PESACH

 

Rav Yoel Schwartz

Vice-Chairman of the Sanhedrin

Head of the Court for Bnei Noach

 

 

Pesach (or Passover) falls in the month of Aviv (or Spring, also called the month of Nissan), which teaches us of the renewal in the life of man as in history. Thus Rav Yehoshua said (Babylonian Talmud, Rosh HaShana 9): “They were redeemed in [the month of] Nissan, and they will yet be redeemed in Nissan”.

 

On Pesach the Children of Israel were liberated physically and spiritually from their enslavement in Egypt – in order to accept enslavement to the Creator. According to Rabbi Shimson Rafael Hirsch, one – when drinking the second cup of wine at the Pesach Seder table – should have in mind the freedom the world, too, won, in consequence of the great event of the liberation of the Nation of Israel from slavery, for, in his opinion, this event influenced the aspirations to freedom of all mankind, until humanity achieved the almost complete eradication of the concept of “slavery” throughout the world. In Rabbi Hirsch’s opinion, the American Civil War and the declaration of the recognition of human rights – during the French Revolution – were linked to the exodus from Egypt won by the Children of Israel. Thus it is appropriate for every human being to partake of this festival in a symbolic fashion: (a) it is a good idea to schedule a thorough housecleaning for the period of Nissan, for this suggests that mankind should engage in activities that purify the spirit. Just as the Jewish Nation examines its homes lest any leavened bread be found there, for the leavening is indicative of man’s evil inclination which reflects his false pride. It is like dough that swells up when fermenting. Similarly, it is fitting that on the night of the Seder, i.e., the first night of Pesach, we drink cups of wine in commemoration of the Jewish exodus from Egypt – a historical event for all of mankind which, as noted above, brought with it the concepts of freedom and of an end to slavery. It also brought with it the Torah which the Israelite nation received upon leaving Egypt – on behalf of all the people of the world. At the festive dinner celebrated on Seder night, Chapter 114 of the Book of Psalms should be read:

 

When Israel came forth out of Egypt, the House of Jacob from a foreign land, Judah became His sanctuary, and Israel His dominions.

The sea witnessed it and fled, the Jordan turned backward; the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like young sheep.

What has happened to you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn backward? You mountains, that you skip like rams, you hills – like young sheep?

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; who turns rock into a pool of water, flint – into a fountain of water.

 

It is also proper to eat matza, simultaneously a commemoration of the enslavement and of the deliverance of Israel. It, too, is a symbol of humility and is thus known as lehem ‘oni “the bread of humility”. Chapter 136 of the Book of Psalms should also be recited:

 

O, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.

O, give thanks unto the God of gods, for His mercy endures forever.

O, give thanks unto the Lord of lords, for His mercy endures forever.

To Him who alone works great wonders, for His mercy endures forever.

To Him that by understanding made the heavens, for His mercy endures forever.

To Him that spread forth the earth above the waters, for His mercy endures forever.

To Him that made great lights, for His mercy endures forever.

The sun to rule by day, for His mercy endures forever.

The moon and stars to rule by night, for His mercy endures forever.

To Him that smote Egypt in their first-born, for His mercy endures forever.

And brought out Israel from among them, for His mercy endures forever.

With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for His mercy endures forever.

To Him who divided the Red Sea asunder, for His mercy endures forever.

And made Israel to pass through the midst of it, for His mercy endures forever,

But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for His mercy endures forever.

To Him that led His people through the wilderness, for His mercy endures forever.

To Him that smote great kings, for His mercy endures forever.

And slew mighty kings, for His mercy endures forever.

Sihon, king of the Amorites, for His mercy endures forever.

And Og, king of Bashan, for His mercy endures forever.

And gave their land as a heritage, for His mercy endures forever.

Even a heritage unto Israel His servant, for His mercy endures forever.

Who remembered us in our low estate, for His mercy endures forever.

And has delivered us from our adversaries, for His mercy endures forever.

Who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever.

O give thanks unto the God of heaven, for His mercy endures forever.

 

It is appropriate also to recite Chapter 105 of the Book of Psalms:

 

 

O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples.

Chant unto Him, sing unto Him, speak of all His marvelous works.

Glory in His holy name; may the heart rejoice of those who seek the Lord.

Seek the Lord and His strength; seek out His face at all times.

Remember His wonders that He has performed, His marvels and the judgments of His mouth.

O seed of Abraham His servant, O children of Jacob, His chosen ones.

He is the Lord our God, His judgments permeate all the land.

He has remembered His Covenant forever, the word He had commanded to a thousand generations.

That which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac.

Then He established it unto Jacob for a statute, to Israel for an eternal Covenant;

Saying: to you I give the land of Canaan, the land of your inheritance.

When they were but few in number, very few, yet sojourners in it,

And when they went about from nation to nation, from this kingdom to another people,

He allowed no man to oppress them, and even reproved kings for their sake.

Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.

He called up a famine upon the land, and broke every staff of bread.

He sent a man before them, Joseph was sold as a slave.

His leg they tortured with a chain, his person fettered with iron.

Until the time his word came true, and the word of the Lord purified him.

The king sent to release him, a ruler of people liberated him.

He appointed him master over his house, and governor of all his property.

To bind his princes at his desire, and teach his elders wisdom.

Israel came into Egypt, Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham;

And He increased His people greatly, and made then too mighty for their foes;

He turned their heart to hate His people, to deal slyly with His servants.

He sent Moshe, His servant, and Aaron whom He had chosen;

They wrought among them His signs, and wonders in the land of Ham.

He sent darkness, and it was dark, and they rebelled not against His word.

He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.

Their land swarmed with frogs, in the chambers of their kings.

He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats in all their borders.

He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.

He smote their vines also and their fig-trees, and broke the trees of their borders.

He spoke and the locust came, and the canker-worm without number;

And ate up every herb in their land, and ate up the fruit of their ground.

He smote, too, all the first-born in their land, the first-fruits of all their strength.

And He brought them forth with silver and gold, and there was none that stumbled among His tribes.

Egypt rejoiced when they departed, for the fear of them had fallen upon them.

He spread a cloud as a screen, and fire to give light in the night.

They asked, and He brought quail, and gave them an abundance of bread of heaven.

He opened the rock, and water gushed forth; water flowed as a river in the wilderness.

For He remembered His holy word to Abraham His servant,

And brought forth His people with joy, His chosen ones with song.

And he gave them the lands of peoples, and they possessed the labor of nations.

Because they were to keep His statutes, and observe His laws – Hallelujah!

 

Moreover, bitter herbs should be eaten, like certain types of lettuce or chicory, after dipping them in haroseth (a mixture of sweet fruits and nuts) – to teach us that even the bitterness of our enslavement was in fact sweet, for by means of our enslavement Egypt became the melting pot of the Israelite nation, thus enabling us to achieve our spiritual level. In the future the Almighty will be One and His Name will be One. This means that in this world of ours we sense the difference between when the Almighty brings about things we view as good – when we pronounce the benediction of hatov w’hameitiv “Blessed are You, O God, King of the Universe, who is good and grants us good” – and, in contrast, when He brings about things we view as evil – when we pronounce the benediction of dayyan ha’emet “Blessed are You… King of the Universe, the truthful judge”.

 

For we believe that it is all for the good, while in the future, it will be self-evident that it was all for our benefit. Thus Pesach celebrated in the spring, and the commemoration of the deliverance of the Israelites from their enslavement, all help us to understand in a different light – life’s difficulties.