Revealing the Name of Hashem

Rav Avrohom Zvi Kluger explains (הגדה קי"ב) that beginning with Creation the world was conducted by the name אלוקים (Elokim). We find this name mentioned 32 times during the story of Creation. The Exodus from Egypt ushered in an era of the world being conducted by the name י-ה-ו-ה (the Tetragrammaton). 

The name אלוקים is a name that indicates constriction and is related, therefore, to the name מצרים (Egypt) which indicates borders. It also shares the same Gematria as הטבע (nature) which acts within a defined system of laws. The Land of Israel, by contrast, is above nature, as is connected to the name י-ה-ו-ה. If Creation featured 32 mentions of the name of Elokim, then the Exodus from Egypt began the transition to 32 manifestations of the name י-ה-ו-ה. The ten plagues that destroyed Egypt did not destroy the statements of the Creation that were uttered at the beginning of time. Rather, they removed the power of Creation, of the name אלוקים, to hide what lay underneath. That was revealed through the עשרת הדברות (the Ten Commandments) as the name י-ה-ו-ה. The fullest expression of that name is found in Eretz Yisroel and ארץ ישראל shares the same Gematria as 32 times י-ה-ו-ה (32x26=832). 

It is for this reason that the Torah repeatedly speaks of hardening the לב (heart) of Paroh (לב having the Gematria of 32). This is because as the Arizal explains Paroh only believed in the name of Elokim and denied the existence of י-ה-ו-ה, as he said, מי י-ה-ו-ה אשר אשמע בקולו. This is why he opposed the Jews desire to leave Egypt as he wished to prevent the revelation of י-ה-ו-ה. 

The Second Seder Experience

The Ariza"l teaches that we have two days of Yom Tov outside of Israel as we need more time to absorb all of the spiritual energy of the holiday. I decided therefore, that while our First Seder had been focused on the story of the performance of the Mitzvos of the night, I wanted our Second Seder to be focused on each person's own personal Exodus from challenges they are facing.

We had begun heading on that direction last year when we focused the second night on the idea of Mitzrayim representing meitzarim boundaries. We gave each participant in our Seder the opportunity to discuss what self-limiting boundaries they are creating in their lives and what they can do to move beyond those boundaries. We moved beyond that this year.
Before I broke the Middle Matzo I mentioned that the middle represents the heart. In order for us to really change, the first step is to break open our heart so that it is fertile ground for change. Initially, all we are left with is a small part of our heart, we have not yet experienced the Exodus. The larger part is hidden away until we earn it back through the work we do at the Seder.
The four questions represent how we experience things in our lives:

1. On all other nights we eat Chometz and Matzo. Chometz represents the ego. How often do we not all ourselves the opportunity to really be full-present and enjoy experiences because we allow our ego to interfere. Who is watching me? What are people going to say. Will I be thanked?
2. On all other night we eat all sorts of vegetables. We allow ourselves to be faced constantly with a whole salad of attention-grabbing distractions in our lives, which rob us of the opportunity to focus upon and really experience any one of them. Tonight it is only Marror. Just one thing on which to focus.
3. On all other night we do not even dip once. Dipping is a luxury, it represents eating in style. How often do we not allows ourselves to pamper ourselves and enjoy what we are doing? Tonight, we will dip twice and really enjoy.
4. How often do we reclining while eating. Reclining in Talmudic times represents a decision to participate fully in a meal. How often do we rush through things, not allow ourselves to experience them fully?

We then took time to allow all participants to share which of these challenges was meaningful to them, and what they needed to be mindful of in order to change things.

We then turned to the Four Sons and understood them to symbolize how people respond to trying circumstances:

1. The Wise Son wants to know what to do. No matter what the challenge he is always ready to respond.
2. The Wicked Son turns around and asks why someone else isn't doing something to solve the problem. With that attitude he never would have gotten out of Egypt.
3. The Simple Son asks, "What's this?" He needs more information so that he can figure out how to respond.
4. The last son is frozen with fear. He needs someone else to help him out to deal with the situation as he is powerless on his own.

Again, we allowed each participant an opportunity to discuss their own experiences, challenges and successes.

Finally, we focused on the three central themes of the Hagaddah and how we relate to God's presence in our lives. 

1. Pesach represents the time when things occur and we seem to have been singled out. For good or for bad.
2. Matzo represents the law on unintended circumstances. They thought they were making bread, they ended up with Matzo with some long-term consequences
3. Marror, the Talmud says that it starts out Bitter and ends up sweet. How many times do we see things only negatively and can't see that they are the seeds of something better in the future.

Once again participants shared their feelings around these themes.

A meaningful time was had by all.

Double Freedom

Rav Kook in Ain Aya, his commentary on the Aggadic portions of Tractate Baerachos, says as follows:
Redemption from slavery to freedom as a rule, manifests itself in two ways. First is the inner freedom
that one feels his soul uplifted. That he has left the lowliness of servitude and become a free person, his own boss. The second is the act that is evident to all that he is a free person, living and acting. For Klal Yisroel there is one other additional benefit, the inner freedom leads the way to personal completion including character sanctification through Torah, its commandments and wisdom. This externally evident freedom stands as a light unto the nations as is already occurring to a great extent these days and will be completed at the time that God has mercy on His nation.
Therefore the redemption was divided into two parts. The internal  redemption of the Jewish nation from Egypt was at night. There was no need for anyone else to be aware of it, only the good internal feeling of their freedom. But they left in the day with an outstretched arm, visible to all of humanity to demonstrate an act visible to the world so all those created in God's image could all have the opportunity to shine in the light of God. "And the Nations will walk in your light, and Kings to the light of your shine."

The Greatest - and Most Tragic - Haggadah

I own over 100 Haggadahs with different commentaries, but my favorite is one called Haggadah Bais Avrohom Bais Aharon. This Haggadah contains nine commentaries written by the same author each coming from a unique perspective. One commentary focuses on pshat, the basic explanation of the Haggadah, another on complex pilpul, a third on intricate mathematics to resolve questions on the Haggadah, while another delves into the Kabbalistic significance of each piece. Unlike many Haggadahs this is no anthology, each piece is original and marked with breathtaking genius. The breadth of knowledge of the author combined with his intellectual

creativity makes each section a delicious treat.
His love for Torah shines through from the fact that oftentimes he will address the same question in several of the commentaries. In each one he develops an answer based on the unique approach of that commentary. He is not ready to move on from the question because he had resolved it one way, but like a jeweler examining each facet of a diamond, he turns each question this way and that until he can satisfy it from multiple perspectives.
The author was not a rabbi. He was a wine manufacturer and merchant who died at age 37 after spending the last two years of his life in a Nazi labor camp. Apparently, he had written many manuscripts of his Torah thoughts which were all lost in the war. He had given this manuscript to  brother who gave it a friend who hid it in a bunker...
It pains me each time I learn the work of this man. A life cut short, so much more he could have taught us and so much of his life's work lost. We will never know how much we lost from all those who perished at hands of our enemies. If this is one man, multiply it by millions.
Be that as it may, I will spend my time before  during Pesach bringing him back to life by enjoying his amazing gift.

הקדמה למגיד

מגיד: הקדמה

יש מחלוקת ידוע בין רב לשמואל באופן הראוי לספר סיפור יציאת מצרים (פסחים קטז.) מאי בגנות? רב אמר מתחלה עובדי עבודת גילולים היו אבותינו ושמואל אמר עבדים היינו. וכ' רבינו חננאל והאידנא עבדינן כתרוויהו. וצ"ע מה שורש המחלוקת בין רב לשמואל בלשון נוסחת הגנות. עוד צ"ע דאי כר"ח דעבדינן כתרוויהו (וכן משמע ברמב"ם הלכות חו"מ פ"ז ה"ד) לכאורה היה צריך בעל ההגדה לסדר שתי הלשונות זה אצל זה. ואין זה הסדר בנוסח ההגדות שלנו. אלא מביא לשון שמואל דעבדים היינו ואח"כ מביא המעשה דבני ברק ומימרא דראב"ע וארבע בנים. ואחר יכול מראש חודש חוזר ללשון רב דמתחלה וכו'. וצ"ע למה הפסיק כ"כ בין שתי הנוסחאות? ועוד דברמב"ם מביא תחילה נוסחת מתחלה ואח"כ עבדים היינו ומשמע א"כ דהעיקר כרב (ויש ראשונים הפוסקים במפורש דהלכה כרב) וא"כ צ"ע למה הביא בעל ההגדה עבדים היינו קודם למתחילה אם אין הוא עיקר.

עוד צ"ע ממימרא דר"ג (שם) כל מי שלא שמר שלשה דברים אלו בפסח לא יצא ידי חובתו. איזה חוב הוא דלא יצא? וברור מהרמב"ם דכוונת ר"ג הוא על חובת מצוות סיפור יציאת מצרים. דבה"ב התחיל "מצוה להודיע לבנים ואפילו לא שאלו שנאמר והגדת לבנך." ומבאר ואזיל כל פרטי מגיד עד סוף ה"ה ואחר שהביא דינו דר"ג סיים "ודברים האלו כולן הן נקראים הגדה." דהיינו דגם אמירת שלשה הדברים הוא חלק ממצות סיפור יציאת מצרים הנלמד מפסוק והגדת לבנך. וצ"ע למה חייבים לספר הסיפור באופן שמבאר טעם המצוה ושייכות המצוה להסיפור? כבר סיפרנו כל הסיפור כולו ומה מרוויחים בזה?

ועיין במהרש"א (וכן איתא בכמה ראשונים) דלא קאי מימרא דר"ג על קיום מצוות והגדת לבנך אלא דלא יצא חובת אכילת פסח מצה ומרור אם לא ביאר הטעם למה אוכלים שלשתן. ולשיטתו אין מימרא זה חלק ממגיד ודלא כהרמב"ם.

ונראה לבאר דמחלוקת רב ושמואל הוא דלפי שמואל קיום מצוות סיפור יצ"מ הוא ע"י סיפור העובדה שהיינו עבדים ומה שסבלו גופינו ע"י שהיינו עבדים. ומספרים סיפור היציאה ע"י נסי הבורא. אבל שיטת רב הוא שכוונת המצוה לספר מטרת היציאה דהיינו "תעבדון את האלוקים על ההר הזה." וא"כ עיקר הגנאי בהסיפור הוא במה שאבותינו לא זכו לעבוד את האלוקים. כן משמע מלשון הרמב"ם כשמבאר שני הנוסחאות. וז"ל מתחיל ומספר שבתחלה היו אבותינו בימי תרח ומלפניו כופרים וטועין אחר ההבל ורודפין אחר ע"ז. ומסיים בדת האמת שקרבנו המקום לו והבדילנו מן התועים וקרבנו ליחודו. וכן מתחיל ומודיע שעבדים היינו לפרעה במצרים וכל הרעה שגמלנו ומסיים בנסים ונפלאות שנעשה לנו ובחירותינו.

ואם כנים הדברים א"כ נראה פשוט דלרב מה שאמר ר"ג כל מי שלא אמר שלשה דברים לא יצא ידי חובתו הוא משום שתכלית יציאת מצרים הוא המצוות שזכינו לעשותם. אז בליל הסדר צריכים לבאר איך כל מצוות הלילה ואיך נקשר לסיפור היציאה. והיינו כהרמב"ם דר"ג הוי חלק ממגיד. אולם לשמואל דכוונת המצוה הוא רק לספר העובדה ולא לבאר התכלית למה יצאנו אכ אין צריך לקשר הסיפור למצוות היום או לשאר מצוות ונוכל לבאר כמו המהרש"א דר"ג אינו מדין מגיד אלא מדין אכילת ק"פ מצה ומרור. וא"כ דהרמב"ם אזיל לשיטת רב א"ש הא דהביא נוסחת רב תחלה דהוא עיקר.

ועפ"ז נוכל לבאר סדר ההגדה למה יש הפסק כ"כ בין שתי הנוסחאות בהקדם דברי המהר"ל (גבורות השם נ"ב) דכל הדברים עד מתחלה עובדי עבודה זרה, ששם הוא מתחיל לספר הגנות, הוא הקדמה. ע"ש ע"פ דרכו.

ונוכל לומר דאף שאנן פסקינן שהעיקר כרב מ"מ מתחילין בדברי שמואל כהקדמה לבאר מה קרה ביציאת מצרים. וביארנו ע"י המעשה דבני ברק ומימרא דראב"ע דעצם סיפור וידיעת הסיפור נחוץ מאוד שהתנאים הקדושים סיפרו כל הלילה וכן יש מצוה להזכירו כל יום. אח"כ ביאר שיש להבין טבע הבנים כדי לספר הסיפור באופן שיתקבל ע"י כל או"א. לבסוף מביאים הברייתא שמבאר הזמן הראוי לסיפור. ורק אחר כל ההקדמות האלו אנו מזומנים לגשת לעיקר מטרת הלילה דהיינו לבאר איך קרבינו המקום לעבודתו והמצוות שרכשנו ע"י יציאתינו ממצרים.

 חיים שלמה לאנדא

Timely Chometz

Chometz represents things that need many actions in order to come to fruition, all of which take time, just as a dough needs time in order to become chometz. Matzah symbolizes those things which require a minimum amount of human intervention, and are above and beyond the dimension of time.

Most people think that freedom means the ability to do whatever a person wants to do. In reality, however, true freedom is the realization that a person cannot just accomplish whatever he wants to accomplish. Rather the person realizes that they only have the ability to put in the effort and intention to accomplish something, but the ultimate success comes from God. When a person feels that accomplishment is up to him he feels a need to always do and accomplish as everything is dependent upon himself. There is no greater slavery than such an attitude. Any time a person feels that he must do something he is in slavery.
Our Sages teach us that no slave ever escaped from Egypt. The slaves felt that it was better the be a slave in Egypt than a nobleman elsewhere. They bought into the Egyptian notion of work being equal to accomplishment - that was their slavery, their addiction to work. In every generation a person must view himself as if he left Egypt; a person must see to it that he is not addicted to doing anything. Anything which a person feels he cannot stop doing is a violation of the Torah prohibition of returning to Egypt.
We therefore eat Matzah to show that we are not addicted to anything and we have left the servitude of Egypt to eternal freedom.

Secret of the Afikoman

An explanation of the symbolism of the Afikoman.