B"H

Thursday, Nissan 6, 5782 / April 7, 2022

We begin the Passover Seder, as well as other holiday meals, by reciting Kiddush over a cup of wine, blessing and thanking G-d for giving us the holidays, which are called, "festivals of joy."

There are two kinds of joy – spiritual and physical. Each holiday has a unique spiritual message which causes every Jew to feel a spiritual joy. We are also commanded to have physical joy. To wear nice clothes, enjoy a sumptuous meal and create a festive and joyous atmosphere in our home.

Q.  Our rabbis ask:  Why does the Torah command us to eat and drink as part of the festivities associated with our holidays?  Are earthly pleasures really so important?  Wouldn't it be better to concentrate only on the spiritual aspects of the holidays - the elevation of our soul?

A.   Rabbi Yaakov Krantz, known as the Magid of Dubna, explains this with the following parable: There was once a man who was lame, who had a friend who was healthy and fit, except that he was deaf.

One day the lame man decided that between him and his deaf friend they can manage to do many of the things which each of them could not do on their own.  He could get around by riding on the shoulders of his friend, while he would be the listening ears for his deaf friend. This way, they managed to accomplish many things together.

One day they passed a place from where wonderful joyous music was coming. The lame one loved the music and wanted his friend to stop walking so he could enjoy the beautiful music. But the deaf one, who didn't hear a sound, didn't want to stop.

The lame one sitting on top of his friend’s shoulders remembered that he had a bottle of liquor in his pocket.  He motioned to his friend to stop and filled him a glass of the liquor.  He then filled him another glass and another until the deaf man began dancing.

While the deaf one danced as a result of his drinking, the lame person riding on his shoulders also danced as best he could to the tune of the music which he was hearing.  Although they were both dancing for two different reasons, they were both happy and content!

The same says the Magid is with each of us. We are composed of a body and soul. True, the main purpose and pleasure of the holidays should be the spiritual high and pleasure derived by the soul.   However, the physical part of the person - the body, cannot derive its enjoyment from spirituality and thus becomes an obstacle to the spiritual enjoyment of the soul.

Thus, the Torah commands us that we should have physical enjoyment, such as delicious food and drinks on the holidays.  As a result, there is a partnership between body and soul.  With our physical body being happy and content, it will not distract our Nesahama (soul) from enjoying the spiritual aspect of the holiday. When body and soul work together, things get done much better. 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY