Words uttered in pain

Hi,

"Rava taught: A person is not punished for his reactions in a moment of pain."

(Talmud, Bava Batra 16b)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

Hallel

Hi,

"Any individual who has encountered trouble and been saved from it may establish recitation Hallel for himself on that day every year, but he does not recite a blessing when reciting it. The same applies to every community. This was what the prophets established, to say Hallel for every trouble when we are saved."

(Meiri to Pesachim 117a)

Chag Atzmaut sameach,
Mordechai

Yom ha'Atzmaut

Hi,

In honor of Yom haAtzmaut, Israel Independence Day, celebrated Tuesday night and Wednesday:

"You will return to HaShem your Gd and hear His voice, according to all that I instruct you today; you and your children, with all of your heart and all of your soul.

"HaShem will return your exile and have mercy on you, and He will return and gather you from all of the nations to which HaShem, your Gd had scattered you.

"HaShem your Gd will bring you to the land which your ancestors inherited, and you will inherit it, and HaShem will prepare good things for you and make you greater in number than your ancestors.

"HaShem your Gd will circumcise your heart and the heart of your children, to love HaShem your Gd with all of your heart and with all of your soul, for your life."

(Devarim 30:2-6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yom haZikaron

Hi,

Yom haZikaron, on which Israel commemorates those who have fallen in its defense, is observed on the 4th of Iyyar - Monday night and Tuesday.

"And when you go to war in your land against the attacker who attacks you, you shall blow on the trumpets. You will be remembered before HaShem, your Gd, and you will be saved from your enemies."

(Bamidbar 10:9)

Be well,
Mordechai

To know the Mind of Gd

Hi,

"Torah study is more beloved to Gd than burnt offerings, because one who learns Torah knows the mind of Gd, as it is written (Proverbs 2:5), ‘Then you will understand awe of Gd, and you will find knowledge of Gd.’"

(Avot d'Rabbi Natan 4:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The power of speech

Hi,

On the power of speech:

"Every word that a person produces from his mouth ascends upward, pierces heavens and enters a space higher still."

(Zohar, Parshat Metzora pg. 55a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Starting a fight

Hi,

"Achitofel gave his children three instructions. First: Do not get into disputes."

(Talmud, Bava Batra 147a)

Maharsha, an 18th century commentator, noted: Achitofel said, 'Do not get into disputes,' but he did not say, 'Do not dispute.' Sometimes a person should dispute with others, if they trespass against him. Achitofel only told his children, 'Don't be the one to cause the dispute.'

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Judging others favorably

Hi,

"One who suspects those who are innocent will suffer Divinely-administered physical punishment."

(Talmud, Shabbat 97a)

Rabbi Moshe Sofer (aka "Chatam Sofer") explained: Gd will ordinarily punish a person lightly, judging the person favorably and so presuming that the person will respond to a light rebuke.

However, if a person judges others unfavorably, then Gd judges him thus, too, and administers a more harsh rebuke.

(Chiddushei Chatam Sofer to Shabbat 97a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Teach your child a trade

Hi,

"How do we know that a parent is obligated to teach his child a trade? It is written [Ecclesiastes 9], 'See life, with the woman you have loved.'

"Either 'woman' refers to one's spouse, and just as a parent must marry off his child so a parent must teach his child a trade [so that the child will be able to live], or 'woman' refers to Torah, and just as a parent must teach his child Torah so a parent must teach his child a trade [so that the child will be able to live]."

(Talmud, Kiddushin 30b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

"What is right in Gd's eyes"

Hi,

"The phrase [in Sh'mot 15:26], ‘Doing what is right in Gd’s eyes,’ refers to social interaction.

"One who deals honestly with others, one whose character pleases others, is considered as though he had fulfilled the entire Torah."

(Mechilta d'Rabbi Yishmael to Sh'mot 15:26)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Meaning of Mikvah

Hi,

"When a man immerses the whole of himself in water of that nature, and completely and in direct contact enters this element, he completely… leaves the stage of Mankind and for the moment returns to the sphere of the world of elements, to begin a new life of Taharah. It is symbolic of a new birth."

(Comment of R' Samson Raphael Hirsch to Vayyikra 11:47)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Moshe received the Torah with awe

Hi,

"Moshe was sanctified in a cloud and he received the Torah from Sinai, as it is written, ‘And the glory of Gd rested atop Mount Sinai’ – it was for Moshe, to purify him.

"This was after the Aseret haDibrot, according to R’ Yosi haGlili.

"R’ Akiva said, ‘And the cloud covered him for six days’ – This was Moshe, as it is written, ‘And Gd called to Moshe,’ to give honor to Moshe, ‘on the seventh day, from within the cloud.’

"R’ Natan asked: Why did Moshe need to wait for six days, without Gd’s communication? To clean out all eating and drinking from within him, until he could be sanctified and become like a ministering angel.

"R’ Matya ben Charash replied: My master! It was only to intimidate him, so that he would receive the words of Torah with intimidation, awe, trembling and shaking, as it is written, ‘Serve Gd with awe and rejoice with trembling.’"

(Avot d'Rabbi Natan 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Pharaoh, the unwilling slave-driver?

Hi,

“The sages asked: Why is Pharaoh called a 'new king' in the Torah? It was the same Pharaoh!

"It’s because the Egyptians had said to Pharaoh, ‘Let us deal with this nation [the Jews].’ And Pharaoh had replied, ‘You fools! Until now, we ate of their work, how could we do this to them? If not for Yosef, we wouldn’t even be alive!’

“But when Pharaoh would not listen, they deposed him for three months, until he said, ‘I’m with you in whatever you decide to do,’ and then they restored him to the throne.’”

(Midrash, Sh'mot Rabbah 1:8)

Have a great Moed,
Mordechai

Elijah's Cup

Hi,

"One reason why we pour a fifth cup and call it 'Elijah's Cup' is that there is a debate in the gemara as to whether we use a fifth cup, and the halachah is not determined. Therefore, we pour a fifth cup and we call it 'Elijah's cup,' and when Elijah comes the doubt will be clarified."

(Taamei haMinhagim 551, citing the Vilna Gaon)

Have a great Moed,
Mordechai

A Pesach lesson: Performing mitzvot personally

Hi,


"The Torah says, ‘The nation carried out its dough before it could rise, their burdens bound up in their clothes, upon their shoulders.’

"R’ Natan asked: Did they not have animals? But the Jews loved the mitzvot, and they went and did it themselves in order to receive reward for going and doing…"

(Midrash, Mechilta d’R’ Shimon bar Yochai 12:38)

Have a great Moed,
Mordechai

Lifting the Seder Plate

Hi,

[During the Seder, at "Ha Lachma Anya," we lift the Seder Plate.]

"One could explain the practice simply, based on this midrash:

"It is written (in Psalms), 'From the refuse, Gd will lift up the poor.' This refers to the Jewish people, who were sunken in Egypt, and Gd elevated them."

(Taamei haMinhagim 530, from Matei Aharon)

Have a wonderful Yom Tov,
Mordechai

Hiding the afikoman

Hi,

"One reason why we hide the afikoman is so that children will see and ask why we are hiding away matzah before we have even eaten. Through the answer we will come to tell the story of leaving Egypt."

(Taamei haMinhagim 527)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Dipping twice

Hi,

"One reason we dip twice [at the Seder] is:

"We dip once to remember the redemption from Egypt, regarding which it is written [for the Pesach offering brought on the night of the redemption], 'You shall take a hyssop bundle and dip it.'

"The second dip is to remember the exile, which was for the sin of selling Joseph, regarding which it is written, 'They dipped his tunic in blood.'"

(Taamei haMinhagim 524, citing Shelah)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A Beautiful Seder Table

Hi,

"All year long, it is good to avoid beautiful utensils, in order to minimize any feeling of status, to remember the destruction of the Temple. This does not apply for the Seder night, though, because the Torah instructed us to demonstrate freedom, such as by using silver and gold implements and brightly colored clothing."

(Maharil, Seder haHaggadah #4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Three matzot at the Seder

Hi,

"One reason why we use three matzot is to commemorate the three se'ah measures of flour [that Sarah prepared for the visiting angels in Genesis 18] on Passover.

"We break one of the matzot in order to remember the splitting of the Sea, as well as the Jordan River [when the Jews entered Israel in Joshua 3], which occurred on Passover."

(Taamei haMinhagim 520, citing Daat Zekeinim miBaalei haTosafot)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Seder Kittel - An exercise in humility

Hi,

[Note: A kittel is a simple white robe, worn by grooms under the chuppah in many Jewish communities, and also used as one of the tachrichin burial shrouds.]

"One reason to wear a kittel at the seder is to keep one from becoming arrogant in his joy; thus one wears the garment of the deceased."

(Taamei haMinhagim 503, from the Taz)

Have a great day,
Mordechai