B"H

Thursday, Adar2 21, 5779 / March 28, 2019,

This Shabbat we read Parshat Shmini, the third Parsha in the Book of Leviticus. In addition to the regular weekly Torah reading, we also read from a second Torah, Parshat Parah.

Parshat Parah is the third of the four special Torah readings read every year before Pesach.

In Parshat Shemini the Torah indicates the signs of the kosher animals, fowl and fish which a Jew is permitted to eat and specifies the non-kosher one's which we are prohibited from eating. 

Then the Torah says, "Sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy for I am holy."

Q. Why does the Torah use a repetitious expression, "Sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy."  Naturally, if one sanctifies himself or herself, they are holy?

A. The Torah tells us that G-d says, “Make an effort to sanctify yourself (“Sanctify yourselves”) and I will then assist you and make it happen ("and you shall be holy").

Our sages find a great lesson in this. G-d helps the person who makes an effort to do good.  The Torah guarantees, if one makes the effort, G-d will help them achieve their goal.

"Sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy for I am holy." Says Rabbi Levi Yizchak of Barditchev, “When a father is wealthy it is easier for the child to do well in business, for he has on whom to rely for help. So too, it makes it much easier for us to be able to achieve holiness when we know that if we make the effort, our Father in Heaven, G-d, Who is holy, will help us achieve that goal."

There is a wonderful story told in the Midrash which illustrates this point:  Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, one of the great Talmudic sages, was very poor. He once saw a beautifully shaped rock which he very much wanted to bring as a gift to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.   However, the rock was too heavy for him to carry and he couldn't afford to pay porters to deliver it to Jerusalem.

Rabbi Chanina prayed to G-d for help. Soon five angels in the form of men appeared and offered to help.  He told them that he would like them to carry the stone to Jerusalem, but he couldn't pay them.  The five angels immediately offered to carry the rock to Jerusalem, but with the condition that Rabbi Chanina put his finger to the rock and help them carry it.

Our sages explain that, although the angels didn't need Rabbi Chanina's help, the lesson is that G-d wants us to do as much as we can.  Then G-d will take care of the rest.  This is what the Torah means, "Sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy for I am holy."

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & SHABBAT SHALOM

Montrealcandle lighting time: 7:00 / Shabbat ends: 8:05

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

B"H

Thursday, Adar2 28, 5779 / April 4, 2019

For the Seder we prepare a special "Seder Plate" (Ka’arah), which contains three matzot. On top of the three matzot, we place six tems; A shank bone (zeroa); an egg (beitzah), bitter herbs (maror), a vegetable (karpas), the charoset; and chazeres (maror). 

After reciting the Kiddush, we drink the first cup of wine. Although on other holidays we take a taste of wine from the one who recites the kiddush, at the Seder each one has their personal cup of wine to drink from. The reason is this night of Pesach is different.. is becaue it’s a mitzvah for everyone at the Seder to drink four cups of wine.

Q.In many congregations, the Kiddush (over wine), is recited Friday night and holidays in the synagogue, after the evening service.  Why, is the Kiddush not recited in the synagogue on Pesach?

A.  Since the cup of wine, over which the Kiddush is recited, is the first of the four cups which we drink at the Seder, the Kiddush cannot be recited in synagogue (unless the Seder is performed in synagogue). It must be done at the Seder, where we drink the other three cups of wine.

Q.  Why is the night of Pesach associated with the number four? Four cups of wine; Four sons; Four questions?

A. Pesach is associated with the number four becauseG-d used four expressions of redemption regarding the liberation of the people of Israel from Egypt.

In Exodus (6:6-7) G-d tells Moshe, "Therefore say to the children of Israel: I am the L-rd, and I will bring you out ("V'hotzeti") from under the burdens of the Egyptians; and I will deliver you ("V'hitzalti") from their bondage; and I will redeem you ("V'gaalti") with an outstretched arm and with great judgment.  And I will take you ("V'lakachti") to Me for a people and I will be to you a G-d; and you shall know that I am the L-rd your G-d, Who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians." 

These four expressions ("I will bring you out... I will deliver you... I will redeem you... I will take you to Me") represent different stages in the redemption. We commemorate these four expressions and stages of our freedom through the four cups of wine we drink at the Seder.

According to another opinion in the Talmud the four cups of wine also remind us of the liberation of Joseph, many years before the Exodus. Joseph, who spent many years in an Egyptian jail, was freed from jail as a result of his correct interpretation of the dream of Pharaoh's butler.  In describing his dream and Joseph's interpretation of the dream, the word "kos" - "cup" is mentioned four times(Genesis40:11-13).   As a result of this episode, Joseph was given his freedom and eventually became ruler of Egypt.  Thus, thefour cups also represent Joseph's freedom.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY