B"H

Monday, Nissan 5, 5780 / March 30, 2020

Pesach (Passover) begins Wednesday night, April 8. In the Diaspora we have two Pesach Seders – Wednesday night and Thursday night. In Israel only one Seder is celebrated.

Q.   On Shabbat and holidays we recite the Kiddush over a cup of wine. After reciting the Kiddush we may drink as many cups of wine as we desire without making another blessing on the wine. However, at the Seder, although we said the blessing over wine during the Kiddush, we still recite a blessing over each of the cups of wine. Why?  

A. The reason we drink four cupsat the Seder is to commemorate the fourexpressions of redemptionwhich G-d used to express His commitment to the Exodus. 

Because each of the four cups symbolizes another one of these expressions, each cup is a separatemitzvahand therefore a separate blessing is required for each cup.

Another reason is that the lengthy passages of the Haggadah and the discussions we are encouraged to have about the story of the Exodus constitute an “interruption” between the cups of wine and thus necessitate an individual blessing for each cup.

Q.   At the Seder, when we eat the matzah and drink the four cups of wine, we are required to sit in a reclining positiontowards our left side. What is the reason for this?

A.   In ancient times, noblemen would eat in a reclining position, as it was an expression of freedom.  The average person, especially a servant, did not recline. At the Seder, when we celebrate our freedom from slavery, the Rabbis instituted that we should demonstrate our freedom and recline as noblemen when performing the special mitzvot which symbolize our freedom.

Q.    Why do we recline on the left side, as opposed to the right side?

A.    Our sages established that we recline on the left side so that the food should not accidentally enter the upper part of the windpipe, which may cause choking.

Q.     We drink the second cup of wine later in the Seder, after reciting the Hagadah.  Why do we pour the wine into the cup at the very beginning of the Seder, before the children ask the four question and before reciting the Hagadah?

A.    This is done in order to make the children curious and ask this question and as a result they will ask other questions, including the four questions.  It is important on this night to do things which will make the children ask questions, so they will be interested in sitting at the Seder and hear the story of the Exodus.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHYAND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Tuesday, Nissan 6, 5780 / March 31, 2020

Questions & Answers about the Pesach (Passover) holiday

Q.   How many years is it since the Exodus from Egypt?

A.   It’s 3,332 years, as the Exodus took place in the Hebrew year 2448.

Q.   Which two miracles does the Pesach (Passover) holiday commemorate?

A.   The beginning of Pesach commemorates the miracles of the Exodus.  The end of Pesach celebrates the miracle of the splitting of the sea, when the Jewish people were again saved from the Egyptians who were chasing after them.

Q.  The Seder Plate consists of three whole matzot, placed one on top of the other with a separation between the matzot. Before the children ask the four questions we break the middle matzah. The larger piece is hidden in order to be eaten later at the end of the meal. This piece of matzah is called “Afikoman.” The smaller piece of matzah is placed back between the two whole matzot.  Why do we break the middle matzah?

A.  The Torah refers to matzah as "Lechem oni" - "bread of poverty."  A poor man fears that he may not have anything to eat later, so whenever he eats his meal he breaks off a piece and saves it for another time.  Thus, we recite the story of the Exodus over the "broken" matzah which represents the "bread of poverty."

Q.  What is the reason for hiding the Afikoman?

A.  One reason is that in describing the story of the Exodus, the Torah tells us that the Jewish people "took their dough before it was leavened… bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders..."  By hiding the Afikoman, we recall the fact that the dough was "bound in their clothes."  

Another reason: To involve the children to search for the Afikoman so that they will stay awake through the Seder looking forward to the fun and prizes for finding the Afikoman.

One of the mitzvot associated with Passover is the contributions for "Maot Chitim."  Maot Chitim literally means "Money for wheat" - for the sake of helping the needy with their Passover provisions. 

The emphasis on collecting for the needs of the poor before Passover is more than on other holidays because of the additional expenses associated with Passover; the holiday meals, extra wine, matzah, etc.  

Let’s not forget this important mitzvah.  When we help the needy for Passover it also helps us fully enjoy the holiday.  For only by helping others who are lacking can we properly feel happy and enjoy our own holiday of freedom. This is especially important this year with the Covid-19 affecting so many families.

May G-d bless you, your family and the entire world with good health and a happy healthy Pesach.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Friday, Nissan 9, 5780 / April 3, 2020

This Shabbat, Parshat Tzav, the Shabbat before Pesach, is called Shabbat HaGadol – the Great Shabbat. There are many reasons why it’s called The Great Shabbat. One reason is that many great miracles occurred to the Jewish people on the Shabbat before the Exodus. May G-d send us great miracles in our predicament today and may we become rid of this terrible pandemic.

The Pesach Seder celebrates our Exodus from Egypt. We get together with family and friends, year after year, to tell the story of Passover and the wonderful miracles G-d performed for the Jewish people. Unfortunately, this year many of us will be celebrating the Seder without the warmth of family. But one’s health comes before all else. Please follow the health instructions and may we merit a great miracle.

Q.How many years did the Jews live in Egypt until they were liberated?

A.210 years.

Q.Who was the first of our forefather’s Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to be in Egypt? Which of them actually moved to Egypt?

A.Abraham was the first to be in Egypt. The Torah tells us that when Abraham first came to Canaan (Israel), there was a hunger in the land and he moved to Egypt. Abraham’s son, Isaac, was never in Egypt. But Abraham’s grandson, Yaakov (Jacob) moved to Egypt, together with his entire family, when he was 130 years old. Yaakov lived in Egypt seventeen years and passed away at the age of 147.

Q.Why did Yaakov move to Egypt?

A.  Because that’s where his lost son, Joseph, ended up and became the ruler of the land. Joseph sent for his father and his family to come to Egypt. The Exodus took place 210 years later.

Q.Were Jews enslaved in Egypt all 210 years?

A.As long as Yaakov and his sons were alive and because Joseph was the ruler of the land of Egypt, they lived very comfortably in Egypt. Only after the last of Jacob’s children passed away, did the Egyptians enslave the children of Israel.

Q. Why do we find in the Torah the numbers 400 and 430 years associated with the Exodus?

A. The actual time they were physically in Egypt was 210 years. From when Isaac was born until the Exodus was 400 years. From when G-d made the covenant with Abraham, thirty years before Isaac was born, and informed him about the enslavement and the Exodus was 430 years.

SHABBAT  SHALOM

Montreal Candle lighting time: 7:08 / Shabbat ends: 8:12