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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...
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One of the mitzvot associated with Passover is the Omer. We read in Leviticua 23:15, that the day after "the Sabbath" we are to bring a "wave offering" to the Temple, and (in Deuteronomy 16:9) we are commanded to count fifty days until the holiday...
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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 custom of pouring out wine from the second cup is not mentioned in the Talmud nor 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...
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An amazing Midrash says as follows:"When the Sea covered Pharaoh's army, the Ministering Angels opened up with songs of praise to G-d. G-d said to them: The work of My hands is drowning in the Sea, and you are singing?". This is the part of the...
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Following the recitation of the plagues, there is an acknowledgement of G-d's many acts of kindness in connection with the Exodus, any one of which would have been by itself extraordinary and sufficient. We then have a short section which many...
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Rochtzah, Motzi, Matzah: We wash our hands as we normally do for a meal with bread. Before us, are, depending on custom, either two whole matzot plus a broken one (half of which we put away for Afikomen), or one whole matzah plus the broken one....
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