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Haggadah
2011
 ‫יהודית בת אסתר‬ ‫לזכות רפואה שלימה‬
‫משה צבי בן מרים יוטא‬

‫הרב יצחק דוב בן הרב אברהם יעקב‬ ‫לע״נ‬

‫ישראל זאב משה בן שלום דוד‬
‫משה יצחק בן אליהו הכהן‬

‫‪OVERVIEW OF SEDER‬‬
Seder Night and the Birth of a Nation - Rav Naftali Jaeger, Rosh Yeshiva Shar Yoshuv

We are used to thinking of Seder Night as the birth of our nation based on our exodus from Egypt but, in truth, the
night’s distinctive qualities as a night of origin for Klal Yisroel predates the exodus by hundreds of years. We all know
that Pesach night was the night that Yaakov received the berachos from Yitzchak. The Rambam in hilchos Melachim
perek 10 states that Hashem promised Avraham that “Ki BiYitzchak yikarei lecha zurah”, this excludes Yishmael who
did not descend from Yitzchak. Esav is excluded because Yaakov received the berachos.

The Brisker Rav asks that Esav is excluded from the word “BiYitzchak” which implies that from Yitzchak but not all of
Yitzchak? The Brisker Rav explains that it is true that not all of Yitzchak was destined to be included in Klal Yisrael but
which descendants were to be included was hanging in the balance until that fateful night when Yaakov received the
berachos from Yitzchak. So in truth the night of Pesach was the night that we were conceived as a nation and then later
born as we left Egypt.

What is so special about this night? The Pirkei diRabbi Elazar and Targum Yonasan explain that this night reflects the
qualities of dew instead of rain. We know that rain’s patterns are unpredictable. Sometimes rain falls, sometimes it
doesn’t. Sometimes it is good, sometimes, not so good. Dew on the other hand is consistently good . it is something
that always falls from the heaven and is always beneficial. Sure enough Yitzchak blesses Yaakov on that fateful night to
receive from the “dew of the heavens”. The Radal furthers this point by saying this is the reason we begin mentioning
dew with “Morid Hatal” in Tefila on the first night of Pesach. This gift of dew is a pure gift from heaven that comes
without any initiative on our part. Likewise the spiritual potency of Pesach is there for the taking. All we have to do is
open our hearts and souls to let the emunah and bitachon inherent in this night enter.

By Rabbi Yaakov Feitman, Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi

The Seforim HaKedoshim tell us in the name of the Ari Zaal that the word ‫ פסח‬stands for ‫ פה סח‬which means the
“mouth that speaks.” The question is ,”what does that mean?” The following explanation is based upon maamorim
from my Rebbe, Rav Yitzchok Hutner zt”l, Bais Brisk and a few insights of my own.he Zohar Hakadosh teaches that in
Mitzrayim “the dibur (speech) was in Galus.” This is a very cryptic statement which requires understanding.
The ‫ פחד יצחק‬and others cite the Ari Zaal that there is an intricate relationship between the ‫ עשרה מאמרות‬with which the
world was created, the ‫ עשר מכות‬and the ‫עשרת הדברות‬. That relationship is roughly as follows:

The Ramchal teaches in Derech Hashem that after Adam HaRishon sinned and essentially failed in his mission, Hashem
decided to replace him with – not an individual – but an entire nation, Am Yisroel. The moment of that replacement
was the ‫עשר מכות‬. My Moshol for this, based upon the above-mentioned Gedolim, is that when we buy a used home or
rent an apartment in which someone lived, the new owner or tenant must take over the utilities. First they are shut
down, then restarted under the new owner. The same was with the transition from Adam (the world) to K’lal Yisroel.
Each of the Makos shut down one of the Asarah Maamaros. The Maharal has an entire chapter in Gevoros Hashem to
delineate each pair but the most obvious example is Choshech vs. Yehi Ohr. The new destination and purpose of ohr
is only K’lal Yisrael, as it says ‫… ולכל בני ישראל היה אור‬
The same for all the other Makos as well.

Now Adam is defined by his power of speech. We know this because the Targum on '‫ ויהי האדם לנפש חי‬is ‫לרוח ממללא‬
which means a “speaking spirit.” Therefore, if Yetzias Mitzrayim was supposed to create a new Adam, who would
replace the original Adam, it would have to be a new Adam who had a new power of speech.

How was this to happen? Just as in the Makos, Hashem shut down all the Maamaros to recreate them afresh for Am
Yisroel, so did Hashem recreate Adam, the Medaber, with a new form of speech to elevate Am Yisroel into the new
Adam.
This explains why, in the beginning of Shemos, K’lal Yisroel goes through a process of losing its voice and finding it
again:
‫נאקתם‬..‫ שועתם‬...‫ ויזעקו‬...‫ ויאנחו‬. In order to recreate an Adam, he must have a new voice. So Hashem causes that voice to
“be lost” and to slowly return. What form does that voice take? That is why Yetzias Mitrayim must end with a shirah, the
highest form of speech. This explains why so much of Yetzias Mitrayim is preoccupied with speech: Hagadah, sipur,
amirah (‫)ואמרתם זבח פסח‬, and finally shirah.

It is said that the Chofetz Chaim’s emphasis on perfecting our speech was bound up with ‫צפית לישועה‬. As we get closer
to Moshiach IYH, our speech must get better and better because that is our essence and our essence must be at its best
to be zocheh to ‫משיח צדקינו במהרה בימינו אמן‬

Seder in Order?- Gadi Fuchs as heard from Rabbi Shippel

The Seder seems to be out of order.We wear a kittel which represents royalty, but at the same time, we wear a kittel
when we're buried. We start off with karpas and magid- in slavery, and then we drink the 2nd cup of wine saying
"baruch... Goh-al Yisrael, we're redeemed.We have someone wash our hands representing royalty, then we go back to
slavery with matzah, marror.The seder should be first all the avdus- karpas, magid, matzah, marror, and then have
chairus- 4 cups of wine, reclining, shulchan oraich, hallel!

Life at times seems to be out of order. Sometimes we think we're going in the right direction, and it turns out to be the
wrong path.When we think we are making a wrong decision, but it turns out to be right!!! We may think life is out of
order, but of course, this is Hashem's Seder , the Divine order.

KADESH

Four cups of wine-Rav Doniel Bakl

The ‫ רשב"ם‬in (:‫ פסחים ) צ"ט‬quotes a well known (‫ חז"ל )בראשית רבה פ' פ"ח‬that the 4 ‫ כוסות‬correspond to the 4
‫ לשונות של גאולה‬mentioned in the beginning of ('‫ז‬,'‫פרשת וארא )שמות ו' פסוק ו‬.
‫והוצאתי והצלתי וגאלתי ולקחתי‬.
When we drink the 4 cups of wine we commemorate these 4 languages of freedom.The obvious question is why did the
Torah feel it necessary to express the ‫ גאולה‬in four different ways?
The ‫ ראשנים‬explain that these 4 languages of geula, were actually 4 stages of the redemption. The ‫ ספורנו‬writes:
‫ – והוצאתי‬from the day the ‫ מכות‬started the slave labor ended.
‫ והצלתי‬- the day the gathered in ‫ רעמסס‬to leave the actual land.
‫ –וגאלתי‬the day the Egyptians drowned.
‫ ולקחתי‬- the day they received the Torah.
At first glance, this seems puzzling. We can understand how the ‫מכות‬, and the leaving ‫מצרים‬, is called a ‫– גאולה‬
redemption. Even ‫ קריאת ים סוף‬is a ‫גאולה‬. As the ‫ אבן עזרא‬explains, until the captors actually drowned the Jews
were bound by a slave men‫טל‬ity that felt on some level perhaps it would be better in captivity.However, why is
receiving the torah a stage of the ‫?גאולה‬
The gemara (:‫ )ברכות ד‬says: ‫איזהו בן עולם הבא זה הסומך גאולה לתפלה‬. “who is a worthy of the world to come?
The one who juxtaposes redemption to prayer”. This means that immediately upon completing the sh’ma blessings – by
reciting ‫ברוך אתה ה' גאל ישראל‬- we immediately begin the ‫שמונה עשרה‬.The ‫ תלמידי רבינו יונה‬asks the obvious
question: Why is a person worthy of such great reward simply for juxtaposing redemption to prayer!?
‫ רבינו יונה‬answers: when Hashem took us out of ‫מצרים‬, it was for one purpose, not to be free per se, but rather to be
free to worship Hashem. Like the ‫ פסוק‬says : "‫"כי עבדי הם אשר הוצאתי אותם מארץ מצרים‬. In the last blessing of
‫שמע‬, we mention that Hashem redeemed us. ‫ שמונה עשרה‬is the way we worship Hahshem ‫ועבדתם את ה' אלה' זו‬
‫( היא תפלה‬:‫)בבא קמא צב‬.When we mention the redemption and immediately commence ‫שמונה עשרה‬, we are
acknowledging this belief that we were freed not to be free. But rather we were freed so we can freely serve Hashem
and be his servent.
We can now understand the fourth language of ‫גאולה‬. Hashem took us out of ‫ מצרים‬and brought us to ‫הר סיני‬, when
we received the ‫תורה‬, and said ‫נעשה ונשמע‬, the final stage of the redemption was complete. We were freed, and we
now have the ‫ תורה‬to follow and serve Hashem.

Four Cups of Freedom - Contributed by Yechiel Weberman

We know that the four cups of wine correspond to the four expressions of ‫גאולה‬. Reb Shlomo Zalman Auerbach asks
why do we specifically drink four cups of wine, why not eat four apples?
The purpose of the four expressions is not defining "freedom" in four different ways but these are four different levels of
Geulah, each being a step higher than before. Therefore the Chachamim instituted that we drink wine. When one eats
something, he enjoys the first bite the most with each subsequent bite being less desirable. The enjoyment of wine,
however, intensifies with each drink. Every additional cup makes the heart happier and brings a new level of simcha.
This properly exemplifies the lishonos of ‫גאולה‬.

Four Cups Kineged Four Imahos- Contributed by A. Solomon

The Alshich Hakodosh says that the four kosos are kineged the "Four Imahos"

1. Sarah- In Kiddush we say "‫ "אשר בחר בנו‬-Hashem chose us the Jewish People,Avrohom was the first Jew.
2.Rivka- "‫"מתחיל בגנות‬- Rivka came from Lovon and Avodah Zara.
3.Rochel- In Bentching- Yosef supported the world with food
4.Leah- She thanked hashem and said ‫ הלל‬when Yehudah was born.

URCHATZ
KARPAS
 YACHATZ

The Hidden Element - Contributed by D Richt

The Chasam Sofer explains that we split the Matzah in two to indicate that the seder has two parts, one about the
redemption from Egypt and one about the final ultimate redemption to come. The final bigger redemption is hidden.
We do not know when it will come. This is why we use the larger piece for the ‫אפיקומן‬and hide it. We eat it by tzafoon
which means hidden.

Ha Lachma Anya- Eliav Frei

...‫הא לחמא עניא‬
‫״כל דכפין ייתי וייכל כל דצריך ייתי ויפסח״‬
Why are we saying these words while the door is closed and we are all sitting at the Seder table with little chance of any
‫ םיינע‬hearing us calling to invite them in?
Rav Moshe Weinberger quoting Rav Avraham Yitzchak Ha‫ כהן‬Kook z"tl says that our neshomo's core experience of
‫ חירות‬creates an overwhelming burning desire to give of ourselves unconditionally to others. As opposed to that the
state of ‫ תודבע‬is when one is so wrapped up in oneself that our Neshomos are locked into survival mode and our sole
concern is ourselves.

Rav Weinberger explained this with the following story. The Bluzhever Rebbe was close with 2 brothers who were
inseparable from the day they arrived at the concentration camps. They would go everywhere together. One day
the Nazis separated them and the Rebbe had to inform the other brother that his brother had left the world. After the
Rebbe told him his brother wasn't coming back, in his desperate state of mind he immediately responded "where is our
bread?" The story goes that the Rebbe gave his own bread to him claiming it was the bread that he and his brother
shared. Rav Kook is saying that when we say ‫ כל דכפין ייתי ויכול‬it does not have to be literally a personal invitation to
an ‫ עני‬but merely a heartfelt expression of the Neshoma bursting forth and screaming out its completely altruistic desire
to give of itself.

‫ הא לחמא עניא‬- Rav Chaim Yitzchok Kaplan

Why do we begin the Haggadah with ‫?הא לחמא עניא‬

The ‫ רמ"א‬in the beginning of ‫ הלכות פסח‬brings the Minhag of ‫ מעות חטין‬to buy wheat for ‫ עניים‬for ‫פסח‬. The ‫ שער הציון‬asks
why do we specifically have this din by ‫ פסח‬and no other Yom Tov? He explains that ‫ פסח‬is the time of ‫ חרות‬when we all
sit reclining in joy. It is not ‫ כבוד‬to ‫ הקדוש ברוך הוא‬that we should be so festive while the poor are hungry. What emerges
from this ‫ שער הציון‬is that the din of ‫ מעות חטין‬is not a manifestation of tzedakah but a manifestation of cheirus. The ‫חרות‬
we exhibit tonight must be inclusive by nature. This is why we begin the seder with ‫ הא לחמא עניא‬inviting all those who
have no food. If there is someone out there hungry we would not be justified in sitting at our royal seder. We must first
make sure everyone is able to participate in freedom tonight before we can enjoy it.

“‫"הא לחמא עניא‬. All Are Invited R. Nissan Kaplan

Why do we begin the Haggadah with ‫ ?הא לחמא עניא‬Reb Shlomo Zalman explains that typically we require ‫קדוש במקום‬
‫סעודה‬. We do not interrupt between the Kiddush and the Seudah. Yet tonight we do. We are explaining that the reason
we do so is because tonight’s seudah revolves around the ‫לחם עוני‬, the Matzah upon which we recite our Haggadah.
The proof to this is that the ‫ מחבר‬says that if one does not have wine and he makes Kiddush on matza he continues with
‫מה נשתנה‬. The Mishna Berura says it is ‫ לאו דוקא‬rather he continues with ‫הא לחמא עניא‬. According to this we can say that
the Mechaber is precise. If you are making Kiddush on the Matza you have Kiddush bemakom Seudah and hence no
need for ‫הא לחמא עניא‬. You therefore go directly to ‫מה נשתנה‬.

“‫" הא לחמא עניא‬. All Are Invited - Elie Wiess

The Haggadah begins with the passage "‫" הא לחמא עניא‬. It starts out with a one line description of the matzah that we
eat. "This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt". Immediately following this, we proceed to
extend an invitation to the poor to come join us at our seder. The question has been asked, what is this invitation doing
at the start of the haggadah?

The Maharal asks, why does ‫ קבלת עול מלכות שמים‬begin with the words ‫ ?שמע ישראל‬The point of ‫ קבלת עול מלכות משים‬is
really to proclaim ‫ ה' אלוקינו ה' אחד‬, why do we preface it with the words "‫?"שמע ישראל‬

The Maharal explains, the kingdom of any king is only as strong as his nation is. If the people don't accept the
monarchy, there is no monarchy ‫אין מלך בלא עם‬. The strength of the malchus is proportionate to how unified the nation is
in accepting the king. So before we are mekabel the malchus shomayim on ourselves, we proclaim "‫"שמע ישראל‬, listen
all fellow Jews, as if to say “We are one group, one am yisroel, to‫טל‬ly united in accepting You as our King”. One of the
main themes of ‫ פסח‬in general, and of the haggadah in particular, is the idea of ‫ ְו ָהי ִיתִ י ָלכֶם לֵא�הִים‬,‫ ְו ָל ַקחְתִּ י אֶתְ כֶם לִי ְלעָם‬.
Through the exodus from Egypt we became God's nation. The point of ‫ סיפור יציאת מצרים‬is to lead to the realization that
we are ‫עם השם‬. But a prerequisite of being an Am Hashem is that we first have to be an ‫עם‬.

So before we begin to expound on the various aspects of ‫ יציאת מצרים‬we first invite everyone to our table, thereby
proclaiming, now that we are a unified ‫עם‬, we can begin to discuss being an Am Hashem. To further this point, in
Hallel we recite “‫”בצאת ישראל ממצרים בית יעקב מעם לועז‬. The Rebbe Reb Bunim used to darshan this as meaning: , The
first possuk in Shmos says, “‫ואלה שמות בני ישראל הבאים מצרימה‬,” the Jews went down to Mimitzrayim as a singular nation.
And in Hallel we recite: ‫ – בצאת ישראל ממצרים‬When the Jews went out of Mimitzrayim…. Beis Yaakov they were still the
Bnei Yisrael with all the slavery, trials and tribulation, we were still an ‫ עם‬to ‫השם‬.

‫ הא לחמא עניא‬- Andy Lauber

R' Gamliel Rabinovitch explains: We say ‫כל דכפין ייתי ויכול‬, any anyim who need a meal should come to partake in our
seder. An ‫ עני‬who is dependent on someone's table for a meal can be embarrassed so the hagadah says ‫השתא הכא‬, now
we are in galus, and in galus there are wealthy people and poor people but ‫ לשנה הבאה בארעא דישראל‬when Moshiach will
be here Hashem will fullfill the promise "‫ "אפס כי לא יהיה בך אביון‬there will be no poverty. This is the greatest lesson in ‫הכנסת‬
‫אורחים‬, it's not enough to feed a guest, you need to appease him with words, ‫ מחזק‬him.

The ‫ בית הלוי‬explains that the day of ‫ ט"ו ניסן‬itself is a potent day, we are not commemorating a historical event rather
when ‫ ט"ו ניסן‬comes we are able to tap into the spirtitual potency of the day. The ‫ פרקי דרבי אליעזר‬explains that we are all
still benefiting from the brachos Yitzchak gave Yaakov on the 1st night of ‫פסח‬. Rav Avraham Shorr explains in his
hagadah that the pasuk tells us that Yaakov brought wine to give to Yitzchak, however, we don't see anywhere that
Yitzchak asked Esav to bring wine, nor did Rivkah tell Yaakov to prepare wine, why did Yaakov bring wine to serve his
father? Rav Tzadok explains that the wine was for the daled kosos for it was the night of ‫פסח‬.
The Zohar explains the 2 ‫ עזים‬that were brought for Yitzchok, one was for the Korban ‫ פסח‬and the other was the
Chagigah. On that night that Yitzchok benched Yaakov the gates of Brocha were opened to the world and the ‫פרקי דרבי‬
‫ אליעזר‬explains that on the night of ‫ פסח‬all the gates of brocha are opened and through a persons avodah by the Seder
he can be Zoche to all the brochos of ruchniyus and gashmius.

‫ הא לחמא עניא‬- Rabbi Yossi Bennet

The often asked question: We say that “this is the bread of affliction that our fathers ate in Mitzrayim.” But they didn’t
eat it in Mitzrayim, they ate it when they were coming out of MItzrayim, as we say in the Hagadah “This Matzah… is for
what? It is because the dough did not have time to rise before Hashem…freed them?” It seems we ate the Matzah, on
the contrary, outside of Mitzrayim?

We can possibly answer this question, based on another question from the Divrei Yoel, the Satmer Rav, zt”l, as to why
we refer to the exodus from Egypt as Yitzias Mitrayim. Grammatically, it makes no sense. The exodus from Egypt should
be Yitziah mi’Mitrayim. The phrase Yitzias Mitzrayim means “the Exodus of Egypt.” What’s p’shat?

He answers that it is an illusion to the well-known concept that, true, Klal Yisroel left Mitzrayim, physically,
geographically, but the real, true simcha of this event is that Mitzrayim left Klal Yisroel. The yetziah from Mitzrayim took
one night, but the yetziah of Mitzrayim took 40 years. As we know “You can take a boy out of the country but you can't
take the country out of a boy”- well at least it’s harder to.

If I could take ithis idea one step further. Rav Moshe Shternbach, in his Hagadah Ta’am v’Da’as, comments on the
phrase towards the end of Hah Lachma Anya that “now we are here, next year we will be in Eretz Yisrael” is a tough
thing to understand b’zman hazeh. Aren’t we in Eretz Yisrael? Can’t we hop on an El Al flight and visit whenever we
want? Haven’t thousands of Yiddin already made aliyah? How can we honestly recite this phrase?

He answers, based on the Zohar HaKadosh, that only if Klal Yisroel merits, will the physical land of Eretz Yisroel be
considered Eretz Yisroel. Otherwise, it is considered as if Eretz Cana’an. The name Eretz Yisroel is b’davka when the
shechinah rests amongst us together with us in our home land. This is what we hope and pray for in the year to come;
that Eretz Yisroel should have its true name. Physically positioning is not always necessarily an indication of spiritual
positioning.

Based on this idea, I believe the answer to our question is just that. Our forefathers did eat the Matzah in Mitzrayim,
even though they were geographically already outside of its borders. L’ma’aseh, they were still in Mitzrayim because the
Mitzrayim was still in them. They had not yet purged themselves of the depraving societal influences of the Egyptian
culture. They were still in Mitzrayim, wherever they were.

MAGID

R. Zlotnick - Ma Nishtana
Q- The first question of the Mah Nishtana is why we eat matzah tonight. But didn’t we just say in the previous
paragraph that the reason we eat matzah is because we are remembering what our forefathers ate in Egypt?
A- Rav Sorotzkin answers that the question isn’t simply why we eat matzah. The question is why we only eat matzah and
not any chametz. Wouldn’t it be wiser to eat both chametz and matzah to show the contrast between what we can eat
now while we are rich and what we were forced to eat back then when we were slaves? Don’t we often see contrasts
during the seder; maror and other vegetables, leaning and drinking wine, etc.
Now that we understand the first question of the Mah Nishtana let us understand the answer to this question. The
matzah itself provides the contrast we are seeking. On the one hand it was poor man’s bread during our enslavement
in Egypt which symbolizes our slavery, and on the other hand it was also the bread we ate in our rush to leave Egypt
which symbolizes our freedom. Therefore the Matzah itself shows us the contrast, and we have no need to eat
Chametz. Understanding the Mah Nishtana –

Yossi Schonkopf

The four questions of the ‫ מה נשתנה‬reveal to us a deep theme that runs through the Hagada. These four questions can
be divided into two categories, two that refer to slavery and two that refer to freedom; it’s Maror and Matzah that
remind us of our slavery vs. our dipping and leaning that are actions fit for kings.

This dual theme of slavery and redemption runs throughout the Seder night. We begin in G’nus and end in ‫שבח‬. Even
the Matzah we eat has both components. The Matzah is there to remind us of the food we ate as slaves without having
time to properly bake the bread (Rashi in Parshas Re’eh) and it’s also there to remind us of our leaving Mitzrayim in
haste, as the Psukim describe. We eat Matzah twice – once in the beginning of the meal where there’s a mitzvah to be
hungry while easting (as a salve eats) and later we eat the ‫אפיקומן‬which is to be eaten while satiated (as kings do). The
dipping too has dual meaning, it's to remind us of the bloody coat of Yosef that caused our slavery and on the other
hand, dipping is a kingly way of eating.
The deep message here is this: True redemption shows that the whole process was nothing other than to reveal the will
of Hashem. Take the Shvatim as an example – Yosef’s dream dictated that they must bow down to him. There were two
roads to this destination, however, they could’ve accepted his ruler-ship willingly; instead they took the long way to the
same conclusion, but at the end all their action revealed the same conclusions.

When we eat the Matzah we are reminded that this quality of not eating Chametz was being formed while still slaves,
as it’s the same Matzah that we ate while slaves. In the final redemption as well, Hashem will reveal to all that Hashem
Echad; He will reveal that all of Macro and Micro events of this world were all tuned towards the end goal - even
though it doesn’t seem this way now. That is why the Gemara says that in the future we will be able to make ‫הטוב והמטיב‬
on everything that happens – even on the seemingly bad things. At the end, it’s all one Matzah - all a revelation of
Hashem Echad. (Based on ‫)ספרים הקדושים‬

Geulah in Haste- as heard from Rav Eytan Feiner

We are all famous with the idea that the reason the redemption needed to be done with such haste is because the Bnei
yisroel had steeped to the the 49th level of tumah. Had they remained any longer they would have reached the fifteeth
level and would not have been able to be redeemed. Reb Leibele Eiger asks how can we say that had the bnei yisroel
stooped any lower they would have not been able to go out of Egypt, Hashem can do anything,?

Reb Leibele explains that surely Hashem could have redeemed them even if they sank any lower but they would have
lost all remnants of spirituality in them. Meaning that had they sunk any lower, a subsequent redemption would have
lost all spiritual traces to our holy Avos.

There would have been a completely new start very similar to what Hashem suggested to Moshe at the time of the
Eigel. The 50th level of tumah would have erased all connection to the kedusha of the Avos. We would have been no
different than the “Umos Haolam” which comes from the lashon of “Miumah” (nothing). The other nations are not
rooted in anything. This is why pesach is bezchus avos. Reb Avrahahm Schor expounds on this idea by saying that the
Batzek (dough) that klal yisroel left Egypt with is symbolic of the Avos the pure matter from which we are constructed.
Amazingly Batzek has a gematria of 192 which equals “ Bakol mikol kol” the three expressions of blessing which are
mentioned by the Avos. Sure enough we mention Bakol Mikol kol in bentching every time we eat dough.

Avadim Hayinu - Reliving Our Eternal Debt - Ephraim Lowy

We say in the Haggadah that “even if we are all wise old men, who know the entire Torah there is a Mitzvah on us to
tell the story of Yetzias Mitzrayim. And anyone who does more of this mitzvah is praised.” My simple question is, Why?
Why should people who know the entire story still spend their time telling it to each other? Furthermore, even if there is
such a halachah, why is this mentioned as part of “Avadim Hayinu” the first part of the haggadah, it is simply a din of
who is mechuyav? Also why not mention everyone who is or isn’t obligated (i.e. women and children), why only
mention that even those who know the story are obligated? Why is this idea that even if we know the story we must
recount it so central to the entire haggdah?

When we begin to recount the actual story of our descent to Egypt and subsequent redemption in the haggadah, we
expound on the verses from ‫כי תבא‬. “An Aramean tried to destroy my father…” What is fascinating is that this text is used
as the basis for the ‫סיפור יציאת מצרים‬. The Haggadah brings these pesukim as the core and expounds on each word. This
is quite puzzling. Why not bring the pesukim from the actual story in Parshas Shemos, Va-era, and Bo? Why bring the
abridged version of one who brings bikurim recounting the story in the third person?

When my rebbe R Nissan Kaplan comes to visit, I used to bring him to daven shacharis by R. Nayman zt”l. The first
time we came, R Nissan went over to R. Nayman to introduce himself. “Are you related to Charlie Kaplan from
Chicago?” R. Nayman asked. “Yes, he was my grandfather”, R. Nissan answered. R. Nayman then proceeded to tell us
an extremely detailed story about how Charlie Kaplan purchased a building for R. Nayman and helped him achieve
financial success. The next time R. Nissan came, I brought him to daven again by Rabbi Nayman. Again he went over
to the Rav to say Sholom Aleichiem and again Rabbi Nayman began to tell us the story of him and Charlie Kaplan
without sparing a detail. R. Nissan listened politely, all the while thinking that Rabbi Nayman forgot he told him the
story already until finally Rabbi Nayman said “Don’t think I forgot that I told you this story last time. It is just out of
hakaras hatov that I feel that I have to tell you the story every time I see you.”

This is the type of ‫ סיפור יציאת מצרים‬we engage in Seder night. Not one of learning the story but of recounting the story to
give thanks and praise to Hashem who took us out. Of course people who know the story must tell it over. The purpose
is not to learn the story but to relive it and thereby renew our eternal debt of gratitude to the One who took us out. We
recount every beautiful detail as a way of expressing our thanks for everything Hashem did. This is why this din is
mentioned as part of “‫”עבדים היינו‬. R Yerucham Levovitz in his sefer ‫ דעת חכמה ומוסר‬says that anyone who thinks that ‫ליל‬
‫ הסדר‬is just about ‫ אמונה‬is mistaken. There is also the critical idea o f‫הכרת הטוב‬. The Ramban writes that “‫”אנוכי ה' אלוקך‬- is
the basis for emunah- “‫ ”אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים‬requires ‫הכרת הטוב‬.

The Baal Hagaddah is not telling us a side din but rather he is telling us what type of ‫ סיפור יציאת מצרים‬we must engage in
this night. A ‫ סיפור יציאת מצרים‬of ‫הכרת הטוב‬. This is of course why we expound on the passages of ‫ בכורים‬and not ‫שמות‬. The
idea of ‫ בכורים‬is one of ‫הכרת הטוב‬. The passages were written as the text of someone recounting the story in a manner of
thanking and giving praise to Hashem.
We know that every person must view themselves as if they were leaving Egypt on ‫פסח‬. Every detail we recount is
part of thanking Hashem for our individual redemption.

Lavan Harami vs. Pharo - Yossie Schonkopf

We say "‫ "בכל דור ודור‬etc., that in every generation they stand up to destroy us. We follow that with “Go and learn from
Lavan” I saw someone explain that there are two ways 'they' go against us - with '‫ 'יסורים‬and with '‫'אהבה‬, but both
objectives are the same - '‫'לכלותינו‬.
My chidush is this. These two correspond to ‫ לבן הארמי‬and ‫פרעה‬. One was outwardly an ‫ אוהב‬and one was a ‫שונא‬
through and through. What the Haggada is saying right in the next stanza is that go see what Lavan did - he was even
worse and wanted to go after everything!

Vihei Sheamda - Yitzchak Lowy

The haggadah speaks of “‫ ”ויהי שעמדה‬that which has stood for us through all generations.
‫ ויהי‬stands for
‫ו‬- 6 sidrei mishna
‫ה‬- 5 chumshei Torah
‫י‬- asara nisayonos of Avraham/ aseres Hadibros
‫א‬- Hashem

Excluding Oneself - Rabbi Eitan Yaffin

The haggadah speaks of the four sons. The wicked one asks What is this ‫ עבודה‬that Hashem commanded you? The
question we can ask is, what is so wicked about this question? Why is he not able to question the service he is being
asked to perform? Should one do everything blindly without understanding it?
My father R. Aharon Yaffin explained that were one to ask the same question regarding the ‫ תשעה באב‬service he would
certainly not be a ‫רשע‬. Watching everyone sitting on the floor crying is not something one is naturally drawn to.
However if a person witnesses the royalty we display seder night and feels no connection; if he watches a regally
adorned family celebrating the birth of their nation and relationship with Hashem and his response is “What is this
Avodah that Hashem commanded you?”, excluding himself from the klal, he is surely a ‫רשע‬.

Knock out his teeth - Zahava Lowy

Why do we knock out the teeth of Rasha, is that a fair response to his question? The answer is that if you remove the
gematria of “‫( ”שיניו‬teeth) from ‫ רשע‬you get 570-366=204 which is the gematria of ‫צדיק‬.

‫ – ארבע בנים‬It’s all in the Question - Berel Septimus

I heard the following Dvar Torah in the name of Rabbi J.B. Solevetchik. ‫ארבע בנים‬: Many commentators question, what
is the difference between the question asked by the ‫ חכם‬and ‫רשע‬, in essence, they are both asking about the Avoda of
the Seder night? One answer is that the Chacham mentions Hashem's name as part of his question and the Rasha
does not. What significance is there to mentioning Hashem's name?
The general explanation is that when one uses a person's name it demonstrates a great deal of admiration and love
and when one specifically avoids using another's name it demonstrates animosity. The following are two examples in
the Torah that demonstrate this point.

During the midst of the tumult caused by the ‫מרגלים‬, Kalev tried to get Klal Yisroel's attention so that he can praise ‫ארץ‬
‫ישראל‬, the words of the pasuk are "‫ " ויהס כלב את העם אל משה‬Rashi explains that Kalev quieted the nation by leading them
to believe that he was going to ‫טל‬k badly against Moshe by saying "is this the only thing that Ben Amram did to
us?" Why did this statement cause Klal Yisroel to believe that Kalev was about to slander Moshe? The ‫ שפתי חכמים‬says
that Klal Yisroel thought Kalev was going to slander Moshe because he avoided calling him by his name and instead
called him "Ben Amram".

The next example is found in the ‫ הפטרה‬for ‫מחר חודש‬. A portion of the ‫ הפטרה‬is a dialogue between Shaul Hamelech and
his son Yehonasan, as they were ‫טל‬king about David Hamelech. As we all know, Shaul Hamelech was not fond of
David Hamelech, yet Shaul's son Yehonasan was David's closest friend. In the dialogue, every time Shaul refers to
David he calls him "Ben Yishai" and every time Yehonasan refers David him he calls him by his name, David. This
again demonstrates that using a person's name demonstrates affection and not using his name demonstrates animosity.

Thus, when the ‫ חכם‬uses Hashem's name he is incorporating '‫ אהבת ה‬while asking his question, while the ‫רשע‬, who
specifically avoids Hashem's name, is demonstrating that he hates Hashem.

The Four Sons of the Seder - Yossi Streiter

The Chumash teaches a separate, specific response for each type of son. So, why does the Haggadah advise us to say
something else?(Upon research, my mind was illuminated by the insights of the Kli Yakar (Shemos 12:26), who asks
and answers this very question. I then selected, changed and added ideas, according to my own fashion.)

Let’s start with the ‫( רשע‬Shemos 12: 26-27): ‫ ְבּנֵיכֶם אֲ לֵיכֶם י ֹאמְ רוּ ו ְהָ י ָה כ ◌ּ ◌ִ י‬: ‫ָלכֶם הַ זּ ֹאת הָ עֲ ב ֹדָ ה מָ ה‬
And it shall be, when your (rebellious) children will say to you: “What is this service to you?”
YOU SHALL SAY:It is a ‫ פסח‬offering to Hashem, Who jumped over the houses of the Bnei Yisroel…when He struck the
Egyptians, and saved our households.However, the Haggadah does not advise us to utilize this answer. Perplexingly,
we respond to the Evil son with the same statement which will be addressed to the ‫( לִשְׁ אוֹל יוֹדֵ עַ שֶׁ אֵ ינוֹ‬although with a
different tone and stress):
‫( מִ מִּ צ ְָרי ִם ְבּצֵאתִ י לִי "ה עָ שָׂ ה זֶה בעֲ בוּר‬Shemos 13:8)
To help understand this puzzle, we need to preface some observations from the Kli Yakar and Shaarei Aharon:
1) By the other sons, there is one son and one father: ָ‫ִבנְ� י ִשְׁ אָלְ� כִּי ִבנְ� י ִשְׁ אָלְ� כִּי ו ְהָ י ָה ְל ִבנְ� ו ְהִ גַּדְ תּ‬
However, by the Evil son, there are plural sons and fathers : ‫ ְבּנֵיכֶם אֲ לֵיכֶם י ֹאמְ רוּ כִּי ו ְהָ י ָה‬...
2) By the other sons, the father responds directly back to his son: ָ‫ אֵ לָיו ו ְאָמַ ְר ָתּ ְל ִבנְ� ו ְהִ גַּדְ תּ‬. ‫( ְל ִבנְך ו ְאָמַ ְר ָתּ‬to your son, to
him) The Evil son is not responded to directly: ‫( ו ַאֲ מַ ְרתֶּ ם‬You shall say…)
3) The Wise son and Sincere son are hoping for an answer. Therefore, the pesukim say: “When your son will ASK”:
‫שאל‬
However, the Evil son’s question is actually a statement: …when your children will SAY ( ‫ ) י ֹאמְ רוּ‬to you: “What is this
service to you?”
The Kli Yakar explains: The parsha of the Evil son refers to a time when there will be many rebellious
Yidden.These “intellectuals” will attempt to abolish those aspects of Jewish Tradition which they consider antiquated
and no longer relevant (in this case, the Korban ‫)פסח‬.They will challenge the Rabbis and the nation as a whole…but not
(necessarily) their own fathers. The Chumash teaches (see Shaarei Aaron): Our leaders need not answer these fools
directly (they are not looking for answers, anyway). Instead, the Rabbis must provide a proper answer for the rest of the
nation (those who don’t have a problem expressing gratitude to Hashem for past events). In the case of the Korban
‫פסח‬: “It is a ‫ פסח‬offering to Hashem, Who jumped over the houses of the Bnei Yisroel…when He struck the Egyptians,
but saved our households.”
Accordingly, this parsha did not instruct a father how (and when) to answer his own scoffing son. It only instructed
the leadership what to say to the nation, in response to the challenge of the rebellious intellectuals.The author of the
Haggadah therefore teaches: For the response of an individual father to his own rebellious son, we must go to the next
parsha (13:8): ָ‫לֵאמ ֹר הַ הוּא בַּיּוֹם ְל ִבנְ� ו ְהִ גַּדְ תּ‬: ‫מִ מִּ צ ְָרי ִם ְבּצֵאתִ י לִי "ה עָ שָׂ ה זֶה בעֲ בוּר‬
You will speak harshly (‫ )גיד‬to YOUR (rebellious) son on THAT day (at the Seder): For the SAKE of THIS (the mitzvos of
Korban ‫ פסח‬and Matzos) Hashem did for ME (and NOT you) when I went out of Egypt.
We must blunt his teeth‫אִ ילּו הָ י ָה ◌ּ שָׁ ם �א הָ י ָה נִגְאָל‬,
If you had been there (with this attitude towards Hashem’s mitzvos), you would not have been redeemed.We do not
fulfill the mitzvos merely because we were taken out from Egypt (as an expression of gratitude).On the contrary, we
were taken out from Egypt so that we should have occasion to fulfill the mitzvos (Artscroll Haggadah, from the Beis
HaLevi).
(Interestingly, the evil son forced us to come to a deeper understanding of the mitzvos.)
Even though on a Pshat (or Drash) level, this second parsha refers to the ‫ לִשְׁ אוֹל יוֹדֵ עַ ◌ְ שֶׁ אֵ ינוֹ‬the Torah can
actually be interpreted in many ways. On another level…perhaps Remez (see Rashi)…it is a continuation of the first
parsha, still discussing the rebellious children.
The Chumash is now (also) teaching the response of an individual father to his rebellious son. At a time when he
(probably) will be scoffing…at a time when he is most likely to be inspired

Chacham vs. Rasha - Past.Present.Future - Gadi Fuchs

What’s the difference in ‫ לשנות‬between the chacham and the rasha? The chacham asks, “what are all these laws which
Hashem our G-D commanded you - ‫” אתכם‬, and the rasha asks, “what purpose is this work to you- ‫ ?"לכם‬Eschem and
lochem both mean the same thing- "to you"?
Gemara Shabbos says that the signature of Hashem is emes - truth. When Moshe Rabainu asked Hashem, "what
should I tell the yidden when they ask me Your Name, Hashem says, "‫ אהיה אשר אהיה‬- I am that I am."

‫ אהיה‬is spelled ‫אלף‬, ‫היא‬, ‫יוד‬, ‫היא‬, and the gematria is 21. And 21 x 21 ( ‫ אהיה‬times ‫ = )אהיה‬441- which is the same gematria
as Emes.
The letters of Emes- aleph, mem, and taf, represents truth in a deeper way.
"‫"א‬- the first letter in the Aleph-Bais, represents Hashem always was in the past.
"‫"מ‬- the middle letter of the Aleph-Bais, represents Hashem always is in the present.
"‫"תף‬- the last letter represents the future that Hashem will always be.

The Blueshever Rebbe says beautifully. The chacham is asking, “what are all these laws which Hashem commanded
you- ‫אתכם‬- ‫א‬, ‫ת‬, ‫כ‬, ‫ם‬. He believes in Hashem with complete ‫אמת‬:The ‫אלף‬- past, the ‫ת‬- future, and ‫ ע‬and ‫ם‬- the middle
letters of ‫בית‬-‫אלף‬- the present.

However, the rasha asks “what purpose is this work to you- lochem”- ‫ל‬, ‫כ‬, ‫ם‬. He only believes in the middle letters ‫כ‬, ‫ל‬,
‫ם‬, that Hashem is only here in the present time but he doesn’t believe in ‫א‬- past and ‫ת‬- the future. The Hagaddah
continues, "‫" לפי שהוצאתי את אצמי מין הכלל‬- the rasha takes the "‫ "את‬out – ‫ אלף‬and ‫ת‬, he does not believe in Hashem in the
past and future. Therefore, he is "‫" כופר בעיקור‬- he denies the basic principles of Judaism.This the tremendous difference
between the chacham and the rasha.

‫ פסח‬al Ha'‫ פסח‬- Heshy Friedman

Based on Shir HaShirim 5:2 "‫פתחי לי אחותי רעיתי‬... the Medrash states "‫פתחו לי פתח כחודו של מחט‬... "Open your hearts (in
teshuvah) merely like the eye of the needle, and I will open the rest and help you do teshuvah. A person has to come
to come to ‫ הקב"ה‬part way, like the eye of a needle, and then ‫ הקב"ה‬will do the rest.

On ‫ פסח‬the Torah says ‫ הקב"ה‬was ‫פסח על הפסה‬. ‫ הקב"ה‬jumped over the homes of the Jews and only killed the Mitzrim.
Reb Tzodik Hachoen from Lublin says we can read this Posuk to say that on ‫ פסח‬, ‫ הקב“ה‬is ‫ פסח‬on the ‫ פסח‬of the ‫מחט‬.

That on ‫ פסח‬we don't even need to open up even like the eye of a needle. ‫ הקב“ה‬is passing up on that necessity. That's
how opportune the time of Pesach is for getting close to ‫!הקב“ה‬

Perhaps we can add, we know that on the first Shabbas after ‫ פסח‬there is a minhag to put a key in the challah. There
are numerous reasons for this. The sefer Tamei Haminhogim provides a reason that after ‫ פסח‬is when the manna
stopped falling and we brought the Omer. It was from then on that we needed to eat from the produce of the ground;
we needed parnasa. It is known that everything has a gate. Therefore just as we daven to Hashem to open up the gates
of parnasa, we have a minhag to put the form of a key on the challos to allude that Hashem should open up the gates
of parnassa for us.

In line with what Rav Tzodek says, perhaps another reason for the key, is to convey specifcally the Shabbos after ‫פסח‬
that we need to reopen the door in order to re-ignite our closeness to Hashem. If only a little the size of a machad, but
we need a key to re-open it now that Pesach is not here anymore.

Ein Maftiring ACHAR Ha‫ פסח‬- Yoel Ganz based on a shiur heard from Rabbi Binyomin Eisenberger

Chochom - the quesion of the Chochom, ‫ מה העדות והחוקים‬doesn't appear to be such a wise question, it seems more like
a question befitting of a ‫ תם‬or ‫ ?שאינו יודע‬Also why does the Hagaddah give a different answer than what appears in
the Torah? The order of ‫ קדש ורחץ‬as well as the pesukim which describe ‫ פסח‬by starting with ‫ שבעת ימים‬etc and then
adding ‫ אך ביום הראשון תשבתו‬both seem to be out of order?

There are two types of actions by Hashem; one is when Hashem follows a inspiration that started down below in our
world (‫ )איסרוסו דלמטה‬and the other is one that is initiated from above (‫ בראשית ברא)איסרוסו דלילה‬is clearly a ‫איסרוסש דלילה‬
(inspiration from above) as there was nobody in the world while our performance of certain Mitzvos I.e. Kiddush
Hachodesh and others are inspired by our actions first and Hashem follows our lead, as it says ‫והלכת אחרי ולא לפני‬.
Similarly we find that Geshem is given based on needs from below and therefore can be ‫ גשמי ברכה‬or ‫ קללה‬depending
on what we deserve. However dew is given from above irrespective of whether we deserve it or not.

‫ פסח‬is a time of ‫( טל‬dew) and giving from above without any effort from us here below. By Mitzrayim we were brought
from the 49th level of Tumah to the 50th level of Kedusha. This was clearly inspired from above and w-o our
deserving it.

Therefore the wise person is asking why do we have this right on ‫ פסח‬and the answer we give is that Ein ‫מפטירין אחר הפסח‬
‫ אפיקומן‬or ‫ אפיקו מן‬which means without the utensils we reached lofty levels because the night of ‫ פסח‬is different than
other nights, in that Hashem is giving etc. With this we can understand all the difficulties above as we are Kadesh
before we wash since we are being given w-o deserving it however Ein Maftiring ACHAR ha‫ פסח‬because after ‫ פסח‬we
go back to the level where we have to deserve what we are given.

Yachol M'Rosh Chodesh-a Miraculous Month - Yossie Schonkopf

 ‫ – יכול מראש חודש‬This needs explanation. If not for a verse and a Drasha, we would have been able to fulfill the
commandment of Sipur Yetzias Mitzrayim starting from Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Why?

Further, as part of reading the four Parshiyos leading up to Nissan, we read Parshas H’aChodesh before (or on) Rosh
Chodesh Nissan. Rashi explains that we read this because it concerns ‫פסח‬. Again, where else do we find that you read
about the Yom Tov before the Yom Tov?
In the Torah itself, the intro to ‫ פסח‬and Yetzias Mitzrayim is Hachodesh Hazeh Lachem Rosh Chodashim (Shmos 12:1).
How is the month of Nissan and the Mitzva of Rosh Chodesh so closely associated with the message of ‫?פסח‬

The explanation is this: The most natural system of time is the solar year that is based on the tangible passage of the
four seasons. The word for a year in Hebrew is Shana. The same root also means a continuous cycle as in ‫ – חוזר ושונה‬a
repeat. As the intro to the birth of the Jewish nation, however, Hashem commands Moshe to base the Jewish calendar
on the cycle of the Moon. The word for a month in Hebrew is Chodesh which means newness, because in our eyes,
each month the moon dies and is reborn anew. The message of Rosh Chodesh Nissan (as the first of the months) is
that the Jewish people live in a level of chidush and are not bound by the natural order of this world.
This, the Ramban (end of Bo) famously explains, is the key to Yetizas Mitzrayim; that is: to recognize from the revealed
miracles that all that is ‘natural’ is also a miracle. In practical terms, we find that Jewish leaders were/are willing at
times to act in risky fashion (ever heard of a Yeshiva not pressed for money?) for they had/have faith that the normal
laws of nature don’t apply when dealing with spiritual pursuits. Rav Yaakov Emidn in his intro to his Siddur says that the
greatest miracle is the survival of the Jewish nation amongst the seventy wolves. Indeed, we don’t live with the same
rules.

The work of Klal Yisroel, however, doesn’t end here. Unlike the Muslims that affix their calendar solely on the Moon, we
have a Mitzva of‫ עיבור שנה‬that commands us to keep our cycle in sync with the solar based seasons. On a deeper level
this means that we must bring down our level of Chidush and connect it to the physical world represented by the sun.
The Jewish mission statement is to recognize the Yad Hashem within the hidden miracles and to elevate this world.

Vayar es ‫ענינו‬, v'es ‫עמלנו‬, v'es ‫ לחצינו‬- Yair Keilson

The Baal Hagada brings the pasuk that says (Devarim 26, 7). ‫ ואת לחצינו‬,‫ ואת עמלינו‬,‫וירא את ענינו‬...‘‫ונצעק אל ה‬
What are these 3 leshonos? The Ba'al Hagada explains each one:
‫ענינו‬- ‫זו פרישות דרך ארץ‬
‫בנים – עמלנו‬
‫ לחצינו‬- ‫דחק‬
The Rebbe Reb Heshel explains that there are 3 explanations for how the Bnai Yisrael were able to be redeemed
early from Mitzrayim and make up for the work they were supposed to do.
#1 - because they worked both during the day and night
#2 - because they had more children than normal to do all the work
#3 - because the work was extra hard.
This is what the Baal Hagada is explaining with each description in the pasuk: Hashem saw:
"‫ "ענינו‬- which is prishus derech eretz - referring to working day and night which is a separation from the norm.
"‫ "עמלינו‬- eilu habanim - that the children worked as well.
"‫ "לחצינו‬- zu had'chak - the extra hard work that the Bnai Yisrael did.
These are the 3 explanations for the early redemption and that is what is meant in the pasuk - ,‫ ואת עמלינו‬,‫וירא את ענינו‬
‫ואת לחצינו‬.
True Geulah - Yossi Cohen

When recounting the Geulas Mitzrayim we say: "‫"לא על ידי שליח אלא הקב"ה בכבודו ובעצמו‬. The Siach Hagrid Haggaddah
points out that throughout the Haggadah, Moshe is not mentioned (in our Girsah Moshe appears parenthetically in the
Braisa of Rebbe Yosi Hagilili, though the Rambam excludes this paragraph). Why the absence of Moshe, didn't Moshe
play a pivo‫ טל‬role in leading Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt?

The Rav points out that this in fact highlights the Geulah of ‫ ליל הסדר‬and ‫לעתיד לבוא‬. True Geulah comes directly from
Hashem without any intermediary. On the night of Geulas Mitzrayim we were led directly by Hashem from Mitzrayim
without an intermediary, and similarly the ‫ גאולה שלימה‬will come directly from Hashem.
The Rav asks from this idea on the Rambam who writes that when explaining the history of Geulas Mitzrayim, for a
child that is a Chacham, we tell him about the Nissim that happened through Moshe while for a Katan or Tipesh, we
simply tell them that we were all slaves and Hashem redeemed us. Why the sudden introduction of Moshe to the story?

The Rav explains, that this is a component of ‫מתחיל בגנוס ומסיימים בשבח‬. The Shevach refers to Matan Torah, an element
which is only appropriate to explain to the Chacham. When explaining Matan Torah, Moshe is an indelible
component, as his presence is the basis for our Mesorah, whereas when recounting the Geulah, Moshe is left out, as
this was direct from Hashem.

Bnei Brak Happenings’ - Ezie Bryks

Each of the Rabbonim mentioned in the story that occurs in Bnei Brak had a reason to think he was exempt from the
Mitzvah of ‫סיפור יציאת מצרים‬. R’ Tarfon, R’ Eliezer, and R’ Elazar were all Kohanim. R’ Yehoshua was a Levi and R’
Akiva was a Ger. Therefore the Haggadah uses them as examples that all are ‫ חייב‬in the Mitzvah of ‫סיפור יציאת מצרים‬.
It's a little confusing as to why now the ‫טל‬midim are coming, shouldn't they have been there the whole time? And now
that they show up isn't it a little chutzpadik for the ‫טל‬midim to tell the Rabbonim that it was time to stop and Daven?
There was once a story with Rav Ahron Kotler z'l, one day he was eating in the dining room of the Lakewood Yeshiva
when a Bochur came over to ask the Rosh Yeshiva a question about a washing cup. Rav Ahron told the Bochur not to
use the cup and set it aside. A few minutes later another Bochur asked the Rosh Yeshiva the same question over the
same cup. Rav Aharon understood from this that he must have used this washing cup inadvertently and got up to wash
his hands again. Should the ‫טל‬midim in the story in the haggadah have approach the Rabbonim in a bit more subtle
fashion?

My grandfather z'l who was a ‫טל‬mud in the Mir Yeshiva in Shanghai read this part of the Haggadah more "creatively".
‫ עד שבאו תלמידהם‬The Rabbonim were engrossed in the study of the Haggadah all night.
-When the ‫טל‬midim finally arrived- ‫אמרו להם רבותינו‬- The Rabbe'im told their ‫טל‬midim why are you first coming now?
‫ הגיע זמן קריאת שמע של שחרית‬- It is too late. The time to Daven has come.

It is actually a little mussar to us all who fail to learn and take advantage of the Torah of our Rabbe'im and Gedolim
until it is too late.

What were they talking about? - Shai Shechter

We all know the story in the haggadah of the tannaim who were up all night until there talmidim informed them that
the time for shacharis had come. There is a contradiction between the haggadah and the tosefta as to the exact nature
of their nocturnal discussion. The haggadah says that they were engaging in sippur yetzias mitzrayim whereas the
tosefta says that they were learning hilchos pesach. Which one was it?
Rav Usher Weiss answers that one must note that two of the tannaim present were Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Elazar ben
Azarya. These two tannaim have a dispute (Berachos 9a) as to whether the korbon pesach and accompanying sippur
yetzias mitzrayim can be done all night (Rabbi Akiva) or only till Chatzos (Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya). Therefore untill
chatzos everyone agreed to engage in sippur yetzias mitzrayim. To accomodate Reb Elazar ben Azarya they spent the
rest of the night learning hilchos Pesach.

The Brisker Rav takes a different approach. He proves from here that you can fulfill the mitzvah of Sippur Yitzias
Mitzrayim through learning the halachos of Pesach. The question is why? How does learning the laws of Pesach
constitute Sippur Yitzias Mitzrayim? Perhaps we can explain this with a yisod of the Beis Haleivi. The Beis Haleivi asks
that the posuk "Bavur zeh Asah Hashem li bitzeitzti mimitzrayim" seems to misplace the subjuct and the object. The
possuk appears to be saying that Hashem took us out of mitzrayim so we could perform these mitzvohs as opposed to
us performing these mitzvohs because Hashem took us out of mitzrayim? The Beis Haleivi explains using the famous
Zohar "Histakel baoraisa ubari alma". Hashem used the Torah as the blueprint for creation. Therefore, the concepts of
Pesach Matzah and Marror in fact preceeded the exodus as they preceeded the creation of the world. Hashem did
indeed take us out of mitzrayim in order to perform these mitzvohs and not vice versa. If this is true it is quite obvious
why we can fulfill the mitzvah of Sippur Yitzias Mitzrayim through the laws of Pesach. The laws of Pesach served as the
impetus and blueprint for the Exodus itself.

‫להביא לימות המשיח‬

- Rav Dolny as heard from Rav Dovid Soloveichik

‫ בן זומא‬and the chachomim disagree as to what we include from “‫”כל ימי חייך‬. ‫ בן זומא‬includes nights while the
chachomim include yimos hamashiach. The question is why do the chachomim change terminology from ‫בן זומא‬. ‫בן זומא‬
says “‫ ”הלילות כל ימי חייך ;ימי חייך הימים‬the Chachomim use an extra word, “‫להביא לימות כל ימי חייך ;ימי חייך העולם הזה‬
‫”המשיח‬. Why the extra word ‫ בן זומא ?להביא‬learns the word ‫ כל‬to mean “the entire”. The entire day comes to include
nights as well. The chachomim learn the word “‫ ”כל‬to mean “every”. Every day includes the days of Moshiach. The
Brisker Rav explains that according to ‫בן זומא‬h there is a new mitzvah to say yetzias mitzrayim at night. According to the
chachomim it is not a new mitzvah but the current mitzvah will apply in Mashiach’s time as well. This is why the
chachomim use the word “‫ ”להביא‬to include. The chachomim are including yimos hamashiach in the old mitzvah
whereas ‫ בן זומא‬is introducing a new mitzvah that applies at night.

‫ הרי אני כבן שבעים שנה‬- R' Chaim Cohen

The Baal Haggadah quotes R. Elazar ben Azaria as saying " I am like seventy years old and I did not merit that Yetzias
Mitzrayim be said at night until ‫ בן זומא‬darshened....” We can ask a number of questions on this. Why does R. Elazar
ben Azariah preface his statement by mentioning he is like seventy years old? We all know the famous medrash that he
was really only 18 but looked like he was seventy. Why is this pertinent to this particular teaching of his? Furthermore, if
he did not know the drasha of ‫ בן זומא‬untill ‫ בן זומא‬came around, why did he feel one should mention yetzias mitzrayim
every night? What was his reasoning before he heard ‫?בן זומא‬

The answer is that R. Elazar ben Azaria knew all along the drasha of ‫כל ימי חייך הימים להרבות הלילות‬. This, in fact, was his
reasoning all along. The chachamim did not listen to him because he was only 18. The chachomim only listened to
him when they heard the drasha of ‫ בן זומא‬because ‫ בן זומא‬is the one in Pirkei avos 4:1 who states "Who is a wise man?
One who learns from all people. As soon as the chachomim heard that drasha they listened to R. elazar ben Azaria's
drasha regarding yetzias mitzrayim despite the fact that he was only 18.

‫ הרי אני כבן שבעים שנה‬- R' Nissan Kaplan

Why does Reb Elazar Ben Azariah preface his teaching by stating he is like seventy years old and he was not able to
convince the chachomim. We know that he was really eighteen years old so it is quite obvious why the chachomim
would not listen to him? Why mention the age at all?

The Gemara relates how the nesius was transferred to Reb Elazar ben Azariah at this young age. To compensate for his
youthful appearance Hashem made a nes that he grew a long beard and looked like an older man. The Rambam
however in Pirush hamishnayos explains that Reb Elazar ben Azariah learned Torah with all his might. As a result old
age came upon him quickly. My father in Law, Reb Avraham Gurowitz Shlita explains that you see from this Rambam
that the miracle performed was that really Reb Elazar had expended so much energy that he was fit to look like an old
man. Hashem does a special chessed and retains youth in those who expend such energy for Torah. Hashem
suspended this chessed to allow Reb Elazar ben Azarya to obtain an elderly appearance. Thus Reb Elazar was saying I
am like seventy years old, I expended seventy years of energy in eighteen years and still I could not convince the
Chachomim.

‫ ברוך המקום‬- Adam Austein

One of the more popular songs from the beginning of the ‫ פסח‬Hagadah, is the famous ‫ברוך המקום ברוך הוא‬. Why did the
baal hagadah choose the language ‫ ?המקום‬Why not simply use one of the more common usages of Hashems name?
Hagaon HaRav Yosef dov Soleveitchik zt”l developed the following yisod: Chazal use the lashon of ‫ המקום‬whenever ‫כלל‬
‫ ישראל‬might feel despair and distant from Hashem.

Namely, in the tefilah of ‫אחינו‬, a tefilah in which we ask for mercy to return captives and castaways, the usage of ‫(המקום‬
‫ )המקום ירחם‬is used. In addition, when one is sitting shiva r”l, an obvious time of anguish and despair, we say to the avel,
‫המקום ינחם‬. At the commencement of Yom Kippur, a time in which we might feel saturated in sin and possibly even in
despair that our tefilos won’t be answered, we say ( in ‫ )כל נדרי‬al daas ‫המקום‬.

In all these cases, there is a natural feeling of hopelessness. Chazal were sensitive to these potential feelings and thus
used a special lashon for Hashems name: ‫המקום‬. The beginning of the hagadah, which represents the maschil bignus-
the slavery and hardship of Mitzrayim, is another time that bnei yisrael might feel shunned from Hashem. It is for this
reason that we use ‫ המקום‬at the onset of the hagadah- to remind us that even in our darkest hour when we might feel
that there is no hope- we should always remember that Hashem is there and always by our side.

‫ לבן בקש לעקור את הכל‬- Avrohom Moshe Jeger, PhD

The Haggadah states that " " -- that Lavan sought to uproot everything. It is not at all clear as to how Lavan intended to
"uproot" all of Klal Yisroel. What was his strategy?

I had an original insight by applying a statement from the Zohar (Parshas Vayetze, Page 158b)). Lavan kept s‫טל‬ling
Yaakov to prevent his returning to Eretz Yisroel (presumably because he felt "blessed" in Yaakov's presence). Out of
respect, Yaakov does not leave without his permission. The Zohar then asks, if so, why d oes he escape following the
birth of Yoseph? He answers that Yaakov did not want ALL 12 of the shevotim to be born in Chutz La'Aretz, and he was
afraid that Lavan would force him to stay untill after Binyomin's birth. Yaakov wanted to insure that the last shevet
(Rochel's 2nd son) will be born in Eretz Yisroel so that the "shechinah" (divine presence) would cleave to all 12
shevotim in an enhanced manner.

This is supported by a well-known ‫טל‬mudic statement (Sifri) that the reason the Beis Hamikdash is in the section of
Binyomin is because only Binyomin was born in Eretz Yisroel. Based on the above, I want to suggest that Lavan's
intention was to put a "dent" in the potential holiness of the Beis Hamikdash by assuring that all 12 shevotim are born
in Chutz La'Aretz OR perhaps even preventing the possibility of there being a Bais HaMikdah altogher. This may be the
mechanism through which Lavan sought to "‫ "לעקור את הכל‬-- to uproot everything.

Furthermore "‫ "כל‬is comprised of the Hebrew letters "‫( "כ‬20) & "‫( "ל‬30) -- which to‫ טל‬50. This may allude to the 50 " ‫שערי‬
‫( "בינה‬gates of wisdom), which is the ultimate spiritual level that we can only reach with the divine presence at the Bais
HaMikdash.

Bekurim - Thoughts and Actions - Elie Lowy

“‫ארמי עובד אבי‬..” (An Aramean destroyed my father). Rashi explains that this refers to Lavan who tried to destroy Yaakov.
Why then does it say that he “destroyed” my father, if he only plotted to destroy my father? Rashi explains that when it
comes to the wicked, Hashem looks at their intent for evil and considers it as if they in fact committed the crime.
Hashem deals with the righteous in the opposite fashion. He counts their intent to do good as if they already did it. We
can ask the following question. It is true that Hashem registers the evil intent as if the action occurred (‫ )מחשבה כמעשה‬but
here, by the parsha of bekurim, we are relating the events that transpired in order to give thanks to Hashem. If that is
so, how can we say he “destroyed” my father when he did not? We are not ‫טל‬king about the credit that is given but the
actual events that transpired, and Lavan did not kill Yaakov. Secondly, why is it important to mention this as we give
thanks for bekurim and by ‫ ?ליל הסדר‬Another question I would like to add is, why is Hashem ‫ מצתרף מחשבה כמעשה‬by the
righteous for good and the wicked for bad? Is that not unfair?

Rav Savitsky, the Rosh Yeshivah of Torah Vodaas gives the following answer: When we say that Hashem counts the
intention as the act, we are not saying that Hashem gives weight to every evil intention that a wicked person has. He is
not punished for his bad thoughts. What we are saying is that if he intended to do evil and would have carried that evil
act out and seen it through to its end, yet the only thing that stopped him was divine intervention, then he is held
accountable. Hashem knows what is in the heart of each man and what he would do if given the chance. Hence, when
we say Hashem is ‫מצתרף מחשבה כמעשה‬, we are not saying that He counts thoughts as actions, but rather He judges if the
thoughts would have become actions and deals with them accordingly.

On ‫ ליל הסדר‬and when we are bringing Bekurim and giving thanks to Hashem, we are declaring that Lavan’s “intent” to
kill Yaakov was of the nature that would be metztaref machshavah k’maeh. Only divine intervention spared Yaakov’s
life. This is part of the thanks we are giving to Hashem. We are saying that “‫ ”ארמי עובד אבי‬, Lavan tried to kill Yaakov in
a way that it is considered as if he did kill him. And for this we thank Hashem.

Now we can answer our final question as well. Hashem does not show favoritism when counting the good intentions of
the righteous and the bad intentions of the wicked. Hashem simply counts whichever intentions would have led to
fruition without divine intervention. It happens to be that for the righteous these are good acts and for the wicked these
are bad acts, but there is no favoritism shown. It is merely Hashem’s understanding of the individual that discerns the
difference.

Just as Lavan wanted to annihilate the Jewish people thousands of years ago, we too are faced with enemies who
explicitly state that their goal is to wipe us of the face of the planet. In fact, the Haggadah tells us that in every
generation we are faced with people who long to destroy us and Hashem saves us from their hands. Unfortunately,
recently it has not been a ‫מחשבה כמעשה‬, but we have witnessed the action itself. May we merit to the ultimate salvation
that comes from Hashem.

‫והכיתי כל בכור‬...‫ ועברתי בארץ מצרים‬- Rav Edelstein, Bnei Brak

The term ‫" ועברתי‬and I will pass" implies that the mitzriyim were not all killed simultaneously but one after another as
Hashem passed through Mitzrayim. Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin zt"l asks is if all the mitzriyim dies at chatzos, how could
the term "‫ "ועברתי‬apply, they all dies simultaneously? Rav Diskin explains that technically Chatzos does not hit every
place at the same time. Rather chatzos hits every subsequent spot at successive milliseconds. This is what "‫"ועברתי‬
means. That Hashem passed through mitzrayim with chatzos at each spot to kill each mitzi at his personal chatzos.

Rashi on the posuk "‫ "ועברתי‬explains that it is like a king passing through and all the mitzriyim died in one second. The
question on Rashi is that it would appear that Rav Diskin is correct that every point in space has its own chatzos? Rav
Edelstein explains that when Moshe originally comes to ‫ פרעה‬he warns him that if he does not let Hashem's bechor (the
bnei yisroel) go, Hashem will strike his bechor. The implication here is that it was in part a punishment incurred by ‫פרעה‬
for not letting the bnei yisroel go. As such we can suggest that all the mitzriyim dies at chatzos as determined by ‫פרעה‬
space since he was the impetus for this punishment

Korbanos – Shai Shechter as heard from Rav Herschel Shechter

When talking about bringing the requisite korbanos in the near future IYH we say "asher yagiya Damam el kir
hamizbeach". The term yagiya is a passive term meaning the blood will reach the mizbeach. Why not use the more
active term saying we will place the blood on the mizbeach? My father, Rav Herschel Shechter shlita, explains that
there was the korbon pesach and chagiga brought on erev Pesach one of which requires sheficha (pouring) the other
of which requires zerikah (throwing). We therefore use the generic term "yagiya" that incorporates both Sheficha and
Zerika.

‫ פסח‬Matzah Marror - Rabbi Horowitz

We all know the 3 mitzvos that must be mentioned on seder night. What seems puzzling is the order. Marror, which
symbolizes the bitter slavery, is mentioned last. Chronologically the servitude happened first, so why do we wait till after
the ‫ פסח‬and Matzah, symbolisms of freedom, to eat/mention the Marror?

When Moshe asks Hashem be shown His glory, Hashem tells Moshe that he cannot see His face for no man can see
Hashem's face and live. Moshe is granted the ability to see Hashem's back. This can be explained in the following
manner. It is impossible to see Hashem's ways while events are unfolding but in hindsight it can be evident how
everything Hashem did was for the good. In the story of Purim for instance, all the wealth and power that Haman
accumulated seemed like a disaster for the Jews but when it was all transferred to Mordechai and Esther, it became
apparent how every single act that was perceived as difficult was in fact in our best interests.
Therefore when it comes to Marror we can not eat the Marror before we have experienced the freedom of the ‫ פסח‬and
Matzah. Once we have experienced the cheirus we can reflect on the servitude with 20/20 hindsight and appreciate
how every bit of the shibud was in our interest.

‫ פסח‬Matzah Marror – as heard from Rav Eytan Feiner

Another answer to the above question is from Rab Yaakov Milisa the author of the famed Nesivos Hamishpat. He
explains that had the order been Maror Pesach Matzah it would be highlighting our escape from physical slavery. What
we are really highliting this evening is our elevation from slaves of Paroah to willing servants of Hashem , a spiritual
elevation of the highest proportions.We eat the matzah first to show that the ikar was to renew ourselves spiritually. The
Satmar Rav was fond of saying that yestzias mitzrayim means getting the proverbial “mitrayim” out of you. We left
Egypt in an instant but it took 40 yrs of traveling in the desert to rid ourselves of Egyptian culture. The Arizal notes that
pesach matzah maror has the same gematria as kira satan-729

‫רבי יהודה היה נותן בהם סימנים דצ“ך עד“ש באח“ב‬. " Ephraim Lowy

Rabbi Yehuda abbreviated the Makkos by their acronym ‫דצ“ך עד“ש באח“ב‬. While chazal often use simanim as a
memory tool, we must question the prominence the Haggadah gives this particular pneumonic. Furthermore, the
Avudraham quotes a medrash that says that these three words were actually imprinted into the saphire staff that Moshe
used. Certainly Moshe did not need a memory aid to remember these Makkos. So why the focus on these Roshei
Teivos?

What emerges from these sources was that the Makkos were actually three subsets within the ten ‫מכות‬, ‫דצ“ך עד“ש‬
‫באח“ב‬. The first set of three Makkos was a complete set as well as the following two sets. What made each of these
three complete sets?

Before we answer this question let us bring some more evidence that they are in fact groups of three. If we look closely
we will find parallels within the three sets as well as within the first second and third of each set. The first parallel we
find is that Moshe is commanded to get up early and stand before ‫ פרעה‬by only three of the Makkos. Sure enough it is
by ‫דם‬, ‫ערוב‬, and ‫ ;ברד‬the first in each set of three. By each of these three Makkos Moshe stands before ‫ פרעה‬and
makes a proclamation. By Dam Moshe is commanded to stand before ‫ פרעה‬and proclaim ‫"למען תידע כי אני השם‬. By
Arov, Moshe proclaims "‫"למען תידע כי אני ה' בקרב הארץ‬. By Barad Moshe proclaims " ‫למען תידע כי אני ה' בקרב‬
‫"הארץ‬. It is as if Moshe makes a proclamation before each set that will cover the entire set.

The second Makkah in each set follows a pattern as well., Moshe is commanded "‫"בא אל פרעה‬. by the second
Makkah in each set. ‫צפרדע‬, ‫דבר‬, and ‫ ארבה‬are all prefaced with ‫( " בא אל פרעה‬come to ‫ ) פרעה‬and not the more
logical "‫( "לך אל פרעה‬go to ‫) פרעה‬. The inference here is that Moshe has already gone to ‫ פרעה‬with his message but
must now come back and intensify that warning.

The third Makkah in each set has its own characteristics as well. The only three Makkos that are not preceded by any
warning at all nor any request to let the Jewish people go are the third Makkah in each set; ‫כינים‬, ‫שחין‬, ‫חשך‬. Each of
these three merely happens without any proclamation or warning. It is as if the third Makkah in each set follows
naturally from the first two.

What are these three sets? Rav Gedalia Schor explains that the ten Makkos correspond to the Ten Mamaros with which
the world was created. The world that Hashem created with ten mamaros was perverted by the Egyptians and their
polytheistic beliefs. With the ten Makkos, Hashem was deliberately peeling the mask of nature and showing that there is
one and only one Hashem and everything in creation is an expression of His oneness. The Makkos correspond to the
mamaros in inverse order. If the first of the ten Mamaros is Bereishis, than the tenth Makkah is Makas Bechoros, cutting
of the first born. The second to last Makkah is Choshech cooresponding to the second Mamar yehi ohr. Through these
ten makkos Hashem demonstrated to all that He created the world and remains in charge of everything in it.

The Sefer Yetzirah explains that everything in creation can be grouped into three categories, ‫עולם‬, ‫שנה‬, ‫ נפש‬. We will
loosely translate these as Physical Matter, Living Organisms, and Time. Armed with this information we can suggest that
the three subsets of the Makkos correspond to these three subsets of creation. The first group corresponded to physical
matter. The first group of three were all performed by Aharon and performed with the staff. While Moshe is the one
who speaks to Hashem and receives the Torah, Aharon is more involved with the spirituality within the physical world
such as bringing peace and harmony between fellow men. As such Aharon is chosen to perform this set of Makkos
which deals with the most worldly matters of creation; physical matter of creation. The first two Makkos were performed
on the water and in the third Aharon was commanded to hit the earth. Sure enough water makes up two thirds of this
earth. “'‫”למען תידע כי אני ה‬
The second set of Makkos corresponds to living matter. Wild Animals, Plague and Boils all demonstrate Hashem’s
dominion over living creatures. ‫”למען תידע כי אני ה' בקרב הארץ‬
The third set correspond to Hashem’s dominon over time and the heavenly bodies that govern time. Rabi Eytan Feiner
has an amazing essay in which he details how the main deity the Egyptians served in their polytheistic religion was Ra,
the Sun God. It follows that the third set of Makkos would center around the sun, culminating in ‫ חשך‬a complete
blockage of the sun. ‫ברד‬, hail descending from the sky is preceded by Moshe making a mark in the wall and
proclaiming when the “sun” reaches this point tomorrow the Makkah will begin. The ‫ ארבה‬cover the “horizon of the
land”. The focus of the third set is time and the heavenly bodies, most notably the sun.

There is much more to write on this and I encourage the reader to find additional parallels. The tenth and final Makkah
contains elements of all three sets (more precisely the first makkah of the first set, second of the second set, and the
third of the third set).The Makkos were all about gilui shechinah, revealing Hashem’s prescence in the world. In a more
natural order of the world, the job of gilui shecinah falls to us as Hashem’s emissaries. We are on this world to reveal
His prescence in the world through our torah and Mitzvohs. May we all be zocheh to do this and bring Moshiach
Tzidkeinu bimheirah biyameinu.

Frogs Legs, a Delicate Situation not a Delicacy- Ezie Bryks

We read in the book of Daniel of how Nevuchadnezar set up a gigantic idol in the valley of Dura, and commanded
that on a given signal all the assembled people should prostrate themselves before it or be put to death. So as the
signal was sounded , all the people, young and old, men and women, Gentile and even Jews, all bowed down before
the idol, except for three men who refused to bow, Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah. So Nevuchadnezar ordered that
that they be thrown in a fiery furnace; but miraculously they were not burned at all and emerged from the furnace
unscathed.

The Gemara in ‫פסח‬im makes the following observation regarding this episode; From where did Chananiah, Mishael
and Azariah learn to prefer to be thrown into the furnace rather than bow down to the idol? They learned it the
Gemara says from the frogs in Egypt who filled the homes of the Egyptians and entered even into their ovens, as the
Torah says. For Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah reasoned that if the frogs who were not commanded to sanctify
Hashems name, were willing to enter into the ovens of Egypt to fulfill Hashems will, than we, who are commanded in
the Mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem, certainly ought to be willing to let ourselves be thrown into the furnace rather than
desecrate Hashem’s name by bowing to the idol.

The Sa’agas Aryeh asks a question on the Gemara and says this is not so. Moshe Rabbeinu clearly said that the frogs
would enter your homes, your ovens, and your kneading troughs. Clearly the frogs were commanded!?The Gra at the
young age of 7 years old gave the following answer.“True”, he said, “the frogs were commanded to enter, among
other places, the ovens of the Egyptians. However each individual frog was not given a specific mission. The frogs as a
whole were commanded to go in Paraoh’s home, into his bedroom, into his bed, into the houses of his servants and of
his people, and into the ovens and the dough. But there was nothing to stop any particular frog from choosing to go
into Paraoh’s bedroom or bed, and letting some other frog go jump in an oven!”
Therefore those frogs that jumped into the hot ovens (if we can say such a thing about frogs) did so voluntarily. From
this Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah took their cue.

Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah were in a dilemma - Nevuchadnezar’s statue was not intended to be Avodah Zarah.
He had sent at that time Daniel and Yechezkel away, so they had no one to consult. Was this an actual case of “Harog
V’al Yaavor”? Was this a situation to risk their lives over? To make a Kiddush Hashem? Especially since “everyone else
was willing to follow Nevuchadnezar’s rules for bowing down”?

The answer came from the frogs in Egypt. While frogs in general have no Becheira or singular thought process, here in
Egypt they clearly did. Each one could have chosen which part of Moshe Rabbienu’s instructions to follow leaving the
more dangerous duty to others. While no single frog could have been faulted here for not going into the hot ovens, the
Chillul Hashem would have still been the same. In response certain frogs were “Moser Nefesh” and in their Schar they
also survived and a Chillul Hashem was averted.

In an interesting parallel, when Hashem told Avrom Avienu - “your children will be strangers in a land that is not their
own” Egypt was not specifically mentioned. Egypt as a whole and each individual Egyptian had a choice not to enslave
Klall Yisroel. Since they all had a choice they were all liable.

So, too, since the frogs had a choice they were rewarded. While the other frogs died and rotted away creating a foul
stench throughout Egypt, these frogs did not die. Their lives were spared. (Medarsh Tehillim Klie Yakar). They chose to
use their temporary Bechira to be “Mekadesh Shem Shamayim” and to show Paraoh how far they were willing to
sacrifice to do Hashem’s will. Therefore their lives were spared as a reward and as a lesson for Paraoh to see learn
from.

Barad and Natural Order - Pinchas Gershon Waxman

The Posuk says that when the Makkah of ‫ ברד‬ended, “‫”ומטר לא ניתך ארצה‬. Rashi explains that even the ‫ ברד‬in the sky did
not fall to the ground. This is in stark contrast to the frogs that remained in piles even after they died. Why the
difference? All the other Makkos were extreme manifestations of things we see in nature. We find blood, frogs, lice, etc.
Although the Makkah consisted of these natural signs in greater intensity, they were natural nonetheless. The Barad was
made of fire and water mixed together, a ‫נס בתוך נס‬, ( a miracle within a miracle) something that does not occur in
nature.

Therefore when its time was up, it ceased immediately with no remnant whatsoever. This may also be why Makkas
Barad is the only Makkah that Moshe gave the precise time when it will start by marking a spot on the wall and saying
when the sun reaches this point tomorrow the Makkah will begin. Since it was completely beyond the realm of nature it
started and stopped at a precise moment without any carry over to the natural order

First Do then Ask - Shabse Fuchs

Rabbi Ferber asks that in the hagada it says ‫ פסח מצה ומרור שאנו אוכלים על שום מה‬- the words ‫שאנו אוכלים‬- seem
superfluous don't we know that we eat these items.

The answer is that when Hhashem gave us the torah we said naase vnishma- we will do - and then we will hear. First
we will perform the action, and then we will understand.

In the hagadda when the chacham asks his question it says ‫כי ישאלך בנך מחר‬- why machar- because today we DO-
tomorrow is when we ask. Going back to the original question- we say ‫פסח‬, matza, umaror sheanu ochlim- first we do
the action, first we eat, and only after al shum ma - do we explore the action. Many times we don't understand but we
know whatever Hashem asks of us, we can do.

RACHTZAH
MOTZEI MATZAH
Matza and Mun - Andy Lauber

The gemorah in ‫ קדושין ל"ח עמוד ב‬explains that the remnants of matzah that bnei yisroel had in the midbar the taste of
man. What's the connection between man and matzah? Reb Tzadok explains that the Mun was given in small portions
and satisfied but never filled them up fully like lechem oni, matzah, which satisfies with a small portion. We know that
the torah was only given to the ‫אוכלי המן‬, for torah is ‫ פס במלך תוכל‬and also requires simplicity, ‫עניבות‬.

The matzah had the taste of the ‫ מן‬bruchniyus and this is why on ‫ פסח‬we are judged on the grain for the coming year.
Only once you understand the lessons of the matazah/man can one daven for his own grain as its only through the
anevus of the lechem oni does one realize how dependent he is on the chesed of hashem for his own grain.

Matza and Ratzon- Reb Moshe Stark

The Arizal teaches us on the Possuk ‘‫ ’ולא יכלו להתממה‬that had Klal Yisroel stayed one more second they would have ‫חס‬
‫ ושלום‬entered the fifiteith level of tumah from which there was no exit, no possibility of geulah.

The Eretz Tzvi asks, what was the difference between those that perished during ‘shloishes yemay afaila’ and those that
made it out?

He says we have to look at the mitvahs of Achilas Matza and Moror. First, why do we eat Matzah twice? And also why
do we eat Matzah before the Moror, first should go moror kneged the shibud and then matzah kneged the geulah?
So he brings a Ramban, who says that the eitz haddas prodecuded wheat. The ikar of the Eitz Hadaas was it created
Rotzon of ‘tov and ra’ in a person. So we see that, wheat, creates Rotzon in a person. Adiitionally we know that eating
Moror is moitzee us from all the yissurim of golus for the whole year. But that only works if we believe it B’emes and
have a true rotzon for it to be that way.

Says the Eretz Tzvi, thats why we need to eat matzah twice, first the Lachem Oni that kashers our retzonos. Then we can
eat moror the right way and only then can we eat the Matzah of Geulah.

Even in ‘Ra’ there are 2 levels. One is someone who is ‘ra’ but wants to be better. Worse is someone who is
comfortable with his matzav, no desire for change. This, says the Eretz Tzvi, was the difference between those that
perished during ‘shloishes yemay afaila’ and those that made it out?The latter had true Rtzonos to be Nigal.
Along the same line of thinking the Degel Yehudah says that we know that that the Chazer will be kosher L’osid Lovo,
that’s why it’s called chazer from loshon chozer lakashrus. And he asks, of all the tomay animals why davkah the
chazer? So he answers that the chazer sticks out his front feet so show you that they are kosher. The chazer has a
Rotzon to kasher himself, he is not comfortable with his tumah, and this is why he will be kashered L’osid Lovo.
Along the same line of thinking, the Chidushay Harim says on the first Loshon of Geula, Vhoitzasee eschem metachas
sivlois mitzrayim’ that this means Hashem will take us out of the ability to be ‘Soivel mitzrayim’. That we will no longer
be able to tolerate the tumah of mitzrayim and that’s the ikar geulah, the geulas ha‫ נשמה‬.
And this says the Ishbitzer is pshat in the Gemoro ‘Ain eved yochol livroach me’mitzrayim’. Not because there was such
good security, but rather the koiach hatumah, the propaganda was so great that you didn’t get it. Instead of seeing
avdus and 49 sharay tumah you mamesh thought you were in the best possible place with absolutely no rotzon to leave.

And this says the Lubavicher Rebbe Tz’l is the 5th son. He doesn’t care enough to show up. That is the ultimate level of
chosech. No rotzon .
On the holy Lail Haseder the RBS’O gives us the ability to have seder in our lives, to examine and refresh our Rtzoinois,
to be boicher
batov, to be true ‘bnay chorin’. Yehi Rotzon sh’nizku
The Time for Baking Matzah - Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone

Lets take a moment to speak about the concept of Matza – Many of us are familiar with the obligation to finish eating
our Matza by Chatzot – when does our Matza need to be made (baked)?

In order to answer this question, we have to have the basics down.

On Pesach there is an obvious problem with Chametz and as it is yom tov there is also an obligation of Seuda. The
compromise is that we make Motzei and have our Seudahs on Matza. However on the Seder Night(s) there is an
additional obligation to have Matza Shel Mitzva. This isn’t just non-chametz bread but is rather a critical part of our
mitzvah obligation for the seder evening. Why do we eat the Matzo? A) Either because this is the matza that we made
because we were in a rush to leave Egypt, or B) because this is the bread of affliction it reminds us of our challenging
times as avadim in Egypt.

This duality (that matza is both the food of avdus as well as of cheirus) may strengthen our original question – we all
know that the we must finish eating Matza by chatzos because the matza in this evenings seder takes the place of the
korban pesach and the korban pesach needed to be completed by chatzos. What is far less known is the Yerushalmi
which states that if we are willing to compare the Matza to the Korban Pesach as far as when the Matza needs to be
eaten by, why don’t we also require that the matza be made (baked) at the time that the korban pesach was made
(offered) as well. In fact the Yerushalmi argues that one who doesn’t have Matza made on the 14th of Nissan after
Chatzos (midday) cannot fulfill the Mitzva of Matza Seder night. The Mishna Brura writes that the reason that the vast
majority of us do not bake our matzas after midday on the 14th of Nissan is because it violates our halachic
risk/reward equation.

The Mishna Brura writes that although it is a beautiful and meaningful idea to make our Matzas in the corresponding
time that the Korban pesach would have been brought but that benefit comes with a major potential risk, you can get
stuck with chametz after the zman biyur.

Why is the ideal (in the perfect world) time for Matza for the sake of Mitzva to be made after Chatzos? Not only does
that then make the mitzvah of matza more closely linked to the mitzvah of korban Pesach, but it also links the creation
of Matza to the absence of chametz, I believe if we look at that more carefully that additional link is not coincidental. In
order to understand why Matza can only become Matza Shel Mitzvah in the complete absence of Chametz, one needs
a better understanding of Mitzrayim. Egypt was a place without Tzura, without shape, without restrictions. In fact more
than the cows, they worshiped magic, they worshiped the ability to manipulate nature. When Moshe approached Paroh
for the first time, he was practically laughed out of town, his magic wasn’t any better than the rest of the “magicians” in
Paroh’s house. You can see that Hashem’s taking us out of Egypt wasn’t merely the leaving of the land, but also trying
to remove this feeling that we had become indoctrinated with that there are no rules, there are no gvulos etc. This can
be seen many different places, perhaps the most interesting is the makos. The first Makka is turning the water to blood.
Water by definition is the fungible, it is flexible there are no borders and no restrictions as to where it goes.

Manipulating the water could have been perceived as a neat “trick” by the sophisticated Egyptians, in contrast to the
last makka. The last makka was the death of the first-born; there is nothing more concrete, finite then death. This
wasn’t a trick this was as they say “business”. It was less critical to show the Egyptians but more important to
demonstrate to the Jewish people that the world of Hashem is a world both with infinite possibilities, yet with definite
borders. It is for this reason that the first Mitzva that the Jewish people received was that of Rosh Chodesh, which is
really the Mitzva of time. This is Matza – it cant bake for more than 18 minutes, after that not only is it not able to be
used for the mitzvah but you cant even posses it, and you shouldn’t even be able to see it. Chametz, bake it a little
longer and instead of chewy chocolate chip cookies you now have crispier cookies, to each their own. And that is really
the essence of Chametz, to each their own. This is why the Matza shel Mitzva needs to be created in an atmosphere
devoid of Chametz.
 MAROR
What's so Bitter about Romaine Lettuce ? - Rabbi Twerski

Many Poskim today say that we should use Romaine lettuce for Maror. What is so bitter about romaine? The Meforshim
say, that if you would let the lettuce stay in the ground a little longer, it would become bitter. So initially it is not, but if
you would wait a little longer, it would become bitter. The Mitzriyim enslaved us ‫העבודת פרך‬, which the Meforshim say
means, ‫פה רך‬, with a soft sweet tone.

They did not immediately put us in to hard work. ‫ פרעה‬himself started working with the bricks himself, and they said,
look how respectful this work is. And then they got the Jews to do hard work. So initially they got them to work in a
sweet way and then later they made the work a bitter enslavement. That is the nature of Maror, it is not necessarily
bitter to begin with, it can be very sweet to being with. But if it is going to turn into something bitter, you have to know
that it is Maror even when it is sweet. That is true with every addiction.

The person who starts off using drugs, no problem, it is a pleasant feeling, it is great. But what about the end? It is
bitter. Chazal are telling us that there can be things that seem to be very sweet, but what we have to do is look toward
the end and see that they are really bitter. We have to be especially careful with Marror because Marror and Maves
have the same numerical value, sometimes something sweet can result in death.

One Step Back Two Steps Forward - Leiby Burnham- Marror

Of all the mitzvos associated with the seder, the mitzvah of eating marror seems the most out of place. On a
night when we commemorate all the good things Ha-shem did for us, why do we physically remind ourselves of the
painful bitterness our ancestors endured in Egypt? And furthermore, what is the idea behind the korech sandwich, in
which we eat marror and matzah together? It seems like it could be called the Sandwich of Cognitive Dissonance, as it
combines the matzah that represents our redemption with the marror that represents our bitter servitude.
The standard answer usually provided to these questions is that at the Seder we incorporate signs of both the
bad that originally happened to our people, and the good that followed it. However, the Sfas Emess (1847-1905), the
third Rebbe of the Gerrer dynasty, uses a novel approach to understand these customs. He explains that on the Seder
night, the night of national gratitude to G-d for our miraculous redemption, we only commemorate the good things
that happened to us. But it is on this night that we understand that our bitter servitude in Egypt was actually a good
thing for which we should feel grateful.
The first positive aspect of our slavery was that it prevented our assimilation. Usually, when a small group of
people move to a foreign land with a foreign culture, it takes only a few generations before they lose their identity and
become lost in the melting pot of their new homeland. The United States is a great example of this phenomenon - most
people who have been here for a hundred years or more have melted in, and lost their original language, customs,
dress, and, often, even religion in the process. It is in this manner that entire civilizations have disappeared, from the
Babylonians, to the Ancient Greeks and Romans. The Jews were in Egypt for over two hundred years, yet they retained
their identity because they were not welcomed warmly, but were placed in servitude, an effective, albeit bitter, form of
nationality preservative.
Furthermore, says the Sfas Emess, it was during this time that the Jews learned the power of their prayers. “And
the children of Israel groaned from the labor, and they cried out, and their cry ascended to G-d from the labor.”
(Exodus 2:23) Learning the power of our communication with the divine was an unparalleled gift, as it gave us a skill
that to this day is the most powerful tools in our national toolbox.
Lastly, the difficulties we experienced in Egypt were effective at purifying us for our future role as the Chosen
People. “But the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron crucible, out of Egypt, to be a people of His possession,
as of this day.” (Deut. 4:20).
This verse compares our experience in Egypt to the tempering of iron. Although the iron is subjected to extremely high
temperatures, it emerges from the process significantly stronger than before. In this way, the bitter slavery in Egypt
purified the Jewish people, humbling them and preparing them to become Ha-shem’s people upon their exodus. Using
these new perspectives, we now realize that on the Seder night we actually thank Ha-shem for the bitter slavery as much
as we thank him for the miraculous redemption.
The Sfas Emess takes this idea one step further by using it to explain the korech sandwich. The roots for this
custom go all the way back to the Torah itself. “They shall eat it with matzos and bitter herbs.” (Numbers 9:11) But the
lesson it teaches us is just as relevant today as it was 3,319 years ago when we left Egypt. The korech sandwich, which
is made of matzah and marror together, shows us that Ha-shem is just as much involved in the marror as He is in the
matzah. Just as we understand that He orchestrated the wondrous exodus on our behalf, we also acknowledge that He
orchestrated the bitter slavery on our behalf.
Although we normally have great difficulty intuiting this truth when faced with difficulties, we can often look back
and recognize how so many of our greatest challenges were not stumbling blocks, but steps placed in our path to help
us climb higher. On the Seder night we thank Ha-shem for every part of our growth, both the matzah and the marror.

KOREICH

Koreich: Wrapping Ourselves in Destiny-Dr Yitzchak Belizon

The final ritual before the Seder meal is koreich whereby the matza and marror are joined together. We follow this act
with a statement elucidating this custom’s origin, namely, with the great sage, Hillel, who performed this practice during
the time of the second Beis HaMikdash.

But much about this custom is perplexing. Whereas all other steps during the Seder - kadesh, urchatz, and magid, for
example - do not state the reason for its performance, the Haggada clearly links koreich to Hillel, who “ ‫היה כורך מצה‬
‫”ומרור ואוכל ביחד‬.

Even more perplexing is the adoption of Hillel’s practice, though the halacha isn’t in accordance with his opinion.
Hillel’s contemporaries did not wrap the matza together with marror and korban ‫פסח‬, but ate the separately – a practice
clearly supported by the Rambam. Why, then, do we perform an act of commemoration of the Beis HaMikdash, when
upon its reconstruction in the future, koreich will not be in force? Hillel’s source for the practice ‫"על מצות ומרורים יאכלוהו‬
"(‫יא‬:‫ )במדבר ט‬appears to be taken out of context, as it refers to those participating in ‫ פסח‬Sheini. Why then, is Hillel’s
source for koreich – which deals with ‫ פסח‬Rishon – based on a pasuk dealing with ‫ פסח‬Sheini?

To answer these questions, perhaps we might explore the meaning of koreich in a novel and innovative way.Though
our mood at the Seder table is one of celebration, our sense of elation is tempered by our realization that without the
Beis HaMikdash we are unable to perform the festival’s central mitzvah of korban ‫פסח‬. Hence, our placement of a
burnt egg on the Seder plate as a symbol of mourning. The sage Avudraham, in his correlation between ‫ פסח‬and Tisha
B’Av, noted that the latter always fell on the same day of the week as the Seder. As the Seder finally approaches its
pinnacle, shulchan orech, we remind ourselves of our collective void - the fallen Beis HaMikdash. By quoting Hillel, we
tell those truly experiencing the sense of loss over the Beis HaMikdash, to be like Hillel.

There is a fascinating Midrash Rabba (Emor 30:14) linking the ‫ ד' מינים‬on Succos with the three
main elements of the ‫ פסח‬Seder: ‫פסח‬, matza and marror. We know that on Succos the various
minim, bound together, represent the different types of Jews, united as one.

In his commentary to the Haggada, ‫בית היין‬, Rabbi Meir Yehudah Leibish of Turka (Poland) extends this interpretation to
koreich. “The 3 minim… allude to the three categories of Jews. The Korban ‫ פסח‬represents the accomplished ‫צדיקים‬.
Marror represents the symbol of evil, as its gematria is equivalent to 446, or the Hebrew letters ‫מות‬, which means death.
The Gemara (Brachos 18b) says, “‫רשעים בחייהם נקראים מתים‬.” Matza, the antithesis of chametz, represents the middle
class, the "‫ "בינונים‬who succeed in abstaining from evil and aspire to accomplish good. Based on the Midrash Rabba
and the interpretation of the ‫בית היין‬, it would appear that by wrapping the matza and marror together and dipping it
into the sweet charoset, we are cementing a bond amongst our people. Care and love for each other is the essence of
the whole Torah. The Gemara (Yuma 9b) teaches that the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed because of ‫שנאת חנם‬. Only
‫ אהבת חנם‬will bring about its return. Hillel not only espoused this philosophy of togetherness, but incorporated its
symbolic value into the Seder by wrapping together the ‫פסח‬, matza, and marror.

It is for this reason that we follow the act of koreich with an unprecedented qualifier; for it enables us to draw Hillel,
and what he believed was the very foundation of ‫כל התורה כולה‬, to the epicenter of the Seder. Only by introducing the
great proponent of ‫אחדות‬, Hillel, who said, “What is disliked to you do not do unto others,” may we appreciate the
missing element that stands between Am Yisrael and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash. When one truly understands
the concept of unity, k’Hillel, as the underpinning of the Torah, will the Beis HaMikdash be rebuilt. This would re-
establish ‫ פסח‬Sheini and enable us to partake in this mitzvah the following month. Hence we quote the statement from
the Torah regarding ‫ פסח‬Sheini, in conjunction with Hillel’s statement, to demonstrate our genuine longing for the
restoration of the Beis HaMikdash.

How ironic that only weeks before ‫ פסח‬the sainted Gerrer Rebbe, Rabbi Pinchas Menachem Alter, ‫זצ"ל‬, issued a ‫כל‬
Koreh to ‫ כלל ישראל‬to unify themselves, shortly before his passing.
This was Hillel’s message in the Haggada. May we all be ‫ זוכה‬to realize a true sense of unity among our people, which
will bring about the return of our Beis HaMikdah ‫ אמן‬,‫במהרה בימינו‬

SHULCHAN ORECH

‫ פסח‬and Tisha Ba'av? Eggscellent Insights - Andy Lauber

R' Tzadok Ha‫ כהן‬explains a beautiful Yesod of Yitzias Mizraim. We have an egg on the seder plate which represents the
mourning of 17 of ‫תם‬uz and tisha b'av, the churbanos. What does this have to do with yitzas mitzraim? In ‫ סימן תרע"ו‬the
‫ מחבר‬states that the 1st day of ‫פסח‬, the day of the week, will always be the exact same day as tisha ba'av and 17th of
‫תם‬uz. The obvious question is why? What does ‫ פסח‬have to do with Tisha ba'av and 17th of ‫תם‬uz?
The idea R' Tzadok explains is that both Tisha Ba'av and 17th of ‫תם‬uz are seemingly the two worst days in our
history, the destruction of the ‫ בית המקדש‬and the breaking of the luchos. However, when we look at what happened at
that time in truth Hashem was being makdim the refuah to the makah. On the 17th of ‫תם‬uz we know the luchos were
‫‪' (thank you Moshe for breaking‬ישר כח משה ששברתם' ‪broken, but we also know the gemarah in shabbos that tells us,‬‬
‫‪them) why? Explains r' Tzadok because we were now zoche to torah shbal peh which will carry us throughout our Galus‬‬
‫‪to Mashiach. The Medrash in Eicha tells us that Moshiach will be born on Tisha B’aav. At the point of destruction when‬‬
‫‪seemingly it’s all over, Hashem will place into the briah an amazing Yeshoua, a Refuah when it seems all there is, is a‬‬
‫‪Makah.‬‬
‫‪When Klal Yisroel came to Mitzraim the Gemorah in Sotah explains something amazing, Yocheved, the‬‬
‫‪mother of their savior (Moshe) was born Bain Hachomos! They didn't even enter into Mitzraim and Hashem was already‬‬
‫‪preparing the Geulah! This koach was instilled by Yitzias Mitzraim, we were able to look back and put all the pieces‬‬
‫‪together and see complete yad hashem, able to realize that He is always placing refuahs for all of our makahs. When‬‬
‫‪Moshiach comes Bemhaira Byamenu we will sing a new Shira, a personal Shira as Hashem will remove the veil and all‬‬
‫‪will see how everything in our lives was always Yad Hashem‬‬

‫)‪TZAFUN(AFIKOMAN‬‬
‫‪BARECH‬‬
‫‪HALLEL‬‬

‫‪Rabbi Yitzchok Knobel- Rosh Kollel-Yeshiva Gedolah Five Towns‬‬

‫בענין קריעת ים סוף‬
‫חזל השתמשו בלשון "קשין" כקריעת ים סוף‪ ,‬בענין זיווג )סוטה ב‪ (.‬וקשין לזווגן כקריעת ים סוף‪ ,‬וכן לענין פרנסה אמרו )פסחים קיח‪(.‬‬

‫קשין מזונותיו של אדם כקריעת ים סוף‪ ,‬והקושיא ידועה‪ ,‬דאיך יתכן לומר על הקב''ה ח'ו‪ ,‬שאיזה דבר קשה עליו לעשות‪ .‬ובזוה''ק פר'‬

‫בשלח מביא מאמרי החכמים הנ''ל‪ ,‬ומקשיה הקושיא‪ .‬ומתרץ‪ ,‬דהקושי היה למצוא זכות לבני ישראל שיקרע להם הים‪ ,‬דידוע שהיו‬

‫נתונם בדין באותה שעה‪ ,‬ולכן כתב ויסע מלאך האלקים – לשון דין‪ ,‬כפרש''י‪ ,‬ולבסןף מצא הקב''ה להם זכותו של אברהם אבינו‪,‬‬

‫כדכתיב וישב הים לפנות בקר לאיתנו‪ ,‬איתן זה אברהם‪ ,‬ולפנות בקר שאז גדולה זכותו‪ ,‬כנגד וישכם אברהם בבקר‪ ,‬ועל דרך זה‬

‫מפרש הקושי בזיווג‪ ,‬שמתנה הגדולה של זיווג הראוי צריך האדם להיות זוכה לה‪ ,‬ואין נקל למצוא לו הזכות‪ .‬וכן הוא במזונותיו של‬

‫אדם‪ ,‬וכבר אמרו חז''ל שיוצאת בת קול ואומרת כל העולם ניזון בשביל חנינא בני‪ ,‬כי רק העובד הקב''ה כראוי נותן הדין להספיק לו‬

‫מזונותיו כדי שיוכל להמשיך לעבוד‪ ,‬אבל מי שאינו פועל כראוי‪ ,‬הן מצד חסרון קיום המצוה או מצד מעשה עבירה‪ ,‬במה יש לו לבקש‬

‫מזונו מהקב''ה‪ .‬ולכן‪ ,‬בכל אדם פרטי אין קל למצוא זכות מספקת למזונותיו‪.‬‬

‫והנה‪ ,‬דברי הזוה'ק דהזכות שעמדה אז לישראל היא של אברהם אבינו אינו מה שמורגל בפינו‪ ,‬אלא הידוע הוא מה שדרשו חז''ל הים‬

‫ראה וינס‪ ,‬מה ראה‪ ,‬ארונו של יוסף‪ ,‬בזכות וינס החוצה הים ראה וינס‪ .‬בהשקפה ראשונה אין נראה קשר ישר בין שני הענינים‪ ,‬ואמנם‬

‫לכשנעמיק נמצאנו‪.‬‬

‫במשך חכמה פר' בא )יב' פ' כב'( על הפסוק "ואתם לא תצאו איש מפתח ביתו עד בקר" מאריך להדגיש שבני ישראל במצרים‪ ,‬אף‬

‫שבגופי תורה כגון עבודה זרה ומילה היו במצב ירוד‪ ,‬אבל עניני הסייגים שמרו היטב‪ ,‬כידוע שלא שינו שמם ולשונם ובגדיהם‪ .‬והוא‬
 ‫מאריך שם להורות שקיום בני ישראל בגלות תלוי בשמירת הסייגים‪ ,‬ומבאר שמצינו באברהם אבינו שנשתבח ב‪-‬וישמר משמרתי‪,‬‬

‫כדדרשו חז''ל והובא ברש'י )פר' תולדות( שניות לעריות ושבות לשבת‪ ,‬ועוד‪.‬‬

‫והנה‪ ,‬בראש ספר איוב יש שקלא וטריא בין הקב''ה והשטן‪ ,‬כביכול‪ ,‬וכמבואר במס' בבא בתרא )טו‪ ,(:‬שהשטן אמר שלא מצא בכל‬

‫הארץ צדיק כאברהם אבינו‪ ,‬והקב''ה ענה – השמת לבך אל עבדי איוב‪ ,‬וגו‪ ,‬והשטן עומד בשלו שאברהם אבינו עדיף ממנו‪ ,‬עד שמקבל‬

‫רשות לנסות את איוב‪ .‬ואחד מראיות השטן על מעלת אברהם אבינו‪ ,‬כדאמר רבא שם )טז‪ ,(.‬הוא מה שאיוב אמר ברית כרתי לעיני‬

‫ומה אתבונן על בתולה‪ ,‬ואברהם אפילו בדידה לא אסתכל‪ ,‬כדכתיב הנה נא ידעתי כי אשה יפת מראה את‪ .‬נמצא שהשטן שהיה הולך‬

‫ומגדל מעלתו של אברהם היה משבח מה ששמר סייג לעברה‪.‬‬

‫ובזה‪ ,‬אומר במשך חכמה‪ ,‬יובן מש''כ בשמות רבה )פ' כא'( שכשעמד הס''מ )בעת שעמדו על הים( ואמר בניך היו עובדי ע''ז עד‬

‫עכשיו‪ ,‬וכו‪ ,‬מה עשה הקב''ה מסר לו‪ .‬איוב כלומר‪ ,‬שהשטן בעצמו הוא ששבח מעלת הסייגים ושזאת העיקר‪ ,‬וא''כ כיון שבני ישראל‬

‫הצטיינו בזה במצרים‪ ,‬כנ''ל‪ ,‬יש להצילם‪.‬‬

‫ובענין יוסף הצדיק‪ ,‬הביאור הרגיל הוא שהזכות היא מה שעמד בנסיון הנורא ולא נכשל בעברה עם אשת אדוניו‪ .‬אמנם‪ ,‬העיר מרן‬

‫הג''ר משה פיינשטיין‪ ,‬זצ''ל‪ ,‬דלפי''ז אין מדוייק הלימוד של וינס‪ ,‬כי אינו מטעם מה שנס אלא מה שלא עשה גוף העברה‪ .‬ומשו''ה רצה‬

‫לדייק בלשון הפסוק אצל המעשה – וינס ויצא החוצה‪ ,‬וכאשר היא סיפרה לפוטיפר אמרה – וינס החוצה‪ .‬דוינס לחוד מורה שמוכרח‬

‫לברוח ממקום זה‪ ,‬מבלי החשבון שבמקום השני יהיה טוב ממנו‪ ,‬אמנם וינס ויצא משמעו שבורח מכאן כדי לצאת למקום השני‬

‫שהסכנה בו פחותה‪ ,‬ואמר שיש להסתפק שאולי ידע יוסף בנפשו שאפילו אם ישאר בבית לא יכשל בעברה ההיא‪ ,‬אבל בודאי שבצאתו‬

‫החוצה ממעט הנסיון‪ .‬ולכן נס החוצה לעשות סייג מפני החטא‪ ,‬וא''כ יש שכר מיוחד בעד ה‪-‬וינס‪ ,‬ושפר דריש בזכות וינס החוצה הים‬

‫ראה וינס‪] .‬אבל הארורה סיפרה בשקר לבעלה כאילו היא הוצרכה לגרשו שלא יזנה עמה‪ ,‬ועל יד צעקותיה היה מוכרח לברוח‪[.‬‬

‫ולפי דבריו ודברי המשך חכמה‪ ,‬יש צד השוה בזכות אברהם אבינו ויוסף הצדיק‪ .‬בקריעת ים סוף – זכות הזהירות מחטא על ידי‬

‫שמירת הסייגים‪ .‬שבזה נשתבחו בני ישראל במצרים‪.‬‬

‫ולהוספת נפך‪ ,‬מה נפלא הדבר שליל קריעת ים סוף הוא כא' ניסן‪ ,‬שביעי לפסח‪ ,‬שהוא ששי לימי הספירה‪ .‬כי‬

‫המדה המיוחדת לאותו היום )כפי הנדפס בסידורים עפ''י ספה''ק( היא יסוד שבחסד‪ ,‬צירוף של מדת אברהם‬

‫ויוסף‪ ,‬וא''כ בני ישראל שהיו מכונים אז בעבודתם באותן המדות בפרט שפיר עמדה להם זכותם והפליא‬

‫הקב''ה חסדו עמהם‬

‫‪Sippur Yetzias Mitzrayim and Hallel in the Galus- Rabbi Eli Belizon‬‬

‫‪The ha lachma anya seems contradictory to our usual methods of education. We usually set aside distinct items to‬‬
‫‪represent opposite themes. However, at the outset of the seder we do the reverse. This creates quite a confusion. The‬‬
‫‪same matzah that represents the lechem oni, the bread of affliction, is also the bread of cheirus, the bread of‬‬
‫?‪redemption. Why do we combine these two opposing themes into one matzah‬‬
‫‪We are well aware of the tragedies that exist around us. Many are suffering either financially, emotionally or‬‬
‫‪ as a whole is facing tremendous anti Semitism and persecution. How is it possible for us to‬כלל ישראל ‪physically and‬‬
‫‪fulfill the mitzvah of sippur yitzias mitzrayim and demonstrate our emancipation and freedom in such stressful and‬‬
‫?‪troubling times? Should we ignore our reality and pretend that all is well since we exited Egypt and became free‬‬
‫‪" which is presented to the‬בעבור זה עשה לי ה' בצאתי ממצרים" ‪The Mechiltah (Mesecta Pisca17) comments on the possuk‬‬
‫‪son who does not know how to ask, the shaino yodea lishol:‬‬
‫ת"ל בעבור זה בשעה שיש מצה ומרור מונחים לפניך על שולחנך‬
 The explanation given is that Hashem took us out of Egypt for a time when ‫ כלל ישראל‬eat matzah and marror,
when they don’t necessarily eat the korban ‫פסח‬. The Mechilta seems to ignore one of the focal mitzvos of our seder,
the korban ‫ ?!פסח‬The Mechilta is not ignoring this, but rather highlighting that there is a unique accomplishment of the
mitzvos, in a time when there is no korban ‫פסח‬, specifically during a time of galus. The Meshech Chachma presents a
mashal of a person who marries off his daughter. The daughter is set up with a beautiful wedding and nice apartment.
The mother is very happy that her daughter has all of her arrangements taken care of and that she has found
happiness. The father however responds that he cannot feel relieved until they see that her husband supports her and
that the couple is happy on their own. It is only at that point, that he can feel that their efforts were not in vain. A
similar situation exists with klal yisroel. Hashem is not concerned with the Jewish people fulfilling the mitzvos in
Mitzrayim or in the Midbar, when they are being carried by the wings of an eagle. The fact that they eat the korban ‫פסח‬
when they are given manna or protected by the annanei hakavod is not a testimony to their commitment to Hashem.
Rather it is when we enter Eretz Yisrael and face the difficult issues and tribulations of life, that one can demonstrate his
unwavering commitment and dedication to Hashem. It is specifically during a time of exile, where there is no korban
‫ פסח‬that our shmiras hamitzvos demonstrate such dedication. There is nothing impressive about saying hallel and
singing Hashem's praises when all is going well. The true test is our reaction when we fall upon dark times.
The Gemara in Sanhedrin (92b) explains that were it not for the malach slapping Nevuchadnetzer on his
mouth, his praises would have far surpassed those of Dovid Hamelech in Tehillim. The question is obvious. If
Nevuchadnetzer sang such great praises why did the malach stop him? The Kotzker Rebbe answered, that the malach
demonstrated, that the praises of Nevachadnetzer were worthless, because in a situation of a slap the praises stopped.
Nevachadnetzer showed that in trying times he would not continue to praise God and therefore his praises are
worthless. Dovid Hamelech, on the other hand lived a life of stress and discomfort. He was chased and involved in
fighting wars and yet in all situations he would still praise Hashem. The Chassam Sofer, in Parshas Bo, suggests this
idea in the korban ‫ פסח‬itself. It is specifically the korban ‫ פסח‬that has the prohibition of sheviras etzem, breaking the
bones of the korban. He explains that this idea mimics Dovid Hamelech. Throughout all his travails and turmoil all
that he had left to praise Hashem were his bones, as he stated "‫ כל‬atzmosai tomarna", all of my bones shall praise. He
exemplified that in times of gallus and difficulty, when one has nothing left but his bones, he should remain dedicated
and committed to Hashem.
The Jews in Egypt were distraught and distressed. They were overworked, enslaved and beaten. They had
been brought down to the level of bare bones, but the nation was not lost. Hashem saved them with His mighty hand.
This is why we are commanded not to break the bones of the korban ‫פסח‬. Even if we are suffering and are stripped of
all except for our bare bones, we will not crack or break because Hashem is with us and will save us. We must realize
that the ‫ פסח‬seder and the mitzvos we fulfill in these difficult times are not b'dieved, but rather a great testimony to our
love and faith in Hashem. Thus, the matzah as a symbol of freedom and as a symbol of affliction are not
contradictory. On ‫ פסח‬we demonstrate that we have created an eternal bond with Hashem, that is carried throughout
the times of freedom as well as the times of affliction. This is the message that we portray at the beginning of the
seder. Our bond and our faith in Hashem are eternal and remain unchanged. Our perspective and commitment does
not change based on the times we live in or the bread we eat. The korban ‫ פסח‬demonstrates that even if we fall to the
level of bones, Hashem is still connected with us as we are with Him and He will not allow us to break.

Delicasies at the Yam Suf - D Richt as heard from R Nissan Kaplan

At the time of ‫קריאת ים סוף‬, chazal say, that the walls produced chocolates and different delicasies out of the walls. The
question is, why. Why did we need this miracle? They were holding on a level higher than Yechezkel, and at that time,
they needed chocolate? If you would walk in a room and see a woman taking care of a baby, you don't know if it is the
mother or baby sitter. If you see her put the kid down and then take care of the next kid, then you know that she is the
baby sitter, but if you see her hug and kiss the kid, then you know that she is the mother.
Hashem had to save us, he promised us that he would not let us get destroyed. Hitler, the Russians, they all tried and
were not successful. But there are two ways that he can save us, either because he has to, or because he loves us. How
can we tell if he was saving us because he loved us, or because he had to? If he does it with a kiss..

We left Mitzraim because Hashem promised us that he would take us out. He had to take us out. But he wanted to
show us that he was not doing it because he had to, rather because he wanted to. How did he do that? By putting
candies in the wall. At ‫קריאת ים סוף‬, it says ‫המעביר בניו‬. What did we respond? There is one mitzva that Hashem did not
tell us to do it, and we say it every morning in ,shachris. Zeh kali v’anvahu. Hidur Mitzva. When were we mekabel to
do this? Hashem you are doing things that you don't have to, we will respond back. When we will do the mitzvos, we
will show that we are doing it, not because we have to, but because we want to.

NIRTZAH
& ESSAYS

On the Night of the seder we turn into Alters - Reb Shmuel Brazil

The Pesikta in Parshas Hachodesh states that the Korban ‫ פסח‬had the halacha of the karban ha‫תם‬id the two daily
sacrifices of the “tzibbur” sacrificed in the morning and the afternoon. This seems to concur with many of the dinim of
the karban ‫ פסח‬relating it to the character of the karban ‫תם‬id rather than the a karban Shelomim. 1] usually the Kohen
receives a portion of the karban Shalamim but with the karban ‫ פסח‬he receives nothing 2] usually a karban Shelamim is
eaten for two days and a night however the karban ‫ פסח‬can be eaten for one night alone 3] one can take the karban
Shelamim in and out of his dwelling however the karban ‫ פסח‬cannot be taken out of the house. All these points are
indications that the karban ‫ פסח‬is really not a regular shelamim but as the pesikta says it is considered like the karban
‫תם‬id.
There’s only one major catch that seemingly seems to throw this entire theory off track and that is that the daily temidim
where karban Olahs which means that every part was burnt on the mizbaiach leaving nothing for human consumption.
Karban ‫ פסח‬on the other hand was eaten like a shelamim?

Rav Luria in his sefer Lail Shemurim answers incredibly by saying this is a clear proof that the Yidden themselves were
the mizbaiach by reaching a lofty degree of spiritual elevation at the night of the seder. With this explanation the true
identity of the karban ‫ פסח‬can now ascertained. Even though the karban ‫ פסח‬was deemed an olah of the daily ‫תם‬id, it
was in its entirely still eaten by the mizbaiach, except on this occasion, the mizbaiach was the holy ‫כלל ישראל‬.

The Maharsha in mesechta ‫פסח‬im ‫טל‬ks about another spiritual elevation that Yisrael experienced at the seder night and
that was that everyone reached the holiness of kohanim. For the Maharsha asks that in the Haggadah we say that we
eat matzoh because the Yidden were rushed out from Mitzrayim and there was no time for the dough to rise. This is
difficult to understand for this non event of the dough rising took place in the next morning not at the night of the seder.
So why do we eat matzoh at night time. Furthermore, why were the Yidden in Mitzrayim commanded to eat maztoh the
night of the Seder?

The Maharsha answers that there are two reasons why we eat matzoh. One is the more known reason as we say in the
Haggadah that we were rushed out of Mitzrayim. that is a reason why we should eat matzoh for seven days. However
the second reason why we eat matzoh which validates the eating of matzoh at the seder night even in Mitzrayim is
because we are compared to kohanim and the kohanim are forbidden to eat chametz with the karbanos [vayikra
6,10]. All yidden were like kohanim the night of the seder and it was therefore required that they should eat no chametz
only matzah.

This interpretation of the Maharsha also aids us in implementing what was stated before that the Yidden were the
mizbaiach for the consumption of the karban ‫פסח‬. For our Chazal say that when the kahanim eat the korban, the
owners of the karban have an atonement [Yuma 25a see Tosfos]. How could one by eating atone for someone else?
The answer is that the kohanim were so holy that they too were like a mizbaich which atones for sins. This
understanding is another reinforcement that the karban ‫ פסח‬was characteristic of the daily olos and not shalamim even
though they were eaten because the Yidden were the mizbaich at the night of the seder. For if we were all elevated to
the kedusha of the kohanim, then our eating is like the consumption of the mizbaich. [for a greater detail of this subject
look into Mesilas Yesharim perek 26]

The Yerushalmi ‫טל‬mud in ‫פסח‬im says that the doorposts and the lentil of the Yidden’s houses in Mitzryim and upon
which they covered with blood of the karban ‫פסח‬, were like three mizbaichos upon which blood is also sprinkled. So not
only were the Yidden compared to a mizbaiach but also the houses of the Yidden were compared to the mizbaich. For
in truth, the house of a Yid is like a bais hamikdash where the Shechinah dwells inside if one merits. This is why the
karban ‫ פסח‬which is like the karban olah cannot be taken out from the house it is eaten for the house is likened to the
bais hamikdash and the olah could not be removed from the bais hamikdash.

Let us now go a step deeper and ask was it necessary to reach such levels on the night of the Seder that Yidden were
like a mizbaiach or was it just was a matter of fact that they reached it? Well the answer seems simple since they did
not reach it on their own and they were about to sink in the 50th level of tumah, Hashem must have deemed these
madraigos as requirements and endowed them with it. But why would they need such incredible levels for redemption?
The answer suggested is as follows. The Ari Hakadosh writes that the galus of Mitzrayim was to rectify the chait of
Adam Harishon with his eating from the aitz hadaas. As my Rebbi ztl explained there was Adam Harishon and he failed
in his shelichis of perfecting the world. The detour to completing this mission was handed over to the second edition of
man - Am Yisrael. The first segment of this second edition was the avos, to be followed by the 12 shevatim, 70 souls
and then 600,000 Yidden. As we stood at Har Sinai we returned to the level of Adam prior to his sin of eating from the
tree of knowledge. The lights that we received standing before Sinai were shown to us at the night of the Seder even
though we did not earn them. Later we were to acquire them on our own merit during the days of sefirah leading up to
Matan Torah. the Rambam in Hilchos Bais Habechirah perek 2, 1,2 writes that the mizbaiach in the Bais Hamikdash
has a fixed place and cannot be removed. From here Adam’s body was created.

If his body was created from that earth, then is essence his body was a mizbaich. Just as a mizbaich is the vehicle where
one brings sacrifices and nullifies himself his desires his passions his middos etc to Hashem, so too the body must be in
inducted into the same service by being sanctified by one’s ‫ נשמה‬. If at the night of the Seder the Jewish people reached
this incredible level of spirituality of mizbaiach, it was because this was the step of attaining the ultimate goal of fixing
the chait of Adam. For by eating from the aitz hadaas, his body diminished from its original spiritual dimensions. When
tov and rah entered within, he no longer possessed the same lofty body as before. The Sinaic tikkun of the bodies of
the Yidden being like that of Adam prior to the sin was manifested at the night of the Seder where the Yidden’s bodies
became a mizbaich. Such tikkun was part and parcel of the grand tikkun for Adam Harishon portrayed in the second
edition of man.

As discussed above, the korban ‫ פסח‬was likened to the two temidim olos. The redemption from Mitzrayim was to reach
to‫ טל‬subjugation and sacrifice to Hashem as symbolized by the mizbaiach. Two times the word olah equals 222 the
same gematriah as bechor. We are the bechor the first born of Hashem.. This became evident when Hashem killed the
first born of the Egyptians. Being a bechor means the obligation to bring out the letters of bechor which also spell
rechev – chariot, as chazal say about the avos and their relationship with Hashem haavos hain hain hamerkavah. A
rechev is nullified and subjugated to its rider. Our avos were likened to a chariot. The two temidim were olos on the
mizbaiach which is equal to rechev in gematria. Rechev and mizbaiach conjure the same meaning definition and
mission – subjugation to Hashem..

When we read this parsha we should be awakened and inspired to become a mizbaiach and rechev for Hashem. We
must become uplifted to change our house that it should transform into the doorposts of the Jewish houses in
Mitzrayim, a place where sacrifices are made on behalf of Hashem.

The Torah says “ushenai semidim kehilchosom” that the two temidim must follow their rules. A tzaddik once remarked
that this is referring to the first and last Ramah of Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim, the first Ramah being ‫תמיד נגדי 'ה ושויתי‬
and the last being ‫ תמיד משתה לב וטוב‬.. The beginning of Shulchan Aruch and the end appear contradictory. How can
one experience the consciousness of Hashem always in front of him and nevertheless be happy hearted all the time?
Karban ‫ פסח‬teaches us that there is no contradiction. On one hand it is an olah a declaration that one is to‫טל‬ly
Hashem’s – karban olah, yet on the second hand one is happy always – karban shalamim. The true ovaid Hashem
knows and understand that there is no greater joy than to nullify and sacrifice your desires for Hashem’s. As one comes
closer to Hashem, the contradictions of life that he encounters seem to dim and disappear.

This is the true redemption of man and the deeper meaning of ‫פסח‬. For with rechev will follow the letters of sheleg (after
raish comes the letter shin, after chof comes lamid, after bais comes gimmel) a word that means snow and refers to the
passuk (Yeshaya 1,18) If you sins will be as scarlet, Hashem will whiten them like snow. The custom to don the white
kittel during the Seder symbolizes the attainment on this night for every Yid the madraiga of bechor and rechev and
hence the cleansing of one’s sins.

Expressing through Speech - R. Avaraham Davidowitz

The Zohar says that on ‫ פסח‬our speech came out of galus.The term ‫ פסח‬comes from PEH SACH the mouth that spoke.
Speech is an expression of the ‫ גוף‬and ‫ נשמה‬, we use our speech to express our ‫ נשמה‬. ‫ פרעה‬tried to come in between
our head and heart, that is the neck. That is why ‫ פרעה‬is the same letters as ‫עורף‬, the neck, that is where he tried to
attack us (Arizal).
Rabbi Feiner pointed out that is why we read Shir Hashirim, a song that comes from the mouth. The Korbon ‫ פסח‬is
unique in that even though it is a shelamim the ‫ חזה ושוק‬are not given to the ‫ כהן‬rather eaten by all of ‫כלל ישראל‬. That is
the question of the Chochom, if it is so holy why are you eating it? The answer is that we have become so holy this
night that our eating of the korbon is a spiritual expression. This is why we eat the korbon ‫ פסח‬while full so as not to eat
it for hunger but rather a purely spiritual expression.

Always on a High - Chanan Freilich

‫ ִמ ִמּ ְצ ָריִ ם‬-‫אתי‬
ִ ֵ‫בְּ צ‬-‫לִ י‬-‫ה‬-‫עָ ָשׂה‬-‫זֶ ה‬-‫בַּ עֲבוּר‬-‫לֵאמֹר‬-‫הַ הוּא‬-‫ָבַּ יּוֹם‬-‫לְ בִ נְך‬-‫וְ ִהגּ ְַד ָתּ‬

The Ramban explains that the word ‫ זה‬connects this pasuk

to the ‫ זה‬of “‫ ”זה קלי ואנוהו‬- “This my G-d and I will glorify Him”, the famous pasuk from shiras hayam, the song sung
immediately after the incredible neis of ‫קריאת ים סוף‬. This means to say that because of His honor, Hashem took us out
of Mitzraim in order so that we will glorify His Name. Rashi, however, explains differently. He says that the word ‫ זה‬in
the pasuk of ‫ �בעבור זה‬is referring to the mitzvos of the Korban ‫פסח‬, Matza and Marror, for the whole point of the
geulah was so that we could do these mitzvos and accept the Torah. Using Rashi’s pshat, we can explain the famous
answer that we give to the rasha at the seder. We say that if he was living during the time of the geulah, he would not
have been redeemed. The reason for this is because since he disassociates himself with the Jewish nation, he obviously
has no interest in doing the mitzvos that we were given at yetzias mitzraim and later, and since that was the whole point
of the geulah, there would be no reason to redeem him.
Many times, after we have completed a situation that gave us a spiritual “high” the only question that people
seem to ask is “How can I take the lessons that I learned home with me?” Unkelos, in his translation (and commentary)
of the Torah, alludes to this. He has a unique translation of the word ‫ ואנוהו‬in the context of the shiras hayam. He says
that it means “and I will build a mikdash for Him”. Rav Gedalia Schorr, zt”l, in his sefer Ohr Gedaliahu, says that
Unkelos is showing that when a person comes to a moment of inspiration, he needs to internalize the current feeling
and make it a part of himself on a permanent basis. What greater moment is there to internalize than a moment in
which Chazal say that a common maidservant had a connection with Hashem that not even a navi had! Therefore, the
Bnei Yisrael are saying ��‫ ”זה קלי ואנוהו‬and will repeat it until they actually do build the Beis Hamikdash.
There are several more pshatim on how to translate the word ‫ואנוהו‬. Rashi translates the word ‫ ואנוהו‬as “I will
praise Him to the inhabitants of the world.” The Gemara in Shabbos (�‫ )קלג‬brings two opinions on what it means.
One opinion explained that it means that I will do the mitzvos which are ‫( נאה‬splendid), and will beautify myself before
Hashem. It is also explained in the gemara that the word ‫ ואנוהו‬means that we should compare ourselves to Hashem.
For example, we say that just like Hashem is merciful, so too we should be merciful. The commentators explain that
the basis for this pshat is that the word ‫ ואנוהו‬is a combination of the words ‫אני�והוא‬, I and Him.
The Ohr Gedaliahu has a beautiful piece in which he says that all of the above opinions are actually
connected with a common thread. When Unkelos is saying that we remarked that we should build a Mikdash, the
point was in order so that the Shechina could be among us. However, at this time, the Bnei Yisrael also realized that
each and every one of them was fit to have the Shechina dwell amongst them. This is similar to the point that Chazal
make. Hashem said ‫ועשו�לי�מקדש�ושכנתיבתוכם‬. Why does Hashem use the word ‫בתוכם‬, which is
plural, when He told us to build a Mishkan, which is a singular object? Therefore, Chazal say that Hashem wished to
dwell inside each and every one of us. In fact, even when the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed, His presence still
remained inside of us.
Therefore, explains Rav Schorr, all of the above opinions highlight the ways in which we purify ourselves to make us
worthy vessels for the Shechina. ‫ואנוהו‬: We will praise His Name to the whole world, in order so that our speech will
show that we are worthy to house the Shechina. ‫ואנוהו‬: We will do the mitzvos that Hashem commands us to do, in
order so that our actions show that we are worthy to house the Shechina. Finally, ‫ואנוהו‬: We must imitate Hashem
(just like He is merciful, so too we should be merciful), in order so that our thoughts will show that we are worthy to
house the Shechina. These three meanings of ‫ ואנוהו‬signify the three parts of Man which show his worthiness and
value. If we uphold these three aspects, then we will fulfill Unkelos’ version of what we said by ‫קריאת ים סוף‬: ‫ואנוהו‬: I will
build a Mikdash for Hashem.
Thus far, we have explained the four different translations of the word ‫ ואנוהו‬and how they connect to each
other. Now, we will venture into how our two meanings of the word ‫ זה‬which were explained above connect to each
other. The Kedushas Levi comments on the bracha of ‫ שעשה�נסים‬that when we reach the time of the year in which a
great miracle had occurred in the past, the same thoughts that the Bnei Yisrael had then are repeated within us and
illuminate our mind. Rav Schorr said that this pshat can be used to answer the following famous question of the ‫ט�ז‬.
Why do we always say by so many of our mitzvos the same thing:‫ ?זכר�ליציאת�מצרים‬There were plenty of other
miracles that we celebrate and should commemorate!
The answer is that by this miracle, because of its scale, the illumination of the mind which took place during
yetzias mitzraim come back to us now (and by other great miracles, we recreate the feelings that the Bnei Yisrael had in
those times). When we carry that mindset and do the mitzvos which are aboriginal to that time period, like Korban ‫פסח‬,
Matza and Marror, we are zocheh to have the Shechina rest in us to the same extent that it did by Yetzias Mitzraim!
We therefore see the connection to the two explanations of the word ‫זה‬. We were redeemed because of the mitzvos
which we would be zocheh to do in the future in order to channel the mindset that the Bnei Yisrael had in that time. It
also refers to the pinnacle of our redemption, ‫קריאת ים סוף‬, in which we said ‫זה�קלי�ואנוהו‬, promising that we will
glorify Hashem with our mouths, our minds and our actions, which will lead to Hashem dwelling in our midst. May it
be Hashem’s will that when this ‫ פסח‬comes around and we do the same mitzvos which were done during the geulah,
we will be zocheh to see the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash and the ultimate level of ‫ושכנתי�בתוכם‬. Have a great
Shabbos and a Chag Kasher Vesameach!

‫ והגדת לבנך‬Keeping the ‫ מסורה‬going - Josh Kishineff

At the beginning of ‫ויקרא‬, there is a ‫ פסוק‬which ‫טל‬ks about an individual who is obligated to bring a ‫קרבן‬
(specifically an ‫)עולה‬. The ‫ פסוק‬starts by saying that “if an individual is obligated to bring a ‫קרבן‬, you shall bring him
near to the ‫”מועד אהל‬. However, the ‫ פסוק‬ends “voluntarily before Hashem”. According to ‫ רש י‬, we learn from this
‫ פסוק‬that the ‫ קרבן‬needs to be brought willingly and not forced upon an individual. However, the beginning of the ‫פסוק‬
says ‫יקריבנו‬, and you shall bring him, which is not voluntary. There is an apparent contradiction between the middle of
the ‫פסוק‬, where he is being forced, to the end of the ‫פסוק‬, where things are being done willingly.

The Rambam in ‫ הלכות גירושין‬discusses a man willingly giving his wife a ‫גט‬. In a situation where a man doesn’t
necessarily want to give his wife a ‫גט‬, we coerce the man to give the get so that he can give it voluntarily. The Rambam
says that the Jewish ‫ נשמה‬doesn’t need to be coerced or convinced or forced to do the right thing. The coercion that
‫ בית דין‬practices, exists to counter external influences that are preventing us from willingly doing the right thing. Jews
are inherently good people and sometime they just need a little hand holding to assist in getting them to do the right
thing. When a Jew is bringing an‫ עולה ן‬for something he did wrong, the reason why we bring him (forcibly) to the ‫אהל‬
‫ מועד‬is so that he’ll see what’s going on in the ‫ משכן‬or in the ‫בית המקדש‬. After seeing the ‫עבודת המקדש‬and hearing
the ‫ לויים‬singing, we are certain that he’ll voluntarily bring the ‫ קרבן‬without being coerced by others.

This double ‫ לשון‬of starting forcibly and ending gently is also found in the ‫ פסוק‬of … ‫והגדת לבנך ביום‬
‫לאמור‬. The word ‫ והגדת‬is a forceful term, it’s a ‫לשון קשה‬, however the ‫ פסוק‬ends in the word ‫ לאמור‬which is a gentle
intonation of speech, a ‫ לשון רך‬. The point of the ‫ הגדה‬and the telling over of ‫ מגיד‬is to make sure that our children are
getting the right message from the ‫ ;סדר‬That they are being taught the same history lesson that we were taught as
children from our parents and grandparents and the importance of passing down the ‫ מסורה‬onto the next generation.
Once we are able to get our children or any other Jewish ‫ נשמה‬at the ‫סדר‬, we feel confident that he/she will be
aroused to do the right thing and participate and ultimately continue the ‫מסורה‬. At that point, the ‫ הגדה‬will be received
in the ‫ לשון רך‬. Whether you are at a ‫ סדר‬with just your immediate family or at a large ‫סדר‬, it is important to maintain
the sweet lashon of ‫ לאמור‬so that all in attendance will voluntarily listen and participate and hopefully keep the ‫מסורה‬
going for generations to come.

Lavan and the Value of Purpose - Devorah Pellman

‫ולבל ביקש לעקור את הכל שנאמר ארמי עובד אבי וירד מצרימה‬
Questions: Why is it that the Haggadah begins the story of Yitziyas Mitzrayim with Lavan? Wouldn’t it have been more
logical to begin the story with Shibud Mitzrayim and ‫ ? פרעה‬Or perhaps with the coming of the shevatim down to
mitzrayim?
‫ כלל ישראל‬are descendants of Lavan through his daughters, Rochel and Leah. Why then would Lavan want to kill his
own descendants?
The verses in the haggadah seem to indicate that Yaakov went down to mitzrayim in an effort to escape Lavan who
was running after him. However, historically (if one were to go through the pesukim in Shmos), we know this is
incorrect. Yaakov went down to mitzrayim as a result of a famine. The Nefesh Hachaim explains that every nation as a
“Sar” also known as a “mazal” , or a spiritual representative in heaven. The power of each nation is dependent on the
level of its representative above. The Maharal explains that this concept came into existence during the time of the Dor
Haflaga, the generation in which the nations of the world got together in an effort to conquer G-d. At that time
Hashem ‘confused ‘ the different nations by assigning them different languages.
Where did these languages come from?
As we know there are 70 Panim Latorah, 70 paths , or traits through which a person can acquire Torah. The Maharal
explains that each Sar represents a character trait that is unique to that nation. During the time of Dor Haflaga,
Hashem took the entire spectrum of ability and split it between the different nations.
The only ones who did not participate in the attempts of the Dor Haflaga were ‫ כלל ישראל‬and Nimrod Melech Ashur
(which later became known as Aram). As a result, both nations do not have a ‘Sar’ and therefore, both nations equally
contain abilities of all 70 character traits. Aram, at that point, was the only nation with an equal ability to Klal Yisroel.
The Maharal further assigns different character traits to colors. (Ex: Edom- Red= Shfichus damim)
Scientifically, there are 2 colors which are ‘colorless’ : The color white, and the color black. However, there is a crucial
difference between them that sets them apart. The color white, although not a color itself, when refracted through a
piece of glass contains every color, the entire spectrum. It is nothing in itself, but it has the potential for everything. The
color black on the other hand, is absolute. It has no potential, nothing can overwrite it.
The name Lavan Haarami indicates just this. Lavan and the nation of Aram shared the same ability as ‫ כלל ישראל‬to be
“white”. He had the ability to capture all of the 70 traits necessary to acquire torah. Lavan , the father of Rochel and
Leah could have been a partner equal to Yaakov in the creation of the Jewish nation.
However, Lavan chose to separate from Yaakov and formed a treaty by “Gal Ed”. Interestingly, the pasuk notes that
Lavan gave the name “Yegar Sahadusa” , the same name, but in a different language, aramis. Until this point Lavan
could have become part of Klal Yisroel, However, once he chose to separate, he lost his ability. He went from white to
black. This is what the Hagaddah means by “‫”ארמי עובד אבי‬. Lavan did not want to physically kill his descendants.
Rather he spiritually disconnected himself from them and therefore ‘lost’ them and the ability to acquire Torah.
Why then does the Hagaddah start with this story?
The Hagaddah is telling us that the story of Yitziyas mitzrayim had a purpose – to bring us to Kabolas Hatorah. It is
therefore appropriate to begin this story telling us when we were singled out to become the only nation able to accept
torah.
It is only once Lavan separated himself and Aram from Klal Yisroel, that we became the only nation capable of
accepting Torah. As a result, Yaakov was able to go down to Mitzrayim. For Mitzrayim was, but, a starting point in
preparation for kabalas Hatorah.

I thought the Good Guys Wear White - Ezie Bryks

"‫"צא ולמד‬

If a person wishes to grow and learn you must "go out" break down the barriers that might constrain you. Chazal teach
us (Tosfos, Shabbos Daf 9B) that the parents of Bavel sent their children to Eretz Yisroel to learn and the parents of
Eretz Yisroel sent their children to Bavel to learn. Sometimes you can learn your best and grow as a person best when
you are from the distractions of your family and home. Yaakov Avinu did just that on his way to Lavan.

"V'Lavan beekesh L'akor es Ha'‫כל‬.......Arami Avad Avi"

Yaakov's journey to Lavan's home was part of the Golus predicted to Avraham Avinu. Had everything worked out as
planned, it is possible that Yaakov and his family would have remained at Lavan's home never going down to Mitzraim.
Why was he compelled to leave? Because "Arami Avad Avi" - Lavan intent was, destroying Yaakov. How was the house
of Lavan so intolerable, even more so than Pharoh in Mitzraim? After all Pharoh killed many of Bnei Yisroel and his
taskmasters beat them, starved them and enslaved them. Why was Lavan worse?

The Nitziv answers that Lavan was worse because Lavan was family. One tends to trust individuals to whom they are
close. Consequently, their cruelty takes on a whole new perspective. It becomes much more devastating when a close
friend or a relative betrays your trust. The betrayal and hurt runs deeper and the pain lasts longer. Pharoh was open
about who he was and what he was doing, Lavan was not.
Why does the pasuk only say"arami" and does not identify Lavan by name? Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky answers that the
damage Lavan did was by switching Leah for Rochel. In this way Reuven was born first (not Yosef) which led to jealousy
between the brothers. At the wedding everyone must have known what Lavan was planning except Yaakov and yet no
one told him. Therefore it says in general "‫ "ארמי עובד אבי‬- all invited guests conspired together to undermine Yaakov.

Why does the haggadah instruct us "T'zay U'Lemad Ma Beekaish Lavan Haarami La'asoos L'Yaakov Avinu"? TheVilna
Gaon answers that Hashem performs miracles for us every single day. The problem is that we don't realize it - "Ain Baal
Hanes Makir B'neeso". From the pesokim in the torah it is also hard to see where Lavan tried to destroy Yaakov.
Therefore the Baal Haggadah writes - "Tzay U'Lemad" go out and teach what Lavan intended to do. Countless times
Hashem saved Yaakov from Lavan's evil designs. So too, in every generation Hashem performs countless miracles on
our behalf, many of which we simply do not realize.

The Baal Shaal U'Mashiv notes that throughout history we have been told that it is our rejection of the nations around
us that is the root cause of anti-Semitism. We reject them so they reject us. If we would only inter-marry and mingle
more, anti-Semitism would go away. Lavan disproves that. Yaakov married his two daughters and he still tried to
destroy him in spite of the fact that he was family! Therefore the Baal Haggadah teaches us not to be fooled.

"‫"מה בקש לבן הארמי לעשות ליעקב אבינו‬

How did Lavan affect the future of Bnei Yisroel? The answer might be like we said above that he caused jealousy
amongst the brothers by switching Leah for Rochel. Others learn that the destruction was to take away Yaakov's
Ruchnious (spirituality). When Yaakov left Eretz Yisroel he was dreaming of ladders to Shamayim with Hashem
majestically perched on top. In the house of Lavan he was dreaming of sheep, spotted and unspotted. Lavan worked
Yaakov so hard he didn't have the proper time to achieve that level of closeness to hashem. This is similar to what
Pharoh did to the Bnei Yisroel when he enslaved them morning and night and it left them no time to serve Hashem
properly if at all. It was only once he returned to Eretz Yisroel that he once again encountered the Machane Hashem.

The Steipler Rav explains that when Yaakov Avinu left Lavan's house it was Lavan who sent an urgent message to Esav
that Yaakov was on his way home. This is why Esav was there to intercept him. In the end Esav did not attack Yaakov
for he had no desire to take his place (destiny) in Galus. however, once Bnei Yisroel left Egypt en route to Eretz Yisroel,
Amalek was there to finish the job Esav started. Therefore it was Lavan who set into motion this chain of events, the
idea to wipe out Bnei Yisroel which unfortunately we still deal with today.

Taken from shiurim from R' Ephraim Bryks

‫לבנך והגדת‬....‫ לאמר‬Keeping the ‫ מסורה‬going - Josh Kishineff

At the beginning of ‫ויקרא פרשת‬, there is a ‫ פסוק‬which ‫טל‬ks about an individual who is obligated to bring a ‫קרבן‬
(specifically an ‫)עולה‬. ‫ 'ה לפני לרצונו אתו יקריבו מועד אהל פתח אל יקריבנו תמים זכר הבקר מן קרבנו עלה אם‬. The ‫ פסוק‬starts
by saying that “if an individual is obligated to bring a ‫קרבן‬, you shall bring him near to the ‫”מועד אהל‬. However, the
‫ פסוק‬ends “voluntarily before Hashem”. According to ‫י"רש‬, we learn from this ‫ פסוק‬that the ‫ קרבן‬needs to be brought
willingly and not forced upon an individual. However, the beginning of the ‫ פסוק‬says ‫יקריבנו‬, and you shall bring him,
which is not voluntary. There is an apparent contradiction between the middle of the ‫פסוק‬, where he is being forced, to
the end of the ‫פסוק‬, where things are being done willingly.

The Rambam in ‫ גירושין הלכות‬discusses a man willingly giving his wife a ‫גט‬. In a situation where a man doesn’t
necessarily want to give his wife a ‫גט‬, we coerce the man to give the get so that he can give it voluntarily. The Rambam
says that the Jewish ‫ נשמה‬doesn’t need to be coerced or convinced or forced to do the right thing. The coercion that
‫ דין בית‬practices, exists to counter external influences that are preventing us from willingly doing the right thing. Jews
are inherently good people and sometime they just need a little hand holding to assist in getting them to do the right
thing. When a Jew is bringing a ‫ עולה קרבן‬for something he did wrong, the reason why we bring him (forcibly) to the
‫ מועד אהל‬is so that he’ll see what’s going on in the ‫ משכן‬or in the ‫המקדש בית‬. After seeing the ‫ המקדש עבודת‬and
hearing the ‫ לויים‬singing, we are certain that he’ll voluntarily bring the ‫ קרבן‬without being coerced by others.

This double ‫ לשון‬of starting forcibly and ending gently is also found in the ‫ פסוק‬of ‫לאמור ההוא ביום לבנך והגדת‬. The
word ‫ והגדת‬is a forceful term, it’s a ‫קשה לשון‬, however the ‫ פסוק‬ends in the word ‫ לאמור‬which is a gentle intonation of
speech, a ‫רך לשון‬. The point of the ‫ הגדה‬and the telling over of ‫ מגיד‬is to make sure that our children are getting the
right message from the ‫ ;סדר‬That they are being taught the same history lesson that we were taught as children from
our parents and grandparents and the importance of passing down the ‫ מסורה‬onto the next generation. Once we are
able to get our children or any other Jewish ‫ נשמה‬at the ‫סדר‬, we feel confident that he/she will be aroused to do the
right thing and participate and ultimately continue the ‫מסורה‬. At that point, the ‫ הגדה‬will be received in the ‫רך לשון‬, the
‫לאמור ההוא ביום‬.

Whether you are at a ‫ סדר‬with just your immediate family or at a large ‫סדר‬, it is important to maintain the ‫ רך לשון‬of
‫ לאמור‬so that all in attendance will voluntarily listen and participate and hopefully keep the ‫ מסורה‬going for generations
to come.

‫דיינו‬- Yitz Neiman

One of the integral parts of the magid portion of the hagaddah is the famous “‫ ”דיינו‬stanza. We all love to sing along
with the song but do we ever wonder what it is really trying to teach us? ‫ דיינו‬begin with the words, “ ‫כמה מעלות טובות למקום‬
‫ ”עלינו‬we then continue and mention all the good that Hashem bestowed upon us. The Bal Hagadah is trying to teach
us that it impossible to fulfill the mitzvah of Sipor Yitzyas Mitzrayim without mentioning all the chesed that Hashem did
for us. Why is it so important to recognize each and every aspect that Hashem did for us, why don’t we cut to the
chase, say, “God did great miracles for us, thanks so much, let’s eat”?
In parshas Shemos the pasuk says “‫”ויקם מלך חדש על מצרים אשר לא ידע את יוסף‬. The medrash is astounded that Pharaoh
did not know Yosef! He was a national hero? The pasuk is coming to teach us that as Pharaoh did not know Yosef he
will soon say he does not recognize God himself as well. Rav Avin provides a parable for this concept; one who harms
a king’s friend is immediately executed. The king says, “cut off his head lest tomorrow he do the same to me”. Case in
point, when Moshe comes to speak he says “‫כה אמר ה' אלוקי ישראל שלח את עמי‬,” “so said Hashem the God of Israel send
out my nation” so that they should serve me. Pharaoh responds, “Who is this Hashem this I should listen to?”
The Medrash explains that just like Pharaoh would not recognize the good that Yosef did for his country so too he
would not recognize Hashem. The medrash is teaching us that proper appreciation is a prerequisite to belief in God.
One who denies the good that person does for them will in the end come to deny God himself.

We find this concept in the Sefer Hachinuch as the explanation for the Mitzva of ‫כבוד אב ואם‬. It is proper for a person to
recognize those who were good to him and not be an ingrate. A person should recognize that his parents are the
reason that he exists in this world. Everything they experience in life, every pleasure is all thanks to their parents. A child
must help and give their parents everything that is possible for them in appreciation to all that they have done for them
in their youth. If a person drills this into his heart he will come to appreciate all Hashem does for him as well. One will
realize that Hashem is the father of all fathers, going way back to Adam Harishon. A person will be satisfied; he will
comprehend all the good that is done for him every day of his entire life. He will acknowledge his intelligence and his
spirit and realize that without these things he would be nothing more than a wild beast.

This trait of hakaras hatov extends even to inanimate objects. As the famous Medrash Rabah asks why Aaron, as
opposed to Moshe was given the task to hit the water and turn the Nile River to blood? The simple answer is Hashem
refused to let Moshe hit the water that protected him when he was thrown in as a baby.

What is even more astounding is that a person is even responsible to show appreciation to someone who had no good
intention in mind but at the end caused him good. The source of this concept is found in the medrash regarding Moshe
saving the daughters of Yisro. They told their father that an Egyptian man saved them from the Sheppard’s. The
medrash asks why did they describe Moshe as an Egyptian? The question is answered with another parable; a person
who is bitten by a snake runs to the river to clean the bite. When he reaches the river he sees a child drowning and
saves him. When the child thanks him for saving his life he responds and say I didn’t save you rather the snake that I
was running from saved you. This is what happened in the above story as well. The daughters of Yisro thanked Moshe
for saving them from the Sheppard’s. Moshe responded I did not save you rather the Egyptian who I killed and was
running from saved you. This is what they were telling their father when they said an Egyptian man saved us. Their
appreciation went all the way back to Egyptian man Moshe killed and was fleeing from. The Egyptian man had nothing
but evil in mind but was the source of their salvation and they therefore expressed gratitude.

It is thus obvious why at the Seder we must enumerate on each and every aspect that Hashem did to save us in
Mitzrayim. If the daughters of Yisro had to express hakaras hatov to a rasha how much more so must we express
hakaras hatov to our father in heaven whose every intention is for our very good. We should also realize that the Seder
night is a perfect opportunity to acknowledge all the good that people have done for us as well, whether they wanted to
or not. A perfect night to let grudges go and bitterness disintegrate. By doing so we will be strengthening our Emunah
in Hakodesh Baruch Who and connect “‫ ”כמה מעלות טובות למקום עלינו‬.

Measure for Measure - Dov Perlysky

After reading off the list of the ten plagues, we read a most interesting line. We recite Rabi Yehuda's acronym
for the plagues – ‫דצ"ך עד"ש באח"ב‬. The question raised by many of the commentaries is why this was necessary? Did Rabi
Yehuda really not remember the ten plagues? Is his acronym anything so phenomenally earth-shattering that it merits
mention in our seder?
The general approach taken to answering these questions is that the acronym serves as a way of categorizing the
plagues. Many versions of this are offered, and the one that we will be focusing on is that of Rav Shimshon Refael
Hirsch. Before beginning, we should note that the tenth plague, the slaying of the first-born, does not figure in Rav
Hirsch's answer (or the answer of many others). As it was intended as a means of freeing the Jews, and not a
punishment for the Egyptians, it stands alone outside the other nine plagues. With that in mind, we will proceed to Rav
Hirsch's commentary.
Rav Hirsch notes that there are three aspects to the slavery. The first is that of "geirut" - being a stranger in a foreign
land. The Jews were not assimilated into Egyptian society and were rejected by their hosts. The second aspect is that of
subjugation - to own slaves, one must believe that he is a better human being than the one that he is enslaving. The
final aspect of slavery is the physical side, the backbreaking work that the Egyptians imposed on their Jewish laborers.
According to Rav Hirsch, the acronym of Rabi Yehuda demonstrates how the Egyptians were not merely punished, but
were punished for each of these three aspects separately.
The first plague in each group of three addresses the aspect of geirut. First, the Nile River, the lifeblood (no
pun intended) of the mighty Egyptian empire, turned to blood. The ramifications of this plague were severe - without its
river, the country could not survive. Additionally, the Nile was revered as a deity, and thus this plague hit home on a
spiritual/emotional level as well. The next of these three, the plague of wild beasts, hit the Egyptians from a different
angle. The Medrash tells us that no slave ever escaped from Egypt, due largely to their "border patrol" made of wild
and ferocious animals. Now, Egypt's very security system was coming after them. Finally, there is the plague of hail.
Egypt is located in a desert, and thus is rarely, if ever, subjected to any form of precipitation.. Suddenly, even the
weather was changing on them. these three plagues combined to strike at the very heart and essence of Egyptian
society and served to make them feel uneasy and out of place in their own land.
The second plague in each group of three served to punish the Egyptians for feeling superior to the Jews and
subjugating them. Frogs are the most timorous of all creatures, who flee at the mere approach of a perceived enemy.
Yet, now it was this very critter that was terrorizing the once-mighty Egyptians. In addition to the mere imagined sense of
superiority, one feels that he is superior to another individual because he is financially better off that someone else. The
plagues of pestilence and locust served to take care of that, destroying the two main forms of capi‫ טל‬- livestock and
produce.
Finally, Hashem went after the Egyptians' bodies. The plagues of lice, boils, and darkness (which we are told was a
tangible darkness) all afflicted the Egyptians directly and forced them to feel the pain that they had been inflicting on
the Jews for so long. Hashem's measure-for-measure punishment is not merely a loose description of His modus
operandi, but describes a process that is very precise and exacting with those who wrong Him or his people.
.

Yetzi’as Mitzrayim and the New Moon- Dr. Yitzhak Belizon

As an introduction to the events of yetzi’as Mitzrayim, the Torah commands us to establish a monthly calendar:
'‫ב‬-'‫שמות פרק י"ב פסוקים א‬
:‫ויאמר ה' אל משה ואל אהרן בארץ מצרים לאמר‬
‫החדש הזה לכם ראש חדשים ראשון הוא לכם לחדשי השנה‬:
The immeasurable importance of this mitzvah becomes clearer when remembering that the first Rashi in Bereishis writes
that this mitzvah should actually begin the Torah:
‫א פסוק א פרק בראשית י"רש‬
‫ שהיא מצוה ראשונה שנצתוו בה ישראל‬,‫אמר רבי יצחק לא היה צריך להתחיל את התורה אלא מהחדש הזה לכם‬
In what follows, we would like to shed light on the nature of this mitzvah and understand the fundamen‫ טל‬message that
makes it so important.
The details of the complex procedure of consecrating and establishing the new month are outlined in Masechet Rosh
Hashana. The basic requirement is that after accepting testimony from witnesses who saw the new moon, the Beis Din
HaGadol would declare the new month “mekudash”. The Gemara records a dispute between R. Gamliel and R.
Yehoshua about accepting clearly false testimony. R. Gamliel, the Rosh Beit Din, accepted the testimony and R.
Yehoshua rejected it. R. Gamliel demanded that R. Yehoshua follow his ruling and violate Yom Kippur according to
his calendar by coming to him with his cane and his wallet:
‫גמליאל רבן לו שלח‬: ‫בחשבונך להיות שחל הכפורים ובמעותיך ביום במקלך אצלי שתבא עליך גוזרני‬

R. Yehoshua was very disturbed by this demand. He agreed to R. Gamliel’s request only after R. Akiva confirmed for
him that the decision to determine the beginning of the new month lies with the Rosh Beit Din. We must obey them, R.
Akiva stated, even if they intentionally change the date. R. Yehoshua appeared on his day of Yom Kippur at R.
Gamliel’s home with his cane and wallet demonstrating his obedience.

The Gemara subsequently relates an incident in which Rav Chiya, based on his own calculation, saw the new moon a
day before it should have appeared. He scolded the moon and told it to hide for another day. He threw a cloud of
earth at the moon. The moon obeyed and covered itself. At that point, Rebbe told Rav Chiya not to sanctify the month
at his location. He told him to go to another location, named Ayin Tav (meaning good eye) and sanctify the new
month there. Once he performed the sanctification, Rebbe instructed Rav Chiya to send a message: “David King of
Israel lives and endures”:
.‫ דוד מלך ישראל חי וקים‬:‫ ושלח לי סימנא‬,‫ זיל לעין טב וקדשיה לירחא‬:‫אמר ליה רבי לרבי חייא‬
Obviously, this is a coded message which has a deeper meaning. This incident is the source for including this
statement ‫ דוד מלך ישראל חי וקים‬in our monthly blessing of the moon.
In order to gain insight into the above story and to the concept that the Beis Din HaGadol arbitrarily dictates the new
month, we need to analyze the nature of Rosh Chodesh. Rosh Chodesh is a unique day in that resembles both a
holiday and a regular weekday. On the one hand, we sacrifice a korban mussaf on Rosh Chodesh just like we do on
every Yom Tov. On the other hand, Rosh Chodesh is a regular workday with no restriction on any activity. Rosh
Chodesh, more than any other day, demonstrates to us the holiness within the mundane. We have to realize that all
our activities should be sanctified. We accomplish this by applying the Torah laws to all aspects of our life. We are
here as messengers of ‫ הקב"ה‬and all that we do represents and sanctifies His Name. On Yom Tov, Shabbat, and
certainly Yom Kippur, we disconnect from daily activities reminding ourselves of the holiness embedded within us.
Conversely, on Rosh Chodesh, we are challenged with experiencing kedusha without disconnecting from daily
activities. We create this mode of kedusha. We continue to work as usual while at the same time we recognize the day
as holy.
Using this approach, we understand why we have permission to “maneuver” the date of Rosh Chodesh. The date of
Rosh Chodesh is based on our calculation and our decision is accepted by heaven. This was the message of R. Akiva
to R. Yehoshoa. R. Gamliel, as the leader and representative of am Yisrael, is able to control and override time. Rav
Chiya, by throwing a clod at the moon, demonstrated and declared that down here even the earth is holy and it should
overrule the moon. When Rebbe told Rav Chiya to go to a place called Eiyn Tav, he essentially endorsed Rav Chiya’s
actions. Eiyn Tav means good in all aspects observed by the eye. Seeing the good leads to the sanctification of every
item. Declaring the new month is most appropriate in a place endowed with the potential of seeing holiness in all.
The Sanhedrin who declare the new month are labeled as the eyes of the nation -“‫עיני העדה‬.”

‫שיר השירים רבה פרשה ז ד"ה ב עיניך ברכות‬

‫סנהדרין שהם עינים לעדה‬
This message is included in the coded statement “David the King of Israel lives and endures”. The lineage
of King David involves events that appear to be lacking kedusha. An episode of that sort is the interaction
between Yehuda and ‫תם‬ar. ‫תם‬ar`s intentions were clearly pure. When Yehuda’s agent came back to
collect Yehuda’s deposit, his cane and seal, he asks about ‫תם‬ar calling her “ha-kedaisha ba-eynayim”.

‫בראשית פרק ל"ח פסוק כ"א‬

.‫וישאל את אנשי מקומה לאמר איה הקדשה הוא בעינים‬

Yehuda realizes the unique ability of ‫תם‬ar to see holiness in all. Mashiach, a descendent of ‫תם‬ar, will explore this
hidden kedusha. Interestingly, there is a striking similarity between the items belonging to Yehuda, the cane and seal,
and the items R. Gamliel asked R. Yehoshua to carry on his Yom Kippur –, the cane and the wallet. Both are mundane
items that can be used to create kedusha. When we came out of slavery we had to realize this was not freedom with no
further obligation. This was an undertaking of immense responsibility to dedicate ourselves and utilize time to apply
kedusha everywhere. We do this of our own volition and not as slaves whose time is controlled by their masters. We
are now in control of time.

Korban ‫פסח‬: Taking Fate into Our Own Hands Rabbi Yoni Levin :Maggid Shiur Yeshivat Lev Shlomo
A long Seder table is set to perfection. Twenty settings of illuminating china are surrounded by twenty sets of dazzling
golden flatware, behind which stand twenty exquisitely sparkling glasses. Splendor adorns the table. Lavish chairs are
cushioned for royalty. It’s a classy scene. Something special is about to unfold… but then your eyes meet the
centerpiece: a chunk of lamb.

Strange focal point, indeed.

A truly exalted night, beaming with spiritual potential, as the entire family gathers for thrilling stories of the greatest
miracles to ever embrace this world - and the anticlimactic spotlight: a lamb. Why?
In truth, we need to rewind the tapes a bit. About a week or two ago, we began revving up for this special night with an
apropos Torah reading, known by its thematic label: “Parshas HaChodesh.” We read about the preparatory
groundwork which lead, in short time, to the glorious redemption for which our lavish table has now been set to recall,
revive, and relive.
Two mitzvos are presented, upon which the entirety of our immanent redemption was predicated. Firstly, the
mitzvah of “HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem” instructs us to establish the Jewish months, starting with none other than our
current month of Nissan. From there, we branch off into the meaty orders and detailed directives regarding the
sacrificial paschal lamb.
Monthly calendars & ‫ פסח‬meat; two biblical commands that seem somewhat unrelated, yet juxtaposed,
nonetheless, within our obscure little Parshas HaChodesh passage. Is there any correlation between these two themes,
and – if so – why were these chosen as the specific prerequisite keys with which we open the doors to our collective
emancipation?
A bit of insight into the anatomy of our redemption may help connect some of these puzzling biblical dots. But let us
first ponder one more enigma, involving an apparently extraneous and unbefitting passage of the Hagadah.
‫מתחלה עובדי עבודה זרה היו אבותינו ועכשיו קרבנו המקום לעבודתו שנאמר ויאמר יהושע אל כל העם כה אמר ה' אלקי ישראל בעבר הנהר ישבו‬
'‫אבותיכם מעולם תרח אבי אברהם ואבי נחור ויעבדו אלקים אחרים ואקח את אביכם את אברהם מעבר הנהר וכו‬
The Hagadah is by no means a mere history book. Yet, we're, nonetheless, transported all the way back up our
ancestral chain, and the idolatrous roots from which we originally stemmed. It's an interesting fact to include on our
national résumé, but our idol-worshipping origins seem somewhat out of place at the Seder.
Surprisingly, this passage is more than just introductory verbiage. It is, actually, a halachically required component of
our mitzvas sipur yetzias mitzrayim (‫פסח‬im 116a). Our humble (perhaps disgraceful) beginning seems to be an inherent
component of our Seder objective.
Interestingly, the Tur writes that that each of the three regalim corresponds to one of our three Avos. ‫פסח‬, the
Tur tells us, is Avraham's holiday. Avraham is the Founding Father of Judaism. He started it all (see: Rambam, Hilchos
Avodas Kochavim 1:2). Again, we can't help but notice the significance of the "where it all began" reminder, and it's
centrality in the ‫ פסח‬experience. But, of course, we need to ask: why?
To truly tap into the spiritual objective of the Seder we need to appreciate the nature of our bondage.
The value and degree of redemption can be measured by the extent of its preceding oppression. Deeper than our
backbreaking physical bondage, was our agonizing, heartrending, utterly crippling spiritual subjugation. We had fallen
from our lofty heights. Theological degeneration wore into the fabric of our fading souls. To spark a renewed and
revi‫טל‬ized relationship with the Almighty, we would first need to cleanse ourselves from the rampant and addictively
abhorrent strains of idolatry.
As we know, “idolatry” comes in many different shapes and sizes. The Ramban and Kli Yakar (Shemos 12:3)
inform us of the Egyptian ‘drug-of-choice,’ as it were. The preferred vice of the time: lamb. In epidemic fashion, our
Jewish community found itself severely addicted to this socie‫ טל‬trend. A recovery – a cleansing – was desperately
needed.
That is the lamb in the center of our extravagant table. Reminding us of where it all began. We were slaves not
just to Egypt, but to ourselves. Unrestrained desires drove us to unimaginable throws of self-desecration – a habit we
thought Avraham had already kicked. But spiritual challenge and the tempting of indulgence is an unavoidable fact of
life, and the harrowing experience in Egypt was our dreadful relapse into the abyss out of which Avraham had once
climbed. We were, once again, serving idols. The lamb was our master.
“HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem” was an empowering charge to shake off the dust of our idolatrous men‫טל‬ity,
and take charge of the fate that lay in our hands. Zodiacal signs didn’t reign supreme in Avraham’s world, and they
didn’t have to in ours. So we slaughter the lamb. We eat it. Entirely. We take ownership of our fate. We awaken.
True freedom is inner freedom – earned specifically and entirely by self-sacrificing triumph. This is what Avraham
achieved. This is what the Karban ‫ פסח‬portrays. This is what we recount and relive each and every year – because all of
our lavish chairs and sparkling china comes as a result and not in spite of our meaningful little centerpiece: the
sacrificed lamb.
On this majestic evening, we assemble around the table, conveying the incredible ‫טל‬es of the Exodus. We
bemoan the circumstances when our history began, yet are overcome with joy with the breakthroughs of Avraham
Avinu. We lament the impurity with in which our ancestors were so absorbed, yet we celebrate the incredible liberation
from the prisons of Egypt. We discuss theology, monotheism, faith, and trust in the Almighty. Suddenly, we notice a
transformation. We are no longer eating. The plates have been replaced with hagadahs. Our conversations are
overcome with Torah. The dining room has become a vibrant energetic beis midrash. Our bima has been graced with
a lamb. We stare it in the face and are reminded of the singular G-d above. Our learning picks up speed fueled by
this centerpiece. It continues until midnight when we conclude the evening with a hearty desert: the powerless lamb.

DaTSaCH ADaSH BeaChaB - Reb Moshe Stark

The following letter is taken from a pamphlet written by the Tzaddik, Rebbe Shimshon from Ostropoli. He writes at the
end of the pamphlet that anyone who studies the wondrous and awesome secrets written here, even one time in a year,
and especially Erev Pesach, is guaranteed that he will be saved from any kind of accident or disaster or strange death
for the whole of that year, and that everything that he turns his hand to will be successful!

Shalom Rabbi…as briefly as possible I will answer Your Honor’s question regarding that which I wrote about the
symbols DaTSaCH ADaSH BeaChaB (‫ ) דצ"ך עד"ש באח"ב‬etc. and how the Redemption is hinted at by these symbols.

The holy Ari z”l wrote in his pamphlet “Many Wonders” (‫)פלאות רבות‬, Part 15 entitled The Departure from Egypt,
Chapter 3, Page 42, as follows:-I have already made known to you that Pharo was afflicted by these ten plagues at the
hands of 3,280 (‫ )ג' אלפים ור"פ‬Angels of Punishment that are appointed to and dwell in the three Heavens of Impurity.
The first [Heaven] is named ShaRA (‫) שר"ע‬, the second TaMOCH (‫)תמו"ך‬, and the third BISHeHA (‫) בישה"א‬. The Minister
appointed over them is named DaLPaKT ‫( דלפק"ט‬an alternative version: DaLPaKTA, ‫)דלפקט"א‬. And over (‫ ) ועל‬an
alternative version: and over them, ‫ ועליהם‬all, the Minister known as TaKA, BeRAISHIS (‫ בראשית‬,‫) תק"א‬.

(And behold,) the third is lacking ten, the fourth is lacking six, and the ninth is lacking six, as they are written in the
Torah. And furthermore, that which we find, that the Egyptians were afflicted by ten plagues in Egypt and fifty at the
Sea, is all according to the name SHaPO (‫)שפ"ו‬, which is the aspect of David ben Yishai, “And G-d said ‘Strike,’ and
they struck them,” (an alternative version: “And G-d spoke and they struck”). According to the name TaKaL (‫)תק"ל‬, the
Egyptians were afflicted by forty plagues in Egypt and two hundred at the Sea, “And G-d said ‘Strike,’ and they struck
them,” (an alternative version: “And G-d spoke and they struck”). According to the name SHaTZAH (‫( ) שצ"ה‬an
alternative version: ASHaTZAH, ‫) אשצ"ה‬, the Egyptians were afflicted by fifty plagues in Egypt and two hundred and fifty
at the Sea, “And G-d spoke and they struck.”
And G-d rectified the Exile in exactly the same way that He had afflicted [the Egyptians]. And what was their
transgression and their sin, what trespass did our forefathers commit [against Hashem], that made it necessary for them
to suffer in the Iron Furnace of Exile [i.e. Egypt], until they were finally redeemed (an alternative version: until He
redeemed them), using the following names, DeAV (‫) דע"ב‬, TZeDAH (‫) צד"א‬, KaSHCHaV (‫ ?) כשח"ב‬This is all as written
by the Ari z”l.

And Your Honor wrote to me that all these words of the Ari z”l are obviously the most wondrous and awesome secrets,
sealed , closed and locked away from the slightest understanding, for who is there that could explain them? And, in
fact, I have been asked many times by some of the greatest Rabbis to explain these words to them, and I refused.
However, because of my great love for Your Honor, I will explain them to you as they were revealed and explained to
me in a dream. And He who is merciful, forgiving of sin, etc.

That which the Ari z”l started off by writing : I have already made known to you that Pharo was afflicted by the ten
plagues at the hands of 3,280 (‫ ) ג' אלפים ור"פ‬Angels of Punishment etc. he was saying, as the Kabbalistic Masters
teach, that there are 3,280 Angels of Punishment appointed to punish the wicked in Gehinnom, and to purify them
from their sins. The proof for this coming from the quote, “to smite with the fist (‫ ) באגרף‬of wickedness,” (Isaiah 58:4,)
the word “fist” being the initial letters of the number 3,280 written out, thus '‫ ג' א'לפים ר"פ = א'ג'ר'ף‬Angels of Punishment
who punish the wicked, and it is them who also punished the wicked Pharo and the Egyptians.

And this is a wondrous secret, for if you work out the numerical value of the ‫דם‬ 44
Ten Plagues exactly according to the way they are written as follows, ‫ד"ם‬ ‫צפרדע‬ 444
‫ צפרד"ע כנ"ם ער"ב דב"ר שחי"ן בר"ד ארב"ה חש"ך מכ"ת בכור"ת‬they add up to exactly ‫כנם‬ 110
the same amount as ‫ג' א'לפים ר"פ‬, hinting at the ‫ ג' אלפים ור"פ‬camps of Angels ‫ערב‬ 272
of Punishment mentioned previously, appointed to punish and purify the ‫דבר‬ 206
sinners. This is an incredible explanation, according to the simple meaning ‫שחין‬ 368
of the words, which has never before been revealed! ‫ברד‬ 206
‫ארבה‬ 208
‫חשך‬ 328
‫מכת‬ ‫בכורות‬ 1094
Total 3280

And that which he wrote: the third is lacking ten, this is referring to the third plague, ‫כנים‬, which is written without the
letter Yud [gematria: 10]. “The fourth is lacking six,” i.e. the fourth plague, ‫ערוב‬, is missing the letter Vav [gematria: 6].
“The ninth is lacking six,” refers to the ninth plague, ‫חושך‬, also lacking a Vav. (An alternative version: A Yud is missing
from the third plague, ‫כנם‬, which needs to have the Yud missing. The fourth plague, ‫ ערב‬, is missing six, because it
needs to have the Vav missing. The ninth plague, ‫חשך‬, is lacking six, because it also needs to be written without the
Vav.)
And that which he wrote: as they are written in the Torah, his intention was to say that this is actually how they are
written in the Torah, with these missing letters. For they are written in Parshas Vaera, ‫ כנם‬without the Yud, ‫ ערב‬without
the Vav, and ‫ חשך‬without the Vav, and not as they are written in the Haggadah, all written out in full. He is referring to
the way they are written in the Torah, which adds up exactly to the ‫ ג' אלפים ור"פ‬Angels of Punishment that punish the
wicked, which punished the Egyptians and afflicted Pharo and the Egyptians in Egypt, from the three Heavens of
Impurity.

And that which he wrote: that these ‫ ג' אלפים ור"פ‬Angels of Punishment dwell in the three Heavens of Impurity. The first
[Heaven] is named ShaRA (‫)שר"ע‬, the second TaMOCH (‫) תמו"ך‬, and the third BISHeHA (‫) בישה"א‬, there is in this also a
wondrous and awesome secret in what he wrote (an alternative version: hinted at in what he said), “these ten plagues
that (Hashem) brought (‫)אלו עשר מכות שהביא‬,” “ten (‫ ”) עשר‬is the same letters as ShaRA (‫) שר"ע‬, “plagues (‫ ”) מכות‬is the
same letters as TaMOCH (‫) תמו"ך‬, and “that brought (‫ ”)שהביא‬is the same letters as BISHeHA (‫)בישה"א‬, these words are
hinting at the three Heavens of Impurity containing the ‫ ג' אלפים ור"פ‬Angels of Punishment which inflicted the ten
plagues upon Pharo and Egypt, and this is truly a great wonder.

And that which he wrote: the Minister appointed over them is named DaLPaKT (‫) דלפק"ט‬, he is revealing that this name
comes from the name “the Egyptians (‫ ”)המצרים‬where each letter of the angel’s name is the one previous to it’s
equivalent letter in the words “the Egyptians,” in the aleph beis, thus, the '‫ ד‬precedes the '‫ה‬, the '‫ ל‬the '‫מ‬, the '‫ פ‬the '‫צ‬,
the '‫ ק‬the '‫ר‬, the '‫ ט‬the '‫י‬, and the final '‫ ם‬of the word ‫ המצרים‬is just the plural and not part of the root of the word. This is
what he was hinting at when he said: ten plagues did Hashem bring upon the Egyptians (i.e. the letters that preceded
the letters of the word Egyptians ‫) המצרים‬, try to understand all this, and the good G-d will atone etc.

And that which he wrote: and over (‫( ) ועל‬an alternative version: and over them, ‫)ועליהם‬
all, the Minister known as TaKA, BeRAISHIS (‫ בראשית‬,‫) תק"א‬, he was referring to the initial 114 ‫דצ"ך‬
letters of each of the ten plagues ‫ דצ"ך עד"ש באח"ב‬which add up to the same number as 374 ‫עד"ש‬
the name of the Angel, ‫תק"א‬, [gematria: 501] (and the reason that he added the word 13 ‫באח"ב‬
‫[ בראשית‬first ], was to point out that he was referring to ‘the first,’ i.e. the initial letters of 501 Total
each of the plagues).

This is also the gematria of the word ‫[ אש"ר‬gematria: 501], which is the secret hidden in the verse ‫את אש"ר התעללתי‬
‫במצרים‬, “these things which I have wrought in Egypt,” (Shemos 9:2), where in fact there are many many verses that hint
to this secret of ‫ אש"ר‬being the gematria of the initial letters of the ten plagues, and concerning this matter there are
wondrous secrets and many hints, and the greater glory of Hashem is in what is hidden…

And that which he wrote: and furthermore, that which we find, and Hashem spoke and
afflicted the Egyptians with ten plagues in Egypt and fifty at the Sea, is all according to
the name SHaPO (‫)שפ"ו‬, he is referring to the wondrous and awesome secret which is the 212 ‫רבי‬
source of the argument between ‫ ריה"ג ור"א ור"ע‬as brought in the Haggadah, “Rabbi Yosi 86 ‫יוסי‬
HaGalili said: from where do we know…etc Rabbi Eliezer said: from where do we 88 ‫הגלילי‬
know…etc. Rabbi Akiva said: from where do we know…etc, this is the secret of the name 386 Total
‫ רב"י יוס"י הגליל"י‬which has the same gematria as the word ‫( שפ"ו‬gematria : 386), which is
that which is written: Rabbi Yosi HaGalili said…i.e. that the name ‫ שפ"ו‬spoke and
afflicted them etc.

And that which he wrote: which is the aspect of David ben Yishai, the explanation is 14 ‫דוד‬
that ‫ דו"ד ב"ן יש"י‬is also gematria ‫שפ"ו‬, and it was, in particular, with this name that 52 ‫בן‬
He afflicted them, but said it in a very hidden way. For Rabbi Yosi HaGalili was a 320 ‫ישי‬
reincarnation of David ben Yishai, and ben Yishai [the Messiah] will use precisely 386 Total
this name when he comes. There are also many other hidden secrets in this matter,
but the main intention is as recorded above.

And that which he wrote: according to the name TaKaL (‫)תק"ל‬, the Egyptians were afflicted by
forty plagues in Egypt and two hundred at the Sea, this is a clue that Rabbi Eliezer is gematria
212 ‫רבי‬
TaKaL (gematria: 530). That is to say, Rabbi Eliezer in particular, who is the gematria of the
318 ‫אליעזר‬
name TaKaL spoke and afflicted them etc. (An alternative version: “Rabbi Eliezer
530 Total
said…meaning that he holds the opinion that it was the name TaKaL that afflicted the
Egyptians).

And that which he wrote: according to the name SHaTZAH (‫( ) שצ"ה‬an alternative version:
ASHaTZAH, ‫)אשצ"ה‬, the Egyptians were afflicted by fifty plagues in Egypt and two hundred and
fifty at the Sea, Rabbi Akiva is the gematria of the word SHaTZAH (gematria : 395), (an
alternative version: ASHaTZAH including the kollel [i.e. adding an extra one for the word 212 ‫רבי‬
itself]). That is to say, that Rabbi Akiva, who is the gematria of the word SHaTZAH (or 183 ‫עקיבא‬
ASHaTZAH), was the one who said that it was the name SHaTZAH (or ASHaTZAH) that spoke 395 Total
and afflicted etc. And each of the three Rabbis explained it according to his understanding,
which is why the three names ShaPO, TaKaL and ASHaTZAH equal the gematrias of the three
Tannaim, Rabbi Yosi HaGalili (ShaPO), Rabbi Eliezer (TaKaL) and Rabbi Akiva (ASHaTZAH).
And this is all an awesome and wondrous secret, as I said previously. And may the Merciful
One atone [for our sins] etc.

And that which he wrote: and G-d rectified the Exile in exactly the same way that He had afflicted [the Egyptians], this is
as I explained above, that the initial letters of the plagues hint to the original cause of the descent to Egypt, and in
exactly the same way as Hashem struck the Egyptians, that in itself was the method by which He redeemed Israel, that
the actual letters of the plagues are a hint to our redemption.

(An alternative version: and that which he wrote: and how many sins etc. he intended to teach that our forefathers ' sins,
which were the cause of them having to go down to Egypt, are hinted at in the actual letters of the plagues. And
similarly, the letters of the plagues are also a hint to our redemption by Hashem.)

And that which he wrote: until they were finally redeemed (an alternative version: until He redeemed them), using the
following names, DeAV (‫)דע"ב‬, TZeDAH (‫)צד"א‬, KaSHCHaV (‫) כשח"ב‬, he was hinting that the letters of the word DeAV (
‫ )דע"ב‬are the initial letters of each of the three symbols DaTSaCH ADaSH BeaChaB (‫) ד'צ"ך ע'ד"ש ב'אח"ב‬. The second
name, TZeDAH (‫) צד"א‬, is the second letter in each group, and the third name KaSHCHaV (‫) כשח"ב‬, is the third letter,
through which Hashem redeemed us. The actual plagues that Hashem inflicted on Egypt hint to Israel’s redemption.
(An alternative version: the actual letters of DaTSaCH ADaSH BeaChaB (‫ ) ד'צ"ך ע'ד"ש ב'אח"ב‬are a hint to the Minister
appointed over all the Angels of Punishment which afflicted the plagues upon the Egyptians, and those same letters hint
to the reason for the exile to Egypt, and also to Israel’s redemption from there. The selfsame letters are both the secret
of the affliction and of the redemption.)

And may we be found worthy in Hashem’s eyes to quickly see the coming of the Messiah, with all the Angels
appointed to accompany the Final Redemption, may it come speedily and in our time. And may we be worthy of seeing
the fulfillment of the verse, “As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt I will show him marvelous things
(Micah 7:15), forever and ever amen.
And finally, I hereby declare that anyone who studies these wondrous and awesome secrets, even one time in a year,
and especially on Erev Pesach, I promise him that he will be saved from any kind of accident or strange death for that
whole year. His enemies will have no power over him and will fall before him, and that he will be successful in
everything that he turns his hand to.

Amen.