Short vorts for Leil Haseder/David Goodman

Tonight we sit down to our Seder, like our forefathers throughout the generations. Most of our traditions are to remember that same night / time of the Exodus, or to encourage our children to ask questions that will lead us to the commandment of “והגדת לבנך” – And you shall explain to your son”

15 degrees

As we go through the Seder, we declare the 15 degrees. Why? Rabbi Shalom Rosner explains this through a parable – A family is taking a walk on a route that the parents were already on. Along the way, they point to sites and say “here we were and did so and so” etc. That’s exactly what we do. At every step of our way, we happily declare where we are on our way out of Egypt

In every generation

How should we get to “Nirtzah” when we all feel we have left our own Egypt? In the Haggadah we say “in every generation.” Rabbi David Orlovsky says the meaning is that in every generation, members of the same generation must use the tools they have to enable family members to better understand the meaning. And so if it helps your kids that you bring a pitcher of red water, frogs or a big plastic hand, then please do so.

And you shall explain to your son

This commandment can be fulfilled in several ways. Every person (and not just the children) should internalize the message of the Seder. The Haggadah must be read in a way best understood to those present. There is no point in speaking Torah words that no one understands – and it is clearly valid at all times. In a few verses in Parshat Yitro it is narrated that Yitro came to Moses with his wife and children and Moshe tells them everything that happened. Moshe was the first to keep the commandment of “And you shall explain to your son”. Also, he didn’t mention himself at all as an actor throughout the process. This is the reason Moshe’s name is mentioned only once in the Haggadah, and only by the way. A person should prepare before the Seder. Just as we study this week’s Parsha for Shabbat, a person has to go through the Haggadah and know what he wants to say.

שפוך חמתך

After we finish eating, we open the door and say “שפוך חמתך”. According to Pirkei Derabbi Eliezer the first clue is when Jacob brings Yitzchak two goats to receive the blessings instead of Esau. The two goats symbolize the Chagiga and Passover offerings. In Parshat Toldot (26: 25) We were told of Jacob ” ויבא לו יין וישת” After Yitzchak ate the Passover sacrifice (the Afikoman), he was not allowed to eat the meal Esav brough, because he is not allowed to eat after the Afikoman. Pirkei Derabbi Eliezer says that Yaakov got up to leave when Esav came in. Yaakov hid and then fled.

Nirtzah

The last paragraph before the songs is “Nirtzah” Rabbi Ephraim Marvis’s family has an interesting tradition. They sing this passage to the tune of “Maoz Tzur.” He explains that both during Passover and Hanukkah we celebrate God’s miraculous intervention to save the Jewish people. He goes on to say that the special connection between the two holidays is the centrality of education as a Jewish value. On both holidays, we must appreciate the essential importance of learning, a lesson our sages describe as “ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולם” – and Talmud Torah against everyone”

 

Happy & Kosher Chag