Passover 15

The custom of pouring out wine from the second cup is not mentioned in the Talmud, nor any other early sources, until about 1200 ce. The custom arose in Franco-Germany, and spread to virtually the entire Jewish world. At the mention of each of the Ten Plagues, plus six other plague references, a drop of wine is removed from the cup. Some do this with a spoon, some with a finger (very common, but opposed by nearly all rabbis), and some by tilting the cup. The interpretations of this custom are wildly distant from each other, representing different ideologies and views of what should be the nature of our response to persecution. Some see this custom as symbolizing the Wrath of G-d poured out on the Egyptians, as well as all those who seek our destruction. In Proverbs 11:10 we read "in the destruction of the wicked is joy.".Although vengeance is prohibited on an individual basis, a society has a right to be vindicated. In the case of the Jews, there was much less vindication, than a feeling that we had our retribution once, and will again experience it in the future. In the meantime, we suffer in silence, remember and wait. I have a Haggadah in my position replete with drawings of dead Egyptians. This must have been of some comfort to those who were being murdered, who had absolutely no recourse. Of those who accept this view, many keep a broken vessel on the table, into which the drops of wine are poured, symbolizing the annihilation of Evil. In some communities, after this ceremony of pouring out Wrath, the rest of the wine in the cup is discarded, the cup is washed and then refilled. This is to symbolize our desire for the suffering to end, with nothing to remain as a token of the dark days. This must be remembered in the context of the widespread belief in Christian Europe that Jews use Christian blood in the wine and matzah. There were riots on Passover all over Europe, resulting in the murders of Jews; sometimes entire communities. German Jews in America are careful to use white wine for the second cup, so as to show that it contains no blood. (These beliefs persist in certain places.) The polar opposite of this interpretation of the pouring, says that we diminish the wine to show that our joy is incomplete, as our deliverance was at the expense of human life. Many who follow this interpretation leave the cup partially empty, showing that death, even of an enemy, makes our celebration incomplete. Man is created in the Image of G-d; even our enemies. We must maintain our humanity and dignity, despite everything. We must hate the Evil, not the Evil Doer. If we fall to hate, what will be the difference between persecutor and persecuted? I believe that having such different approaches to the same act speaks volumes of the breadth and depth of Jewish tradition. But can they be reconciled? Actually, both interpretations are based on the same Midrash. We will take a look at that next time.