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It is vital to remember that Jewish history has been filled with numerous tragedies. This is especially true of Ashkenazic Jewish history. Nearly every country in Europe expelled the Jews from time to time. In pre-Modern times, the greatest...
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As I have noted n the past, the imagery of Kaballah is often of a sexual nature. G-d is the male figure, the bestower, while Man, the Jewish People, the Holy Shechinah (Divine Presence; Indwelling) are the female bestowee. In the menstrual law...
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The Torah, rather mysteriously, commands the Seventh Day of Passover to be observed as "Full Holiday", roughly the same as Shabbat, with the exception of food preparation and carrying outside where there is no eruv. By Rabbinic Law, one day...
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The Eighth Day of Passover has no special rules. It might even seem anticlimactic. But Jewish tradition, and especially Hassidic Tradition, has made it into a climax. As I pointed out in one of my posts about the Seder, although the immediate...
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The wine has been poured for the second cup. The MAGID section is begun. The usual custom is for is for a child to ask the four questions. In many homes, all the children ask. While in others, the child asks first, with all the participants...
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Now that the Seder Plate is ready, let's begin the Seder!(1). KADESH make kiddush. A cup of wine is poured for each participant. The cup must hold a "revi'it", (estimated at 86 ml., although some say higher or lower). The usual holiday...
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The Torah tells us that the Passover sacrifice was to be eaten at night. We are also told "In the evening, you shall eat matzot" (As I pointed out in an earlier post, matzah is both an adjunct to the sacrifice, and an independent mitzvah unto...
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The many ceremonies of Passover eve, now known as the Seder (order), must be distinguished into three different categories. First is Pesach Mitzrayim (Egyptian Passover), the one observed on the eve of the Exodus. The blood of the sacrifice was...
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In speaking about which herbs are acceptable for the Marror; the bitter herb, I left off with the issue of lettuce. There is no question that lettuce is the preferred marror of the Talmud. The Jerusalem Talmud even notes that all the herbs...
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So why does the Talmud see lettuce as the preferred choice for Maror? While it is true that wild lettuce (also known as "opium lettuce", as it contains a mild narcotic) is extremely bitter, it is listed as the least preferable of the five species...
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