B"H
Tuesday, Adar2 26, 5779 / April 2, 2019
The holiday of Pesach, which begins Friday evening April 19, is less than three weeks away.
Q. Every Shabbat and Holiday we recite the Kiddush and enjoy a meal in honor of Shabbat or the specific holiday. However, on Pesach night, the meal has a special name; Seder. Why?
A. On Shabbat and other holidays, after the Kiddush we wash for the Challa-bread and then continue with the delicious meal. But on Pesach, after the Kiddush, we do not recite the blessing over the Matzah right away. There is a specific order to this meal. We wash our hands and dip a vegetable in salt water; webreak the middle matzah; we recite the Haggada; we drink cups of wine etc. This is why it’s called SEDER, which meansORDER – As this night’s meal is different from all other meals.. This night has a specific order to it.
Q.After reciting the Kiddush at the Pesach Seder, we wash our hands; recite the blessing over a vegetable. We dip the vegetable in salt water and eat it. What is the significance of the salt-water at the Seder?
A.The salt-water is symbolic of the "tears" which the Jewish people shed as a result of their suffering from their hard labor during their years of enslavement in Egypt.
Q. How many years were the Jewish people in Egypt? How many of those years were they enslaved?
A. Jews were in Egypt for 210 years. Jacob, together with his children, including some grand children and great grandchildren, for a total of 70 people came to Egypt. At the time of the Exodus, which took place 210 years later, their number mushroomed to over a million, and perhaps a few million, people.
However, during their first hundred years in Egypt, they were not enslaved yet. It was the last one hundred years which were the very difficult ones.
Q. For the Shabbat and holiday meals, during the rest of the year, we use two Chalot-breads. But at the Pesach seder we place THREE matzot. What is the significance of the three matzot?
A.1) They represent the three categories of the Jewish people; Kohen, Levi and Yisrael.
2) They represent the three patriarchs; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Our sages say that all the exiles of the Jewish people have their roots in the exile of Egypt. Similarly, every redemption including the final redemption with Moshiach, is rooted in the Exodus from Egypt. Passover is not just a reminder of our past, but also a source of inspiration for the future redemption through Moshiach. May it be speedily in our days. Amen.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY