B"H

Thursday, Adar 28, 5778 / March 15, 2018

Questions & Answers about the Pesach Seder

 

The book from which we read at the Seder is called, “Hagadah.” The prayer book from which we pray is called, Siddur.” The Torah from which we read in the synagogue is called, “Torah.” The Torah in book form from which we study is called, “Chumash.” The Book of Psalms is called, “Tehillim.”

 

Q. What is the reason for these various names for these holy books?

 

A. The reason the book used for the Passover Seder is called, “Hagadah,” is that “Hagadah” comes from the Torah expression “V’Higadta,” which means you shall “Tell.”

 

The Torah commands “And you shall TELL your son on that day (Passover).”  There is a special Mitzvah to tell our children the story of the Exodus and answer their questions about it.  Because it is the book from which we fulfill the mitzvah of telling the story of Passover, it is called “Hagadah.”

 

The daily prayer Book is called “Siddur,” because “Siddur” means “order.” It comes from the same root as “Seder.”  The  prayers are a compilation of various passages from the Torah, the Prophets, Psalms, Mishna etc.  The prayer book is called Siddurbecause all the prayers are found there in their proper order.  One needs to only look in the Siddur and find the daily prayers, the Shabbat prayers, the holidays prayers and all other blessings and prayers, without having to look for them in their original sources.

 

“Tehillim” means “praise.”  The reason the Book of Psalms is called “Tehillim” is that in there we find 150 chapters which are full of praise to G-d.  Most of them authored by King David.

 

The word, “Torah,” comes from the word, “Horaah,” which means guidanceand teaching. The Torah is our guide because it teaches us between right and wrong. It teaches us the proper way of life.

 

“Chumash” comes from the word “Chamesh” which is “five.”  The reason that the book form of the Torah is called, Chumash, is that the Torah is divided into FiveBooks.

 

Q.  Why is it preferable to use round hand bakedmatzot for the "Seder Plate?"

 

A.   The Torah refers to the matzah which the Jewish people baked when leaving Egypt as "ugotMatzot" (cakes of matzah).   The word "ugah" commonly represents something round. The round hand baked Shmurah matzah are similar to the matzot Jews baked the very first time, while still in Egypt, for their first Seder. The round Shemurah Matzah give our Seder a special connection to the original Seder performed by our ancestors.

 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY