Tuesday night - Yom HaShoah.
This is always a period of the year that makes one think deeply about the modern history of our Jewish people. We have Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Day, which was in the middle of last week. This week will bring Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and then immediately after the Independence Day, Yom Haatzmaut. The United Synagogue commemorated the Holocaust in a well organised ceremony held in Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue. The moment that touched people most was the playing of a rendering of HaTikva that was sung at the liberation of Bergen-Belsen. You can hear it at the end of the famous Patrick Gordon Walker radio broadcast on entering Belsen - http://www.isracast.com/article.aspx?id=766
Wednesday
Tribe Club returned this week with continued energy, and more importantly more attendees. With more children beginning this coming week, our Tribe Club is becoming a solid part of the fabric of our community. It has a mixture of fun and social with a nugget of Jewish knowledge from the Rabbi for good measure. It is a great way for children to spend time in a Jewish environment after school - so try it out if you haven't yet. Hodaya is loving it!
Thursday
Akiva (the youngest) started nursery this past week which was a big moment for the family! The Talmud Class returned after the Pesach break and was this time around given at Eddy Levin's house. We are learning through lots of Talmudic discussions of Kiddush and Havdalah on Shabbat and Yom Tov, and loving it as well.
Shabbat
This was the -- year anniversary since Rabbi David's barmitzvah...I'll leave you to fill in the gaps. But what a difficult portion it is to read, let alone understand! The sermon in many ways carried on from the theme of last week where Holocaust Day was the main theme. This week it was the way we see the Independence of Israel. One way of looking at our State is in terms of what we want ideally a Jewish state to be. From a religious perspective, is this the redemption or not. On this basis there are complicated discussions as to whether we say Hallel or not on Yom Haatzmaut. If you would like a summary of rationales, then look at the following link which lists the rationales: http://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2007/04/hallel-on-yom-ha-atzmaut.html
There is another way of looking at the State of Israel. Not in terms of where we want to be, but in terms of how far we have come from the helpless persecution of the Holocaust. In our national anthem, Hatikva, authored by Naftali Imber in 1886, we read 'Our hope is yet not lost'. In Ezekiel's prophecy of dry bones which is read on Shabbat Chol HaMoed Pesach, God explains to Ezekiel that the dry bones are in fact 'All the house of Israel' who are saying 'Our bones have dried, our hope is lost'. This statement is clearly echoed in Hatikva. What we have to be so thankful for is that the existence of the State of Israel has restored our hope in a Jewish future that was so nearly shattered in the Holocaust.
This week has seen two new barmitzvah boys join the study of their layening and parasha with the Rabbi.
Sunday
Elisheva enjoyed attending the Rosh Chodesh group at Margaret's and this is an opportunity to wish a warm Happy Birthday to Norma Brewer on a very special Birthday - many more years in health, strength and continue doing so much good for your community!
Guest Blogger
Would you like to be a guest blogger on Rabbi David's Diary, describing the week in Muswell Hill Synagogue community from your perspective. If you would like to, then email me or post a comment.
Twitter
Follow Rabbi David on Twitter - look for rabbidavidmason
Sunday 26 April 2009
Sunday 19 April 2009
Diary Entry
Wednesday and Thursday. The last days of Pesach were relatively quiet in Synagogue, but there was nevertheless a pleasant atmosphere there. On the seventh day, I spoke about the idea that the last days of Pesach offer us an opportunity to contemplate on the meaning of Pesach and its symbols. We can actually contrast Pesach to Shavuot. Pesach celebrates the founding of the set of beliefs of our nation whereas Shavuot celebrates the receiving of Law. In fact the dual need for belief and spirituality on the one hand, and Law on the other is described by Rav Aharon Lichtenstein in his article on Conversion which you can find at:
http://vbm-torah.org/halakha-combined.htm
So the fact that there are Rabbis who understand the last days of Pesach as experiencing the closeness of God fits in well with Rav Aharon's idea that the convert first experiences a subjective desire to come close to God. We then refine that desire and concretise it through the Law. Similarly, the Children of Israel came to Mount Sinai with a new found belief in God, and then received the Law, the Torah to eternalise that belief.
We had some really interesting and lovely guests to our house over Pesach - if you were one of them, then thank you!
What I experienced for the first time this year was the mad rush for Chametz...but not just in Golders Green, in Colney Hatch Tesco! It seemed like the place was full of our brethren with trolleys laden high with boxes of cereals. My checkout assistant had never seen anything like it - so I tried to explain what exactly was going on.
http://vbm-torah.org/halakha-combined.htm
So the fact that there are Rabbis who understand the last days of Pesach as experiencing the closeness of God fits in well with Rav Aharon's idea that the convert first experiences a subjective desire to come close to God. We then refine that desire and concretise it through the Law. Similarly, the Children of Israel came to Mount Sinai with a new found belief in God, and then received the Law, the Torah to eternalise that belief.
We had some really interesting and lovely guests to our house over Pesach - if you were one of them, then thank you!
What I experienced for the first time this year was the mad rush for Chametz...but not just in Golders Green, in Colney Hatch Tesco! It seemed like the place was full of our brethren with trolleys laden high with boxes of cereals. My checkout assistant had never seen anything like it - so I tried to explain what exactly was going on.
Shabbat. I spoke in Shul about the history of the Yom HaShoah, the Holocaust Memorial Day instituted by the Government of Israel in 1951. I spoke about the tensions between the religious understanding of commemorating the Holocaust (on 10th Tevet or 9th Av) and the secular understanding that there should be a new day set aside. I also referred to the difficulties Zionism had in the early State years in coming to terms with the Holocaust and how this impacted on their relationship to those that survived. What I think is important for us, in 2009, is to read about the Holocaust and learn it mullti-layered existence. It is not simply a story about hatred. There is so much more, not just relating to the psychology of the murderers but how are nation survived and reacted to the torments and traumas of the Holocaust and post-Holocaust years. An entry into understanding probably should begin with Martin Gilbert's 'Holocaust'. An interesting book on how Israeli society dealt with the survivors is Tom Segev's 'The Seventh Million'. I have recently quoted A. B. Yehoshua's article on looking for a root cause of anti-semitism which you can find at http://www.azure.org.il/article.php?id=18
Sunday. I suppose I cannot finish without a mention of the football frenzy this time of the year. Arsenal were disappointing really - but mazaltov to any Evertonians...and who do you think will take the third Europa Cup spot - Tottenham I hear many of you say?!
May you all have a Shavua Tov, a good week!
Sunday. I suppose I cannot finish without a mention of the football frenzy this time of the year. Arsenal were disappointing really - but mazaltov to any Evertonians...and who do you think will take the third Europa Cup spot - Tottenham I hear many of you say?!
May you all have a Shavua Tov, a good week!
Monday 13 April 2009
Diary Entry - Pesach
We are now in the middle days of Pesach, Chol HaMoed. This year, the first two days of Yom Tov were followed by Shabbat, so it was a tiring beginning to Pesach - but a rewarding and interesting one as well.
I have enjoyed Pesach so much this year, firstly because my community has given me so much food (matza of course) for thought. There were so many searching and interesting questions:
We had First Seder at home, with 12 people round the table. Lots of questions, lots of ideas - and a 3am finish! My daughter Hodaya was in incredible form. I had prepared her that she could ask whatever question she wanted to about the Seder - and ask she did! We had learned how to sign the Ma Nishtana in Makaton, a sign vocabulary for children with special needs (www.makaton.org) - and Netanel did this himself at the Seder - to the delight of all who were there. It is so important that we think of ways of integrating children with special needs into our religious ceremonies and songs - and I should also add how great our Yeladenu Nursery have been on this.
Second Seder was the much awaited communal Seder in Synagogue. Helen put so much work into this, and Leon had been putting much effort into getting the right menu. I contacted nearly everyone who came to give them a piece of the Hagada to say, as well as a thought, Dvar Torah or even chance to put on a little play. Everyone obliged, so that we created a wonderful, collaborative dynamic. This was no read-through communal seder - it was interesting, insightful, and also fun. The food was great as well, and the Chad Gadya, where various attendees reproduced the voices of the song, was unforgettable. There has been wonderful feedback, and so if you think that it is for you, come along next year. About 60 people came - if we can push this to 90 next year, that would be great.
In Synagogue we had Divrei Torah from Clive and Adam on the first two days of Pesach. The Shul was full on first day of Pesach, and there was a great attendance at the recently revived Inbetweeners Children's service for those between the ages of about 5 to 8. It is informative and fun, run by Karen and Simon and will be once a month on the first Shabbat of the month at 11am in the room next to my office.
Shabbat saw an interesting happening. While I was finishing up a portion of Torah-reading, I noticed that a letter 'bet' looked suspiciously like a letter 'chaf', which worried me. In this case, when the issue is the doubt between two letters, the law is that a child who knows his alef-bet is called to say which letter he thinks it is. So I turned round to Benji L., who promptly announced that it was 'chaf' - meaning that we needed to return the scroll and bring out a new one! Benji was chuffed by this intervention (as were his family), although the scroll itself was the Montefiore Scroll that I had been extolling greatly to the community. It's OK though, it can be easily repaired. But a rare instance where a child under barmitzvah can impact on Jewish law - and well done Muswell Hill Cheder!
Chol HaMoed - we needed a break after three days of Yom Tov and Shabbat. So we took the kids to a performance of Zippo's circus for the religious Jewish community in none other than Blackheath common. This was followed on Monday by a trip to the Paradise Wildlife Park near Broxbourne. Great use of Chol HaMoed.
What did you do this Chol HaMoed - I'd love to hear!
Enjoy the rest of Pesach, and don't forget, if you have any questions either write them below on my blog or post them on my Facebook group 'Ask Rabbi David Mason'.
I have enjoyed Pesach so much this year, firstly because my community has given me so much food (matza of course) for thought. There were so many searching and interesting questions:
- Why do we not make a blessing on Hallel?
- Why is matza the bread of freedom but it was also the bread of the children of Israel's affliction?
- Why does the blood motif come up so much in the hagadah?
- Can I cook on Yom Tov in preparation for Shabbat if I forgot to make an eiruv tavshilin?
- Can one count the omer before it gets dark?
- What is the meaning of the Chad Gadya song that we love to sing?
We had First Seder at home, with 12 people round the table. Lots of questions, lots of ideas - and a 3am finish! My daughter Hodaya was in incredible form. I had prepared her that she could ask whatever question she wanted to about the Seder - and ask she did! We had learned how to sign the Ma Nishtana in Makaton, a sign vocabulary for children with special needs (www.makaton.org) - and Netanel did this himself at the Seder - to the delight of all who were there. It is so important that we think of ways of integrating children with special needs into our religious ceremonies and songs - and I should also add how great our Yeladenu Nursery have been on this.
Second Seder was the much awaited communal Seder in Synagogue. Helen put so much work into this, and Leon had been putting much effort into getting the right menu. I contacted nearly everyone who came to give them a piece of the Hagada to say, as well as a thought, Dvar Torah or even chance to put on a little play. Everyone obliged, so that we created a wonderful, collaborative dynamic. This was no read-through communal seder - it was interesting, insightful, and also fun. The food was great as well, and the Chad Gadya, where various attendees reproduced the voices of the song, was unforgettable. There has been wonderful feedback, and so if you think that it is for you, come along next year. About 60 people came - if we can push this to 90 next year, that would be great.
In Synagogue we had Divrei Torah from Clive and Adam on the first two days of Pesach. The Shul was full on first day of Pesach, and there was a great attendance at the recently revived Inbetweeners Children's service for those between the ages of about 5 to 8. It is informative and fun, run by Karen and Simon and will be once a month on the first Shabbat of the month at 11am in the room next to my office.
Shabbat saw an interesting happening. While I was finishing up a portion of Torah-reading, I noticed that a letter 'bet' looked suspiciously like a letter 'chaf', which worried me. In this case, when the issue is the doubt between two letters, the law is that a child who knows his alef-bet is called to say which letter he thinks it is. So I turned round to Benji L., who promptly announced that it was 'chaf' - meaning that we needed to return the scroll and bring out a new one! Benji was chuffed by this intervention (as were his family), although the scroll itself was the Montefiore Scroll that I had been extolling greatly to the community. It's OK though, it can be easily repaired. But a rare instance where a child under barmitzvah can impact on Jewish law - and well done Muswell Hill Cheder!
Chol HaMoed - we needed a break after three days of Yom Tov and Shabbat. So we took the kids to a performance of Zippo's circus for the religious Jewish community in none other than Blackheath common. This was followed on Monday by a trip to the Paradise Wildlife Park near Broxbourne. Great use of Chol HaMoed.
What did you do this Chol HaMoed - I'd love to hear!
Enjoy the rest of Pesach, and don't forget, if you have any questions either write them below on my blog or post them on my Facebook group 'Ask Rabbi David Mason'.
Monday 6 April 2009
Article: Pesach - What we do and Why we do it
I would like to lay in front of you a description of the basic obligations of the Pesach Festival, what in fact these obligations entail and why we do them. This will hopefully give your Seder and Pesach festival that bit more spirit and meaning!
1. Not eating Chametz on Pesach
2. Not eating Chametz from midday on the day before Pesach.
3. Not eating any mixture of Chametz on Pesach.
There are in fact five prohibitions that can be learnt from the Torah that we should not eat Chametz on Pesach. Chametz is something that has gone through the process of leavening – actually leavening agents are also included in this prohibition. Additionally, it is not only eating actual Chametz such as bread that is a problem, but any food product that contains flour, grain, or any leavened ingredient will also be prohibited.
Some important points regarding not eating Chametz:
Some medicines may well contain Chametz.
If the medicine is a bitter tablet, we usually say that this is being taken as medicine and not for food and so it is permitted.
If the medicine is palatable to a human, it may need to be mixed with a non-chametz food before Pesach to annul the Chametz ingredient. In cases of greater need it may well be permitted.
We stop eating Chametz after 4 hours of the day of the 14th Nisan have passed. An hour here is one-twelfth of day light time. This year we stop eating Chametz at 10.49am.
WHY? It is very easy on Pesach to ooze with National self-confidence. God redeems our whole nation, brings us to Mount Sinai as His chosen people, gives us the Land of Israel – all this can inspire a great deal of pride. But we also must remember where we came from – “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt…” Our beginning as a Nation was lowly. We were helpless. Chametz is a symbol of this sense of confidence without thinking about the source of this buoyancy. So on Pesach we are commanded – don’t eat chametz. Don’t eat the symbol of what will prevent you from thinking about your humble origins.
4. Not owning Chametz on Pesach
Not only may we not eat Chametz on Pesach, but we my not own it. That is we may not have in our possession over Pesach any Chametz. If for instance a non-Jew comes in with his/her bread loaf into the house, I do not need to tell them to leave – this is not my Chametz.
WHY? The addition of a prohibition to own Chametz could be explained as causing us to put in an extra effort to emphasise the importance of Matza on Pesach. In other words, we want through Matza to remember the miracles that God did to our people in bringing us out of Egypt. Matza is a key symbol of this Exodus, as we did not have time to allow the dough to rise on our way out of Egypt. So to focus our attention on Matza, we remove our ownership of Chametz.
5. To dispose of all Chametz on the 14th Nisan
We are also commanded to actively get rid of all Chametz on the day before Pesach.There are two basic methods to get rid of Chametz:
Resolving firmly to nullify all Chametz in one’s possession. This is known as the Bitul.
Searching for chametz in one’s possession in order to burn it or destroy it. This is known as Biur.
Both these methods are carried out. A search might not yield all chametz so we also nullify our ownership over what we did not find. If our nullification was not completely sincere, we at least will search for the Chametz as well.
This year we will search for Chametz on Tuesday night, April 7th.
Searching for Chametz technically means making sure that one check any place in which there might be chametz. If one is clear that chametz did not enter into a certain place, then it need not be checked. The custom is that on the night before Pesach we put down 10 pieces of Chametz and ‘search’ for them. A blessing is said and then a proclamation of nullification is said as well. In the morning, a second nullification is said. The blessing and nullifications can be found in most Hagadas.
6. Eating Matza on first night of Pesach
Even although we are usually faced with eight days of eating Matza, we are actually only obligated to eat it on the 15th Nisan (outside Israel it should also be eaten on second seder). The Torah also asks of us: “you shall guard the Matzot”. From this comes the custom of Shmurah Matza or guarded Matza. It is accepted that one should fulfil the precept of eating Matza through this guarded Matza.
Shmura Matza as we know them have been guarded from leaven from the time the grain was reaped. One can also buy machine Shmura Matza that are often guarded from the time of grinding the grain into flour.
The amount to be eaten to fulfil the mitzvah is known as an olive’s’ amount. Today this is understood to be about half the size of a hand baked Matza or two-thirds that of a machine baked square Matza.
WHY? Two reasons can be offered for the importance of Matza. Firstly, as many of us know, when the Children of Israel left Egypt they only had enough time to bake unleavened bread. Here Matza symbolises the taste of freedom. However Matza was also deemed to be the ‘bread of affliction’ representing a lack of freedom. Within Matza lies the Jewish transformation from slavery to freedom.
7. Eating Maror (Bitter Herbs) on 15th Nisan
Connected to eating Matza is a mitzvah to eat Bitter Herbs, or Maror. Different vegetables were suggested to fulfil this and it has become widely accustomed to use horseradish. Another well-liked suggestion in Jewish law is lettuce. Just as the sweetness of the Jews’ sojourn in Egypt ended in bitterness, so also lettuce has an initial sweet taste and then is bitterer. The problem with lettuce is that it often contains small insects that blend in with the lettuce leaf and are difficult to find.
WHY? The Torah explains that the Pesach lamb offering was to be eaten with Matza and with Maror. Now Matza has an independent command for it to be eaten. Maror however, does not. It is only really obligatory when we sacrifice the Pesach offering. However, the Jewish people still eat Bitter herbs, a symbol of our oppression, both physical and spiritual.
8. Telling the Story of the Exodus
Telling the story of the Exodus is one of our favourite tasks – we do it by reading the Hagada. Of course, the Hagada itself tells of a number of Rabbis that stayed up all night discussing the meaning of the Exodus. There is no maximum measure for this command other than the need to say the Shema the next morning! The Hagada is our toolbox for the fulfilment of this mitzvah, and we must therefore understand it. We may read the Hagada in our own language if we will understand it better.
WHY? The Exodus from Egypt was a groundbreaking event for the Jewish nation. It allowed feelings and rumours about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to become reality. This God really was all-powerful, and really was the Creator. The Exodus made a massive affect on our belief system. When we tell the story, and attempt to relive it we want to see God’s providence as clearly as our ancestors did.
9. Drinking four cups of wine
10. Leaning at the Seder
Early in the book of Exodus, God explains to Moses that He will redeem the Children of Israel. But God uses four expressions for the word ‘redeem’. On this basis the Rabbis that lived at the time of the Second Temple ordained that we drink four cups of wine to commemorate these four expressions of redemption. I actually discussed the meaning of each of these words in a online parasha essay while Rabbi at Kingston Synagogue on parashat Vaera:
http://www.kingston-synagogue.org.uk/rabbissection/parshaarchive.php?id=149
We also learn from the Rabbi’s the obligation to lean at certain points in the Seder evening.
WHY? Both these customs have in common the expression of freedom and nobility. Thus we drink wine, a noble drink; and we also lean, which was a custom of royalty in Babylonian, Greek and Persian times. Actually leaning meant eating while lying on a bed! But Jewish freedom is not to be free to do what we want. It means being free from the chains of human control, and therefore free to contemplate the ideas of spirituality and God.
Have a wonderful, meaningful and Kosher Pesach and if you have any queries or questions, do not hesitate to be in contact.
1. Not eating Chametz on Pesach
2. Not eating Chametz from midday on the day before Pesach.
3. Not eating any mixture of Chametz on Pesach.
There are in fact five prohibitions that can be learnt from the Torah that we should not eat Chametz on Pesach. Chametz is something that has gone through the process of leavening – actually leavening agents are also included in this prohibition. Additionally, it is not only eating actual Chametz such as bread that is a problem, but any food product that contains flour, grain, or any leavened ingredient will also be prohibited.
Some important points regarding not eating Chametz:
Some medicines may well contain Chametz.
If the medicine is a bitter tablet, we usually say that this is being taken as medicine and not for food and so it is permitted.
If the medicine is palatable to a human, it may need to be mixed with a non-chametz food before Pesach to annul the Chametz ingredient. In cases of greater need it may well be permitted.
We stop eating Chametz after 4 hours of the day of the 14th Nisan have passed. An hour here is one-twelfth of day light time. This year we stop eating Chametz at 10.49am.
WHY? It is very easy on Pesach to ooze with National self-confidence. God redeems our whole nation, brings us to Mount Sinai as His chosen people, gives us the Land of Israel – all this can inspire a great deal of pride. But we also must remember where we came from – “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt…” Our beginning as a Nation was lowly. We were helpless. Chametz is a symbol of this sense of confidence without thinking about the source of this buoyancy. So on Pesach we are commanded – don’t eat chametz. Don’t eat the symbol of what will prevent you from thinking about your humble origins.
4. Not owning Chametz on Pesach
Not only may we not eat Chametz on Pesach, but we my not own it. That is we may not have in our possession over Pesach any Chametz. If for instance a non-Jew comes in with his/her bread loaf into the house, I do not need to tell them to leave – this is not my Chametz.
WHY? The addition of a prohibition to own Chametz could be explained as causing us to put in an extra effort to emphasise the importance of Matza on Pesach. In other words, we want through Matza to remember the miracles that God did to our people in bringing us out of Egypt. Matza is a key symbol of this Exodus, as we did not have time to allow the dough to rise on our way out of Egypt. So to focus our attention on Matza, we remove our ownership of Chametz.
5. To dispose of all Chametz on the 14th Nisan
We are also commanded to actively get rid of all Chametz on the day before Pesach.There are two basic methods to get rid of Chametz:
Resolving firmly to nullify all Chametz in one’s possession. This is known as the Bitul.
Searching for chametz in one’s possession in order to burn it or destroy it. This is known as Biur.
Both these methods are carried out. A search might not yield all chametz so we also nullify our ownership over what we did not find. If our nullification was not completely sincere, we at least will search for the Chametz as well.
This year we will search for Chametz on Tuesday night, April 7th.
Searching for Chametz technically means making sure that one check any place in which there might be chametz. If one is clear that chametz did not enter into a certain place, then it need not be checked. The custom is that on the night before Pesach we put down 10 pieces of Chametz and ‘search’ for them. A blessing is said and then a proclamation of nullification is said as well. In the morning, a second nullification is said. The blessing and nullifications can be found in most Hagadas.
6. Eating Matza on first night of Pesach
Even although we are usually faced with eight days of eating Matza, we are actually only obligated to eat it on the 15th Nisan (outside Israel it should also be eaten on second seder). The Torah also asks of us: “you shall guard the Matzot”. From this comes the custom of Shmurah Matza or guarded Matza. It is accepted that one should fulfil the precept of eating Matza through this guarded Matza.
Shmura Matza as we know them have been guarded from leaven from the time the grain was reaped. One can also buy machine Shmura Matza that are often guarded from the time of grinding the grain into flour.
The amount to be eaten to fulfil the mitzvah is known as an olive’s’ amount. Today this is understood to be about half the size of a hand baked Matza or two-thirds that of a machine baked square Matza.
WHY? Two reasons can be offered for the importance of Matza. Firstly, as many of us know, when the Children of Israel left Egypt they only had enough time to bake unleavened bread. Here Matza symbolises the taste of freedom. However Matza was also deemed to be the ‘bread of affliction’ representing a lack of freedom. Within Matza lies the Jewish transformation from slavery to freedom.
7. Eating Maror (Bitter Herbs) on 15th Nisan
Connected to eating Matza is a mitzvah to eat Bitter Herbs, or Maror. Different vegetables were suggested to fulfil this and it has become widely accustomed to use horseradish. Another well-liked suggestion in Jewish law is lettuce. Just as the sweetness of the Jews’ sojourn in Egypt ended in bitterness, so also lettuce has an initial sweet taste and then is bitterer. The problem with lettuce is that it often contains small insects that blend in with the lettuce leaf and are difficult to find.
WHY? The Torah explains that the Pesach lamb offering was to be eaten with Matza and with Maror. Now Matza has an independent command for it to be eaten. Maror however, does not. It is only really obligatory when we sacrifice the Pesach offering. However, the Jewish people still eat Bitter herbs, a symbol of our oppression, both physical and spiritual.
8. Telling the Story of the Exodus
Telling the story of the Exodus is one of our favourite tasks – we do it by reading the Hagada. Of course, the Hagada itself tells of a number of Rabbis that stayed up all night discussing the meaning of the Exodus. There is no maximum measure for this command other than the need to say the Shema the next morning! The Hagada is our toolbox for the fulfilment of this mitzvah, and we must therefore understand it. We may read the Hagada in our own language if we will understand it better.
WHY? The Exodus from Egypt was a groundbreaking event for the Jewish nation. It allowed feelings and rumours about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to become reality. This God really was all-powerful, and really was the Creator. The Exodus made a massive affect on our belief system. When we tell the story, and attempt to relive it we want to see God’s providence as clearly as our ancestors did.
9. Drinking four cups of wine
10. Leaning at the Seder
Early in the book of Exodus, God explains to Moses that He will redeem the Children of Israel. But God uses four expressions for the word ‘redeem’. On this basis the Rabbis that lived at the time of the Second Temple ordained that we drink four cups of wine to commemorate these four expressions of redemption. I actually discussed the meaning of each of these words in a online parasha essay while Rabbi at Kingston Synagogue on parashat Vaera:
http://www.kingston-synagogue.org.uk/rabbissection/parshaarchive.php?id=149
We also learn from the Rabbi’s the obligation to lean at certain points in the Seder evening.
WHY? Both these customs have in common the expression of freedom and nobility. Thus we drink wine, a noble drink; and we also lean, which was a custom of royalty in Babylonian, Greek and Persian times. Actually leaning meant eating while lying on a bed! But Jewish freedom is not to be free to do what we want. It means being free from the chains of human control, and therefore free to contemplate the ideas of spirituality and God.
Have a wonderful, meaningful and Kosher Pesach and if you have any queries or questions, do not hesitate to be in contact.
Diary Entry
This was a real week of Pesach preparation - but it was an exciting week in other ways as well.
Wednesday: The Tribe Club in Muswell Hill put together a wonderful Pesach show, with arts and crafts, and acting coming together to give a real Pesach experience. The staff put so much effort into giving our children a wonderful experience on a Wednesday afternoon - I know for one that my daughter Hodaya looks forward greatly to Tribe Club. So if you haven't tried it out yet, come along and see what fun it can be for your children, in a safe, and Jewish environment. I am there every week and eat with the children - and always teach them a nugget of knowledge over Pizza!
Thursday: I gave my last Talmud class for two weeks so that we can break for Pesach. I love teaching the Talmud class - lots of job satisfaction there! After all, that is what I was learning for seven years while in yeshiva - and many more years before as well! Watch out for an Adult Education programme that I am putting together in June - what I would like to start with this is the creation of a learning evening in Muswell Hill on Tuesday nights. So Tuesday night would be the evening in the week where there is either a session of a short course, or a series of classes by myself - you won't have to commit every week, but it will give you a spiritual dimension to your week!
Shabbat: This was a very special Shabbat for me - and not just because I layened haftara for Shabbat HaGadol. But because we successfully launched MHY Space, the Muswell Hill Youth Service. Over 25 teenagers came and did all the layening and davening, with some wonderful Torah insights from two of the girls, on Pesach and on the weekly portion. This was topped off by a kiddush of chocolate, marshmallows and Daniel's best! I was really proud that so many turned up, and received some wonderful feedback that the children felt comfortable in Shul in the informal atmosphere that we created. We had a great warden, and some of the adults were really helpful in making it a success. I am already planning the next one!
Sunday: What a day! I officiated at the stonesetting for the late Mrs Millie Gould in the morning. Millie had been a member many years ago before moving to Brighton after her husband passed on. I then officiated at a wedding in the afternoon of a couple who have joined our Synagogue. One of my Facebook friends commented that I should make sure that I do not switch round the speeches...or that I make sure that I do not become Hugh Grant.
Sunday continued with scrubbing, cleaning, hoovering and more in our kitchen so it was a late one last night.
The next time I am writing will be after the first days of Pesach - I do hope you enjoy them and I look forward to seeing you in Shul.
Wednesday: The Tribe Club in Muswell Hill put together a wonderful Pesach show, with arts and crafts, and acting coming together to give a real Pesach experience. The staff put so much effort into giving our children a wonderful experience on a Wednesday afternoon - I know for one that my daughter Hodaya looks forward greatly to Tribe Club. So if you haven't tried it out yet, come along and see what fun it can be for your children, in a safe, and Jewish environment. I am there every week and eat with the children - and always teach them a nugget of knowledge over Pizza!
Thursday: I gave my last Talmud class for two weeks so that we can break for Pesach. I love teaching the Talmud class - lots of job satisfaction there! After all, that is what I was learning for seven years while in yeshiva - and many more years before as well! Watch out for an Adult Education programme that I am putting together in June - what I would like to start with this is the creation of a learning evening in Muswell Hill on Tuesday nights. So Tuesday night would be the evening in the week where there is either a session of a short course, or a series of classes by myself - you won't have to commit every week, but it will give you a spiritual dimension to your week!
Shabbat: This was a very special Shabbat for me - and not just because I layened haftara for Shabbat HaGadol. But because we successfully launched MHY Space, the Muswell Hill Youth Service. Over 25 teenagers came and did all the layening and davening, with some wonderful Torah insights from two of the girls, on Pesach and on the weekly portion. This was topped off by a kiddush of chocolate, marshmallows and Daniel's best! I was really proud that so many turned up, and received some wonderful feedback that the children felt comfortable in Shul in the informal atmosphere that we created. We had a great warden, and some of the adults were really helpful in making it a success. I am already planning the next one!
Sunday: What a day! I officiated at the stonesetting for the late Mrs Millie Gould in the morning. Millie had been a member many years ago before moving to Brighton after her husband passed on. I then officiated at a wedding in the afternoon of a couple who have joined our Synagogue. One of my Facebook friends commented that I should make sure that I do not switch round the speeches...or that I make sure that I do not become Hugh Grant.
Sunday continued with scrubbing, cleaning, hoovering and more in our kitchen so it was a late one last night.
The next time I am writing will be after the first days of Pesach - I do hope you enjoy them and I look forward to seeing you in Shul.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)