Passover 23

Our fourth cup is now filled. We are to recite over it the HALLEL. There are actually two Hallels. There is the familiar "Hallel Mitzrayim" (Hallel of Egypt; Psalms 113-118) so called because a large portion of it gives thanks for the Exodus. This Hallel is recited on other holidays as well, but has special connection with Passover. In many communities (and all in Israel) it is also recited in the synagogue after the evening service of Passover. I noted in a previous post that we actually recite the beginning of this Hallel at the conclusion of the narrative MAGGID part of the SEDER, concluding it now. In a sense, the celebratory meal is part of our Praise; another kind of Hallel. The other Hallel is called Hallel Hagadol; the great Hallel. It consists of one Psalm (136). Although this Hallel is actually much shorter than the Hallel Mitzrayim, it is called "great" because it has twenty six verses, all ending in "His mercy endures forever". We recite both Hallels, followed by what is called the "Birkat HaShir" (the blessing for song); a rather lengthy description of the meaning of recognition of G-d's goodness. This section is also recited in the morning service each Shabbat and holiday, and begins with the words "Nishmat Kol Hai" (the soul of every living creature). In Israel, as well as the rest of the Mediterranean region, there is no rain in the Summer. The Winter rains are vital for survival. The Hallel Hagadol together with the Birkat HaShir, were said when the first life-giving rain would fall (usually in October). It was a praise to G-d for life itself. Therefore, the Sages saw it as fitting that we recite it at the conclusion of the Seder. After the Birkat HaShir, the fourth cup is drunk, leaning to the left. Kabbalists meditate of the letter Heh, completing the Divine Name. Most Sepharadim do not recite the blessing for wine over this cup, as the blessing for the third cup covers it, there being no major interruption between the third and fourth cups.Most Ashkenazim do recite the blessing, as each of the cups represents another essential segment of the Seder. In some communities, based on the ruling of RAMBAM, there is a separate cup for each of the two Hallels, making a total of five cups at the Seder. The Seder is now over, NIRTZAH (it is accepted). In many communities a short prayer is made, declaring our wish to celebrate the Seder again and again. Then all say "Next Year in Jerusalem" and the Seder is officially over. In most communities, various songs are sung after the Seder. These are optional, and differ from community to community. However, they give a more festive feeling to the night, and are perhaps the most beloved part of the Seder for many. Some people now recite the Song of Songs, which speaks of the love of an engaged couple for each other. This is seen as a metaphor for the love between G-d and the Jewish people. Passover is the beginning of that romance. We now begin our journey to Sinai, where the "wedding" will take place. In Israel, there is only one Seder. In the Diaspora we repeat the entire ceremony again the following night. My first year in Israel, I told the renowned Rabbi Shabbetai Sabato, who was my neighbor, that I just couldn't wrap my mind around not having a second Seder. He told me that the Seder is so unique and so special, he could not wrap is his mind around having it twice. There is truth in each.

Passover 22

The meal has ended, with the Afikoman as its climax. The third cup of wine is poured. In most communities, each participant then washes his or her fingers, in preparation for BARECH, the blessing after meals. This washing, called "Mayim Acharonim" (the latter waters, as opposed to the washing before Hamotzi) is actually required after all meals, in order to say the Birkat Hamazon (Grace) with clean hands. According to nearly all classical authorities, this is an absolute requirement. However, already by the ninth century, some communities stopped performing this ritual. Many rabbis endorsed (after the fact) this omission, saying that some of the reasons it was instituted no longer apply. For reasons I am unable to fathom, in other communities, men only perform this ritual, but not women. I hope to write a full post about Birkat Hamazon at a later date. It is the only blessing that is Biblically mandated. (Deuteronomy 8:10 "You shall eat, be satisfied, and bless...") The basic structure that was instituted is four blessings; one for the food, one for the Land, one for Jerusalem, and one added later thanking G-d for His goodness. In most communities, we then recite thanks, and supplicate for various human and specifically  Jewish needs. The exact wording differs greatly between communities. There is a running debate in the Talmud, never actually resolved, if the Blessing After Meals requires a cup of wine, as does every joyous ceremony. The practice that became universally accepted is that it is not a requirement, but nevertheless a very good thing to do, especially when there is a communal, celebratory meal. The Sages instituted at the Seder that we each use a cup of wine (as opposed to other occasions, when only the person leading the Grace holds a cup) as one of the required four cups. Since the grace separates this drinking from our earlier blessing over wine, the blessing is now again said in all communities. We drink the cup leaning to our left. Kabbalists will meditate on the letter "Vav", the third letter of the Divine name, as we drink the wine. We are almost ready for HALLEL, Psalms of Praise. We fill the fourth cup. In nearly all communities, an additional cup is then filled, called the Cup of Elijah. As we celebrate our deliverance from ancient Egypt, we anticipate our future deliverance. The Prophet Malachi (4:5) informs us that Mashiach will be proceeded by the reappearance of Elijah. Besides all of the other tasks to be performed by him, Elijah is seen as answering all unanswered questions. There is a debate in Talmud and later sources if the actual requirement is four cups or five (to be discussed in my next post). Certain Yemenites drink five. In most communities, however, we drink four, leaving an additional cup for Elijah, waiting for him to come and resolve the dispute. This was a medieval Ashkenazic custom, that became almost universal. However, it came to symbolize much more. In the face of almost constant persecution, especially at Passover time, when peasants would be incited by Christian clergy to attack the Jews, (in revenge for the death of Jesus), Jews awaited deliverance, to be announced by Elijah. Ashkenazi Jews actually "open the door for Elijah" at this point in the Seder, showing faith and courage. Children are sometimes told that Elijah visits each home, and drinks some of the wine.. so watch closely. As there is no source for this belief, I never told this to my kids, as there is enough Truth in the seder without the need for any deception. At the moment of the greatest threat to our very existence, the Jew peers into the darkness with hope

Passover 21

The meal has ended. It is time for TZAFUN, "the hidden". Near the beginning of the seder, we broke a matzah into two, and hid a piece away for the Afikoman. Afikoman is a Greek word, meaning "we go out"; that is essentially "dessert". But it is no ordinary dessert. When the Temple stood, some of the Passover sacrifice, as well as the hagigah holiday sacrifice, were eaten at the beginning of the meal. At the end of the meal, an additional piece of the Passover sacrifice was eaten. Surprisingly, this was considered the main partaking of the sacrifice. The initial eating indeed fulfilled the obligation, but this later eating was understood to be the main event. The participants at the seder are already full. Now they can fully concentrate on the MEANING of the sacrifice rather than their hunger. Although the seder can be held, and the sacrifice eaten with matzah and bitter herbs anytime after dark, there is a debate as to whether the latest time was midnight or the first light of dawn. The eventual decision of the Sages was that in either case, it should be eaten before midnight, with the doubt being if that was the actual requirement, or just a safety measure in order to keep us from overshooting dawn. The plague of the First Born occurred at midnight. Immediately following was Pharaoh's order to leave Egypt at once. The pre-midnight eating of the sacrifice was in anticipation of the huge shift in our destiny in just a few moments. That is the meaning of midnight; to recognize the moment of being closer to dawn than to darkness. It is despair in the process of becoming hope. This is one of the understandings of the meaning of the Midnight Repair, recited every night by Kabbalists. When we were no longer able to have the sacrifice, the Sages instituted the eating of an additional piece of matzah, ideally before midnight, in memory of the Passover sacrifice. We take out the matzah of the Afikoman. Each participant eats an olive's bulk (some prefer two, symbolizing both the sacrifice and the matzah that was eaten with it). Additional matzah may be added to make up the quantity. We eat it leaning to the left. We remember the sacrifice, as well as the meaning of life. In a sense, it is anti-climactic; we have already fulfilled our obligations. But like the climax of a movie, it is the act that connects all the loose ends, and we finally see what it was all about. Our physical hunger is long gone, but our spiritual hunger is now beginning to be satisfied. Although the drinking of two additional cups of wine still lies ahead, we eat no more that evening; not even a post-seder snack. The taste of deliverance is to remain in our mouths, as we set out on our National, as well as Personal, journey towards Sinai. Many people save a small portion of the Afikoman as a permanent reminder. In the folklore of some communities, they say that when Mashiach has arrived, and we are all headed towards the Holy Land, the seas will be rough. At that point, we will throw the pieces of saved Afikoman from an entire lifetime, and the sea will become calm. Life is full of stormy seas. The seder has given us the strength and power to calm them.

Passover 20

The table is set, and we are ready to eat. The sources simply say "one eats whatever one wishes, and drinks whatever one wishes". There are no halachic requirements for the meal, nor even universally accepted customs. The only one that comes close to being universal, is that we first eat of the egg on the seder plate, which is in memory of the "hagigah", the holiday offering, dipped in the salt water (or vinegar) that had been used to dip the 'karpas". Of course more eggs are added so as to have enough for everybody. As there is no way to mistake an egg for an actual sacrifice, there is no objection to eating it. Some serve it whole, others chop it up. Every Jewish community has its own customs of "must have" foods, but none of these are anything near universal. There are, however, huge differences between Sepharadim and Ashkenazim. For Sepharadim, this meal, and every other meal during Passover, doesn't look very different from a normal Shabbat or holiday meal. As we Sepharadim do not have the numerous strictures (superstitions?) about legumes, or other foods that do not contain the forbidden grains, but became "forbidden" by local custom, the only observable difference will be the substitution of matzah for the bread. (Sadly, in recent times, many Sepharadic communities have adopted some, or all, Ashkenazic ways). Some Sepharadim do not even use special eating utensils for Passover, reserving that for cooking utensils only. Others use glass utensils that they use all year long, merely rinsing them off for Passover. Also, most Sepharadim understand the concerns of not looking as though we are eating the Passover sacrifice to refer only to the eating of a lamb that has been roasted whole, the way the sacrifice was. Ashkenazim, on the other hand, avoid any kind of grain, most seeds, and many vegetables with crevices that could possibly hide hametz (asparagus, mushrooms, and a host of others). Many avoid vegetables that normally grow next to grain. For this reason, Russian Jews do not eat garlic on Passover, a custom unknown even to other Ashkenazim. There are many other examples. The avoidance of anything which might look like the sacrifice is strictly observed. In most devout Ashkenazi  homes, the main course is boiled chicken. Chickens were not used in any sacrifice, and the Passover sacrifice especially had to be broiled. I must admit that I do not fancy boiled chicken, and back when I was an Ashkenazi, this, for me, was the hardest part of Passover; indeed, of being Jewish in general. The actual rule for Ashkenazim, however, is to allow any meat that has been braised or fried, rather than broiled. Many more liberal families will follow this original custom, avoiding only a lamb broiled whole. Another East European, especially Hasidic feature of Passover is the non-eating of "gebruchs", that is, matzah that has become wet. (That's right, no matzah balls, matzah brei, or anything containing matzah meal). This was based on a fear that perhaps the matzah somehow got some raw flour onto it, which will become hametz when exposed to water. This is regarded by most as an overly extreme stringency. It is reported that Elijah of Vilna, the great opponent and persecutor of Hasidism, kept matzah balls in his window in order to show his opposition to this custom. Even Rabbi Nachman instructed his followers not to take this on if it was not already in their family. Nevertheless, should you visit most Hasidic homes, you will see the matzah wrapped in cloth or plastic, broken off and eaten away from the table. It is difficult (at least in the U.S.) to find Kosher for Passover cakes not made with the ubiquitous potato starch. (Fortunately for the Ashkenazim, the view of a prominent turn of the Nineteenth-century rabbi, that potatoes are also forbidden, has not been accepted.). Some Ashkenazi families will not consume for Passover anything that they, themselves, did not prepare from scratch. Those who keep all of these customs regard being extremely careful as pleasing to G-d. Those who do not, regard it as violating the Torah command of "rejoice in your festival". (I'm with the latter,). In any case, being festive, observing the Biblical and Rabbinical commands, and being grateful to G-d, is at the heart of all Passover observances.