the chabad times - Chabad Lubavitch of Rochester NY

Transcription

WISHING YOU A KOSHER & HAPPY PASSOVER! SAY NO TO CHAMETZ!
Non Profit Org.
U.S. postage
PAID
Rochester, NY
Permit No. 4237
THE CHABAD TIMES
A Publication of Chabad Lubavitch
Kessler Family Chabad Center For Jewish Life •1037 Winton Rd. S. • Rochester NY 14618
Tel (585) 271-0330 • Fax 271-0213 • www.chabadrochester.com • [email protected]
VOLUME 33 NUMBER 3
NISSAN 5776 V”C
APRIL 2016
You are
cordially
invited...
Chabad
Community
Passover
Seders
Friday &
Saturday
April 22 & 23
Featuring Hand-B
Baked Shmurah Matzah,
explanations & stories, and, of course, a delicious dinner!
appetizers - 7:00 pm, services - 7:45 pm, seder - 8:45 pm
for brighto
on:: teel. 271-0
ocheesteer.co
om
0330 - www.chabadro
ewishpittsfford.co
om
for pittsfford:: teel. 28
86-6
6147 - www.je
Reeseervatio
on Deeadlinee: Friday, April 15
page 2
The Chabad Times - Rochester NY - Nissan 5776
The
Passover
Flowers
That Kept
On Coming
Aha, I Found the Cheerio!
Lessons from a wayward piece of cereal
by Nechemia Schusterman
This past Sunday wasn't
the usual "funday."
You see, we decided that
we'd clean for Passover as a
family. So we pulled out all
the drawers, clothes and toys.
We shook them out, vacuumed them and wiped them
down, all in search of the elusive piece of chametz (leavened foods, including bread,
cookies and cereal) that might
have
accidentally
been
dropped in the toy room (or
was brought downstairs illegally by one of the kids).
by Chana Gittle Deray
Nana Ruth, as she became
affectionately known in our
home, was coming for the
Passover Seder.
Midday on Passover eve, in
walked Nana Ruth, a trim,
professional woman wearing
a crisp, cream-colored suit,
coordinating pumps with a
matching clutch and immaculately coiffed hair. Perfectly
coordinated
Nana
Ruth
walked through my prePassover home.
I was mesmerized - and
horrified - as I watched her
carefully navigate the maze
of books, toys, bags, vacuum
hoses and children, all while
balancing a beautiful bouquet
of flowers in one hand.
Finally, she arrived in our
kitchen, which had been
transformed into our Passover
kitchen extraordinaire.
Ruth's eyes opened wide as
she took in the scene. The
room was draped with plastic,
foil and bed sheets to cover
appliances that would not be
needed. There were cases of
fruits and vegetables piled
about, and piles of peels on
the floor. The kitchen resembled a cross between an operating room, an Apollo cockpit
and a barn.
A homemade stove was
propped on top of the regular
stove, which was covered
with a metal sheet, looking
like a ghost of its former self.
There were children peeling
potatoes onto large piles on
the floor - a tradition born
After about 30 minutes our
enthusiasm started to wane,
and as we hit the one-hour
marker we were in full-on
regret mode. But we tried to
stay positive and encouraging, at least until the twohour ice-cream-break marker.
the year my husband brilliantly and thoughtfully built
us a Passover stove, finishing
two hours before the holiday.
That year, we lined up the
children, instructing them to
peel as fast as they could, creating large piles of peels on
the floor. The entertaining
acrobatics of catching our
balance while rushing by on
the slippery peels, combined
with the thrill of doing something otherwise forbidden,
was so joyful, it became our
minhag, our cherished tradition, to create peel piles on
the floor each Passover eve.
Ruth gracefully closed her
jaw, and smiled. She handed
us the flowers, wiped a child's
nose, and turned on her heel
to navigate her path back to
the door.
Oy. I cringed. Would she
really come back for the
Seder?
Nana Ruth did come back.
And she brought her husband
Herman with her.
We had a very lively Seder
that night - Ruth, Herman,
and our large, gregarious
family. It would have been
laughable if it weren't so
embarrassing. With children
and grape juice spilling
everywhere, Ruth wiped spills
and noses, while Herman sat
as if watching a ping-pong
match, following the busyness of the children and smiling a smile that I could not
read . . . or perhaps didn't
want to.
I still remember the silence
after they left, broken only by
the voice of an older child:
"That'll be a Passover Seder
they'll never forget!"
Surprisingly, Nana Ruth
and Herman came back the
next year.
And the year after that.
And the one following that
year as well.
•Continued on page 12
And then it happened. You
got it - at roughly 2 p.m. in
the toy room, under a shelf, I
saw it. It stood there in its
full, arrogant pomposity,
glaring at me for daring to
upset it from its comfortable
perch. It looked at me and I
looked at it, wondering who'd
blink first. It was a wayward
Cheerio. Honey Nut, I believe.
The sheen of its nutty belly
gave away its identity.
This was no joking matter.
This whole exercise was
exactly for this moment. For
me to eradicate and destroy,
eviscerate and obliterate any
vestige of chametz. And here
was this pretentious little
leavened food brazenly resting at the foot of the toy cabinet. How dare it. The sheer
chutzpah! I grabbed my
trusty Sears Kenmore vacuum
and aimed the wand at the
Cheerio. First it wiggled, then
it tried to stay in place, but
eventually the force of suction and my determination
were no match for it, and it
was dislodged and sucked
into the wand, where it will
ultimately meet its maker in
General Mills heaven once I
throw out the vacuum bag.
And then it hit me. Really?
Seriously? Does G-d really
care if a Cheerio lives in my
house over Passover? I mean,
yes, you gotta spring clean.
It's good for the house, it's
good for the kids to learn
some domestic ethics, like the
fact that clothing and toys
don't pick themselves up. But
really, does G-d care if there
is a wayward piece of cake,
cookie, challah, cereal, or any
other chametz hidden off in
some corner, deep in the
recesses of the house?
To paraphrase Tevye,
would it spoil some vast eternal plan if a piece of chametz
were found, oh goodness gracious, in a corner, in a drawer, in a closet or in any other
place?
There are many important
answers to this question, but
one of the mystical answers
resonates deeply with me.
The Exodus from Egypt
was a journey from physical
slavery to physical freedom.
The modern Exodus is the
journey from personal slavery
- be it mental, emotional or
spiritual - to personal freedom. The freedom to reach
our full potential, to "be all
that we can be."
There are many factors
that inhibit us from reaching
our fullest self. Fear, anxiety,
worry, too much sense of self,
too little sense of self, and so
on. What is most often at the
core of any of these inhibitors
is ego. To quote recovery
expert Shais Taub, “ego” is an
acronym for Edging G-d Out.
Ego, in its most literal
sense, gets us in trouble so
often. Why do we get upset at
other people? Because they
called us a name, made fun of
us, didn't invite us to their
party. What is the root of all
that upset? Ego. If we didn't
have an inflated sense of self,
we wouldn't be bothered by
any of the above.
Why are we so afraid of
taking new leaps and striving
higher? What is at the core of
our fear of failure? Again, ego.
If we had an appropriate,
accurate sense of ourselves,
we wouldn't think of ourselves
as "all that and then some." If
we succeed, great; if not, well,
it wasn't meant to be.
Now, in the
don't have the
poetic and
thoughts and
•Continued on
real world, we
luxury to wax
think deep
theorize and
page 12
You can help ensure that the Passover Story
will continue to be told to future generations
Remember Chabad of Rochester in your will
For more information: 585.271.0330
www.chabadrochester.com/plannedgiving
The Chabad Times - Rochester NY - Nissan 5776 page 3
Adapted from the works of
Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson,
The Lubavitcher Rebbe
The SeaSide debaTe
out of Egypt, you will serve
G-d at this mountain."
But suddenly the sea was
before them, and Pharaoh's
armies were closing in from
behind. Egypt was alive and
well; the sea, too, seemed
oblivious to the destiny of the
newly born nation.
G-d said to Moses: "Why
do you cry out to Me? Speak
to the children of Israel, that
they should go forward."
(Exodus 14:13-15)
We all know the feeling:
you wake up one morning to
the realization that the world
is not as you would like it to
be.
A common experience, to
be sure, but different people
have different reactions. One
person embarks upon a
quixotic crusade to change
the world. A second gives up
the world for lost, and retreats
into whatever protective walls
he can erect around himself
and his loved ones. A third
takes a pragmatic approach,
accepting the world for what
it is and doing his best under
the circumstances. A fourth
recognizes his inability to
deal with the situation, and
looks to a higher power for
guidance and aid.
Our forefathers experienced just such a rude awakening on the seventh day
after their liberation from
Egypt.
Ten devastating plagues
had broken the might of the
Egyptians and compelled
them to free the Jewish people. After two centuries of
exile and slavery, the children
of Israel were headed toward
Mount Sinai and their
covenant with G-d. Indeed,
this was the stated purpose of
the Exodus as G-d told Moses,
"When you take this nation
Moses, however, rejected
all four options, saying to the
people, "Fear not; stand by
and see the salvation of G-d
which He will show you
today. For as you have seen
Egypt this day, you shall not
see them again, forever. G-d
shall fight for you, and you
shall be silent" (Exodus
14:13). "Fear not, stand by
and see the salvation of G-d,"
explains the Midrash, is
Moses' response to those who
had despaired of overcoming
the Egyptian threat and wanted to plunge into the sea. "As
you have seen Egypt this day,
you shall not see them again"
is addressed to those who
advocated surrender and
return to Egypt. "G-d shall
fight for you" is the answer to
those who wished to battle
the Egyptians, "and you shall
be silent" is Moses' rejection
of those who said, "This is all
beyond us. All we can do is
pray."
What, then, is the Jew to
do when caught between a
hostile mob and an unyielding sea? "Speak to the children of Israel," G-d says to
Moses in the following verse,
"that they should go forward."
Tzaddik in a Fur Coat
Chabad Lubavitch of Rochester, Inc.
The road to Sinai was rife
with obstacles and challenges. The same is true of the
road from Sinai, our threethousand-year journey devoted to the implementation of
the ethos and ideals of Torah
in our world.
1037 Winton Rd. S.
Rochester, N.Y. 14618
Tel.: 271-0330 Fax: 271-0213
Now as then, there are several possible responses to an
adverse world. There is the
The Chabad Times (ISSN 133)
is published 4 times a year by:
"Let us throw ourselves into
the sea" approach of those
who despair of their ability to
grapple with, much less
impact, the world out there.
Let us plunge into the sea,
they say - the sea of the
Talmud, the sea of piety, the
sea of religious life. Let us
sever all contact with an
apostate and promiscuous
world. Let us build walls of
holiness to protect ourselves
and our own from the alien
winds which storm without,
so that we may foster the
legacy of Sinai within.
An old Chassidic saying
refers to a such-minded individual as ah tzaddik in peltz a holy man in a fur coat.
There are two ways to warm
yourself on a cold winter day:
you can build a fire, or wrap
yourself in furs. When the
isolationist tzaddik is asked,
"Why do you think only of
conserving
your
own
warmth? Why don't you build
a fire that will warm others as
well?" he replies, "What's the
use? Can I warm the entire
world?" If you persist, pointing out that one small fire can
thaw several frozen individuals, who may in turn create
enough fires to warm a small
corner of the universe, he
doesn't understand what you
want of him. He is a tzaddik,
N
Moses said to the people:
"Fear not; stand by and see
the salvation of G-d which He
will show you today. For as
you have seen Egypt this day,
you shall not see them again,
forever. G-d shall fight for
you, and you shall be silent."
How did the Jews react?
The Midrash tells us that the
Jewish people were divided
into four camps. There were
those who said, "Let us throw
ourselves into the sea." A second group said, "Let us return
to Egypt." A third faction
argued, "Let us wage war
upon the Egyptians." Finally,
a fourth camp advocated, "Let
us pray to G-d."
remember, a perfectly righteous individual. There is no
place for partial solutions in
his life. "It's hopeless," he
sighs with genuine sadness,
and retreats into his spiritual
Atlantis.
The Slave
A second camp says, "Let
us return to Egypt."
Plunging into the sea is not
an option, argues the
Submissive Jew. This is the
world in which G-d has
placed us, and our mission is
to deal with it, not escape it.
We'll just have to lower our
expectations a little.
This Exodus thing was
obviously a pipe dream. How
could we presume to liberate
ourselves from the rules and
constraints that apply to
everyone else? To be G-d's
chosen people is nice, but let
us not forget that we are a
minority, dependent on the
goodwill of the Pharaohs who
hold sway in the real world
out there.
Certainly, it is our duty to
influence the world. But then
again, the Jew has many
duties: it is his duty to pray
three times a day, to give
charity and to observe
Shabbat. So, we'll do the best
we can under the circumstances. Yes, it's a tough life
keeping all these laws while
making sure not to antagonize our neighbors, but who
ever said that being a Jew is
easy?
The Fighter
A third response to an
uncooperative world is that of
the Fighting Jew. He understands that it is wrong to
escape the world, and equally
wrong to submit to it. So he
takes it on, both barrels blazing.
The Fighting Jew strides
through life with a holy chip
on his shoulder, battling sinners, apostates, Jew-haters,
un-Jewish Jews and nonfighting Jews. Not for him is
the escapism of the first camp
or the subservience of the
second - he knows that his
cause is just, that G-d is on
his side, that ultimately he
will triumph. So, if the world
won't listen to reason, he'll
knock some sense into it.
The Spiritualist
Finally, there is the Jew
who looks at the world, looks
at the first three camps,
shakes his head and lifts his
eyes to the heavens. He
knows that turning his back
on the world is not the
answer, nor is surrendering to
its dictates and conventions.
But he also knows that "the
entirety of Torah was given to
make peace in the world";
that "its ways are ways of
pleasantness, and all its paths
are peace."
"You hope to peacefully
change the world?!" say the
other three camps. "When
was the last time you looked
out the window? You might
 SELLING YOUR CHAMETZ 
We include, as a public service, a legal form for the Sale of Chametz. Besides not eating Chametz (leavened foods such as bread, cakes, cookies, pasta, beer, whiskey, etc.)
on Pesach, we are also forbidden to possess Chametz. In order to avoid this prohibition we lock up any Chametz (this includes "Chametzdik" utensils) and empower a
rabbi (through power of attorney) to sell it to a non-Jew before Pesach. This is a legal binding sale that is recognized by the courts. After Pesach the rabbi then buys the
Chametz back from the non-Jew and we are thus able to use it again. Fill out the form below, sign it and mail it to us and we will take care of the Sale of Chametz for you.
KNOW YE that I, the undersigned, fully empower and permit Rabbi Nechemia Vogel to act in my place and stead, and in my behalf to sell all Chametz possessed by me
(knowingly or unknowingly) as defined by the Torah and Rabbinic Law (e.g., Chametz, possible Chametz, and all kinds of Chametz mixtures.) Also Chametz that tends
to harden and to adhere to inside surfaces of pans, pots or cooking and usable utensils. And to lease all places wherein the Chametz owned by me may be found, especially in the premises located at:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
and elsewhere. Rabbi Nechemia Vogel has the full right to sell and to lease by transactions as he deems fit and proper and for such time which he believes necessary in
accordance with all detailed terms and detailed forms as explained in the general authorization contract which have been given this year to Rabbi Nechemia Vogel full
power and authority to appoint a substitute in his stead with full power to sell and to lease as provided therein. The above given power is in conformity with all Torah,
Rabbinical regulations and laws, and also in accordance with laws of the State of New York and of the United States. And to this I hereby affix my signature on the
__________day of ________ in the year 5776 /2016.
Signature___________________________________
Name_____________________________________Address_______________________________________________City/State/Zip______________________________
To avoid having Chametz in your possession during Passover, please fill out the form and mail it to: CHABAD, 1037 Winton Rd. S.,
Rochester, N.Y. 14618, Attn:Rabbi Nechemia Vogel, Tel. (585) 271-0330 - Fax: (585) 271-0213 and we will take care of it as a public service.
Mail early, so that it reaches us NO LATER than Thursday, April 21. Responsibility cannot be accepted for forms returned later.
page 4
to first base.
Then she watched as
another
boy
purposely
dropped the ball and went
chasing after it. Michael's
teammates yelled for him to
run to second base, which he
managed to do. Amazingly,
Michael made it to third base.
By then, everyone on both
teams had caught on to the
plan and were shouting their
encouragement.
"Keep going, Michael!"
they called excitedly.
"Try for a home run! Go!
You can make it!"
by Menucha
Chana Levin
One of the Gang: A Special
Child & His Special Friends
My
friend
Sarah's
admirable quality of patience
has helped her through all the
challenges she's had to face
in her life. It took a long time
until she finally found her
soulmate. After that, she had
to wait several more years to
become a mother.
at sports. He can't help feeling different from other boys.
Sarah's motherly heart aches
for her special son and the
challenges he already needs
to face at his young age.
When Sarah and her husband, Jeff, were blessed with
a pair of fraternal twin boys,
they were overjoyed. Prepared to have their hands full,
the couple didn't realize what
still lay in store for them.
Nathan was born healthy, but
his twin, Michael, was among
the 8,000 to 10,000 babies a
year who are diagnosed with
cerebral palsy. Sarah met this
new challenge as she had all
the others in her past - with
great patience, deep faith and
constant love.
"Mommy, why am I different from Nathan?" Michael
asked tremulously, tears gathering in his dark eyes.
Now that the twins are 8
years old, Michael is fully
aware of the painful fact that
he and his brother are different in many ways. Nathan is
a bright third-grader and successful in his studies, a wellcoordinated boy who plays
sports with ease.
As a special-needs child,
Michael struggles to keep up
with all the things his twin
takes for granted. His school
developed an Individualized
Education Program for him,
and he has a full-time classroom aide. His vision problems require him to wear
thick-lensed eyeglasses. In his
active, baseball-loving family, Michael runs awkwardly
and is frustratingly unskilled
Then came the heartbreaking night that she will never
forget.
"Sweetheart, no two people
in the world are exactly
alike," Sarah tried to explain.
"Not even twins. G-d made
each one of us different.
Some things we can do easily,
and other things we find
hard." Then, her son held in
her loving arms, she wept
together with him.
Fortunately,
Michael's
teacher, Emily, is sensitive
and understanding of his
needs.
Yesterday she shared a
story with Sarah that brought
her to tears. Yet this time they
were tears of gratitude.
During one recess, Emily
said, the kids in Michael's
class were playing a fierce
game of kickball, with many
of the boys becoming
extremely
competitive.
Michael's turn to kick the ball
came at a key moment in the
game. His team was tied with
the other team. So Emily was
completely amazed to see the
most competitive boys on the
other team go after the ball
slowly and clumsily, deliberately allowing Michael to get
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Watching in delighted
astonishment, Emily realized
that this plan was completely
the kids' idea. Carried out so
tactfully, Michael hadn't even
realized what they were
doing. Beaming with joy, he
was beyond thrilled by his
first-ever home run.
With so many heartbreaking stories about bullying and
abuse in schools these days,
Sarah was touched and
deeply grateful for the compassion shown to her son by
his young classmates. She
feels that the term "special"
should refer not only to children with challenges, but also
to those sensitive to the needs
of others. At their young age,
those boys had performed an
act of pure chesed, loving
kindness.
Without
being
told,
Michael's young classmates
had figured out that life is
tougher for him than it is for
them. They realized that it's
much harder for him to do all
the things they take for granted, whether it's reading out
loud in class or kicking a ball
across the schoolyard. Instinctively, they knew the
importance of showing him
that they were on his side. In
his own way, Michael had
opened their eyes to the challenges he faces and what life
must be like in his shoes.
"Parents like me, who also
have kids with special needs,
will understand that sometimes I have middle-of-thenight terrors about the possibility that my sweet boy will
be bullied," explains Sarah. "I
keep praying that bullying
will be one challenge he'll be
spared. Michael really struggles with feeling isolated and
different sometimes; he just
wants to be one of the kids.
At that moment in the game,
he was fully included as one
of the gang, a regular kid.
This was a gift of pure joy to
my heart.
"I would like to say 'thank
you' to the parents of the
other kids in his class for raising such sensitive, kind children who support and care
about my son."
Michael's classmates had
filled the "special need" that
all of us have - the need for
empathy.
Fake It Till
You Make It
by Chana Weisberg
Want a quick trick to
become happy? Try smiling.
In
the
late
1980s,
researchers had subjects hold
pencils in their mouths in
various ways to mimic smiles
or frowns. They discovered
that by flexing facial muscles,
even without knowing why,
their subjects’ emotional
reactions changed. Those who
smiled rated things much
more positively than those
who frowned. Additional tests
gave similar results.
The researchers concluded
that though moods are
accompanied by changes in
the body, it works the other
way as well. Make a seemingly insignificant change to
your body - like flexing those
smiling muscles - and your
brain will notice and react
accordingly.
So, “fake it till you make
it” seems to have some merit.
Interestingly, we find a
connection to this concept in
the Torah portion, when the
Jews are commanded to make
the Holy Ark out of wood and
cover it with gold.
They shall make an ark of
acacia wood . . . and you shall
overlay [the ark] with pure
gold, inside and outside
(Exodus 25:10–11)
The ark was made out of
three boxes that were tucked
into each other. The larger,
visible box was made from
pure gold. Inside was placed a
box of acacia wood, inside of
which was placed the smallest
box, also made out of gold.
The tablets with the Ten
Commandments were kept in
this innermost box.
Like the boxes of the ark,
we too are made up of layers.
On the inside we are made
C A M P
G A N
I Z Z Y !
from “pure gold,” a G-dly
soul that is untainted and
holy, and wants only to do
what’s right and good. The
next layer is our conscious
self - our temperament,
moods and feelings. This part
of us isn’t always so pure or
shiny. And finally, there is the
outer box, the part of ourselves that we allow the world
to see through our actions.
We might feel hypocritical
to put on a golden face to the
world when inside we’re feeling the opposite. Should I act
outwardly giving, kind and
empathetic when I’m feeling
rather “wooden”? Should I
present a façade of calmness
when I really want to lash out
in disparaging anger? Why
act in a way that contradicts
my true feelings?
But the construction of the
ark teaches us that we can
improve our feelings through
our actions. It’s all right to
have
some
“wooden”
moments but outwardly act
“golden.” Actions create
internal change. Act the part,
and you become it.
So go ahead and smile, and
watch yourself become happier. Give those coins to charity, and witness your mood
become more giving and forgiving. Act calmly, and your
anger will begin to dissipate.
Because in truth, you
aren’t really acting. Deep
down, your inner self is pure
gold.
-
S E E
P A G E
1 5
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groundbreakers, trailblazers,
who formulated new ideas,
originated new forms of
expression, did things no one
had done before in quite that
way. They broke the mold.
They changed the landscape.
They ventured into the
unknown.
Inspiration
by Rabbi Lord
& Perspiration Jonathan
Sacks
Beethoven rose each morning at dawn and made himself coffee. He was fastidious
about this: each cup had to be
made with exactly sixty
beans, which he counted out
each time. He would then sit
at his desk and compose until
2 or 3 pm. Subsequently he
would go for a long walk,
taking with him a pencil and
some sheets of music paper to
record any ideas that came to
him on the way. Each night
after supper he would have a
beer, smoke a pipe, and go to
bed early, 10 pm at the latest.
Anthony Trollope, who as
his day job worked for the
post office, paid a groom to
wake him every day at 5 am.
By 5:30 he would be at his
desk, and he then proceeded
to write for exactly 3 hours,
working against the clock to
produce 250 words each
quarter-hour. This way he
wrote 47 novels, many of
them 3 volumes in length, as
well as 16 other books. If he
finished a novel before the
day's 3 hours were over, he
would immediately take a
fresh piece of paper and begin
the next.
These details, together with
more than 150 other examples drawn from the great
philosophers, artists, composers and writers, come from
a book by Mason Currey entitled Daily Rituals: How Great
Minds Make Time, Find
Inspiration, and Get to Work.
The book's point is simple.
Most creative people have
daily rituals. These form the
soil in which the seeds of
their invention grow.
In some cases they deliberately took on jobs they did
not need to do, simply to
establish structure and routine in their lives. A typical
example was the poet Wallace
Stevens, who took a position
as an insurance lawyer at the
Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company, where he
worked until his death. He
said that having a job was
one of the best things that
could happen to him because
"it introduces discipline and
regularity into one's life."
Note the paradox. These
were all innovators, pioneers,
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Yet their daily lives were
the opposite: ritualized and
routine. One could even call
them boring. Why so?
Because - the saying is
famous, though we don't
know who first said it genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent
perspiration. The paradigmshifting scientific discovery,
the pathbreaking research,
the wildly successful new
product, the brilliant novel,
the award-winning film, are
almost always the result of
many years of long hours and
attention to detail. Being creative involves hard work.
The ancient Hebrew word
for hard work is avodah. It is
also the word that means
"serving G-d." What applies
in the arts, sciences, business
and industry applies equally
to the life of the spirit.
Achieving any form of spiritual growth requires sustained effort and daily rituals.
Hence the remarkable
aggadic passage in which
various sages put forward
their idea of klal gadol baTorah, "the great principle of
the Torah." Ben Azzai says it
is the verse "This is the book
of the chronicles of man: On
the day that G-d created man,
He made him in the likeness
of G-d." Ben Zoma says that
there is a more embracing
principle: "Listen, Israel, the
L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is one."
Ben Nannas says there is a
yet more embracing principle:
"Love your neighbor as yourself." Ben Pazzi says we find a
more embracing principle
still. He quotes a verse from
the law of the daily sacrifice:
"One sheep shall be offered in
the morning, and a second in
the afternoon" - or, as we
might say nowadays, Shacharit, Minchah and Maariv. In a
word: "routine." The passage
concludes: The law follows
Ben Pazzi.
The meaning of Ben Pazzi's
statement is clear: all the high
ideals in the world - the
human person as G-d's
image, belief in G-d's unity,
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and the love of one’s neigh- tery (mysterium) both terrifybor - count for little until ing (tremendum) and fascithey are turned into habits of nating (fascinans). You are
action that become habits of awed by the presence of
the heart. We can all recall something vast. We have all
moments of insight when we had such experiences.
had a great idea, a transforBut that is all they are:
mative thought, the glimpse experiences. They linger in
of a project that could change the memory, but they are not
our lives. A day, a week or a part of everyday life. They are
year later, the thought has not woven into the texture of
been forgotten or become a our character. They do not
distant memory, at best a affect what we do or achieve
might-have-been.
or become. Judaism is about
The people who change the
world, whether in small or
epic ways, are those who turn
peak experiences into daily
routines, who know that the
details matter, and who have
developed the discipline of
hard work, sustained over
time.
Judaism's greatness is that
it takes high ideals and exalted visions - image of G-d,
faith in G-d, love of neighbor
- and turns them into patterns
of behavior. Halachah (Jewish
law) involves a set of routines
that - like those of the great
creative minds - reconfigures
the brain, giving discipline to
our lives and changing the
way we feel, think and act.
Much of Judaism must
seem to outsiders, and sometimes to insiders also, boring,
prosaic, mundane, repetitive,
routine, obsessed with details
and bereft for the most part of
drama or inspiration. Yet that
is precisely what writing the
novel, composing the symphony, directing the film, perfecting the killer app, or
building a billion-dollar business is, most of the time. It is
a matter of hard work,
focused attention and daily
rituals. That is where all sustainable greatness comes
from.
We have developed in the
West a strange view of religious experience: that it's
what overwhelms you when
something happens completely outside the run of normal
experience. You climb a
mountain and look down.
You are miraculously saved
from danger. You find yourself part of a vast and cheering crowd. It's how the
German Lutheran theologian
Rudolf Otto (1869-1937)
defined "the holy": as a mys-
changing us so that we
become creative artists whose
greatest creation is our own
life. And that needs daily rituals: Shacharit, Minchah,
Maariv, the food we eat, and
the way we behave at work or
in the home.
These rituals have an
effect. We now know through
PET and fMRI scans that
repeated spiritual exercise
reconfigures the brain. It
gives us inner resilience. It
makes us more grateful. It
gives us a sense of basic trust
in the Source of our being. It
shapes our identity, the way
we act and talk and think.
Ritual is to spiritual greatness
what practice is to a tennis
player, daily writing disciplines are to a novelist, and
reading company accounts
are to Warren Buffett. They
are the precondition of high
achievement. Serving G-d is
avodah, which means hard
work.
If you seek sudden inspiration, then work at it every
day for a year or a lifetime.
That is how it comes. As
every famous golfer is said to
have said when asked for the
secret of his success: "I was
just lucky. But the funny
thing is that the harder I practice, the luckier I become."
The more you seek spiritual
heights, the more you need
the ritual and routine of
halachah, the Jewish "way" to
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page 6
Is Passover Late This Year?
Question:
It seems that this year's
holiday of Passover is much
later in the year than it was
last year. Last year, the first
night of Passover was April 3;
the first night of Passover this
year is April 22. This is a disparity of close to three weeks.
What exactly happened to
delay the holiday of Passover
this year?
Answer:
The Jewish calendar follows the moon, or the lunar
cycle. According the Jewish
calendar, a month is the
length of time it takes for the
moon to revolve around the
earth - about 29½ days. Some
of the Hebrew months therefore have 29 days, while others have 30.
Twelve months consisting
of 29½ days each makes 354
days - the lunar year. The
solar cycle is roughly 365¼
days - the solar year. This
means that the lunar year is
about 11 days shorter than
the solar year. If the Jewish
calendar were to exclusively
follow the lunar year, it
would take a mere four years
for Passover to slide back
from the spring to the winter.
In a few more years, Passover
would be pushed all the way
back to the fall, then to the
summer. This would be inappropriate, as the Torah
(Deut.16:1) clearly states that
Passover should be "in the
spring."
To resolve the shortfall of
days between the lunar year
and the solar year, the Jewish
calendar system adds a whole
month to certain years. This
month is added on at the end
of the twelfth month of the
lunar cycle, or at the end of
winter. The extra "leap"
p
month is another Adar, i.e. a
leap year has an Adar I and
an Adar II. Over the course of
a 19-year cycle, this extra
month is added seven times:
in the third, sixth, eighth,
eleventh, fourteenth, seventeenth and nineteenth years
of the cycle. The current 19year cycle began in the
Jewish year of 5758, October
1997. This year is the eighteenth year of the cycle; it is
a "leap year," with the extra
month pushing Passover into
late April.
This year, then, is one in
which attention is paid to
both the sun and the moon. It
is a year in which the
dichotomy between the two
luminaries the Almighty created in the heavens becomes
adjusted.
Our sages say that the reason our calendar follows the
moon is because: "The Jewish
people calculate their year to
the moon, for they are compared to the moon."
The Jewish people are
compared to the moon for a
few reasons: The moon is the
smaller of the luminaries, just
as the Jewish people are
called "the smallest of the
nations." Also, just as the
moon waxes and wanes, similarly, the Jewish people move
up or down, but they are
never in the same place.
Things are sometimes good,
and sometimes not. Some
countries have been good to
the Jewish people, and some
persecuted the Jewish people
- our history is full of ups and
downs.
Having the sun play a role
in the Jewish calendar though
- especially in regards to
aligning the holiday of
Passover to the spring - indi-
F R E E D O M - Only when the Four Sons are Together
At the Seder we will read of four sons: one wise, one wicked, one simple
and one who does not know how to ask. These represent the four types
of people—all of us—who attend the Seder.
Now, it’s easy to label people; to stick them into a box, to call one
person wise and another simple. But no one ever really fits so neatly. We
are complex, and constantly changing and growing. We are often a
combination of these four sons, which is why another way of
understanding the four sons as four aspects within each and every one
of us.
There is a beautiful teaching that ‫( חרות‬Cheirut), the Hebrew word
for “freedom,” is an acronym for these four sons. The Hebrew letter ‫ח‬
(Chet) is for ‫( חכם‬Chacham), the wise son; the ‫( ר‬Reish) is for ‫רשע‬
(Rasha), the wicked son; the ‫( ו‬Vav) is for ‫( ושאינו יודע לשאול‬V’she-eino
yodei’a lish’ol), the one who doesn’t know how to ask; and the ‫( ת‬Tav)
is for ‫( תם‬Tam), the simple son. When all four are viewed as a composite, when we learn to understand
that people are much deeper than they first appear, we can truly
experience freedom—freedom from paralyzing misconceptions and
stereotypes. In fact, in order to be free, we must hone our ability to see
that we and others are much more than we first perceive.
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cates that the Jewish people
have a connection with the
sun as well.
In the story of creation, the
Torah relates that the
Almighty created both the
sun and the moon, "to give
light upon the earth." They
both affect the earth, including that which grows from it.
Yet, there is an obvious
difference between the light
of the sun and the moon: The
sun radiates its light in the
same constant manner, without perceptible change from
day to day. If the sky is clear,
one sees the same amount of
the sun's globe every single
day. The moon, on the other
hand, becomes "renewed" or
"reborn" (in Hebrew, molad)
at the beginning of each
month. It begins as a narrow
crescent, becoming fuller and
brighter from day to day,
until it attains its complete
fullness and brightness in the
middle of the Jewish month.
Then it becomes narrower
and smaller in the month's
second half, until it disappears from sight.
In other words, the sun and
the moon symbolize two different characteristics. The sun
represents the element of
sameness and constancy; the
moon represents change and
renewal.
There is a further fundamental distinction between
the sun and the moon: The
moon's light, however brightly it shines, does not transform night into day, even at
its maximum fullness; night
remains night, and dark. On
the other hand, as weak as the
light of the sun may be
through the heaviest of
clouds, it still creates the
appearance and atmosphere
of day and light.
In a year like this one,
when the sun and moon with their diverse messages of
consistency and change and
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night and day - are aligned
through the Jewish calendar,
their combination provides an
important message and lesson.
There are aspects of daily
life that are the same from
day to day. For instance, rising from sleep, getting
dressed, engaging in prayer,
eating with the family, going
to work along the same
streets, in the same office,
and so forth. This is the "sun"
in people. At the same time, it
is expected of a person to
generate a "moon" attitude, a
renewal and resurgence of
inspiration and joy, particularly in those areas that are
repeated every day. A person
is thus liberated from the
monotony and tedium which
can keep one in psychological
bond-age.
And then there are special
days: Shabbat, holidays,
birthdays, vacation time, the
and so forth. These days typically provide a change of
scenery, a change of mindset,
even a renewal. These are
"moon" moments. The inspiration and joy from these
exciting days should be
allowed to last, not just for
the duration of the special
day, but continually, like the
unchanging sun. Thus, for
example, it says, "You shall
remember the days of Exodus
from Egypt all the days of
your life." The "Season of
Liberation" is not just on
Passover, but should be carried over - in terms of freedom from all inner and outer
limitations - throughout the
whole year.
The above applies to other
aspects of the sun and moon:
Those who are blessed with
"day" and "light" in their
lives must focus upon those
who, as bright as they may
be, cannot get past "night."
And those who must endure
"night" should remember that
nights do end and eventually
turn into day.
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Passover Guide - 5776 - 2016
What Is Pesach - Passover?
On Pesach we celebrate the liberation of the Jewish People - not just our physical liberation from Egyptian slavery, but also our spiritual freedom from the 'abominations of Egypt'. The civilization of ancient Egypt was steeped in idolatry and immorality. Beyond that, however, the name ‘Egypt’ - 'Mitzrayim', in Hebrew - implies
'limitations', or narrow straits. In a very real sense, freedom from the 'abominations of Egypt' is freedom from narrowness of mind, freedom from a constricted heart.
The Torah laws concerning Pesach, besides being G-dly commandments, are to help us experience this spirit of freedom. This guide, though concise, covers some
practical details, the significance of the Seder, basic Pesach laws plus useful tips and profound insights to enhance your Passover experience.
Preparing The Home
What Is Chametz? Unique to Pesach is the eating of Matzah (Please Note: Matzah used all year
round is not for Pesach use. Only Matzah baked especially for Pesach may be used on Pesach), and
the stringent prohibition of eating or possessing Chametz. Chametz is a general term for all food
and drink made from wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt or their derivatives, which is forbidden on
Pesach because it is leavened. Even a food that contains only a trace of Chametz is prohibited and
must be removed from our homes.
Getting Rid of Chametz: Obvious Chametz - both food and utensils used throughout the year (and
not koshered for Pesach) - should be stored in closets or rooms that are not easily accessible
(locked or taped shut). It should be sold to a non-Jew by filling out the sale form on page 3.
Clean the entire house thoroughly to remove all crumbs and small pieces of food. Also check
for Chametz in the car and office (desks and drawers, etc.) clothes, pockets (especially the children's), pocketbooks, and attaché cases. Vacuum cleaner bags should be discarded or cleaned.
Kitchen Koshering
To prepare the kitchen for Pesach, we must kosher it from Chametz that has been cooked in it.
Dishes and Utensils: Have special sets of dishes, silverware, pots, pans and other utensils for
Pesach use only. (If necessary, certain 'year-round' utensils may be used provided they are
koshered for Pesach. To do so, consult a Rabbi.)
Stove: Thoroughly clean and scour every part of the stove. Heat the oven to the highest temperature possible for 1-2 hours. Heat the grates and the iron parts of the stove until they glow
red-hot. It is suggested that the oven and stovetop should be covered afterwards with aluminum
foil.
Microwave Ovens: Clean the oven thoroughly. Fill a clean container (that was not used for 24
hours) with water. Turn on the microwave and let it steam heavily. Turn it off and wipe out the
inside. To use the microwave during Pesach, use a flat piece of styrofoam or any other thick
object, as a separation between the bottom of the oven and the cooking dish. When cooking, the
food should be covered from all sides.
Sink: Meticulously clean the sink. For 24 hours before koshering it, do not pour hot water from
Chametz pots into the sink. Afterwards, boil water in a clean pot (that was not used for 24 hours),
and pour water 3 times onto every part of the sink, including the drain stopper. Afterwards, line
the sink.
Refrigerator, Freezer, Cupboards, Closets, Tables and Counters: Thoroughly clean and scrub to
remove any crumbs and residue. Afterwards, cover with a heavy covering those surfaces that
come into contact with hot food or utensils.
Tablecloths and Napkins: Launder without starch.
Shopping For Pesach
While shopping for Pesach we must be careful that the foods we buy are not only kosher but
are also kosher-for-Pesach - that is, Chametz-free.
Starting From ‘Scratch’: All fresh fruits and vegetables as well as all kosher cuts of meat and
kosher fish are kosher for Pesach - provided they have been prepared in accordance with Jewish
law and have not come into contact with Chametz or Chametz utensils.
The prevailing Ashkenazic custom is that we do not eat on Pesach rice, millet, corn, mustard,
legumes, (beans, etc.), or their derivatives.
Commercially Prepared Products: Nowadays, there are many Kosher-for-Pesach packaged foods
available. However, care must be used to purchase only those packaged foods that have reliable
Rabbinical supervision which is valid for Pesach.
Obviously, all leavened foods made from wheat, barley, rye, oats or spelt are actual Chametz
and are prohibited on Pesach. Examples are bread, cake, cereal, spaghetti, beer and whiskey.
Erev Pesach - Burning The Chametz: On the morning of Erev
Pesach (Passover Eve), Chametz may be eaten only in the early
hours of the morning, (see calendar for exact time). Burn the
Chametz that was found during the previous evening’s search,
or that was left over from breakfast and not stored with the
Chametz which is sold to the non-Jew. See calendar for the latest time to burn the Chametz.
After the Chametz is thrown into the fire, recite the following: ‘All leaven or anything leavened which is in my possession, whether I have seen it or not, whether I have observed it
or not, whether I have removed it or not shall be completely
considered naught and ownerless as the dust of the earth.’
Only kosher for Pesach foods may be eaten. However, we do
not eat Matzah until the Seder.
The Intermediate Days: In between the first two and last two
days of Pesach, go ahead and function relatively normally. The
only exception is, like your mother keeps telling you, you
shouldn’t work too hard. But keep the wine flowing; it’s a custom to drink a glass of wine every day of Pesach.
Last But Not Least: On the last day of Pesach Yizkor memorial
prayers are recited during services. Following the custom of the
Baal Shem Tov, Pesach concludes with the ‘Feast of Moshiach’ a festive meal complete with Matzah and, yes, four cups of
wine. It begins before sunset and is designed to offer us a
‘glimpse’ into the Messianic age. Nightfall marks the conclusion
of Pesach. Wait a while to give the Rabbi enough time to buy
back your Chametz and then eat Chametz to your heart’s content!
The Pesach Calendar
5776 - 2016
Times shown are for the Rochester Area
Date
April 21
April 22
April 23
April 28
April 29
April 30
Check The Medicine Cabinet! Many medicines, sprays and cosmetics contain Chametz. Consult a
competent Rabbi as to which ones may be used on Pesach. The same applies to pet food.
Pesach Calendar
On the evening before Pesach, make a formal search of the home for Chametz while holding a
lit candle. It is customary to distribute ten small individually wrapped pieces of Chametz throughout the home before the search.
The Blessing: Recite the following blessing before the search: Boruch Atoh Ado-noi Elo-hei-nu
Melech Ha-olom Asher Kidishanu Bemitzvo-tov Vetzi-vanu Al Bi-ur Cha-metz. Blessed are You, Lrd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by His commandments, and has commanded us to remove the leaven.
The Search: Afterwards, hold the lit candle and search for Chametz in every room, as well as any
other areas of the home that may have Chametz, such as the basement, attic, garage, or car.
When the search is completed, recite the following: ‘All leaven or anything leavened which is
in my possession, which I have neither seen nor removed, and about which I am unaware, shall be
considered naught and ownerless as the dust of the earth.’
Then take all the Chametz that was found in the search, cover it securely and place it in a conspicuous spot. This Chametz will be burned in the morning. Food intended to be sold or eaten
later should similarly be carefully put aside. The search should also be conducted in one's place of
business.
Activity
Time
Formal search for chametz . . . . . . . . . . . .at 8:32 p.m.
Stop Eating Chametz . . . . . . . . . . . .before 10:45 a.m.
Burn left-over Chametz . . . . . . . . . before 11:49 a.m.
Light Yom Tov candles and say blessings
# 1 & 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . at 7:43 p.m.
Start the Seder. Eat at least 1 oz.
of Matzah within 4 minutes . . . . . . . . . after 8:48 p.m.
Light Yom Tov candles from
a pre-existing flame* and say
blessings # 2 & 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .after 8:48 p.m.
Start the Seder. Eat the Matzah again
Make an Eruv Tavshillin
Light Yom Tov candles and say
blessing # 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . at 7:50 p.m.
Light Yom Tov candles from a
pre-existing flame* and say blessing #1 . . at 7:51 p.m.
Yizkor
Pesach ends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .at 8:57 p.m.
Wait one hour before eating your chametz to
allow time for the Rabbi to buy it back for you.
*A pre-existing flame is a flame burning continuously since the onset of
the festival, such as a pilot light, gas or candle flame.
1
2
3
BLESSINGS FOR FESTIVAL CANDLE LIGHTING:
Bo-ruch A-toh Ado-noi E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ho-olom A-sher
Ki-de-sho-nu Be-mitz-vo-sov Vi-tzi-vo-nu Le-had-lik Ner Shel
Shabbos Veshel Yom-Tov.
Bo-ruch A-toh Ado-noi E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ho-olom A-sher Kide-sho-nu Be-mitz-vo-sov Vi-tzi-vo-nu Le-had-lik Ner Shel YomTov.
Bo-ruch A-toh Ado-noi E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ho-olom She-hehche-yoh-nu Vi-kiye-mo-nu Ve-he-ge-o-nu Lizman Hazeh.
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page 8
1. KADESH - SANCTIFICATION
BODY It's been a busy week, or a busy year. The first step tonight is to
forget the noise and leave it behind. Tonight we enter a timeless space,
where we experience the Seder together with our great-grandparents and
Moses. How do we begin? With a full cup of red wine. A cup filled with
generations of rejoicing and tears and celebration and wisdom, and of
doing just what we will do tonight.
Fill a cup with wine (or grape juice). That's cup #1. You can have someone else fill your cup. Then return the favor. This way, we are all like
nobility, whose cups are filled by someone else. Make sure your cup holds
at least 86 mil. (a little more than three ounces).
Everyone stands and says Kiddush together. The rest of the year, one
person says Kiddush for everyone at the table. Tonight, each man, woman and child recites every
word together.
Drink. And get ready for some serious relaxing. Recline on a cushion to your left side.
Remember the ancient times, when we used to recline on our couches while sampling grapes?
That's what we are dramatizing by reclining now. Tonight we are free.
SOUL Every journey begins with a separation. You’ve got to leave somewhere to get somewhere else. In this way, separation is the first step to freedom. By ignoring the negative voice of
Pharaoh’s mockery that says,“Who are you to begin such a journey?”, we’re ready to leave Egypt
behind.
Separation is the first meaning of the word kadesh — to transcend the mundane world. Once
you’ve set yourself free from those things that hold you down, you can achieve the second
meaning of the word kadesh — to return and sanctify it. Spiritual freedom is achieved through
sanctifying the material world, using its elements as physical expressions of a higher purpose.
The first two steps of the Seder, Kadesh (to separate/sanctify) and Urchatz (purify), describe what
we set out to accomplish through this night: to rise above the restraints of our world in order
to elevate it.
Personal Application:
Bondage Mentality: Look, I’m a down-to-earth kind of person. I’m trying to manage real life.
I can’t get into this spirituality stuff. Let’s just get to the Matzah. Freedom Mentality: I can master my world by staying above it. I come to the Seder to get that strength. Kadesh - Time to split
2. URCHATZ - PURIFICATION
BODY Fill a cup with water. You could leave the table to go to the
kitchen or you could bring a basin and towel to the table. (What? We just
sat down and now we have to get up and leave? Well, that's a fairly standard Jewish migration pattern.)
Pour the water over your right hand three times, then over your left
hand three times. That's how the Kohanim (priests) washed when they
entered the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Dry your hands.
Throughout the year we wash this way for bread and we would say a
blessing at this point, but not now. When we wash the second time before
eating the Matzah, we'll say it then.
Journey To The Ce
The Seder may appear like a drawn-out series of rituals, re
into the liberation energy that is present and break free fr
ascending a spiral staircase - we pass over the sam
To enhance your Seder, we highlighted its 15 steps, dividi
“Body” describes what we do at each step and how; “Soul
suggests an example of its
THE SEDER PLATE
The Seder Plate (Ka'arah) includes most of the ingredients that
the Seder. Its three matzahs and the six other items are arranged
by their mystical significance and relationship vis-a-vis each oth
Here's how you set it up:
On top of a large plate, tray or cloth place three whole matzah
other. It's best to use round, hand-baked shmurah matzah. Cover
cloth or tray. On top, position the following six items as pictured
1) "Zeroa" - a roasted chicken bone with most of the meat rem
the Passover offering. It will not be eaten.
2) "Beitzah" - a hard-boiled egg, representing the festival offer
3) "Maror" - grated horseradish (just the horseradish -- not the
gar and beets added) and/or romaine lettuce, for use as the "bitte
4) "Charoset" - a paste made of apples, pears, nuts and wine. W
5) "Karpas" - a bit of vegetable, such an onion or potato (used
6) "Chazeret" - more bitter herbs, for use in the matzah-maror
We'll also need a wine cup or goblet for each participant, and
salt water (in which to dip the Karpas).
Matzah is unleavened bread. It's made from flour (from one of
water only - absolutely nothing else - that are swiftly combined,
and begin to rise. It looks something like a large, round flat crack
Matzah may be flat, but it has many faces: it is the "bread of
as slaves in Egypt. It's the "bread of proclamation" over which w
represents our self-abnegating commitment to G-d, and the "brea
to Him. It's the "bread of healing" with which we imbibe spiritua
Shemurah matzah ("guarded matzah") is made from grain that
tact with even the merest hint of water or moisture. It is baked b
used as a vehicle of G-dly connection - to fulfill the mitzvah of
4. YACHATZ - BREAKING THE MATZAH
BODY Remove the middle Matzah. We need the top Matzah to re
SOUL Our hands are the instruments that allow the mind to interact with its environment. it later on. (Blessings are said on whole things.) Break it in two diff
Our hands reflect our mental state, and act according to our emotions: love, fear, compassion, between the two complete Matzos.
the urge to win, to be appreciated, to express ourselves, to dominate. But too often the aspects
The piece you put back is the "poor man's bread" over which th
of our psyche sit compartmentalized, detached from one another. The mind sees one way, the ple only eat a small portion of their bread - saving the rest in case
heart feels another, and our interface with the world is disoriented.
Wrap the remaining (larger) piece in a cloth. Hide the package un
Water symbolizes wisdom. Flowing downward from on-high, everything in its stream is as the Afikoman, or dessert. In many homes, the children hide the A
affected by its pure and simple essence. We pour water over our hands so that our heart and end of the meal. In others, the adults hide it and the children find
emotions may be touched by wisdom, and from there shape our interaction with the world.
suspense until the end of the Seder.
A wise rabbi asked, “Wouldn’t it make more sense to wash first and then say Kiddush? To first
Some Sephardic Jews have the tradition of tying the Afikoman
purify, so you can then sanctify?” Then he answered, “First you need to get out of the pit, and like that all night, just like when we left Egypt.
then to clean up your act. That’s why G-d first took us out of Egypt and only then had us
SOUL Why is so much broken in this world? Why did the Creato
purify ourselves for 49 days in the wilderness to prepare us for the revelations at Mount Sinai.”
Because a whole vessel can only contain its measure, while a b
bread. He is low and broken. And it is this being broken that allows
Bondage Mentality: Just react. Let your instinct be your guide. Freedom Mentality: Count to fectly whole, there is no room left for us to grow. When we realize
10. Let your mind and heart talk things over with one another. Urchatz - It’s a clean scene
that so much of ourselves is missing — then miracles begin.
3. KARPAS - THE APPETIZER
BODY Take a small piece of vegetable (onion, potato, parsley). The rest
of the year, we would be getting to the meal now. But we're doing things
differently tonight, principally to spark questions from the small children.
If they ask, "Hey mom and dad! Aren't we supposed to eat real food now?
Why the funny green stuff?" - you know you're doing things right.
How do you answer them? "We are doing this so that you will ask questions. You can't learn if you don't ask questions. And the first thing to
learn is that not all questions have immediate answers." This is one of the
most distinctive elements of Jewish education: more than we teach our
children how to answer, we teach them how to ask - and how to be patient
in their search for answers.
Personal Application
Bondage Mentality: I know who I am. Look at what I have achiev
only started to grow. Yachatz - Flat broke... got any bread?
5. MAGGID - THE HAGGADAH
This is it, folks. This is why it's called a Haggadah. Now we get
for. (As for the other meat & potatoes, you can probably smell them
BODY Fill your cup with wine (or grape juice). That's cup #2.
There are "four sons" at the Seder table, as described in the Hagg
ond child - the "wicked" child. This is the cup the story is told over.
story most, and the one who can really appreciate it. Children ask th
ask more. No children at your Seder? Let an adult ask. There's just
Dip it into saltwater. These are our tears, and the tears of all our people beginning with the Father. While you're at it, ask Him a few other difficult questions f
tears of our labor in Egypt. Look at the Hebrew word Karpas and read it backwards, Samach
Continue recounting the Passover story in the Haggadah. Hey, y
Perekh. That refers to the backbreaking labor (Perekh) of the 600,000 Jewish slaves (Samach = written so that everybody would have something to say. But now i
60 x 10,000). Say the blessing that is said over the vegetable, and munch it down. Munch well. every story you know about the Exodus. Examine the Haggadah an
You're not going to get much more for a while.
Basic rules of telling the story: 1. Get the children involved. 2
SOUL In order to liberate ourselves from Egypt, we need to taste its harshness again, because Egyptian scene until we receive the Torah at Mount Sinai. 3. Tell it
this harshness prepares us for freedom. This labor gives us the humble spirit to accept wisdom. Hebrews. . ." say, "When we were slaves in Egypt, the perverse sys
About the Seder and the Child: On the night that we left Egypt, we were like a newly hatched parallels something within. We are truly living it now. We are simp
chick, breaking out of our shell to discover life and the light of day. It was with those fresh eyes about miracles. Moses and his signs and wonders. The ten plagues.
that we were able to experience wonder, to travel forth with faith and innocence and trust. So look at the events of our lives and recognize that they too are mirac
this long by abrogating natural law. The very fact that we are here
tonight, again, we enter the mind and heart of a child.
of 3,327 years is beyond human comprehension.
The child is the most important participant at the Seder. In fact, the entire Seder with all its
We say a blessing and drink the second cup of wine at the end o
customs revolves around the child. The Mitzvah of the Haggadah is "to tell the story to your
child." The child asks, we respond.
SOUL The Exodus is not simply an event that happened to us. It
But more than the child learns from us, we learn from the child. We awaken the mystical child one of us, occurring again and again, in our wrestling match with
within us, the place that is still innocent and fresh and able to grow, to be amazed, to sense awe. dom in a constant mode of escape. Perhaps that is why Jews have
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch once said, "If you want to know what it is like to see with
The experience of leaving Egypt left such an indelible mark on ou
the eyes of a prophet, to experience the Divine Spirit resting upon you, look at life the way you ceases to allow his soul to breathe. The story brings our essential se
did as a child."
Bondage Mentality: I’m free already. I live in a land of freedom.
Bondage Mentality: I owe, I owe, so off to work I go. Freedom Mentality: My work helps me
is free because my soul is free. Maggid - Tell the story
appreciate the higher things in life. Karpas - For bitter, or worse?
enter Of The Seder
epeated year after year. But when it is experienced, we tap
from our personal bondage. Experiencing the Seder is like
me points, but each year we reach a higher level.
ding them into "Body," "Soul" and "Personal Application".
l” explores its deeper meaning; and “Personal Application”
ts effect on our daily lives.
at go into the making of
d in a formation dictated
her.
hs, one on top of the
r the matzahs with a
d above right:
moved. This will represent
ering.
he red stuff that has vineer herbs" (step #9).
We'll be dipping the bitter herbs in this (steps 9 and 10).
d in step #3).
r sandwich (step #10).
d plenty of wine or grape juice (four cups each). And a dish of
of the "five types of grain" - wheat, barley, oats, rye or spelt) and
, kneaded and baked before the dough has a chance to ferment
cker. It tastes simply delicious.
f affliction" and the "bread of poverty" which our forefathers ate
we tell the story of the Exodus. It's the "bread of humility" that
ead of faith" that embodies our simple faith, trust and devotion
al wholeness and wellness into our beings.
at is guarded from the time it was harvested lest it come in conby hand, with the specific intention and awareness that it will be
eating matzah on seder night. (No machine can do that, can it?)
6. ROCHTZOH - WASHING FOR MATZAH
BODY Fill a cup with water. Again? Yes, again. It's been a long time
since the last washing. (And it's good to get up and stretch a little.) Pour
the water over your right hand three times, then over your left hand three
times. Say the blessing: "Blessed… concerning the washing of the hands."
Dry your hands.
SOUL As long as we live in the world, freedom remains elusive. While
moving forward, we are free. Stop, and we are fettered again.
That is why freedom is something that you cannot buy or steal. Never
can you put freedom in your purse and say, “Freedom is mine forever!”
Spiritual freedom is like a marriage between our finite selves and the
Infinite, providing the power to transcend the material world while working inside of it. It is a
marriage of heaven and earth, spirit and matter, soul and body. And like marriage, it is kept alive
through constant renewal.
Our release from slavery was only the first step of our Exodus. We were granted eternal freedom — the power to perpetually transcend Egypt.
That’s the order of the Seder tonight: Kadesh, Urchatz — Transcend and Purify. Over and over.
Rise higher, then draw that into deeds. Rise higher again, draw even more. Never stop rising.
Never stop applying.
Bondage Mentality: Passover? Been there, done that! Freedom Mentality: Each year at the
Seder, I discover new things that I just never saw before.
Rochtzoh - Free your mind and the rest will follow
7. MOTZI - THANK G-D FOR BREAD
BODY Grab all three Matzos - the top one, the broken middle one and
the bottom one - and pick them up. Say the blessing: "Blessed. . . Who
brings bread out of the earth."
This blessing, "Who brings bread out of the earth," may seem ordinary,
even odd. But think about it: The earth upon which we tread germinates
all the nutrients a human being needs to survive - it is the substance that
powers our thoughts, creativity, music, art, philosophy, meditation, and
prayer.
SOUL We feel an affinity with foods we eat: we too are a miracle out
of the earth. We share a common journey with bread. The bread begins as
a seed buried beneath the ground. And then, a miracle occurs: as it decomposes and loses its
original form, it comes alive, begins to sprout and grow. As Spring arrives, it pushes its way
above the earth to find the sun, and then bears fruit for the world.
We too begin buried in Egypt, our identity all but lost. But that furnace of oppression becomes
for us a firing kiln, a baker’s oven, and the womb from whence we are born as a nation in the
Spring. In our liberation, we bring our fruits of freedom to the world.
emain whole because we'll make a blessing on
ferent-sized pieces. Put the smaller piece back
Bondage Mentality: I’m stuck here under the ground. Life is rotten. Freedom Mentality: My
challenges in life help me discover the strength of my soul. Motzi - You eat what you are
he tale of our slavery is recounted. Poor peoe there is no more tomorrow.
8. MATZAH - BLESSING & EATING
ntil the end of the Seder when it will be eaten
Afikoman and the adults have to find it at the
it. Either way, it keeps the kids awake and in
under the arms of the children, who carry it
or make a world where hearts break, lives shatter, beauty crumbles?
broken one can hold the Infinite. Matzah is called the poor man’s
s him to open his soul and escape his Egypt. As long as we feel pere that we are just a fragment — that we need the others around us,
BODY Carefully release the bottom Matzah. Recite the blessing on the
top Matzah and the broken middle matzo: "Blessed. . . and commanded us
concerning eating Matzah." Hold it! Didn't we just say a blessing on the
Matzah bread? That blessing was for giving us what to eat. Now we bless
G-d for connecting us to Him through the Mitzvah of eating Matzah.
Break off a piece from each of these two Matzos for yourself and for
each of those sitting at your table. Pass them around. Everybody eats at
least two thirds of a Matzah (one ounce from each Matzah - to do this,
they will need to help themselves to an auxiliary reserve of Matzah.) Hey,
it's a Mitzvah after all! Lean to the left while you munch.
SOUL Since the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, Matzah is the only opportunity we have to actually eat a Mitzvah. That’s right, the Matzah you are eating is pure G-dliness.
The Zohar calls Matzah, “Bread of Faith” and “Bread of Healing. “Faith?”
eved! Freedom Mentality: There is so much that I am lacking. I have
t to the meat & potatoes your soul is longing
m in the kitchen. Hold on, we'll get there soon.)
gadah. The second cup corresponds to the secr. The "wicked" child is the one who needs this
he Four Questions. Of course, they can always
st you? You be the child, and G-d will be the
for us all.
you're not limited to the Haggadah! That was
is the chance to get creative. In addition to the Haggadah text, tell
and get into its deeper meaning. Keep it real - make it profound.
2. Start with Abraham and Sarah and work your way through the
it in the first person, in the now. Instead of, "Long ago, the ancient
stem crushed our sense of self." Everything that happened in Egypt
ply examining our own lives in the dress of ancient Egypt. 4. It's all
The splitting of the sea. These miracles happened so that we would
acles. Tell it like it is. We are a people born of miracles, who endured
e now telling this same story to our children in an unbroken chain
of this step.
t is an event that we became. It is who we are. It is the life of each
h the world, in our struggle with our own selves. We embody freealways been rebels of society.
our souls that we never stop doing it. A Jew who stops leaving Egypt
self into the open, and to come face-to-face with who we really are.
. Who needs more freedom than that? Freedom Mentality: My body
Well, actually, that’s a rather feeble translation. “Emunah” is a word in Hebrew, and it means
a lot more than “I believe.” Faith can often be something people claim when they don’t care to
think too much. Emunah is when you go beyond thinking to a place your mind could have never
brought you.
Emunah means touching the place where your soul and essence of the Infinite Light are One.
It’s a place that nothing can describe. Where there are no words. No doubts, no uncertainty, no
confusion, nothing but a magnificent Oneness before which nothing else exists and the challenges of life withdraw.
Eating Matzah is a way of tapping into that reservoir. Your physical body digests the Emunah
of your soul, everything is integrated back into One, and your body and soul are whole and harmonious.
How on earth can a mixture of water and wheat baked in an oven contain such a spiritual
cure? Welcome to Judaism, where there is no dichotomy of spirit and matter, soul and body.
Where the spiritual transforms into the physical, and material objects become spiritual in a perpetual chemistry of exchange. Where the body is healed through empowering the soul, and the
soul is nourished with the rituals of the body. (After all, we live in the world of One G-d.)
Bondage Mentality: Sure, I’ll eat a little Matzah because that’s the tradition. Freedom
Mentality: I can’t get enough of this stuff! Feed me Matzah! Feed my soul! Matzah - Soul food
9. MAROR - THE BITTER HERBS
BODY Grab some of that bitter herb (horseradish, romaine lettuce or
both). Take enough to make the size of an olive if you were to crunch it
into a ball (one ounce). Dip the bitter herb in the Charoset. Shake off any
excess.
It's a careful balance: you want bitter herbs, but you want to sweeten
the bitterness. But it still has to be bitter herbs - not a sumptuous Charoset
hors d'oeuvre.
Say the blessing: "Blessed... and bonded with us through the eating of
bitter herbs." Eat the bitter herbs without reclining. (Don't worry if it doesn't taste that great - it's not supposed to.)
SOUL We can never get used to Egypt. We never belonged there. We can never say, “They
(Continued next page)
page 10
are the masters and we are the slaves and that’s the way it is.” It must remain something we 13. BAIRACH - GRACE AFTER MEAL
remain bitter about, something that is unjust and needs to change.
BODY If you're still awake now, you know
If we get used to Egypt, it is very hard to leave. In fact, many Jews said, “Egypt is our land. it's getting late. Adults are falling asleep. Kids
are having a great time taking advantage of
How can we leave it?” And they stayed and died there.
As for the rest of us, when Moses came and told us we were going to leave, we believed him. that. But it's not over. There are songs and
It was our bitterness that had preserved our faith. This is the sweetness we apply to the bitter wine, and Elijah the Prophet is on his way...
Fill your cup with wine (or grape juice).
herb: bitterness alone, without any direction, is self-destructive. Add some life and optimism to
That's cup #3. Say the Grace After Meals as
it, and it becomes the springboard to freedom.
printed in your Haggadah. Say a blessing on
the wine and drink it all down. Lean to your left.
Bondage Mentality: Look, this is what I’m used to. I can’t change. Freedom Mentality: I don’t
SOUL The theme of the Grace After Meals is confidence.
belong to my habits. Maror - Perception or possibility?
Confidence in a Higher Force that is with us in our daily lives.
Why did miracles happen in Egypt? Because we believed they
10. KORECH - THE SANDWICH
would. Those who didn’t believe in miracles saw only plagues.
BODY Break the bottom Matzah into two pieces. If you've followed the
To see a miracle, you need an open heart and mind, open
instructions until now, the bottom Matzah should still be whole. Take an
enough to receive the Infinite. That is the opening we make
ounce of the bitter herbs (horseradish, romaine lettuce or both) and dip it
when we thank G-d for the miracle of our food.
into the Charoset. Shake off any excess.
Now you know what the second pile of bitter herbs on the Seder plate
Bondage Mentality: I thank G-d for giving me what I need.
is for. Place the bitter herbs in between your two pieces of Matzah. Say the
Freedom Mentality: I thank G-d for letting me know what He
words: "This is what Hillel did when the Holy Temple stood. He wrapped
“needs”
from me.
some Pesach lamb, some Matzah and bitter herbs and ate them together."
Berach - A new opening
Hillel understood the words of the Torah about the Pesach lamb, "with
Matzah and bitter herbs you shall eat it," in their literal sense. And so he
14. HALLEL - SONGS OF PRAISE
invented the sandwich. (Or should we call it a Hillel?) Lean to the left
BODY Now fill your cup with wine (or
while you eat.
grape juice). That's cup #4. Yes, you can
SOUL The world, when viewed from within Egypt, looks to be a mass of fragments. It’s a
handle it.
“Passoverly Challenged” perspective. Plain materialism.
The kids open the front door to welcome
Mitzvahs appear to be a mishmash of dos and don’ts; the Jewish people are a collection of
Elijah the Prophet. Recite the prayer, "Pour
irreconcilable individuals; daily life is a cacophony of hassles and just, well, stuff.
out Your wrath..." from the Haggadah. Watch
Once we escape materialism’s gravitational pull, we look back and see a whole new perspec- Elijah enter. (Can't see him? Maybe you've
tive. Mitzvahs are multiple expressions of a single spiritual path; Jews are multiple faces to a had too much wine.)
single soul; elements of today’s journey harmonize together as a delicate symphonic melody.
Tonight is called "Leil Shimurim" - a night of protection After we make ourselves into a temple for the Divine, then the bitter, the sweet and the taste- when we are secured by G-d's gentle hand. We open our front
less responsibilities of life wrap together in a single package.
door in the middle of the night with confidence and trust that
no harm will befall us. On that very first Passover in Egypt,
we were redeemed in the merit of our trust that He would
Bondage Mentality: I have to take care of career, family, health, hobbies, handball, friend- redeem us. Tonight we are liberated again, and again we
ships, parents, taxes, the house, the car, the cat... Freedom Mentality: I am a conductor and the demonstrate our trust. It's all there, in your Haggadah. Sing
world is my orchestra to play a symphony for its Creator. Korech - All together now...
whatever Psalms you know a song for.
11. SHULCHAN ORECH - THE FEAST
BODY Time to really eat. You know how to do this, right? Oh, don't forget the tradition of eating the boiled egg on your Seder plate, dipped in
some saltwater. Most do this at the very beginning of the meal. A boiled
egg is a sign of mourning and symbolizes the cycle of life. On every festive occasion, we mournfully remember the destruction of our Temple and
Jerusalem. Note: The chicken neck is not eaten at the Seder.
SOUL This step, along with Korech before it, marks the re-entry we
mentioned at the beginning (in Kadesh). We’ve escaped Egypt and reached
a higher vision. But freedom consists of more than escape. Complete freedom is when you can turn around and liberate all the elements of your
world from their pure material state, and make them transcendent as well.
At the end, say a blessing and drink the fourth and final
cup of wine whilst leaning to you left (after four cups of wine
the leaning comes naturally!).
SOUL The ancient rabbis clued us in on a key principle in
the cosmic function: whatever G-d tells us to do, He does
Himself. Of course, there’s a difference. We do it in our little
human world, while He does it on a grand cosmic plane. He
told us to open our door on the night of Passover. So, tonight,
He opens every door and every gateway of the spiritual cosmos to all of the Jewish people. To each one of us, regardless
of what we have been doing the rest of the year, tonight is our
chance to reach the highest of spiritual levels.
That’s what we do when we eat every day – we take foods grown from the earth, say a blessBondage Mentality: Since it’s Passover, I’ll make a little
ing over them and bring them into our journey as human beings. And when it’s a Jewish holiday or Shabbat, we elevate them further, into the realm of pure spirituality. As for tonight, this change. Freedom Mentality: Since Passover, I totally changed.
Hallel - The designated drinker
meal is going to be truly Divine.
So don’t imagine we’re just feasting. We’re reaching a higher state. And it’s a great way to
15. NIRTZAH - ACCEPTANCE
do it.
BODY This last step of the Seder is easy:
expect a miracle. (This is His job now.) Look
Bondage Mentality: I am a slave to food. I live to eat. Freedom Mentality: I am a food liber- up from your wine. The table's a delicious
ator. I eat to live. Shulchan Orech - Feed your head
mess. Uncle Irving is snoring in his
Haggadah, serenaded by the first chirping of
12. TZOFUN - OUT OF HIDING
dawn. As you carry the little ones to their
BODY Grab that last bite. Be sure you've eaten enough, because the only
beds, the sound of Matzah crunching beneath
thing to pass our lips after this step of the Seder tonight is another two
your feet, you wonder, "Who will carry me to
cups of wine (Oy!). Retrieve that hidden Matzah. If you can't find it, you
bed?"
may have to enter into negotiations with your kids to get it back. Eat
Was it the best Seder that could have been? Look, it had its
another two-thirds of a Matzah. Lean to your left.
highlights. A few times, the kids got a little over-excited. And
With the first Matzah, we fulfilled the Mitzvah to eat Matzah. This one
the horseradish and chicken soup didn't mix too well.
is also in place of the Pesach lamb, which is meant to be eaten on a full
Grandpa told some great stories, but we heard them last year.
stomach.
We all had fun with the songs. We told the tale again, with
new embellishments, just like we have for 3,327 years. We did
SOUL There is the body, there is the soul, and then there is the essence.
what we are supposed to, in our own human way.
If the soul is light, then that essence is its generator. The Kabbalah teaches that this essence remains elusive. It is called “Tzofun,” meaning hidden, concealed, locked
And now, let the Creator do what He has promised to do:
away and out of reach. It is unlikely to experience it.
a rerun. Starring us, in the Ultimate Redemption. With lots of
We dance around the essence-core, like a spacecraft in orbit, unable to land. We can be miracles. But this time, forever.
inspired, we can meditate, we can pray, but to touch this inner core – the essence of our soul –
SOUL If G-d wanted us to be perfect, why did He create
takes a power from beyond.
such imperfect beings?
On Passover night, we have that power. But only after all the proper steps: destroying our
Because what He wants of us is our very humanity.
internal chametz, preparing our homes for liberation, the previous eleven steps of the Seder.
Sometimes we do good. Sometimes we fall. But we keep on
Then, when we are satiated with all we can handle, connecting every facet of ourselves to the
struggling, and eventually make some real change in order to
Divine, that’s when the power comes to us. Whether we sense it or not, tasteless as it may seem,
create a perfect world. And then, once we have done all we
the Matzah we eat now — the Matzah of Tzofun — reaches deep into our essence and transforms
can, like a kind parent helping with the homework, He makes
our very being.
sure to touch up our work and make it shine.
Those things you find inspiring and nice may take you a step forward. But to effect a real
For 3,318 years we have been leaving Egypt. For 3,318
change, you need to do something totally beyond your personal bounds.
years we have been doing our human job of transforming the
darkness of His world into light. And now it is His turn to
Bondage Mentality: Seeing is believing. Freedom Mentality: Believing is seeing. banish darkness forever, to make our work shine.
Tzofun - Now find the power
Bondage Mentality: Yaaaa-wwwn! Well, there goes another Passover night under the belt. Freedom Mentality: I’m done
with Pharaoh; I’m through with Egypt. Take me to Jerusalem!
Nirtzah - Discover your miracle
The Rearview Mirror: History or Memory?
It has been said that there
is no word for history in the
Hebrew language.
(The
modern
Hebrew
equivalent, historia, is a
word-lift from the English
history, which was pinched
from the Greek historia. What
goes around, comes around...)
The absence of a word as
central to any nation as "history" is striking. It's probably
because there's no such thing
as "history" in Judaism.
Zikaron (memory), however, a distant cousin of history,
features prominently in biblical language and thought.
It goes far beyond semantics, cutting straight to the
core of Judaism's perception
of the past.
You see, "history" is hisstory, not mine. The first two
letters of "memory," however,
spell me.
Without me there is no
memory. Memory is a part of
me, and history, apart from
me.
Put differently: History is
made up of objective facts,
and memory of subjective
experience.
As you might have
guessed, Judaism is less interested in dry facts than in
breathing experiences.
It is for this reason that
much of Jewish tradition and
ritual draws on reenactment.
We don't just commemorate,
we remember. We don't just
recount someone else's story,
we relive our own.
A few examples:
Much of the Seder curriculum aims to stimulate feelings
of slavery and bitterness (e.g.,
the salt water, bitter herbs,
poor man's bread - a.k.a.
Matzah, and so on), as well as
royalty and liberty (four cups
of wine, leaning on cushions,
and the like).
In fact, in certain Jewish
communities, the seventh
night of Passover (the night
the sea split for the Jews)
finds many walking through
pails of water to recreate that
event.
On Shavuot we stay up the
entire night in anticipation of
the giving of the Torah on the
morrow, and children are
brought to synagogue to hear
the Ten Commandments from
G-d.
In fact, Judaism teaches
that, in soul, we were all present at Sinai; each one of us
personally encountered G-d.
Consequently, G-d is not just
the G-d of our ancestors; He
is our G-d. He's not just the
G-d we heard about, but the
G-d we heard from.
The divine revelation at
Sinai thus distinguishes itself
from any other revelation
described in other religious
traditions. Central to other
religions is the belief that G-d
never shows Himself to the
masses, to a community of
commoners. He speaks only
to the prophet, who alone is
worthy of divine communion.
It's for the flock to trust
implicitly in their shepherd's
account of revelation. Not so
in Judaism, which maintains
that, indeed, the greatest
divine revelation of all time
was made accessible to maidservant and Moses alike.
Moreover, even as He
spoke to a nation of millions,
G-d addressed each one of
them personally. As our sages
teach, in His opening words
at Sinai, "I am G-d, your G-d,"
He chose to use the singular
form of "your" (elokecha) the "thy" of vintage English over the plural possessive
(elokeichem).
This was one of the greatest gifts that G-d bequeathed
our people, to include all of
us in the Sinaitic display, for
it turned our nation's most
seminal event into a living
memory, as opposed to a lifeless lesson in history.
Moving along to the ninth
of Av, the day the Holy
Temple was destroyed thousands of years ago, and a
national day of mourning its customs include eating
eggs dipped in ash (just prior
to the fast), sitting on low
stools, wearing slippers, fasting, and lamenting like it
happened only yesterday.
Sukkot, and we move into
huts for a week to recall the
booths we lived in throughout our desert trek. Like a figurative time machine, the
sukkah transports us to that
distant and formative road
trip.
And the list goes on.
The point is, remembering
is big in our tradition.
The following discussion
seeks to highlight just how
big.
"Today I am one hundred
and twenty years old," begins
Moses' last homily. "I am no
longer able to lead you . . ."
. . . Do not be afraid . . . for
G-d is going with you . . ."
These moving snippets,
and the time in which they
were spoken, help set the
scene and mood of the last
public address given by a
selfless leader to his (lessthan-selfless) congregation.
"History" is hisstory, not mine. The
first two letters of
"memory," however,
spell me.
Without me there is
no memory. Memory
is a part of me, and
history, apart from
me.
Put differently:
History is made up
of objective facts,
and memory of subjective experience.
And these are the words
with which he leaves them:
At the end of seven years .
. . during the festival on the
holiday of Sukkot, when all
Israel comes to appear before
G-d, in the place that He will
choose, the king should read
the Torah before all of Israel.
Assemble the people, the
men, the women and the
minors, and the convert in
your cities, in order that they
will hear and in order that
they will learn, and they shall
fear G-d.
Moses' final remarks to his
people outlined the mitzvah
of Hakhel, the commandment
obliging all Jews to septennially gather in the Holy
Temple to hear selections of
the Torah being read by the
Jewish king.
future that would become less
rosy with time, offering terrible persecution as well as
progressive religious challenges.
Then, following Moses'
talk with the people, G-d has
a final talk with him:
The solution suggested by
both G-d and Moses was the
same:
You are soon to lie with
your fathers. This nation will
rise up and desire to follow
the gods of the people of the
land into which they are
coming. They will forsake Me
and violate the covenant
which I made with them…
If Judaism were taught as a
living experience, it would
experience long life. However, if it were taught as a
dead subject, it would, G-d
forbid, be subject to death.
Now, write for yourselves
this song . . .
Which song, we wonder;
and how might a song stop
Jews from assimilating?
Maimonides explains:
It is a positive command
for every Jewish man to write
a Torah scroll for himself, as
the verse states, "Now write
for yourselves this song,"
meaning to say, "Write for
yourselves a Torah which
contains this song . . ."
This mitzvah, for every
individual to write his own
Torah scroll, is the 613th and
final mitzvah to be recorded
in the Torah. It is the subject
of the last conversation
between G-d and Moses that
pertained to the people. It
must somehow contain a
recipe for Jewish survival, an
antidote for assimilation.
But what might that be?
The single concern on
Moses' mind that day, and
later echoed by G-d in their
conversation, was the future
of this fragile nation - a
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Both the mitzvah of
Hakhel and writing a Torah
scroll were established to turn
the former prospect into reality.
Hakhel was the reenactment of Sinai. Here's how
Maimonides describes it:
They would prepare their
hearts and alert their ears to
listen with dread and awe and
with trembling joy, like the
day [the Torah] was given at
Sinai . . . as though the Torah
was being commanded to him
now, and he was hearing it
from the mouth of the
Almighty . . .
Might this explain why of
all biblical commands, Hakhel
stands alone in obligating
(parents to bring their) children, including those too
young to walk and too underdeveloped to understand, feel
or appreciate what was going
on around them? The Hakhel
experience was not just about
the mind, it was about the
soul; it triggered the subconscious, not just the conscious.
As such, children, who possess as much soul as adults,
were present. Somewhere
inside their psyche, they reexperienced Sinai.
This also explains why
even the greatest sages were
present when the king read
the Torah, even though they
were fluent in what would be
read. For this was not a lecture or a refresher course; it
was a trip.
For a similar reason, it
wasn't the scholar most proficient in Torah who read from
it, but the king, "for the king
is an agent to make the words
of G-d heard."
A class is best taught by an
expert teacher. The awe of
Sinai is best reenacted
through the presence and
word of a mighty king.
In sum, Hakhel was the
communal reenactment of
Sinai; it made things real
again.
But that worked in
Jerusalem, in the Holy
page 12 The Chabad Times - Rochester NY - Nissan 5776
thing but shy, she never menTHE PASSOVER FLOWERS
tioned this slight. Or the peel
Continued from page 2
piles. Or that she could hear
In fact, much to my sur- us from the curb as she pulled
prise, each Passover eve, up to deliver her flowers.
Nana Ruth would appear, Instead, she would watch the
impeccably dressed, with her children with fascination and
perfectly coiffed hair, to nav- respect as they swept or vacigate her path to the kitchen uumed or did any other job
to drop off her flowers. We she may have caught them at,
never knew what she would and praised them for being
catch us in the middle of: the involved and responsible and
little ones cleaning their toys part of the family. She
in the tub, using more enthu- enjoyed how it was all a team
siasm and water than the effort. Ruth smiled as she
manufacturer recommended - watched the children haul
or the hallway carpet could piles of school-made hagadhold; the older boys hauling dahs to the table, so they
the furniture to the lawn - to could give lively Divrei
better reach the garden hose; Torah, words of Torah, makor a loud choir of older chil- ing our Seder longer than
dren mimicking old Passover anyone would be expected to
story tapes in nasal voices. sit for. Yet, she would sit,
But it was, for sure, a behind- smile and wipe.
the scenes event we would
Each year, I marveled at
likely have chosen not to the juxtaposition of our boisshare.
terous clan and this refined,
Each time she came for the
Seder, I would breathe deeply,
wondering why she came
back. It's not as if she didn't
have local family of her own
that she could have joined for
the Seder. Family whom she
could have sat comfortably
with, at a first-class table set
with the finest linens, beautiful china and crystal, and
polished silver. I could just
see her with lots of polite
throat-clearing and proper
chatter. Sure, we had cleaned
up the peel piles and made a
beautiful home before the
Seder, with the children
dressed in their holiday finest,
seated at a pretty table covered with thick plastic. We
had done away with real
dishes early on, voting to
have more people singing at
the table than scrubbing at
the sink.
But Nana Ruth just kept
coming back. She even came
back the year one child took
it upon herself to enforce our
tradition of washing in age
order, broadcasting each time,
"NANA RUTH'S THE OLDEST
- SHE GOES FIRST!"
Although Ruth was sophisticated, well-spoken and any-
elegant woman, who somehow looked joyfully relaxed
in our lively chaos.
I grew to understand that
our Seder, with its busyness
and lack of elegance, had the
love, joy and strength of traditions, with a promise of
future generations continuing
them, that was all very satisfying to Ruth. That was what
she saw. And that was what
drew her back year after year.
As for Herman, he continued coming with Ruth,
watching the children spill,
give Divrei Torah, sing . . . all
the while following the action
with that smile that I could
not read, and was afraid to
ask about. One year, after
Herman was no longer alive,
Nana Ruth confided in us that
although she loved him dearly, Herman was somewhat of
a sourpuss.
"Your Seder was the only
time Herman ever smiled."
I got it. And I stopped
cringing.
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I FOUND THE CHEERIO!
FOUR FACTIONS
philosophize about profound
hypotheticals, because the
burdens of life consume us.
as well try to empty the
oceans with a teaspoon!"
Until Passover.
Comes Passover, and the
weeks that lead up to it, we
need to slow it down a bit,
however painful that may be.
We need to stop to find the
Honey Nut Cheerios that may
be lurking in the deepest
recesses of our soul and psyche. For just as chametz is
leavened food, a food that
rises, ego points to a puffedup sense of self.
For one week a year, we
must banish any form of
chametz from our lives. We
need to open all cabinets (our
relationship with food),
empty all drawers (our sense
of self-importance because of
our many projects, real or
imagined), dump out the toy
box (our inner child that may
be too immature to make the
next move), move the couch
from the wall (the part of us
that couches laziness in
relaxation - pun intended),
take books off the bookshelves (our pseudo-philosophical side that hides
behind fancy words and
philosophies that absolve us,
in our minds, from the hard
work that must be done),
because it is not certain
where some inflated sense of
self may be hidden.
It is not easy to confront
the chametz devil, but we
have a rich history of righteous people who have shown
us how to do it.
Now we just have to pick
up the vacuum cleaner and
start. One drawer at a time.
One shelf at a time. Because
the tendency to edge G-d out
is so harmful that even one
petrified Cheerio can be the
reason for our lack of
progress.
"You're absolutely right,"
says the Praying Jew.
"Realistically, there's no way
it can be done. But we are not
subject to this reality that you
are so impressed with.
"Do you know what's the
common denominator between all three of you? Your
assessments and strategies are
all based on the natural reality. But we inhabit a higher
reality. Is not the very existence of the Jewish people a
miracle? Ours is the world of
the spirit, the world of the
word."
"So,
basically,
your
approach is to do nothing,"
they counter.
"Again, you are employing
the standards of the material
world," answers the Praying
Jew, "a world that views spiritual activity as 'doing nothing.' But a single prayer, coming from a caring heart, can
achieve more than the most
secure fortress, the most flattering diplomat or the most
powerful army."
Forward!
And what does G-d say?
"Speak to the children of
Israel, that they shall go forward."
True, it is important to
safeguard and cultivate all
that is pure and holy in the
Jewish soul, to create an inviolable sanctum of G-dliness
in one's own heart and one's
own community. True, there
are times when we must deal
with the world on its own
terms. True, we must battle
evil. And certainly, we must
acknowledge that we cannot
do it on our own.
Pharaoh's charioteers are breathing
down your neck?
A cold and impregnable sea bars your
path? Don't look up;
look forward.
See that mountain?
Move toward it.
And when you move
forward, you will
see that insurmountable barrier
yield and that ominous threat fade.
Indeed, each of the four
approaches has its time and
place. But none of them is the
embracing vision to guide our
lives and define our relationship with the world we inhabit. When the Jew is headed
toward Sinai and is confronted with a hostile or indifferent world, his most basic
response must be to go forward.
Not to escape reality, not
to submit to it, not to wage
war on it, not to deal with it
only on a spiritual level, but
to go forward. Do another
mitzvah, ignite another soul,
take one more step toward
your goal. Pharaoh's charioteers are breathing down your
neck? A cold and impregnable sea bars your path?
Don't look up; look forward.
See that mountain? Move
toward it.
And when you move forward, you will see that insurmountable barrier yield and
that ominous threat fade
away. You will see that,
despite all the evidence to the
contrary, you have it within
your power to reach your
goal. Even if you have to split
some seas.
And that, my friends, is the
answer. Yes, G-d does care.
Not because of a particular
dislike for Cheerios, but for all
that they represent.
A parent who loves his
child hates anything that can
hurt his child. In the case of
Passover, chametz (read: ego)
hurts G-d's children, and He
says, "I don't want it seen, I
don't even want it found on
your property, for the eight
(in Israel, seven) days of
Passover!"
Happy hunting!
Celebrating freedom and hope at Pesach
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others did, and resolve to act
with generosity and understanding to others? Are we
condemned to blindly repeat
our childhood experiences,
without hope or recourse for a
better future, or can we exercise free choice? How terrifying a prospect that the ordeals
of one's past should determine one's future behavior
towards others. How can a
victim ensure not to become a
perpetrator?
Breaking Free
Do The Bullied Become Bullies?
by Elisha Greenbaum
I was listening to a radio
discussion about bullying.
According to the presenter,
the data suggests that there is
a correlation between being
bullied as a child and growing
up to be a bully oneself.
People were calling in to tell
of their experiences of being
picked on in the schoolyard,
and whether they felt that
their early experiences had
impacted their later life. It
was a fascinating and
thought-provoking discussion.
Parenthetically, one guy
admitted that he had been a
bully as a child. He told a few
stories of how he used to terrorize his playmates, and how
he'd slowly come to realize
how wrong his behavior had
been. He sounded justly
proud that he no longer felt
the desire to persecute innocent victims.
I was actually quite
impressed with him, until he
let slip that he was currently
employed as a parking
inspector. I guess some things
never change.
Or do they? Can one truly
break away from the evil that
The Jews in Egypt were the
victims of decades of brutality and lifetimes of indignity.
They were defeated and
demoralized, and a steady
diet of cruelty was their daily
lot. Suddenly, Moses and
Aaron appeared, bearing the
promise of freedom and free
will. They were soon to be
released from their servitude,
and would be able to act in
any way they chose. Would
they have the emotional
strength to move on from the
hardships of their past, or
would they treat others as
they themselves had been
treated?
"So the L-rd spoke to
Moses and to Aaron, and He
commanded them concerning
the children of Israel."(Exodus
6:13) The Jerusalem Talmud
explains that this first
commandment
the
children of Israel
received from G-d On the night that we left Egypt, we
was the directive that were like a newly hatched chick,
a Jewish slave is to be breaking out of our shell to discover
life and the light of day. It is with
freed within six years.
THE CHILDREN
On the face of it,
this seems so incongruous. Of all the
mitzvahs in the Torah,
was this the most
important instruction
that Moses and Aaron
needed to share at this
juncture? Surely there
were more weighty
matters to bring to the
attention of the Jews.
What a time to
instruct them about
the care and treatment
of their servants when they were still
slaves themselves!
those fresh eyes that we were able
to experience wonder, to travel forth
with faith and innocence and trust. So
tonight, again, we enter the mind and
heart of a child.
The child is the most important
participant at the Seder. In fact, the
entire Seder with all its customs
revolves around the child. The mitzvah
of the Haggadah, V’higaddeta, is “tell
the story to your child.” The child asks,
we respond.
But more than the child learns from
us, we learn from the child. We
awaken the mystical child within us,
the place that is still innocent and
fresh and able to grow, to be amazed,
to sense awe.
The commentators
explain that the reason a Jew
has no right to enslave his
fellow in perpetuity is
because G-d alone is our
Master, and we can belong to
no one other than Him. Even
in the rare circumstances
where a man sells his services, submitting himself to the
authority of another, that
power is temporary and must
be exercised with caution.
By introducing this commandment while they were
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still enslaved, G-d was showing the Jews a way to break
out of the cycle of violence
and intimidation that is the
usual lot of those who were
once abused. Even in the dark
times, they were reminded
that everything comes from
G-d, and that He is the source
of all. By connecting themselves with a higher power,
they managed to overcome
their bitterness, and substitute
kindness for cruelty.
Even those most abused
can have the ability to overcome. By connecting oneself
to G-d and surrendering to
His mission, one undergoes
an exodus from the cruelty of
his past, and is given a
chance to enjoy his own personal redemption.
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Happy Passover
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page 14 The Chabad Times - Rochester NY - Nissan 5776
experience them - and they
HISTORY OR MEMORY?
will live on.
Temple, once in seven years.
How would the other six
years, outside Jerusalem, and
in the days when our nation
would be bereft of a Temple,
be charged with living
Judaism?
For this reason G-d gave
us the mitzvah of writing a
Torah scroll, to be written and
stored inside one's home
wherever and whenever one
may live, and whose purpose
it is to recreate the personal
divine encounter we each
experienced at Sinai.
Maimonides could not
have put it better when he
said that when "a person
writes a Torah with his own
hand, it is as if he received it
from Mount Sinai . . ."
Thus, Moses' punchline
could not have been more
appropriate and helpful at
that historic moment. Both of
the Mitzvot he conveyed, and
the ideas they represented,
were his last and best words
of advice to a people facing
great odds.
Do more than study Torah
and perform Mitzvot. Live
them, ingest and digest them,
We're losing numbers, and
fast. Currently, a high percentage of Jews intermarry.
Most of those, unfortunately,
never received a Jewish education. That's problem number one.
Some of them did, however, which is problem number
two.
If we want to get through
to the youth of today, we
must shift our educational
focus from Jewish knowledge
to Jewish experience Judaism as a lifestyle, not
(just) a topic for discussion or
a paper.
How often have I heard
someone who recently experienced Shabbat, a Jewish
holiday or passionate study
saying, "I love it, it speaks to
me!"
Perhaps that's because for
the first time in their lives
they engaged in living
Judaism, not laboratory
Judaism.
Or perhaps it was the first
time that they felt that
Judaism isn't “his-story” someone else's story - but
their own.
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THE TOWN CLOCK
by Yitzi Friedowitz (a former member of Tzivos Hashem)
In the center of the marketplace,
Standing tall and proud,
The grand town clock towered
High above the crowd.
One time at a meeting
Some good townsfolks complained,
“Why must the clock be so high?
Why must are necks be craned?”
So a vote was taken,
And the clock was lowered down,
And everyone was happy
That they had improved the town.
Yet at the next town meeting,
A few months down the line,
The clock was again the topic
On everyone’s mind.
Once so tall and beautiful,
It was now an awful sight.
Its hands were bent and twisted,
And yet the time was never right.
Amidst tremendous turmoil,
Investigations were begun,
To try to figure out just how
This much damage had been done.
For everyone now set the clock,
According to his own pace.
A committee was established
With a chairman duty-bound,
And after all the research,
This is what they found.
And so, the report concluded,
As we already know,
From everyone’s own “setting it,”
The clock was damaged so.
As long as the grand old clock had stood
Above the market high,
People would look up to it,
As they were passing by.
Just as in every story,
There's a message for us here,
Like the clock, our precious Torah,
Must be treasured and revered.
Then reaching in their pockets,
They would check to see
That the hour on their own timepiece
Was as it ought to be.
We must not come to "set it"
Each in our own way,
As it was given at Har Sinai,
That's how it is today!
But when the clock was lowered
The habit about-faced,
16
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COMMUNITY PURIM FEAST

the chabad times - Chabad Lubavitch of Rochester NY

Transcription

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