behaviour inconsistent with the halocho. Many instances of halacha v’ein morin kein (“this is the halocho, but it is not taught”) that are mentioned by the Gemara demonstrate the same idea.

We have lots to learn from our past and we can become better from it, the key is knowing how. M

9th-16th Apr 2020

‫כ"ב ניסן תש"פ‬-‫ט"ו‬

‫פסח‬

7

Tell the Story

I

magine viewing the most dramatic event in history.

Something truly epic and then, just because you are there to witness it, you become incorporated and part and parcel of the story itself.

Perhaps even the central hero of the story. Well Surprise, you actually are!

Let me explain. The Hagadah brings the argument between R Eliezer Ben Azariah and the Sages of how to understand the verse “you shall remember (mention) the leaving of Egypt “all” the days of your life. They are arguing about the meaning of the word “all” does it mean the “whole” or “every” If it means “Whole” then we need mention our leaving Egypt every morning and evening. If it means “every” then we mention it once a day but every day even in the future times of Mashiach.

The Rabbis opinion is that the Mitzvah of mentioning the exodus from Egypt will apply even after the redemption of Israel from the four exiles into the messianic era. Their

words: “all” comes to include (lehavi literally to bring) the days of the Messiah” The Sefas Emes explains that chazal are actually hinting to a deeper Idea in their words here. They teaching us that by mentioning the exodus or telling over the story like we do every year in great detail at the Seder we are actually bringing the Moshiach! By telling the story to our children and “viewing ourselves as if we went out of Egypt” we are actually complete the exodus! So by carefully observing the story we become the heroes of the story. This is actually the deeper meaning of the verse

‫ַוּיֹ֤אמֶ ר ה֙' אֶ ל־מ ֔ ֶֹׁשה ּ֖ב ֹא אֶ ל־ּפַ ְר ֑ע ֹה ִּכֽי־ ֲא ִנ֞י‬ ‫ֲבָדיו לְ ֗ ַמעַ ן ִׁש ִת֛י‬ ָ֔ ‫ִהכְ ּבַ ֤דְ ִּתי אֶ ת־לִ ּב ֹ֙ו וְאֶ ת־לֵ ֣ב ע‬ ‫אֹת ֹתַ ֥י אֵ ּ֖לֶה ּבְ ִק ְרּבֽ ֹו׃‬

Then Hashem said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, in order that I may display My signs among them, ָ ֗ ‫ְך ּובֶ ן־ּבִ נ‬ ָ ֜ ‫ּולְ ֡ ַמעַ ן ְּתסַ ּפֵ ר֩ ּבְ ָא ְז ֵנ֨י בִ נ‬ ‫ֲׁש֤ר‬ ֶ ‫ְך אֵ ֣ת א‬

‫ר־ׂש ְ֣מ ִּתי‬ ַ ‫ֲׁש‬ ֶ ‫ִה ְתעַ ַּל֙לְ ִּתי ֙ ּבְ ִמצְ ַ ֔ריִם וְאֶ ת־אֹת ֹתַ ֖י א‬ ‫ָב֑ם ִוֽידַ עְ ּתֶ ֖ם ּכִ י־ ֲא ִנ ֥י ה'׃‬

Rabbi Jonathan Sigal ‘A simple Yid with a complex idea’ Former Rosh Kollel Amsterdam

... Hashem tells Moses he is taking the Jewish people out of Egypt on condition and for the sake that they will tell the story over to their children.

And that you may recount the story in the ears of your sons and of your sons’ sons how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I displayed My signs among them—in order that you may know that I am Hashem.”

In other words, Hashem tells Moses he is taking the Jewish people out of Egypt on condition and for the sake that they will tell the story over to their children. Relive it with them.

That is extremely significant, because it means we were taken out then with all those epic signs and wonders only on condition and in the merit that we will complete the exodus by telling it over, by seeing ourselves as leaving and reliving the story with our children generation after generation. We are confirming history retroactively when we do so and if we fail to do so we are bringing ourselves back under the subjugation of Egypt. Challilah.

This is the true meaning of the word Hagadah literally to tell but also from the language Gud Assik (a halachic term) means to pull and continue. The process of exodus only started with our leaving Egypt but it was not completed.

We must continue the process day by day year after year. Only on condition so were we redeemed then. Perhaps this is why we end the Seder with a song called Chad Gadyah. Also the same root word Gad. It is a song that alludes to our long history but it is saying it is all one big “Gad” pulling, one continued story that eventually will bring Mashiach quickly in our day! Amen! M

This page is sponsored by OGR Stock Denton | ogrstockdenton.com

8

Oneg Shabbos Issue 247 This page has been sponsored anonymously

Freedom in Chains

The overriding theme about the holiday of Pesach is the notion of freedom, liberation – emancipation. But one look out of the window by anyone with a ‘mashehu’ of intelligence will reveal that we are anything but free.

If you work for a non-Jewish company, try taking off early Fridays in the winter. Doesn’t really make for a popular relationship with the boss, does it?

So how do we understand these two opposing concepts?

The Hagadah, that mysterious authorless sefer that we drowsily read on Seder night, begins with a preface. We point to the matza and recite: “Ha lachma anya. This is the poor bread that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt.” The short paragraph ends with the hopeful words, “this year we are here; next year we will be in the land of Israel. This year we are restricted next year we will be free.”

room and snapped at Sharansky. “You will not see anyone for at least six months. Then he added sarcastically, “that’s too bad.”

“My sentence will end one day,” Sharansky replied, “but what about yours? You are going to spend your whole life in jail!”

The Hagadah teaches us that there is room to be trapped in a country, in a civilization, or even in a jail - and still be free. The dreams and aspirations that were set with the liberation of soul and body thousands of years ago have Immediately after this statement the become the symbolic unshackling of every Rabbi Mashiach Kelaty Rabbi, Stanmore United Synagogue children all gather round and watch as the one of our mortal restraints. We may be Sephardi Kehilla youngest of them asks the mah nishtana, behind Iron Curtains or even iron bars, but noting how different this night is from all we have the vision of freedom. We have other nights. We respond to the questions the knowledge and experience that there by explaining that we were once slaves and Hashem redeemed is a better, more spiritual, even a more meaningful world lying us. We give the impression to our children that tonight we past the border of complacency. The guard who sneers behind celebrate our liberation. Yet minutes prior we told our children his desk in Siberia is eternally subjugated while perceiving that that we are presently enslaved and restricted. It seems that our he is free. We Jews, on the other hand, have the vision for true reply contradicts our previous declarations that “this year we freedom, the aspirations for a better life, a better land, and a are restricted next year we will be free.” What is the truth? Are better existence that keeps us free despite the chains of our we free or are we slaves? If we are free then what is meant by mortality. the verses in ha lachma anya? And if we are not free, then what We may begin the Seder with the words, “now we are bound, is the meaning of the Seder? next year we will be free,” but those are only comments about Hopefully the following vignette will explain. Two weeks after Anatoly (Natan) Sharansky was sent to Vladimir prison to fill a 13-year sentence, he was led to a meeting. To his shock, across the table sat his mother and brother Lenya. Though the conversation was never allowed to lead to anything substantial, it was quickly terminated and the guests were asked to leave.

When the guard announced that time was up Lenya pointed to the name boldly printed on Sharansky’s prisoner’s garb.

“Tolya, you have your name on your outfit. I have it on mine too!” With that Lenya lifted his shirt to reveal a T-shirt with a picture of Anatoly and the words, in English “Free Anatoly Sharansky!” The guard quickly pushed the guests out of the

physical freedom. They apply to the mortal bodies trapped in Auschwitz, in the Gulag, or in the depths of poverty and debt even in the most democratic of countries. But the dreams of true freedom and spiritual redemption were fulfilled over 3,000 years ago near the banks of the Nile. And that emancipation of the Jewish People will never be subject to chains. That is the freedom that no one can take from us. Those are the hopes that we all can live and relive. That is the story of our emergence to freedom. It lives on forever. And anyone can relive it anywhere, anytime. All you need is a vision and a dream.

As Rav Yosef Kahaneman famously said - “I may be dreaming – but I’m not sleeping”. M

“My sentence will end one day,” Sharansky replied, “but what about yours? You are going to spend your whole life in jail!”

9th-16th Apr 2020

‫כ"ב ניסן תש"פ‬-‫ט"ו‬

‫פסח‬

9

From Slavery…to Slavery?

Based on a shiur by Rav Shlomo Brevda

Rabbi Jonathan Shooter

won’t succeed. Upon leaving Egypt, we accepted that we were going out to be Hashem’s slaves. The Yerushalmi (Pesachim perek 5) says that when the Jews were freed they said ‘Praise G-d, give praise servants of Hashem, and not servants of Pharaoh.’

O

ne would have thought that after decades of slavery, the Jewish people would get a welldeserved holiday. Yet they were in for something else, they were busier than before. They were told to take a lamb, they all had to learn the laws of Shechita, learn about and perform mila, make kosher matzos.

Then perform the seder with all its numerous laws, being careful with the korbon Pesach. What was Hashem’s plan with this?

What’s the difference between a slave and an employee? An employee wants to work less, earn more and have holidays. When his wife gives birth he doesn’t show up for two weeks, if he has a temperature it’s three days off. If he’s fed up he declares a strike. A servant who wakes up with a temperature comes to work anyway. A strike is a rebellion against the master. The Sh’la says that the purpose Hashem had in sending us to Egypt was to learn how to be slaves. For His Torah, we need the mind-set of an eved or we

In any generation where we are lax about His Torah, we are taken back to be slaves to some cruel leader. Either we are Hashem’s servants, or we revert to being slaves to Pharaoh. If we are 5 minutes late for a davening, we are not fulfilling our avdus. When our alarm rings we immediately silence it, surely it can wait a few minutes! Yet we have to say ‘I am an eved Hashem, I have to get up.’ If we don’t know that we are an eved, then we don’t even have the weapon with which to battle the yetzer hora. It was on this condition that we were taken out of Egypt, and even though mitzvos are hard, we are servants of Hashem, and we have to do His service if we don’t want trouble. We had training in avdus in Egypt, something no other nation had. Others were enslaved but never an entire nation. Therefore we are capable of accepting a difficult Torah and not rebelling.

If one is a servant to a Pharaoh, he will come to the next world with no mitzvos, just a lifetime of slavery. If he is a servant of Hashem then for everything he does, he gets protection in this world and eternal life in next world.

They learned how to be an eved of Pharaoh, taming the guf, tayva and laziness. In Egypt, they didn’t have the yetzer hora at them as there was no eternal reward for their servitude, it was easy to get up

Kollel Midrash Shmuel The author publishes a weekly detailed essay on the Haftara which can be received by writing to jonathanshooter613@gmail.com. More details about his books can be found at www.jonathanshooter.com

and waste the day as slaves. Now they were becoming avadim of Hashem, therefore there would be a tremendous yetzer hora, it would be hard to get up in morning, the moment the alarm rings the yetzer hora tells you to stay in bed. The last two weeks in Egypt were therefore training as to how to deal with the yetzer hora. We were now servants of Hashem and must run to do His will.

Pesach, the time of our freedom is indeed the most tiring time of year. And after all the scrubbing and preparing we’re required to stay up late telling over the haggada. That’s called freedom? We become slaves to the haggada, to lift this, eat that, recite this. Are we having the seder because we like matza and maror? The answer is it’s all about avdus, our being servants to Hashem. Actually being an eved to Pharaoh was even more difficult. As his servant, one didn’t have this world or the next. Yet, today, as servants of Hashem, we have the opportunity that every scrub in our cleaning, every emptying out of those schoolbags and meticulousness about matzos, gains us reward for this world and the next. M

10

Oneg Shabbos Issue 247

From Out of the Darkness

Rabbi Shimmy Miller Rebbe, Manchester Mesivta; Author of Miller’s Musings

A

fter nine plagues the nation of Egypt was already on its knees.

One more miraculous punishment, threatening Pharaoh’s life itself, was what was needed to tip him over the edge and finally consent to allow the Jewish people to be released from bondage.

The death of the firstborns took place at midnight, at the half way point of the night. A fundamental axiom of Jewish thought is the principle that there is nothing that is coincidence. If an event occurs at a particular time, it has been specifically chosen to be then and no other time would have been able to create the specific set of circumstances needed for this to transpire.

So why was this moment, the stroke of midnight, the most opportune and apt time to initiate their salvation and instigate their beginnings as a people of Hashem?

In Jewish thought the night is divided into three equal sections, known as Mishmaros. The Gemoro informs us that in the second Mishmar, in which midnight occurs, dogs bark. The Nesivos Sholom explains, that as opposed to most animals that have some redeeming feature that has spiritual substance from which we can learn, the dog possesses no such characteristic. The deer teaches us to be swift and enthusiastic to perform Hashem’s will. The lion is a model of might that can be used to persevere no matter what the obstacle.

There is nothing in the nature of a dog, however, that lends itself to allowing us to see some trait that we should try and replicate.

Midnight is the time at night that is the darkest, with nothing remaining from the light of the preceding day, nor any first instances of light from the day that is to come. This is epitomised by the dog, also lacking any positivity, barking at that time. It is at this point that Hashem chose to redeem, and then ultimately found, his nation. For when there is tremendous darkness, the necessity for a positive parallel, must mean there is tremendous potential for light. It is a core tenet of Judaism that there is always perfect balance between the possibility of good and the opportunity for bad, and so it was here. In the deepest dark, there must be waiting the most glorious radiance and it is in that luminous brilliance that the Jewish people were born. Only at a time of the greatest darkness, could there arise the most brilliant light.

Pesach is a time latent with the capacity for new dawns. It is only awaiting our decision to tap into this phenomenal power and trigger a resurgence or reawakening. That which can possibly hold us back is a lack of belief in ourselves and a negativity towards our ability to change from our current state. This may apply to our individual prospects for renewal, as well as our national outlook. Perhaps we are not what we should be. Perhaps our love for one another seems sometimes sadly depleted. Perhaps the world as a whole seems to have lost its sense of morality. But we must remember at what point the Jewish people in Egypt were redeemed. From the greatest darkness came the most extraordinary light and from even the lowest ebb can come a monumental redemption, personally and as a people. Let’s make decisions this Pesach to escape from the dark, seize hold of the light and begin anew. *May this Pesach bring us closer to true illumination*

Born to be Free?

To be free – is widely viewed as a basic human right. Freedom is a cherished value in the Western world.

Think of “freedom of speech”, “freedom of movement”, or “freedom of information”.

Osher Chaim Levene

But what is freedom? And what is its central purpose?

Modern society celebrates freedom as the human ability to exercise “free will” to live out life however a person sees fit. “Don’t tell me what to do. I was born to be free. And I want to freely be the one making the decisions about my life.” The tragedy of a slave is that he is not in control of his life, he is beholden to the will of his master.

But this cannot be the Jewish take on “freedom”.

Pesach is the zman cheiru’seinu, “time of our [national] freedom”. It marks the liberation of the Jewish People from Egyptian bondage. Not that they ever really became free men. At the Exodus that they switched from being “servants of Pharaoh” to becoming “servants of G-d”. Their journey from Egypt was marching to Mount Sinai to receive Torah from G-d on Shavuos – which commemorates them becoming “free people” (Avos 6:2).

Judaism has a different take on “freedom”.

There is the inner struggle within man between the body and the soul.

Freedom is not doing what your Evil Inclination wants you to do. It is doing what your soul – your innermost spiritual self – wants you to do. In the words of the Talmud, “our will is to do Your [Divine] Will. But what obstructs? It is the Yeast of the Dough [i.e. the Evil Inclination]” (Berachos 17a).

The Torah take on freedom – celebrated on Pesach – is not a “free-for-all”. The redemption from the impurity of Egyptian materialism was the stepping-stone to embrace the purity of Torah laws. Free will is the opportunity for man to suppress the wiles of sin by aligning his will with the will of G-d. He is then rewarded with eternity by becoming one forever with his Creator. Ironically, it is only when man agrees to become a “slave” of G-d that he becomes a “master” over himself. Here he liberates himself so that he is now no longer a “slave” to his Evil Inclination.

This is what is means to be free. We Jews are “free” men where we make sure our free will is used to exclusively do the will of G-d – the ultimate purpose of human existence.

9th-16th Apr 2020

‫כ"ב ניסן תש"פ‬-‫ט"ו‬

‫פסח‬

One Night in B’nei Brak

R

11 R’ Benjy Dolties Toras Chaim; GGBH Kol Eliyahu Evening Chabura

‫שהָ יּו ְמסֻ ִבּין ִ ּבבְ נֵי בְ ַרק‬,‫פֹון‬ ֶ ‫ ו ְַר ְבּי ע ֲִקיבָא ו ְַר ִבּי טַ ְר‬,‫ְהֹושעַ ו ְַר ִבּי אֶ לְ עָ זָר ֶבּן ֲעז ְַריָה‬ ֻ ‫ֲשׂה ְ ּב ַר ִבּי אֱ לִ יעֶ זֶר ו ְַר ִבּי י‬ ֶ ‫מַ ע‬

eading through the Hagadah, at first glance this event of the five Tannaim being Mekayem the Mitzvah of Sipur Yetzias Mitzrayim together in B’nei Berak can seem like a nice story or anecdote to the Hagaddah but really the message here is a lot more profound.

There is a famous story in the Gemara at the end of Makkos 24a regarding three of the five of the Tannaim mentioned in the Hagaddah.

They were walking past the Har Habayis and saw a fox running across the site of the Kodesh Kedoshim and they all started crying except Rabbi Akiva who was laughing. When they asked him why he was laughing, he said that when the people heard the Nevuah of Uriah that one day the Beis Hamikdash would be destroyed, no one could believe it, something as holy as the Beis Hamikdash, the resting place of the Shechina would be destroyed? However, once that prophecy was fulfilled said Rabbi Akiva, I now know that the Nevuah of Zecharia which people also couldn’t believe that after such a long and difficult Galus, Yerushalayim would one day be rebuilt, will for sure be fulfilled.

Going back to the story in B’nei Berak, it seems very puzzling. Firstly, we know from various places in Shas that at least three of the four

Tannaim mentioned; Rebbi Eliezer, Rebbi Yehoshua, and Rebbi Tarfon were in fact teachers of Rabbi Akiva.

Secondly, some of these three teachers lived in different cities, Rebbi Eliezer was from Lod and Rebbi Yehoshua was from Peki’in yet the Seder was taking place in B’nei Berak. Evidently, the Rebbeim had come to spend Yom Tov with their Talmid, when normally it would be the opposite way around; that the Talmidim would travel to spend Yom Tov with their Rebbi?

Furthermore, in Maseches Sukkos 27b, Rebbi Eliezer himself rules that one should specifically spend Yom Tov in their own home with one’s family in fulfilment of the Posuk; “And you shall rejoice, you and your household” (Devarim 14:16). It would seem therefore that he is contradicting his own ruling by leaving his family to spend Yom Tov at Rabbi Akiva’s home?

In the Sefer Leil Shimurim which is the Aruch Hashulchan’s commentary on the Haggadah, he explains that this Seder took place after the destruction of the Second Beis Hamikdash, at a time when the Klal Yisroel were facing severe persecution by the Roman Empire.

On Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av we read about the Asara Harugei Malchus.

The most famous of those killed by the Romans was

undoubtedly Rabbi Akiva. The story of his death is recorded in Maseches Brachos 61b where it describes the torture he went through when they were flaying off his skin with iron combs in connection with the Mitzvah of loving Hashem; Bechol Nafshecha.

Rebbi Akiva spent his final moments on earth reciting the Shema, accepting upon himself the yoke of Heaven. This was something Rabbi Akiva was able to do despite, or perhaps we can say, because he was being martyred.

At such a tragic time for the Jewish people, when it came to Pesach, how could they possibly think about celebrating the Yom Tov of Geula when they were living through such a painful Galus where their leaders were being tortured to death. One can now understand why the four other Tannaim came specifically to Rebbi Akiva for the Seder because he was the one who could see the light though the darkness, the one who didn’t look at the Churban with tears of sadness but rather with Emuna and optimism, the one who even on his deathbed suffering unimaginable pain was able to give praise to Hashem.

May we all merit to emulate Rebbi Akiva’s Emuna and optimism and with that be Zoche to see Zecharia’s Nevuah come to fruition that Yerushalayim will be rebuilt Bimhera Beyamenu. M

12

Oneg Shabbos Issue 247

How Sipur Yetzias Mitzrayim Changed Focus when the Jewish People entered Golus Rabbi Shmuel Phillips

T

Author, “Judaism Reclaimed”

he annual mitzvah of recounting and reexperiencing our nation’s departure from Egypt on Seder night can be seen as a form of national renewal of its collective national identity, mission and relationship with Hashem. In his commentary on Parshas Hachodesh, the Netziv makes a fascinating diyuk1 to explain that the central theme and message of the Seder varies depending on the national status of the Jewish people.

When the Jewish nation enjoys full sovereignty and its people bring and eat the korban Pesach, the mitzva of sipur yetziat mitzrayim is focused upon the theme that Hashem “passed over” the houses of the Jews in Egypt, killing only the Egyptian firstborn. The significant symbolism of this “passing over” is that the Jewish homes were considered embassies of God, marked out by the blood of the korban as a distinct nation of Hashem. This is the crucial message 1 Commenting on Shemos 12:8, the Netziv contrasts the wording of the posuk dealing with the mitzvos to be performed in Egypt with the wording used later to describe the Pesach Sheni which is only performed while the Mikdash stands. When the korban Pesach is brought, the ‘enquiring son’ is answered that the message of ‘this worship’ is to recall that Hashem “passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt” (12:27). The korban Pesach Sheni is eaten “Pesach – al matzos umerorim” (Bemidbar 9:11), implying that the korban Pesach is primary while matzah and maror are peripheral.

The original posuk of Yetzias Mitzrayim by contrast, which includes the command to all subsequent generations places equal emphasis on the mitzvos of Pesach and matzah (“Tzli eish umatzah al merorim”). Crucially when we recall (“zecher lemikdash Hillel”) how Hillel would eat the Pesach at the time when the Mikdash stood, the Haggadah strangely chooses the verse from Pesach Sheni rather than the expected Parshas Hachodesh. According to Netziv’s explanation, however, this unexpected citation is appropriate, since it is the posuk of Pesach Sheni (“al matzos umerorim”) which specifically indicates the focus of the korban Pesach when the Mikdash stands.

which the Jewish nation must draw from Pesach at a time when they are self-ruling: their country, just like the houses of their ancestors in Egypt, must become an embassy of Hashem.

It must represent Him and His Torah and thereby become a ‘light unto the nations’, a living embodiment of the Torah’s values and wisdom.

During years of golus by contrast, the korban Pesach is not brought, and the Seder commemoration revolves around the message of the matzah: that just as freedom in Egypt was delivered so speedily that the dough lacked time to rise into bread, so too at the darkest hours of exile the Jewish people must recall and anticipate that redemption will be speedily delivered by God. The Netziv explains that this key can be used to explain some of the content and structural peculiarities of the Pesach Haggadah. Aspects of both themes can be found in the Haggadah’s text; the special relationship between the Jewish people and Hashem is traced back to its ancestral roots as well as its continuation in each generation (“Now Hashem has brought them close to His worship … Blessed is He who kept His promise to Israel … In each generation they rise up against us but Hashem rescues us from their hands”).

Meanwhile the miraculous redemption is also explored in detail, with emphasis placed on Hashem rescuing the Jewish slaves from the depths of despair.

The introductory passage of the Haggadah however stands out as anomalous. The only passage of the Haggadah which appears in Aramaic, it begins by focusing on the matzah (“this is the bread of affliction”) and concludes with a hopeful message which contrasts the current exile with

an anticipated time of redemption.

The Netziv explains that this passage was added in Bavel at the start of the golus, at which point the focus of the Seder shifted from Pesach to matzah and its message of hope for imminent redemption from the depths of despair. This explanation also provides a satisfactory explanation for an otherwise cryptic statement of Rambam at the start of his Haggadah:2 “This is the text of the Haggadah to which the Jews accustomed themselves during the time of the exile. One begins [pours] with the second cup [of wine] and says with haste did we depart from Egypt”.3 The Netziv’s theory also helps to explain a difficult passage towards the end of the Haggadah, in which R’ Gamliel declares that “anyone who has not said these three words [pesach, matzah and maror], has not fulfilled his obligation”. Rather than attempting to reduce the Haggadah to the recitation of three short words, R’ Gamliel – who headed the Sanhedrin in the period shortly following the second Mikdash – may be emphasising the recent change of focus in the Haggadah’s focus.

With the onset of golus, it was now insufficient to focus primarily on the message of the korban Pesach and the need for the sovereign Jewish nation to differentiate its state from those of other nations. Now, taught R’ Gamliel, the mitzva places strong focus on recalling the bitterness of the slavery (maror) in Egypt as well as the speedy redemption that we received in Egypt (matzah) – a full redemption which we still anticipate to this day. M 2 Printed at the end of Hilchot Chametz Umatzah.

3 This appears to be a prelude to the recitation of “This is the bread of affliction”.

9th-16th Apr 2020

‫כ"ב ניסן תש"פ‬-‫ט"ו‬

‫פסח‬

13 Rabbi David Lister Rabbi, Edgware United Synagogue

Midnight miracles N ight. A black vista, sleeping and still. The world has signed out until the following morning.

It is a time of emptiness and

hiatus.

The Hebrew lexicon for night-time bears this out. Choshech, the word for darkness, is connected to the root chasach meaning restrain. Layla, the word for night, is linked to balal which means mingle. It is a time when we are disenfranchised from day to day life. This world loses its certainties, and becomes a place to tread with caution.

And yet the key phrase bachatzi halayla, at midnight recurs at three critical points in our history where Hashem intervenes to nudge our destiny along. The Baal HaTurim, one of the early commentators on the Chumash, says that the stroke of midnight is a time of miracles, a time when the Al-mighty helps the righteous.

At midnight, the sleeping stillness of Egypt was shattered by the cries of the bereaved mourning their firstborn, killed in the climactic tenth plague which triggered the liberation of Hashem’s people (Exodus, chapter 12, verse 29).

Generations later, Samson, the hero of the Jewish people, risked being trapped by the Philistines in Gaza. They heard that he was in town, and silently assembled at the gates of the city to pounce on him as he left. With their leader gone, the Jewish people would be easy prey for the hostile Philistines hungry for territory.

But midnight’s magic worked again.

Samson arose at midnight and strode to the gates. He ripped them off their hinges and climbed up and away with them on

his back, dumping them at the top of a mountain. There is no record of the Philistine reaction to this. Presumably they were too awe-struck to do anything (Shoftim 16:1-3).

Not long after that, Ruth, the Moabite who converted to Judaism, also set out close to midnight. She went down to the barn of her cousin Boaz to ask him to marry her and redeem the property which had been mortgaged by her late father-inlaw Elimelech.

Her interview with Boaz was another midnight moment when much was at stake (Ruth, chapter 3, verse 8). The Messiah was to be descended from Ruth and Boaz through their great grandson King David (ibid. chapter 4, verses 21 – 22) but Boaz was a rich old landowner, and Ruth was a poverty-stricken Moabite who gleaned in his field. She had to discreetly engage his attention and secure his affection without breaking Jewish law.

At midnight, Boaz awoke and discovered Ruth at his feet. Despite the apparent impropriety of the situation and her improbable lineage, Ruth’s pure intentions were clear. Boaz agreed to marry her and the Messianic line was assured.

What is it about this fleeting, indefinable moment, equidistant from the beauty of sunset and the reassuring glow of a new day, the nadir in nature’s cycle, that makes it so supercharged with spirituality?

Perhaps we can understand this by thinking of this world and the next as two parallel universes with rival claims on our attention. This world bombards us with

impressions. The wind whips at our skin, music twitters and rumbles away in shops and offices, advertisements charm us with their visual puns, seductive smells waft from food outlets.

At night, our world is subdued. For people trapped in it, life itself becomes less definite and vigorous as night approaches.

Some people live this life in terms of its true purpose, with reference to the parallel magnificent universe of Hashem’s glory. They know that things of this world are like so much Monopoly money, useful within the rules of the games but devoid of intrinsic value. They are eager for glimpses of the reality behind the veil, the blaze of the divine presence which annihilates evil and insouciance, bringing cheer to the downcast and blessing to the righteous.

At midnight, our world is at its quietest. The veil is not lifted, but it is thinner. We can reach through it for Hashem’s hand and sometimes, He will reach out for ours.

This is why so many special things happened at midnight. Hashem stretched out His arm to redeem us with the tenth plague, and we became a nation who would proudly proclaim Hashem’s word for all eternity.

Samson too had a keen sense of what was right and wrong. As midnight approached, the radiance of the next world permeated his own, he locked on to Hashem’s power, and this world’s restrictions and barriers melted away.

And in the darkness of midnight, Boaz saw Hashem’s light. He overlooked the strangeness of his Moabite visitor, and her poverty, and the potential for exploitation of a stranger. He pledged to marry her, and became part of the salvation of the world.

At Pesach, we stay up late into the night to read the Hagadah, the account of the Exodus. As we link up with the chain of our history and midnight approaches, the streets outside empty and the workaday world loses its false aura of importance. In this context of stillness and emptiness, the real world of Hashem and his Torah approaches our own. Elijah’s spirit hovers over the table, Hashem Himself is achingly close, and we can reach out to touch His strong hand for ourselves. M

14

Oneg Shabbos Issue 247

Dayeinu!

Rabbi Avrohom Tabor Yeshivas ImreiBina, Author of “100 Amos High”

O

To obtain the sefer “100 Amos High” or the series of shiurim based on the sefer please email to taboravrohom@gmail.com

ne of the highlights of the Seder Night is the stirring song Dayenu in which we enumerate many of the miracles and kindnesses that Hashem performed in Egypt and during the forty year sojourn through the desert and culminates with the building of the Beis HaMikdash in Eretz Yisrael. After each one we humbly declare: Dayenu! ‘If that was the only kindness that Hashem would have done for us, it would have been enough.’

Many commentators on the Haggadah have grappled to explain some of the baffling and cryptic lines. To quote one example, we say: ‘If Hashem would have brought us to Mount Sinai but not given us the Torah, Dayenu! That would have been enough for us.’ One can only be perplexed by such a statement.

Surely the purpose of coming to Sinai was only in order to receive the Torah. How could we possibly say that even if we would not have done so it would have been enough for us?

The Baal Maaseh Hashem gives a novel and brilliant twist to the whole song. Dayenu is not a statement of affirmation that what Hashem did was sufficient, but rather is a question – ‘Would that have been enough for us?’ Let us explain.

The Ramban (Parshas Bo) explains that the many miracles that Hashem performed in Egypt were not meant for the

purpose of setting us free from bondage. That could have been achieved by simply putting into Paroah’s head the thought that he must release us. The Torah teaches us the real fundamental goal behind the miracles: “That you will know that there is no one like Hashem… you will know that Hashem can be found in the midst of the land… you will know that there is no one like Hashem in the whole world.” (Shemos 8:6, 18, 9:14) The world at that time was steeped in idolatry and denial of Hashem. The objective of the miracles was to teach three fundamental lessons: Hashem created the world; He knows all that is happening within it and He rewards or punishes people in accordance with their moral behavior. The ultimate goal was the total and absolute recognition by all Mankind that Hashem was the One and Only Creator and Controller of the world. This recognition was reached to the maximum in the Beis HaMikdash, where the dozens of open miracles illustrated beyond doubt the total non-entity of ‘Nature’ or ‘Way of the World’ and people saw for themselves the presence of Hashem running the world the way He chose to.

Each miracle was designed to illustrate another element of Hashem’s presence and involvement in world affairs. They were steps in the process of reaching the ultimate revelation of Hashem as King of the world that culminated in the building of the Beis HaMikdash. If any one of those steps were missing it would have resulted in a slight lack of the total and absolute revelation of Hashem in the World. And so on Seder Night – the night of emunah – we mention all the miracles that Hashem performed and ask a question – “If Hashem had only performed this miracle and not continued, would that have been enough?”

Without the next step the total revelation would never have been reached – which would have been a failure of the purpose of the Exodus.

The Jew walks through history with a sacred yearning for the great day of ‫והיה ה' למלך על כל הארץ‬, when the whole world will recognize and accept Hashem as the king. Every single event that transpires is a step closer to that great day and we impatiently ask Hashem – until You finally build the Beis HaMikdash, Dayeinu? M

9th-16th Apr 2020

‫כ"ב ניסן תש"פ‬-‫ט"ו‬

‫פסח‬

The Haggadah The Instruction Manual of Gratitude

There are numerous lessons that can be derived from the Hagaddah. One of them is brought out by Rav Noach Orlowek Shlita. He points out that the Hagaddah is the single most revealing text about the Torah approach to gratitude.

The significance of the trait of gratitude in Torah thought is very apparent. Three times a day we thank Hashem in the ‘Modim’ prayer; every time we eat, we thank Hashem for providing us with the food. Also, in the realm of bein adam lechaveiro, there is great emphasis on showing gratitude to those who help us. The mitzvos of kibud av v’eim and kibud Rav, for example, are largely based on a recognition of how much are parents and teachers have done for us.1 Yet it is no easy task to retain a constant feeling of hakaras hatov for all the kindnesses that Hashem, and, lehavdil, other people do for us. How can a person develop himself so that he excels in this most important trait?

The Hagaddah and the halachos pertaining to it, can answer this question: In order to fulfill the mitzvo of recounting our leaving Egypt, the gemara tells us that we must begin by mentioning the ‘genus’ (bad) before we begin talking about the ‘shevach’ (good).2 There is a machlokes as to what exactly this entails; Rav says discussing the ‘bad’ means that before we begin thanking Hashem for taking us out of Egypt, we must first mention how our ancestors originally served idols. Shmuel argues that the ‘bad’ refers to the initial slavery that we suffered in Egypt before we left. We appear to pasken like both opinions, because both aspects of the ‘genus’ are in the Hagaddah. It seems that both opinions teach us a fundamental lesson about how to develop a proper feeling of gratitude.

Shmuel’s opinion that we must begin with the slavery teaches us that in order for a person to feel truly thankful for everything he has, he must first be able to contrast his 1 See Sefer Hachinuch, Mitzvo 33, Sichos Mussar, Maamer 73, p.323-4.

2 Pesachim, 116a.

15 present positive situation Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen with the past Rabbi for Keter HaTorah suffering that he endured. In order for us to truly appreciate Hashem’s chesed in taking us out of Mitzrayim, we must first focus on the terrible suffering that we endured in the slavery in Egypt. By doing this, we can avoid the trap of taking for granted the physical and spiritual freedom that we experienced after leaving Mitzrayim. So too, in our daily lives, when things are going smoothly, it is very easy to forget what Hashem has done for us, and how He continues to constantly protect and sustain us. For example, when a person’s financial situation is stable, he naturally may take for granted his situation and refrain from sufficiently thanking Hashem. However, were he to think about the times when he did not know how he would support himself, it is far easier for him to contrast his past difficulties with his current security. This should help him feel gratitude to Hashem.

It is less obviously apparent how Rav’s explanation of discussing the ‘genus’ inculcates us with the mida of gratitude.

How does mentioning the fact that our descendants served idols bring us to a greater appreciation of Hashem? It seems that one of the main factors that prevents a person from showing gratitude is a sense of arrogance. A person who feels arrogant will have an attitude that he deserves all the kindness that Hashem, or people, bestow upon him. Accordingly, there is no ‘hakaras hatov’, recognition of the good that others have done for him. He does not feel that they have done anything special, rather he has every right to expect them to serve him.

In contrast, a humble person feels that he is not deserving of anything. Therefore, he views anything that is done for him, as a particularly kind act therefore, he truly recognizes the good done for him. With this understanding, we can explain how reminding ourselves of our former lowly state can bring us to a greater appreciation of Hashem. We acknowledge that we are not great people with tremendous yichus, rather our heritage is nothing to be particularly proud of. Moreover, we acknowledge that any spiritual accomplishments that we have achieved are due to Hashem’s chesed. when we say in the Hagaddah, “From the beginning our forefathers worshipped idols, and now HaMakom [Hashem] has brought us close to serving Him.” By stressing our humble background, we make ourselves far more able to properly appreciate kind deeds done for us.

Rav Shlomo Brevda, zt”l points out that he knew many Gedolim, each one greatly different from the other. However, one trait that they all possessed in abundance, was that of gratitude. This is perhaps because they all felt so humble that they viewed themselves undeserving of anything done for them. May we merit to emulate them and grow in our capacity to show gratitude to other people, and, most importantly, to Hashem.

16

Oneg Shabbos Issue 247

The Sheep Mentality One of the central themes celebrated on Pesach is the freedom of the Jewish people. Up until that point in history the Jews were a nation of slaves in Egypt and with the Exodus they were freed and became masters of their own destiny.

This message is prominently placed in the beginning of the Haggadah where we declare that while we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, if Hashem had not taken our ancestors out we would all still be slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt.

The trouble with this is peculiar opening statement is that while ancient Egypt endured for an extortionately long time, perhaps as long as three thousand years, it - the most advanced culture the world had seen - also ultimately fell to the Roman Empire and became just another Roman province. Christianity then took root followed by Islam, when Egypt was conquered by the Muslim army under the Rashidun caliphate in the 7th century.

Throughout the centuries, the everevolving Egypt eventually came to bear almost no similarity at all to its historical counterpart of Biblical and ancient fame.

If so, what are the chances that the Jewish people really would have ‘remained there as slaves to Pharaoh’ as entire civilizations rose and fell around them and even the mere concept of a ‘Pharaoh’ became a distant memory more closely correlated with an artefact in a museum than a powerful leader?

Our sages also direct us to view the experience of leaving Egypt as if it’s currently happening, in real time. How is the exodus of an ancient people thousands of years ago from a civilization that has since crumbled - never to rise again relevant to Generation Z in the world of social media, artificial intelligence and Netflix?

Enter the ancient Egyptian god turned Jewish sacrifice and perhaps the most obscure character of the Exodus story: the Paschal lamb. With since lost technology that still baffles engineers and scientists today, the ancient Egyptians were light years ahead of other civilizations in terms of engineering, agriculture and societal development. What did such an advanced, cultured nation see in the sheep that they

venerated it so much?

And why did the Jewish people slaughter the sheep as they left Egypt?

On Friday July 8th 2005, in the Van province of eastern Turkey, shepherds watched in horror as hundreds of their sheep followed each other over a cliff. The BBC reported that one sheep had ostensibly stepped over the cliff edge by mistake only to be followed by the entire flock with thousands jumping off and hundreds falling to their death. Turkish newspapers reported a loss of about £42,000 in all. As the old adage goes, they literally followed each other like sheep!

This brief newspaper report symbolizes the essence of what sheep do. They follow.

Even if following is counterintuitive and clearly detrimental to them to the point of being fatally harmful. Sheep will literally follow to the death. As long as there’s a sheep in front of them going somewhere – anywhere! - the rest of the sheep will follow.

This concept of blindly following what was previously accepted is the very bedrock on which Egyptian culture was built. There was nothing that made a Pharaoh different to a slave other than the fact that a Pharaoh was born into the royal family and a slave was not. In other words, serfdom and the feudal system reigned supreme. How you were born was how you lived and how you died. Born a Pharaoh you died a Pharaoh and born a slave you died a slave, for that was your fate. And in a society governed by fate, you follow - you don’t create; your value and worth are signed and sealed from the day you are born with no chance of escape. This sheep mentality, echoed in the animal itself, is what the ancient Egyptians worshipped and just like sheep, in ancient Egypt you followed to the death. I am struck by the powerful imagery of Pharaoh exhorting his soldiers to follow him in pursuit of the Israelites to the Red Sea. And they follow.

Even though he and they know full well that it will be the death of them.

This mentality, attitude and societal philosophy is also the polar opposite of what Jewish culture believes in, espoused

Rabbi Dovid Lichtig Managing Director, Aish UK

by Moses and the newly established Jewish law.

Their dissenting view at its core was that all human beings have unlimited potential and no matter what you born into or what your circumstances are, you have the innate ability to change the world. From Jethro to Ruth, from King David to Rabbi Akiva, your circumstances and background mean nothing and you are only judged by what you achieve - not where you come from. In this system, the only thing holding you back from greatness is yourself.

This is precisely why the Jewish people were commanded to risk their lives and slaughter an Egyptian deity at the onset of the first Pesach. They were slaughtering the sheep mentality that had held them back for hundreds of years. They were embedding in their DNA that the background you come from and the family you were born into are all meaningless. Man is judged solely by what he accomplishes, in direct contradiction to the Egyptian culture.

The Jewish people’s exodus from Egypt wasn’t simply a matter of a physical departure; they were also undergoing a monumental mental shift. They were leaving this mentality behind them, symbolically slaughtered and its blood pasted on the doorposts of the homes that for so long had been little more than prisons. From this point on they were now masters of their own destiny and creators of their future, not followers of a herd.

Let’s return to our opening statement: If the Jewish people had not left Egypt they would still be slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. This means that had the Jewish people not bought into this new mindset they would still be slaves to this sheep mentality, be it under the ancient Egyptians, Rome or any other culture or society that would rise after that. It was the sheep mentality that they were escaping and this concept is just as relevant to a Jew in London in 2020 as it was to a Jew leaving Egypt in 1476 BCE. Possibly even more so. M

9th-16th Apr 2020

‫כ"ב ניסן תש"פ‬-‫ט"ו‬

‫פסח‬

17

A Night of Revelation Rabbi Shraga Kallus Rosh Kollel, Kollel Hora’ah L’Rabanim

as heard by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Slansky

E

ven with much preparation, it seems difficult to be able to lead and conduct the Seder.

Much time and energy are expended, but unfortunately many walk away feeling they just ‘missed it’. Many questions are asked, different attempts at answers are given, and then the Seder just seems to move on its own.

Before long, one is checking his watch, realizing it is almost Chatzos, and then pushing the Seder along. Often, the next day the mind will wander back and realize that numerous questions were never answered, and even those that were answered are sometimes convoluted explanations that do not really do the question justice. Feelings of failure start to set in. After so much hype and anticipation, it feels like we might have missed the boat!?

R’ Shlomo Eiger, son of the famed R’ Akiva Eiger, married into a very wealthy family. His father in law left a will stating that anyone that names a child after him will get a larger share in the inheritance.

When R’ Shlomo Eiger had a child, he named that child after his father in law, fully expecting to solidify the portion in the inheritance. Unfortunately, this child died shortly after birth. Within a short time, one of his brothers-in-law had a child, and as well named that child after the father in law.

A fight ensued, as the brother-in-law claimed that obviously the reason a larger portion was set aside was to perpetuate the legacy of the father, and since R’ Shlomo Eiger’s child died immediately then that does not satisfy the entire purpose. Therefore, the brother in law claimed, that his son that lived should receive the inheritance and not R’ Shlomo Eiger.

The Chemdas Shlomo was summoned and the case laid out in front of him: does R’ Shlomo Eiger get the inheritance as he named the child first? Or does the brother in law get his inheritance as his child lived, and the child of R’ Shlomo Eiger died shortly after birth? Chemdas Shlomo responded

that he needed some time to contemplate the question. A while later, R’ Shlomo Eiger returned and was told, “Shlomo – do not make such a big deal, be mevater and just give the inheritance to your brother in law”.

R’ Shlomo responded, “until this point I did not want to get my father involved, but if the answer is merely to give in due to doubt, maybe we should go ask the famed R’ Akiva Eiger”? “Let me tell you a story about the Rebbe of the Shach – the Rebba R’ Heschel,” concluded the Chemdas Shlomo.

The Rebbe R’ Heschel was all of four years old and he stole the Afikoman at the night of the Seder. When the time came and his father asked for the Afikoman back, he responded that he would like a fancy Bekeshe. Such an elaborate gift for a four-year-old!? But faced with no choice, his father acquiesced, and the Rebba R’ Heschel handed over the Afikoman. His father gave out pieces of the Afikoman to everyone, while the young Rebba R’ Heschel waited. And waited. Everyone received a piece, he was the only one left, so he asked politely if he could also have a piece of the Afikoman. His father responded – “If you are mevater on the elaborate gift, then I will give you a piece”. [Got you!]. The Rebbe R’ Heschel, all of four years old, smiled and reached into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of the Afikoman, “I knew you would do that”.

Chemdas Shlomo concluded, “Do you think I needed a few weeks to tell you to give in? I knew you would not be happy, so I indeed went to see your father, R’ Akiva Eiger. The first few days I prepared to go in and talk with him. Then I traveled a week and finally spoke to him and traveled back.”

With that the Chemdas Shlomo reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter from R’ Akiva Eiger detailing the answer that he had previously told his son R’ Shlomo.

What is the purpose of the Seder?

It is a yearly reminder of the love that HaKadosh Boruch Hu has for his beloved nation. A night of Emunah, a night to realize that in every situation there is

only one address, and one direction to turn. In the most difficult and darkest of situations, there still is hope, as redemption comes with lightning speed.

This is the answer that is written on the letter in the deepest recesses of the Neshomah of the yid, and that is the ‘letter’ that we must pull out of our pocket and read each year.

All the questions are to bring out this one point. There are no ‘correct’ answers to the different difficulties presented throughout the Seder. There is no such thing as realizing a question went unanswered. The entire purpose is to realize that the letter is written and just needs to be opened and read. That last piece of Afikoman that the Rebbe R’ Heschel prepared knowing it would be necessary. The letter procured after a visit with the Gaon R’ Akiva Eiger, realizing that is the only way the answer would be accepted. After a night of Emunah and redemption, we can as well reach into our pocket and pull out that letter that was pre-ordained and prepared.

When Yosef HaTzadik said ‘Ani Yosef ’ there were no more questions. At the end of time, HaKadosh Boruch Hu will reveal himself with two simple words, ‘Ani Hashem’, and then it will all be clear. Throughout the dark and bitter golus there are so many questions and difficulties, but all will be clear when the ultimate revelation will happen.

The Seder night is a microcosm of this revelation, and after all the questions are asked, the Seder concluded, there is only one thing left to do. We must spend the remaining days of the Yom Tov internalizing this point, so that when Shvi’i shel Pesach comes we can truly witness the splitting of the Yam Suf. This year we can as well reach deep into our pockets, search into the recesses of our Neshomah, and read the ‘letter’ and finally bring forth the ultimate light of redemption! M

18

True Compassion

Oneg Shabbos Issue 247

Rabbi Meir Zev Rapoport Rov, Imrei Shefer

)‫ג‬:‫ סגר עליהם המדבר (שמות י"ד‬,‫ נבוכים הם בארץ‬,‫ואמר פרעה לבני ישראל‬

When ‫ פרעה‬will hear that ‫כלל ישראל‬ are turning back, he will say that that they are confined in the land, the wilderness has locked them in.

To whom will he say this ? The simple reading of the ‫פסוק‬, implies that he will say this to the ‫בני ישראל‬. This however, cannot be so, for they had all left ‫מצרים‬.

‫ רש"י‬therefore explains, that though the prefix ‫ ל‬usually means ‘to’, in this instance, it means ‘about’, that ‫ פרעה‬will say about the ‫ רש"י‬.‫ בני ישראל‬supports his ‫ פשט‬with various examples and instances where the prefix ‫ ל‬means about. ‫ תרגום יונתן בן עוזיאל‬however, offers an alternative explanation, allowing for the usual meaning of ‫ לבני ישראל‬- to ‫בני ישראל‬.

He suggests that ‫ פרעה‬said this to the two rebels, ‫ דתן‬and ‫אבירם‬, who had remained in ‫מצרים‬.

This however seems puzzling. Why did they not die during ‫ מכת חושך‬together with all the other ‫ ? רשעי ישראל‬Why were they ultimately redeemed ?

Various answers are given to this question: 1. The ‫ רא"ש‬says that though ‫ דתן‬and ‫אבירם‬ were ‫רשעים‬, they had never lost hope of being redeemed and therefore merited to be saved.

2. The ‫ ש"ך‬answers in a similar vein, that though they believed in the ‫גאולה‬, they preferred to remain in ‫מצרים‬, for as informers to the authorities, they were treated with privileges, and saw ‫ מצרים‬as a land of opportunities. This explains why later, in ‫פרשת קרח‬, during their rebellion against ‫משה‬, they called ‫ מצרים‬a “land flowing with milk and honey”. However their belief in the ‫גאולה‬, stood them in good stead to be redeemed.

3. ‫ ר' זכריה בן שלמה הרופא‬in ‫מדרש חפץ‬ writes, that when ‫ משה רבינו‬tried to advocate on behalf of the ‫ רשעים‬who died during ‫מכת חושך‬, Hashem gave ‫ משה‬to understand that had these ‫ רשעים‬remained alive they would have aggravated him no end and caused untold spiritual damage. But in fulfilment of Moishe’s advocacy, Hashem did keep two of them, ‫ דתן‬and ‫אבירם‬, alive, telling him, “you will yet see what havoc they will wreak upon your leadership and upon ‫”כלל ישראל‬.

4. The ‫ חתם סופר‬answers that ‫הקב"ה‬ especially kept them alive in order to use them as a testimony unto the nations of the world, of the supernatural miracle of the earth opening its mouth and

swallowing them. Unlike ‫ קרח‬who was swallowed up by the earth after he had been burnt by the heavenly fire, they were swallowed up alive. Being swallowed alive, heightened the ‫קידוש השם‬.

5. The ‫ חתם סופר‬suggests an alternative approach. Following their very first encounter with ‫משה רבינו‬, they informed the authorities about his killing the ‫מצרי‬, causing him to be sentenced to death.

He was miraculously saved by the ‫רבש"ע‬ and had to flee ‫מצרים‬. Though their intent was negative, and they continued harassing ‫ משה‬throughout their lives, they were the initial catalyst for Moishe Rabbeinu’s spiritual growth and for his developing leadership skills. Hashem does not deny anyone their just reward for any act, even if their intentions are negative. Therefore, they were saved for initially causing ‫ משה רבינו‬to become leader and saviour of ‫כלל ישראל‬.

6. ‫ר' יוסף הלוי איטינגא‬, the Rov of ‫זולצבאך‬, writes in his ‫ עדות ביוסף‬- ‫ספר‬, that as a youngster he heard a brilliant answer, based on the ‫ אלשיך‬from the great ‫ ר' יוקל‬- ‫גאון‬, the Rov of Brod. Hashem tells ‫ משה‬to speak in the ears of ‫כלל‬ ‫ ישראל‬to request the gold and silver of the ‫מצריים‬. Evidently, this means that they were to be told in secret. Why in secret? Had the Yidden thought that they were only going for three days and not leaving permanently, they would not have had the courage or the drive to ask for the gold and silver. Therefore they had to be told that they were leaving for good. This gave them the confidence and encouragement to ask for the gold and silver. This however, could not be revealed to the ‫מצריים‬, as they would never have agreed to give away their silver indefinitely. They were therefore given to understand that it was just on loan for three days. For this reason Hashem tells ‫ משה‬to speak in the ears of ‫כלל ישראל‬, to keep it a secret from the ‫מצריים‬. There were however, two people, who could not be told the truth, ‫ דתן‬and ‫אבירם‬, for they were known to be informers. They were therefore always under the impression that ‫כלל ישראל‬ were only leaving for a three day trip to sacrifice to Hashem. For this reason they did not bother leaving with the rest of ‫כלל ישראל‬.

7. ‫ ר' יהושע לייב דיסקין‬explains as follows. ‫ דתן‬and ‫ אבירם‬were foremen who were responsible to enforce compliance of the daily quota of work. They sacrificed themselves to protect their fellow Jews. They accepted the Taskmasters’

beatings upon themselves rather than overstretching their beleaguered brethren. The beatings they endured caused them severe foul smelling wounds. Thus, when they encountered ‫ משה‬and ‫ אהרן‬as they left Pharaoh’s presence, they accused them of “making our very scent abhorrent in the eyes of ‫”פרעה‬. Any person who is willing to suffer for the sake of his fellow Jew, deserves to be saved, even if he is considered a ‫רשע‬.

‫ר' ברוך פרענקל תאומים‬, the ‫ברוך טעם‬, was involved in a prospective Shidduch for his son, with the daughter of a wealthy businessman. During that period, the local water-drawer fell ill. The ‫ברוך טעם‬ was very distraught over this and invested much ‫ כוחות‬Davening for his recovery.

When the parents of the girl came to meet with the ‫ ברוך טעם‬they voiced concern as to whether the ‫ ברוך טעם‬was happy with the Shidduch, because he seemed very downcast. The family explained that this was because he felt unwell due the strain of ‫ תפילות‬for the recovery of the water carrier. Hearing this the mother of the girl exclaimed that, she understand that one should Daven for an ill person, but why does one have to become ill over it !

Upon hearing this, the ‫ ברוך טעם‬said he does not wish to pursue this Shidduch. "A girl whose Mother does not understand that compassion for another Jew entails becoming ill over his welfare, is no match for my son” ! ‫כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות‬.

May we merit to the compassion of the ‫ רבש"ע‬in seeing the miracles of the final ‫ גאולה‬speedily in our days. M

9th-16th Apr 2020

‫כ"ב ניסן תש"פ‬-‫ט"ו‬

‫פסח‬

19

The Generation Game The Secret of the Seder Every family has “their” way of doing the Seder. They have their foods, their tunes, and even their topics of conversation that will invariably recur year in and year out. But what is fascinating to consider is how certain aspects of the Seder grow in significance not just for one family, but for entire communities simultaneously. Perhaps the most ubiquitous example of this are the tunes we sing. To many, the chorus for “Day Dayeinu” is just as sacrosanct as eating matzah. These are just some irreplaceable attachments that we have.

I would like to suggest that there is one “section” of the Seder whose growing significance is not coincidental, but central to the very essence of the Festival of Freedom.

A great place to start is to look at the purpose of the Seder and ask the most basic of questions: What are we supposed to gain from the service (other than a bit of weight)? We don’t have to look too far to find an explicit injunction of the sages regarding what our responsibility on this auspicious night is: “In every generation one is obliged to view themselves as if they had left Egypt”.

We are enjoined to place ourselves in the psychological position of those that lived at the time of the Exodus through some kind of elaborate role play experiment. This seems somewhat nostalgic if a little bizarre. Is this really what we are supposed to walk away with?

If so, have we ever actually had a proper Seder where we genuinely feel this way by the end?

In a stereotypically Jewish manner, these questions can be answered by asking another question. Why did the author of the Hagaddah say in “Every generation” and not the more simple choice of words “Every year”? Surely the reference is to the annual obligation to perform the Seder night rituals and a more appropriate choice of phrase would mention this yearly practice – why do we focus on “Generations”?

The secret to understanding this is the secret of the Exodus. There were two elements to the Exodus, the physical departure from the geographical land of Egypt, and a metaphysical departure from

the “ways” of Egypt. You can take the Jew out of Ancient Egypt, but can you take Ancient Egypt out of the Jew? Pesach is the time we celebrate both the historic and miraculous birth of the Jewish nation. But it is also the celebration of the emancipation of the Jewish soul from oppression and persecution. This secondary phase is the result of the bond of love forged in the initial act of redemption from Egypt. Without it, the physical exodus would have been short-lived, a spark of redemption rendered irrelevant by lingering spiritual slavery. With it, Pesach transforms an annual commemoration into a generational celebration The “Generational” view here is not unique, and is echoed in the famous passage of “Vehi She’amdah” – “In every generation they stand against us to destroy us and Hashem saves us from their hands”. The link in phraseology should be clear. Every generation of Jews experiences a threat to their continued freedom. Sometimes that threat is manifest in terrible physical persecution and other times the threat expresses itself through rampant assimilation. But survive we certainly will, for God saves us now, just like He did from Egypt. The annual obligation is for us to remember and inculcate within ourselves the realisation that the redemption was not a one-off event, but is what continues to allow us all to live and grow in the manner we can and are supposed to.

There is a beautiful insight that sheds light on the very fabric of the concept of “Seder”. Seder means order. One of the great Chassidic masters, Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter (1799-1866), known as the Chidushei Ha”Rim after his most famous work, explains that on this night Jewish families around the world engage in the sacred task of displaying the unity between the world of the miraculous and the mundane. The Jewish people, he explains, are living proof of an order that operates beyond the realm of the natural. Our history proves it. Pascal understood this over 300 years ago, when he answered the French king’s demand for proof of God with two simple words “The Jews!” It is on Seder night, that the

Rabbi Gideon Goldwater Aish UK

Jewish people sit together and remind themselves and the world around them, of a different kind of “order” than the one we are all used to. The miracles of the Exodus that took place then can be seen, perhaps more so than ever today in 2020.

It is no coincidence that Pesach is the festival from which we learn all about the obligation of correlating the lunar calendar with the solar one. The Torah insists that Pesach must fall in the spring, necessitating the insertion of leap years to the lunar calendar to ensure the calendars are aligned. The symbolism of the sun represents that which repeats itself (the Hebrew for year is shana translates as “repeating”) whilst the moon represents innovation (the Hebrew for lunar month is chodesh translating as "new"). Nature repeats itself, miracles don't. The Jewish role, as defined by the first mitzvah they received as a nation (Sanctifying the new moon) is to reveal the spiritual realm within the physical world around us.

Our mission is to teach the world that true perfection is achieved by infusing dependable yet mundane repetition with the soaring and miraculous wonder of newness.

The secret to seeing this different world order, is to take the “Generational view”. To see the big picture of Jewish history and witness the most incredible miracle that the world has ever seen. That is the secret of the Seder.

20

Oneg Shabbos Issue 247

Haggadah Rhymes

Haggadah Rhymes One of the most important goals of the seder night-if not the most important-is to keep the Rabbi Dovid Kaplan attention of the children while instilling Torah Ohr Somayach fundamentals. Parents must resort to any and all pedagogical techniques at their disposal.

One of the techniques I’ve found effective is to tell over various parts of the seder in rhyme.

Children enjoy guessing the rhyme words…and adults enjoy it even more.

The rhymes are not an ends in and of themselves and should not be seen as such. They are a way of maintaining attentiveness and interest, and of making the evening enjoyable and exciting. They should serve as an entry point for parents to then explain the concepts being dealt with.

The rhythm in the poems is not always perfect, so you may have to play around a little by stretching some words and changing speeds. I have inserted dashes in order to help with the rhythm. Some of the words are written intentionally slangy or misspelled, for the sake of the cause. Transliterated words are in italics. And please remember to pause before saying the rhyme word in each sentence, so that everyone present has a chance to guess them. I hope you find them useful and enjoyable.

1. Welcome We’d like to welcome - all who are here For the biggest event - of the entire year So get ready to drink, - to eat, and to listen People without seders - don’t know what they’re missin’ Of course if you have - something you’d like to say Please give it over - in your own special way It could be a story - an idea or a vort But do us one favor – please keep it short We have lots of mitzvos - to do tonight With Siyata Dishmaya - we’ll do them right We hope you enjoy - yourselves and keep smiling From the time we do Kiddush - ‘till “Leshana Haba Birushlayim” But one last thing - before we start We have to say - with all of our heart “Thank you” to Mommy (or Bubby or wife or hostess etc.) for all that you’ve done To make sure our seder - is a special one

2. Kaddesh Kaddesh is the beginning - of the seder Right now is early-we’ll finish much later We fill up our bechers – all the way to the top And we’ll drink them down - to the very last drop We drink behesaiva - only the boys and the men If you don’t do hesaiva - you must drink it again Some people use grape juice-some use strong wine According to halacha- either way is fine Now look at your clothing-all nice and clean That’s quite likely change-if you know what I mean Anticipate spilling-more then you think That’s what’s expected - when people drink

3. Urchatz We wash our hands - at the sink

But it’s not as easy - as you think We hope you have - a lot of hatzlacha Remembering not - to make a bracha The reason we wash - I’ll explain to you You can think about it - while you chew The halacha is - when something is dipped You can not put it - past your lips Unless you do - a full netila If you knew this already - I ask mechila The reason we dip is - we’re bnei chorin That means we’re free-we’re not avadim

4. Karpass Everybody - should take a piece Less than kezayiss-it’s not much to eat Carrots or celery-take your choice And remember tonight - were going to dip twice Dip it in - and make it wet But don’t start eating - or munching yet We have to make - a bracha rishona But we won’t be making - a bracha achrona The water is salty - just like the tears Of the Jews in Mitzrayim - for so many years So much suffering – so much pain They couldn’t wait - to be free again But the geula came-just like a dream So we dip tonight- like bnei chorin

5. Yachayz We start with three matzos-all whole and nice Just do me a favor - don’t ask the price We try to break one of them - right down the middle But one piece will be big - and one will be little The bigger piece - will be hidden away Then the children will find it - and Daddy will pay

9th-16th Apr 2020

‫כ"ב ניסן תש"פ‬-‫ט"ו‬

‫פסח‬

6. Ha Lachma Anya…

What kind of game is it - which we’re playing?

Inviting in people - who can’t hear what we’re saying?

The answer is - we’re not inviting We’re doing something - much more exciting We’re telling the story - of the Jewish nation And this is what happened - in their situation They left Mitzrayim - in a very big rush Some of the people - didn’t get to take much So those who did - called out nice and loud Come eat with us-we don’t mind a crowd Of course this is meant - to teach us a lesson We must open our homes - and our hearts to do chessed

7. Ma’aseh Brebbe Eliezer…

Five big tzaddikim - were at the seder They didn’t notice it - getting later and later They we’re all having - such a good time Telling the story - of yetzias Mitzrayim We today - can’t possibly measure How much they enjoyed it – such a pleasure In the morning their talmidim - came and said We know you never- went to bed You really got into - telling the story Which demonstrates Hashem’s - honor and glory We hate to have to - ruin your fun But its zman krias shama - of the Magen Avrahm

8. Amar Rebbe Elazar Ben Azarya…

Rebbe Elazar Ben Azarya - had a beard But something about it - was a little weird He went to sleep - as usual one night When he awoke in the morning - some had turned white So although he was young - just eighteen He said out loud - Harei ani k’ven shivi’im But why did this happen- this little ness?

Why was there a change - in the hair on his face?

As the new nassi - he had to speak He gave a drasha - in the bais medrash each week So in order that his words - should carry more weight He had to look older - than ten plus eight

9. Yachol Ma’rosh Chodesh There’s a Torah assignment - for every father And he can’t just say - “I don’t want to bother” So if you’re a Jew - and not a goy You must tell over - to all of your boys How Bnei Yisrael did - as were told Men and women – young and old They followed Moshe - into the desert It wasn’t easy –it was quite an effort Now Rosh Chodesh is when - Pesach cleaning begins This is a kapara - for all of our sins There’s scrubbing and cleaning - and unpleasant moods And don’t even bother - looking for food If you’re lucky you’ll find - some bread and some chumus And maybe some leftover - mishloach moonooss O.k. o.k. - you know I’m just kidding We’re more than happy - to do Hashem’s bidding The truth is that Pesach - cleaning is fun

21

Because Mommy gets help - from everyone Smiling and singing - and lots of good cheer Too bad we don’t do - Pesach cleaning all year So we might have thought - Rosh Chodesh is when Fathers must tell over - the story again The hagada teaches us - this isn’t so It’s done at the seder - with matza and maror

10. Mitchila Ovdei Kochavim…

A long time before - the avodas perach There lived a man - by the name of Terach He sold many idols-some big and some small His son Avram went - and smashed up them all He put a stick - in the hand of the biggest Said “It wasn’t me-it was him that did it” So Terach told Nimrod- who went into a rage He had Avram thrown - into kivshan ha’aish But Avram was saved-not a singe or a burn And after him - it was Haran’s turn But he only believed in Hashem - with his lips So he ended up being - burnt to a crisp Hashem told Avram - take your things and your wife Go to Eretz Yisrael - to start a new life Yizchak was born - to him and to Sara Such a fine boy-bli ayin hara Yitzchok had two sons - one good and one bad Ya’akov made him happy - Esav made him sad

11. Boruch Shomer Havtachaso…

At bris bein habesarim - Hashem had some news What Avraham heard - was not good for the Jews They would spend time as strangers - in a land not their own They’d suffer and weep - they’d cry and they’d groan It would last for a while - four hundred years By the end of that time - they’d have pretty long beards But then they would leave - there’d be a big switch They’d depart from Mitzrayim - with each one quite rich But the real rechush - was still on its way I’ll give you a hint - we still have it today That’s right, it’s the Torah - sweeter than pie The presentation took place - at Har Sinai

12. V’hi She’amda…

No matter how hard - our enemies try To wipe out the Jews - and commit genocide They’ll never succeed-of that we are certain Hashem made a promise - which will never be broken They’ll scheme and conspire - they’ll plan and they’ll plot Reshaim like Haman - and Achmadinijad But we know no matter - how hard they try We will survive - and they’re gonna die This is the way - Hashem demonstrates That He’s protecting us - in all times and places So we lift up our cups - and say loud and clear With Hashem watching over - we have nothing to fear

13. Tsai U’lmad…

Lavan had - two wonderful daughters Yaakov met Rachel - at the water

22

Oneg Shabbos Issue 247

Haggadah Rhymes Right there he decided - she’d be his wife He worked for her - seven yeas of his life But Lavan switched - he gave Yaakov her sister Yaakov confronted him - said “Hey, mister I worked for Rachel - so why did you cheat You’re the biggest crook - I’ll ever meet” Lavan just laughed - in Yaakov’s face “You don’t know the rules - of our little place The younger sister - must wait her turn I guess that’s something - you’ll have to learn” Every time - they made a deal Lavan would lie - and try to steal Yaakov took his family - and ran away But what they went in a week - Lavan went in a day Hashem came to Lavan - and told him quite clearly If you start up with Yaakov - you’re going to pay dearly

14. Vayaired Mitzraiyma…

Yaakov Avinu - went to Mitzrayim He met his son Yoseph - Menashe and Ephraim The Bnei Yisrael were increasing - in leaps and bounds The Mitzri’im felt invaded - there were Yidden all around The mommies were having - six babies at a time To order a mohel - you had to wait in line The Mitzri’im didn’t want Yidden - all over the place So they made them build - Pitom and Ra’amsess Hashem saw all of - their suffering and then He decided it was time - for it all to end So He brought the makos – the total was ten When one was finished - they got hit again They came at the rate - of one per chodesh That’s what they got – that was their onesh

15. Bimsei Me’at…

Six little babies - make lots of noise Crying and screaming - and fighting over toys Pushing the buggy - was no easy feat Considering it was wider - than the street Cooking and cleaning - and making the meals The mother had to be - the “real deal” The father had pressure – parnassa was tough And this was before - having to marry them off Just imagine - what it was like If one of them ever - wanted a bike Dad didn’t buy one – he had to buy six Think of all the tires - he had to fix And if he decided - to buy a ball He couldn’t buy one – he had to buy for them all It must’ve been a project - just to take baths It’s easy for you - to just sit here and laugh Then the next year - she gave birth to six more It was probably so crowded - they had to sleep on the floor But just remember - what the truth is There’s no bigger bracha - for parents than kids

16.

Shehayu Yisrael Metzuyanim…

Metzuyanim means - they didn’t change Their language or clothing - or their names You could tell a Yid - with just one glance By looking at his shirt - or at his pants They didn’t have names - like Greg or Steve I know you find it - hard to believe Not Mary or Jane - or Jeff or Wendell No, they had names - like Miriam and Mendel The women wore clothing - tznius and long They knew what was right - and they knew what was wrong The music they played - was aidel and sweet It didn’t sound like people - yelling in the street Of course this also - applies in our days To behave like Yidden - and not change our ways

17.

Dam

Just imagine - going to the sink All you want - is water to drink And then you yell out - “Yuch – its all red” You won’t even taste it – it looks so ‘bed’ Than you decide - to take a shower With soap and shampoo – you’ll smell like a flower You get yourself ready - and turn on the spray But a stream of blood - comes flying your way So you decide to go - to the beach for a swim You’ll get yourself clean - once you go in But the water’s all red – people are screaming You pinch yourself – you must be dreaming It you think this is bad - there’s still something worse You have no way - of quenching your thirst So you walk around - till you find a Yid And then pay good money - for a little liquid

18.

Tsfardaya

There was one big tsfardaya - slimy and green Biggest tzfardaya - you’ve ever seen He hopped around – cried “ribbit ribbit” The Mitzri’im ran over - and hit it, hit it But each time they gave it - a good hard smack More jumped out - and started to attack The more they hit - the more came out They filled up Mitzrayim - and jumped about Now just imagine - sitting down From underneath - you hear a sound It’s just the chair – that’s what you wish But in your heart you know - you felt a squish When you put your leg - into your pants You suddenly jumped - and started to dance When you opened the fridge - to get a snack Something green - was on the rack Every room - that you enter Has become a major - tzfardaya center There’s nowhere to run - and nowhere to hide Even the bodies - have them inside When you started to eat - and took a bite You could tell right away - something’s not right Something green - got caught in you teeth It was so distasteful - you couldn’t breathe

9th-16th Apr 2020

‫כ"ב ניסן תש"פ‬-‫ט"ו‬

‫פסח‬

19. Kinim Just imagine - what it would be like Mornings without - a scream or a fight Hair nice and clean - without anything crawling No special lice combs-no crying or bawling As bad as it is - the Mitzri’im had it worse All over their bodies, - their pants and their shirts All they could do - was stand there and scratch Their arms and their legs - their heads and their backs So next time your’e thinking - “What can we do Can’t someone invent - some sort of shampoo?

To pour on the head - and use it just once Instead of spending - so much time going nuts” Realize things aren’t - as bad as you think They were worse for the Mitzri’im - and Paroah their king Imagine what Mitzri - gannenets went through Every one of the kids - had a head like a zoo “Achmad and Walid - you have to go home Don’t come back until cleaned - by a kinim comb” But the boys didn’t go - they stayed and protested “With all due respect ma’am - you too are infested”

20. Arov Lions and tigers - with very sharp teeth Bears and wolves - looking for something to eat Huge elephants - that weighed a ton Stomping on Mitzri’s - and having fun Hippos that could swallow - whole watermelons Swallowing Mitzri’s - who were cryin’ and yellin’ They ran in a panic - and tried to hide But the animals found them - and dragged them outside “Please please” they yelled -“have milchiks to eat” “No thanks” said the beasts – “what we want is meat” But they didn’t hurt Yidden - not even one baby Banish the thought - don’t even think maybe The Yidden could relax - they were the winners The Mitzri’s however - became the animals’ dinners

23

21. Dever Horses and donkeys - camels and sheep These creatures were dead - not just asleep The Mitzri’im were suffering - pretty upset Bnei Yisrael laughed - said “That’s what you get” They cried and they groaned - didn’t think it was funny Because during this maka - they lost lots of money Moshe had warned them - but they didn’t listen So lots of their animals - ended up missin’

22. Choshech Imagine we went in - for a visit To a Mitzri home – and they said “Who is it?”

We wouldn’t answer - we’d have nothing to fear We’d listen to them - this is what we’d hear “What’s that noise - I hear in my home?

I’ve got the feeling - we’re not alone Hey somebody please - turn on the light It’s so dark in here - it seems like night I can’t move my head - or my feet or my hands I can’t run or walk - or put on my pants They’re opening cabinets - closets and drawers While I can do nothing – can’t even see the floor They want to find gold - and silver and jewels This isn’t fair-they’re breaking the rules But of course they were – very much mistaken Bnei Yisrael searched-but nothing was taken

23. Makas Bechoros Moshe said “get ready – it’s going to hurt This is the maka - that’s going to be worst There will not be - a Mitzri bechor Who by tomorrow - will be alive anymore In every home - there’s going to be crying “Help us” they’ll yell - “the bechors are all dying” In some of the houses - more than one died Because the true father - couldn’t be identified Paroah went running - “where’s Moshe?” he shouted “You all have to leave - get out out out outed!”

24

Oneg Shabbos Issue 247

The Night of Raising our Self-Esteem R’ Mendel Berlin

eekly

A mild-mannered man was tired of being bossed around by his wife so he went to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist said he needed to build his self-esteem, and gave him a book on assertiveness, which he read on the way home. He had finished the book by the time he reached his house.

Dean of Student Life, Mazel Day School Subscribe at torahsweets@gmail.com

The man stormed into the house and walked up to his wife.

Pointing a finger in her face, he said, “From now on, I want you to know that I am the man of this house, and my word is law! I want you to prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, and when I’m finished eating my meal, I expect a sumptuous dessert afterward. Then, after dinner, you’re going to prepare a bath for me so I can relax. And when I’m finished with my bath, guess who’s going to dress me and comb my hair?”

"The funeral director," retorted his wife.

We live in a generation where people suffer from very low self-esteem, which causes decreased output at work or worse, depression and even suicide. The experts debate about the roots of a negative self-image. Some cite external factors, like being bullied, raised by difficult parents, or traumatic experiences. Others claim “the conveniences” of our times have left people with less “feel-accomplished” work and therefore, low self-worth. Yet others blame the social media which creates the new norm that many people simply can’t live up to or compete with. Regardless of the cause, let’s ask: what can we help people in our lives (and ourselves) raise their self-esteem?

The Hagaddah, which we will be reading and discussing on Seder night(s) seems to take for granted that Rosh Chodesh Nissan (the 1st day of the Jewish month) would be an appropriate time to fulfill the “Mitzvah of discussing the Exodus,” and if it wasn’t for the verse (Shemos 13:8), “You shall tell your son on that day,” we might, in fact, start on Rosh Chodesh. Rav Yissocher Frand, who has recently published a Haggadah commentary, asks: why would we think of starting the Mitzvah from Rosh Chodesh?

Rabbi Frand brings an explanation from Rabbi Leibel Heiman (author of the Sefer Chikrei Lev). He notes that the “Mitzvah of Sanctifying the New Month” transfers tremendous power to the Jewish people: control over the moon and directly, over the calendar.

The Midrash (Yalkut Shimon Tehillim, 831) states if the Beis Din (Jewish court) determines that the day after the 29th of Elul is the first day of Tishrei, Hashem commands the angels in heaven to prepare a courtroom so that the Judgment of Rosh Hashanah can begin. If the Beis Din decides there is not enough evidence of a new moon and therefore the new month cannot start, Hashem pushes off Rosh Hashanah. This is so even if the Beis Din erred in their calculations of Rosh Chodesh and in Heaven it is clear that it should have been set a day before or a day later! The question now becomes, why did Hashem hand over this amazing power to the Jewish people before we left Egypt?

Rabbi Heiman suggests that Hashem wanted to change the mind-set of the Jewish nation, who had just spent over two centuries as slaves. A slave is absolutely powerless, with no sense of selfdetermination. Furthermore, slavery is demoralizing and makes a person lose their sense of dignity because they have to follow their master’s every whim. Hashem was about to release the Jewish people

from slavery.

How do you take a nation with a slave mentality and turn them into a nation that will be worthy of being called a Chosen Nation within a matter of months? The only way to do so is to give them power, to show them they are in charge.

This message resonates loudly on Seder night, where we give others (namely children) certain influence over the evening’s “program.” When we delegate, offer opportunities to others while feeling comfortable with ourselves, we can merit to raise well-adjusted children, enjoy more productive employees, connect with spouses and peers in a healthier way, and as a result, feel better about our ourselves due to these achievements!

Short and Sweet Story of the Week On the first day of Pesach, young Shlomo Zalman was walking with his father through the narrow streets of Jerusalem, returning from the Western Wall where they had prayed. They came face to face with the Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld zt’’l. After exchanging the customary “Gut Yom Tov” wishes, R' Yosef Chaim turned to young Shlomo Zalman and gently pinched his cheek. "Tell me, my son," he asked warmly, "did you ask the ‘Four Questions’ at the Seder?” The boy nodded proudly. “Did you ask the ‘Four Questions’ last year too?”

R’ Yosef Chaim caressed the young boy’s cheek.

"Yes, of course," Shlomo Zalman replied with conviction. "Well then, what answer did you receive for these questions?" The boy exclaimed, "We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt." R' Yosef Chaim then asked with a twinkle in his eye, "if you heard the answer last year, why did you ask the same questions again this year? Did you forget?”

The boy just stood there, tongue-tied. He did not know what to say. Flustered and confused, he broke into tears. Imagine, the Rav had asked him a simple question, and he could not answer! Many years later, young Shlomo Zalman, now the renowned Tzaddik, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, O”BM, once paid a visit on Chol HaMoed Pesach to a friend. Turning to the youngsters in the room, R’ Shlomo Zalman asked, “Tell me, children, why did you ask the ‘Four Questions’ this year? After all, you asked the same questions last year, and you already received the answer!” The children came up with a variety of answers, each trying a different approach. It was obvious that R’ Shlomo Zalman relished listening to the bright remarks. “Baruch Hashem, the children have good heads. When I was your age, someone once asked me this very same question,” he said, smiling gleefully. “But I could not think of an answer. You know what I did? I broke down and cried!” (Story from Torah Tavlin) Comment: Rabbi Dovid Orlofsky once remarked that most people end up having the same Seder eighty times in their lives, instead of having eighty different Seders. Before the Seder, let us think about the Haggadah and ponder new questions to raise this year!

M

Last week’s Oneg mistakenly attributed R’ Yossi Fraenkel’s article to R’ Mendel Berlin. We apologise for this oversight and for any upset caused.

We are delighted to include R’ Mendel Berlin’s article in this issue.