Why do we shift focus to Mashiach in Ha Lachma Anya?

Hi,

"'This year we are here; next year, we will be in Israel, as free people.' Some explain that after we mention Pesach we need to invoke consolation in order to calm those who are reciting the Haggadah. It is as if we were saying that although we are now in exile and slavery and we cannot perform the Pesach properly, Gd has already promised to bring us from slavery to freedom, to take us from this exile and bring us to Israel as we once were. May it be Gd's will that He fulfill His promise this year, so that we will perform next year's Pesach in Yerushalayim."

(R' Tzidkiyahu ben Avraham haRofei, Shibolei haLeket 218)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why is Ha Lachma Anya in Aramaic?

Hi,

"Some explain that we say this paragraph [Ha Lachma Anya] in Aramaic because Jerusalemites spoke Aramaic when expressing joy…

"My mentor R' Yehudah, my second brother, explained that it is because this was their foreign tongue, for this paragraph was established in Babylon…

"My brother R' Binyamin explained that we say it in Aramaic because the sages taught in a midrash on Eichah 1:3, "Israel was not exiled until they ate chametz on Pesach, for Eichah 1:3 says, 'Yehudah was exiled from oni' and matzah is called 'bread of oni'." Therefore we say it in Aramaic, to reveal this sin to our children, so that they will be careful."

(R' Tzidkiyahu ben Avraham haRofei, Shibbolei haLeket 218)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The nature of the Jew

Hi,

"For from the tops of boulders I see him, and from hills I espy him. He is a people who dwells alone, and who will not be numbered among the nations."

(Bamidbar 23:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Celebrating Pesach alone?

Hi,

In 'Ha Lachma Anya' we say, "Let all who are hungry come participate in our Pesach."

"Some explain 'Let all who are hungry come participate in our Pesach' to mean that everyone should act as paupers regarding the Pesach. One should not say, 'I am wealthy, so I will acquire a Pesach offering for myself, and eat it alone.' Thus the Torah says, 'Acquire for yourselves a sheep, for your families.'"

(R' Tzidkiyahu ben R' Avraham haRofei, Shibbolei haLeket 218)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Honoring people with dementia

Hi,

"The Tablets and the Broken Tablets were both placed in the Ark; this teaches that one should not disgrace a Torah scholar who has forgotten his learning due to circumstances beyond his control."

(Talmud, Menachot 99a)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

The Influence of Miriam

Hi,

I was asked the following question the other day: In three separate places in Chumash, Chur is mentioned and Rashi takes pains, each time, to inform us that he was the son of Miriam.

First: Shemot 17:10, when Chur and Aharon support Moshe in his defense of the Jews during their war with Amalek.

Second: Shemot 24:14, when Moshe appoints Aharon and Chur to be the counselors of the Jews while he is away on Har Sinai.

Third: Shemot 35:30, when Chur's grandson Betzalel is appointed to lead the creation of the Mishkan.

Why does Rashi go out of his way to mention Chur's mother each time?

My first thought was that there were midrashim on each pasuk identifying Chur's lineage, and Rashi was only citing those midrashim, but I could not find any such midrash, on any of the pesukim.

So I have an idea which I would not deem "peshat", but which I like in any case: Each of these cases involves Chur in a different role, and in each case he channels the influence of his mother, Miriam.

In defending the Jews against Amalek, Chur channels his mother Miriam's defense of the Jews as a midwife (Shemot 1:17), and her defense of Moshe as he floated in the river (Shemot 2:4-9).

In counseling the Jews, Chur channels his mother Miriam's counsel to Amram and Yocheved to have more children (Sotah 12a), and her counsel regarding Moshe and Tziporah's relationship (Bamidbar 12:1, Rashi there).

In creating the Mishkan, Chur's grandson channels Miriam's act of connecting the Jews to Gd in the dance after they crossed through the Sea (Shemot 15:20-21).

And Rashi highlights this by commenting, each time, "Chur is the son of Miriam."

Just a thought.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Marror and Matzah: Preparation and Action

Hi,

"Matzah is parallel to the goal of accepting the yoke of Divine monarchy…

"Marror is because they embittered the lives of our ancestors, parallel to the act of preparation, for the act of preparation which makes us ready for the higher sanctity which will be revealed upon us in the future comes because our spirits are prepared for it…

"Therefore we say, ‘Because of this,’ and not ‘Because of these,’ plural, for it demonstrates the unity of the preparation and the goal, the unity of day and night."

(Rav Kook, Haggadah shel Pesach)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

An ancient Messianic prediction

Hi,

1648 was an awful year for Jewry; what do we make of this prediction?

"Leviticus 25:13 says, "In this (הזאת) Jubilee year, each will return to his lot." When הזאת is complete, which is 5408 (1648), then each will return to his lot, to his soul which is his lot and his portion."

(Zohar, Midrash haNe'elam I Toldot pg. 139a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

If you can do something good, why not do it?

Hi,

"How does one recite [the wayfarer's prayer]? Rav Chisda said: While standing [to improve one's concentration]. Rav Sheshet said: Even while travelling.

"Rav Chisda and Rav Sheshet were travelling, and Rav Chisda halted to pray. Rav Sheshet [who was blind] said to his servant, "What is Rav Chisda doing?" He said, "He has halted, and he is praying." Rav Sheshet said, "Halt me, too, and I will pray; given the chance to be good, do not be called bad.""

(Talmud, Berachot 30a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Harmful speech and our slavery in Egypt

Hi,

Shemot 2:13-14 says:
"And he [Moshe] went out on the second day and behold, two Hebrews were fighting. He said to the wicked one, "Why will you strike your peer?" The man replied, "Who appointed you as officer and judge over us? Are you declaring that you will kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?" And Moshe was terrified; he said, "The matter is known!""

"Moshe thought in his heart, "What sin did Israel commit, to be the only nation to be enslaved?" When he heard the man's words he said, "They have harmful speech among them! How will they deserve redemption?" Therefore he said, "The matter is known; now I know why they are enslaved."

(Midrash, Shemot Rabbah 1:30)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Mistakes happen

Hi,

"When Rav Kahana and Rav Asi studied before Rav, one swore that Rav had said X and the other swore that Rav had said Y. They came to Rav, who confirmed the view of one of them. The other asked, "Am I guilty of swearing falsely?" He said, "Your heart forced you.""

(Talmud, Shevuot 26b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Segulah healing

Hi,

"The Sages say one may transgress only to heal in a clear way, such that logic and experience mandate it. One may not heal with segulot [that which is not explained as natural healing], because their nature is weak and its capabilities are not logically mandated, and they are untested."

(Rambam, Commentary to Mishnah Yoma 8:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Death in the time of Mashiach

Hi,

"People ask: Will we die after this? I respond that people will not die; they will be taken from the period of Mashiach to the pleasantness of Olam HaBa. Regarding this the Sages taught, “Those deceased people whom Gd will revive will not return to their dust.”"

(Rav Saadia Gaon, Emunot v'Deiot 7)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The death of death

Hi,

"He will destroy death forever, and Gd will wipe away tears from all faces; and the insult of His people shall He remove from the entire earth; for Gd has spoken."

(Yeshayah [Isaiah] 25:8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Mashiach: Wealthy or Indigent?

Hi,

"R' Yehoshua ben Levi asked about two competing texts [regarding Mashiach]: "He came with the clouds of heaven, like a son of man (Daniel 7)" and "a pauper, riding on a donkey (Zecharyah 9)"!

"If they merit, "with the clouds of heaven". If they do not merit, "a pauper, riding on a donkey"."

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 98a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A pauper riding on a donkey, Part II of II

Hi,

Part II -

Zecharyah 9:9 predicts, "Your king will come to you, a pauper, riding on a donkey." Who is this predicted king?

"'Behold your king comes to you' – This refers to your true king, the shoot from the trunk of Yishai [i.e. the Davidic line]. He will come to you – not a kohen from the seed of Aaron and not from another family, but the true king.

"Ibn Ezra thought, following his corrupt intent, to explain this section about the Second Temple… I am shocked by his evil intent, which blinded his intellect! Yehudah the Hasmonean was never called a 'king', let alone a King of Zion as was David who conquered Zion! And if Zecharyah prophesied about the Hasmoneans, how did this relate to Ephraim? The kingdom of Ephraim was not present in the Second Temple! Further, Yehudah the Hasmonean did not speak peace to all of the nations, and did not reign from sea to sea. In his day the vision of 'I have filled a bow for Ephraim' was not fulfilled, for the kingdom of the ten tribes, meaning 'the kingdom of Ephraim', did not return until now. The entire rest of the portion denies his view entirely...

"Also, he will explain all of the prophecies regarding the Second Temple, as though he did not believe in the salvation of Gd and His future redemption!...

(Abarbanel to Zecharyah, pg. 226-227)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A pauper riding on a donkey, Part I of II

Hi,

Zecharyah 9:9 predicts, "Your king will come to you, a pauper, riding on a donkey." Who is this predicted king?

"R' Moshe haKohen says it is Nechemiah the Governor, who is called "king of Yehudah" in Ezra (Nechemiah 6:7), and so it said "a pauper riding on a donkey," not a horse, for he lacked one as a pauper. This is incorrect, though, for Nechemiah was a pacha, and the pacha did not seek bread from Israel. Rather, every day many ate at his table! How could he have lacked a horse?! Further, what would he make of "upon your children, Greece"? During Nechemiah's day the Greeks did not reign over Jerusalem!

"In my view, this king is Yehudah the Hasmonean, who was a warrior… and who held power over the Greeks. In the beginning he possessed neither wealth nor horses."

(Ibn Ezra to Zecharyah 9:9)

to be continued...

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The conversion of theatres and circuses

Hi,

Zecharyah 9:7 speaks of a future joining of the nations in recognition of Gd, saying, "He [the foreigner] will be as an aluf in Yehudah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusite"

The Talmud draws on Mishlei 22:25, in which the word aluf is used to refer to teaching. Based on this, the Talmud teaches:

"These are the theatres and circuses of Edom, in which the officers of Yehudah will teach Torah publicly."

(Talmud, Megilah 6a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Avoid becoming a target of suspicion

Hi,

Preface: The term "eruv chatzeirot", as used here, refers to a meal owned by the residents of adjacent properties. Designating such a joint meal permits them to carry from one private yard into an adjacent private yard, or within an enclosed yard to which all of them have access.


"We are taught that the eruv chatzeirot should be kept in the same house in which it was kept in the past, to create peace. What is the issue? If it's because moving it would detract from the honour of the house's residents, what about the Shofar (literally, or a reference to a tzedakah box) which was first kept in Rav Yehudah's house, then in Rabbah's, then in Rav Yosef's, then in Abbaye's, and then in Rava's?

"Rather, it's because of this: Were people to enter the house and not see the eruv chatzeirot, they would suspect that people had become lax in this law, and were no longer observing it."

(Talmud, Gittin 60b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Purim and Yom Kippur?

Hi,

[Note: In the Torah, Yom Kippur is called "Yom haKippurim".]

"The general approach in each Yom Tov is that half is for Gd and half is for you, but two days are exceptions to this rule. Yom Kippurim is entirely for Gd, and Purim is entirely for you.

"In truth, though, there is no exception to the rule. Yom Kippurim is 'Yom KiPurim [trans: a day like Purim]'. This means that both together create a single holiday, which includes Purim and Yom Kippur, and on this day we fulfill 'half for G-d, half for you.'"

(Vilna Gaon, cited in Rav Yitzchok Hutner's Pachad Yitzchak for Purim)

What do you do with this?

חג פורים שמח,
Mordechai

Purim Drinking

Hi,

On Purim we celebrate the ultimate joy of a sudden national rescue, and our sages have taught that we should imbibe alcohol at the Purim Seudah as part of this celebration. Just as we abstain from various foods and from drink at certain times of the year to induce sadness, so we indulge in various foods and in drink at other times of the year, to induce joy. The gemara’s standard for imbibing is to drink until we cannot tell the difference between “Cursed is Haman” and “Blessed is Mordechai” (Megilah 7b).

Authorities differ on how much to drink, but the following is clear: An adult who is medically, psychologically and emotionally able to drink, and who has a designated driver, should drink some amount of alcohol - preferably enough that he will feel lightheaded (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 695:2). One should enjoy his Purim meal relatively early in the afternoon, drink a little, and then sleep off the effects of the alcohol.

Many people, and I include myself in this number, have embraced the practice of drinking minimally at the Purim Seudah and then fulfilling the state of intoxication by taking a nap after the meal. This approach is sanctioned by the Rama (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 695:2). One might consider doing the eating/drinking/nap before participating in a communal seudah.

I know the following is obvious, and I apologize for taking your time with it, but if my blog has any reach at all then I feel an obligation to state this obvious point. Please:

1) There is no reason to give alcohol to minors who are pre-bar mitzvah to drink on Purim. It is not necessary for their fulfillment of any mitzvah. The practice might be secularly legal as sacramental wine - consult an attorney - but it is a foolish and dangerous ritual and therefore prohibited as endangering our children as well as violating our obligation of chinuch for our children.

I do believe there is a difference between giving children under the age of obligation in mitzvot a taste of wine from the formal Shabbat Kiddush (not the one in shul; I mean the one at dinner/lunch!) and engaging them in Purim drinking. The former is a formal setting, and no one (I hope) is drinking to get a buzz. On Purim, though, because the general drinking is more loose and more geared toward celebration, I believe that the rule should be that children drink no alcohol at all.

2) If your own child is a minor, but older than bar mitzvah, and able to handle a small amount of wine, then it makes sense to help your child fulfill the mitzvah with a small amount, in a supervised setting, assuming this is legal in your jurisdiction.

3) I beleve adults should not drink on Purim in the presence of young children, beyond what would normally be consumed at a meal on Shabbat. Immature children cannot tell when we are in control and when we are not, cannot comprehend the dangers associated with alcohol, cannot accept the idea that adults can do what children are not permitted to do, and cannot understand the difference between Purim and the rest of the year.

The finest joy is a celebration which centers around a Mitzvah, and this is the essence of Purim – the four mitzvot (Megilah, Sending Gifts of Food, Giving to the Poor and having a Feast) which are about experiencing joy and spreading joy and thanking HaShem for saving us from destruction.

I apologize for wasting anyone’s time by stating the obvious, but as I said above, I feel the responsibility of stating this in any forum I have available.

And not to be a party-pooper at all, but those who want to know more about this theme should see Shaarei Teshuvah of Rav Chaim Margaliyot (printed with a standard Mishneh Berurah), in his final comment on Orach Chaim:

ויותר יש לזרז עצמו בד"ת במקום שיש שם איזה שמחה אף אם היא שמחה של מצוה ועיין בסוף סוכה בענין שמחת בית השואבה וכן מבואר לעיל סימן תקכ"ט אדם אוכל ושותה ושמח ברגל ולא ימשוך בבשר ויין ובשחוק וקלות ראש לפי שאין השחוק וקלות ראש שמחה אלא הוללות וסכלות ולא נצטוינו על הוללות וסכלות אלא על שמחה שיש בה עבודת היוצר עכ"ל והוא לשון רבינו הרמב"ם ז"ל והמפרשים ז"ל פירשו לשחוק אמרתי מהולל ר"ל שיהיה באיזה ענין שיהיה השחוק הוא הוללות עבט"ז לעיל
אך לשמחה מה זו עושה ר"ל שלענין שמחה אין להחליט שאינה יפה שבאמ' יש שמחה של מצוה ולכן יש ליתן לב לדעת מה זו עושה ר"ל מה טובה אם הוא שמחה של מצוה או לא אך הואיל ואפשר כי מתוך אכילה ושתיה והוללת יתמשך לשחוק וקלות ראש לכן יקח תבלין לבסם השמחה בד"ת וחדוות ה' יהיה מעוזו ויטב לבו בד"ת וז"ש וטוב לב משתה תמיד

It is even more necessary to energize one’s self with words of Torah in a place where there is joy, even if it is joy associated with a mitzvah. See the end of Succah regarding simchas beis hashoevah. And so is explained in the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 529, “One should eat, drink and be happy on the holiday, but not draw himself after meat and wine and laughter and lightheadedness, for laughter and lightheadedness are not joy, but empty celebration and foolishness. We are not instructed in empty celebration and foolishness, but in joy which includes service of the Creator.” This is a citation from the Rambam.
The sages explained the verse (Kohelet 2:2), “I have called laughter ‘empty celebration’” to mean that in any form, laughter is empty celebration. See the Taz earlier. [I don’t know which comment from the Taz he means.]
But “What does joy accomplish (Kohelet 2:2)” means that regarding joy, one should not conclude that it is not good. In truth, there is joy associated with mitzvot! Therefore, one should set his heart to know what joy can accomplish, meaning, what is its nature – is it joy associated with a mitzvah, or not. But since it is possible that one will be drawn to laughter and lightheadedness as a result of eating, drinking and empty celebration, therefor, one should take spices to sweeten the joy with words of Torah, and his strength will be in the joy of Gd, and his heart will be good with words of Torah. This is the meaning of ‘One of good heart is always at a feast.’

May we have wonderful and safe Purim - ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה וששון ויקר!

Chag Purim Sameiach,
Mordechai

Megilat Esther: Malach #3

Hi,

Esther 7:8 says, "And the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the feast of wine, and Haman was falling on the bed on which Esther was seated. And the king said, 'Do you also think to take my wife, with me in the house?" In the following passage, the gemara is sensitive to the word "falling", as well as the narrative difficulty of why Haman would place himself in such a compromising position:

"'And Haman was falling on the bed' - 'Falling'? It should say 'fell'!

Rabbi Elazar explained: This teaches that an angel came and knocked him down on to the bed. Achashverosh declared, "Woe is me from my house, woe is me from outside [see the preceding email for the events outside]!"

(Talmud, Megilah 16a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Megilat Esther: Malach #2

Hi,

The following Talmudic passage appears to be sensitive to Megilat Esther's repetition of "the palace garden".

"Esther 7:7 says, 'And the king rose in his anger from the feast of wine, to the palace garden... And the king returned from the palace garden.' It links his return to his rising from the feast; just as he rose in anger, so he returned in anger, for he went and found angels, looking like men, uprooting the trees of his orchard. He said to them, 'What are you doing?' And they replied, 'Haman told us to do this.'"

(Talmud, Megilah 16a)

Have a great day, Mordechai

Megilat Esther: Malach #1

Hi,

"Esther 7:6 says, 'And Esther declared: A man, a foe and an enemy, Haman, this wicked man.'

"R' Elazar said: This teaches that she pointed to Achashverosh, and an angel came and struck her hand to turn it toward Haman."

[I believe R' Elazar is sensitive to the placement of Haman's name later in the sentence, indicating that she was pointing elsewhere first.]

(Talmud, Megilah 16a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Extreme humility

Hi,

"If one is studying before his teacher and he recalls a question he had asked in the past or an answer he had given, he should not say to his teacher or peer, 'I answered thus' or 'I asked thus', but rather 'So you asked', so that he will not gain personal satisfaction."

(R' Yehudah haChasid, Sefer Chasidim 15)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why did everyone like Esther?

Hi,

"Rabbi Akiva said: We know that the book of Esther was written with Divine inspiration, because it says, 'Esther gained favor in the eyes of all who saw her' (which the author could not have known without Divine insight).

"But Rabbi Akiva's approach is not proof; perhaps it was as Rabbi Elazar said, that she appeared to each person as though she was from that person's nation [which naturally led to their fraternal affection]."

(Talmud, Megilah 7a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai