A Torah Tavlin Publication The Seventh Day of Pesach - 34 … · The great Tanna, Rabi Akiva,...
Transcript of A Torah Tavlin Publication The Seventh Day of Pesach - 34 … · The great Tanna, Rabi Akiva,...
av,hv 'ohrmnn o,tmc ktrahk v"cev vaga ;ux oh ,ghre ,gohv ,zhc v,hv - sjn /hbjuru hnad :ohhfpv ohdux hban gpav ,shrhvn ohv kg v,tr vjpa oda sg ',hnhhna vrtv - lshtnu /curkwxn t,khfn) k"zjta unfu 'vcfrn vagnc hzuc ic ktezjh vtr tka:k"zu 'uvubtu hkwt vz : euxpv kg (c 'uy ,una) h"arc tcuvs '(d 'vrhasvn ohv kg vjpa v,tr 'gcmtc u,ut ihtrn uhvu ovhkg vkdb usucfcohabt ah 'vz kusdu kduxn ouh 'jxp ka hghcacu /ohthcb utr tkaukhtu /ovv ohnhcf wohv ,zhcwk ,ufzk 'o,sucgcu o,khp,c ohbuufna'zt jrza kusdv rutk ,ufzku v"cev kt epr,vk ohaecn 'htur hsj
/ohekt ,utrn v,tr ,udav ,ks vjpa oda sgkcuxu ihsrx hkhcjc ;eunv hsuvh hkt vbp ratf 'tscug huv hshsc uk h,cav /ouhv vzc wohv ,zhcwk ,ufzk vfrc aehcu 'vae ,uhbgnesum : chavu t,rup rvrv !?wvjpa v,trwk ,ufzk aec, tk vnk
! vnutn hk rxjh tk ',tz hk vhvhaf v,todv ahtv vz dhav hf 'vnxrpk vumnu 'jca kfk vhutr uz vbcvu wv ,cvta '(c 't ohrhav rha) wihhn lhsus ohcuyw hf '.umru ruca tuvahf 'rhvcvk ah ,tz lt /ohhjv hdubg, kfn vcuy 'a",h uc ,uehcsvuhn hf ',utrk ,umrk ohchhja ubhhv 'wv,trw cu,fa vtrb esesb ratfitf cu,f ,ntc lfu 'oukf vtrh tk - ,utrk vct tku uhbhg omuga/ubhnthu - vhv f"jtu 'wv ,t ogv utrhhu ///ktrah trhu :vrhav ,arpc
,ntca htb,c kct 'ohnr ohrcs ,utrk rapt jxp ka hghcac hf /// ohnjru vguah rcsc" ohaecn ubt vzc tmuhf kgu /o,utrk ohmurvwhk ubtu :(c 'tb vfux) k"zj hrcsc vzc tmuhf ubhmn sugu /"wubhbhgw lhktitfnu /ubhbhg vwhku vwhk ubt ihrnutu ihbua uhv :rnut vsuvh hcr /ubhbhg/vwhk ubhbhgu vwhk ubt :wohnjrv ,snw ,jhkxc ohrnuta gyev ruen
l,ru,c ubhbhg rtvu :ubc ohhuehu vfzba ouh kfc vkhp,c gceb lfu
,ca ,urb ,eksv7:04 - 9:12 - t"nqgna ,thre inz t"rdvqgna ,thre inz 9:48 - vkhp, inz ;ux qt"rdv 10:52 - 7:23 - ,cav ouh ka vnjv ,ghea 8:13 - chrgn qohcfufv ,tm e"amun
o, ubhcr ,yhak q ohcfufv ,tm - 8:35
n wv rtcvfrc eng,cujc suxh osevc 'oheuxpv ,t (d"fe wng) wchyhn wv ratf gusn ',uaevk ah hrvs 'wxbv kg kkvw-vrha ,rhntwvtsuv ,frcwc eru vrha ,rhntc ohchhj,n ubbht 'gcyv lrsc ubnglrsf tka ubng chyhn ratf kct '(,ufrcs tr,c erpc rtucnf)lrsf tka ubng chyhn ratf era 'k"hu 'wvrhawc ohchhj ubt gcyv
/vrha ohrnut ubt vz kgu 'u,uksdu uh,urucd ,t ohtur ubt gcyviht gusn ,mr,na '(/s"h vkhdn) trndv hrcs ,t rtcn tuv z"hpku vmujca xb kg kkv ohrnut ihta hpk" 'ohrupc xbv kg kkv ohrnutvmuja iuhf 'wvfrc engwv rtcnu /rcs ka ungy ihcvk lhrmu /".rtktk lfku 'wv ka u,uksdu uh,urucd ,ukd,vk sguhnv ouen ubht .rtkk"ujc vrea wohrup xbwa ubhmna unfu 'r,xb xb er vkdb xb oa vrehuc rfhb tka iuhf vrha rnuk cuhj iht r,xb xb kgu 'r,xb xb vhvvbht sck u,uksdu wv ,urucd ,hhtra ';hxunu /wv ka u,uksdu uh,urucd.urh,n vzk suxhu 'vcyv f"d vng ah ratf er 'wvrhaw rnuk ,chhjn'vgrp hscg tku wv hscg ukkv 'o,v tnkac" 'k"bv trndc tcr kaauruuajt hscg h,ft 'auruuajt hscg tku wv hscg ukkv 'tfv tktunf vnhka wvkutdw-vcyv v,hv tk wohrup xbwca ubhhvu /"ibt
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/vrha lf kg rnuk ihtu 'wohrmnwc,urucd ,hhtr 'vrha ,rhntc chhj,vk hsf ohtb, hba aha rtucnu
/wv ,tn vnhka vcyvu 'u,uksdu wvohchhujn ubt ubhhv 'wvk vrhatw 'oheuxpv ,t rtcn tuv z"hpgu hrva 'u,uksdu wv ,urucd ,hhtr 'ohrcs hba itf aha iuhf 'vrha rnuk'ujuf ,t vtrvu vtd,va 'arhpa wxukebut oudr,wc wg] vtd vtd hfwhvhu v-h wudu hzgw hrva 'wv ,cyv itf ah odu 'wudu [jufv hkgcu ohtdv kghk-t vzw ifku '[(h"ar) vguahk ubk vhv wv ka ujufa ubhhv] wvguahk hk
/wvrha uhbpk rnutw-wudu uvubtuukkvw 'ch,fs htn" '(:j"he ohjxp) trndv hrcs ,t rtck ah z"hpku rcds ouan 'hjucak] uvhh,shcg htn okugv ,unut 'wohud kf wv ,tohud kf wv ,t ukkv 'rnte hfv '[(h"ar) hjucak ikg tv 'usxj ubhkgkf '[(h"ar) whk shcgs u,hzjsw ubhhv] uvhhsvc shcgs ,utkpbu ,urucdt
k ohfhrm ohhudv ot 'ubhhvu /"usxj ubhkg rcds ubt ifa jcakg wv ,tudhav oda ktrah a"f 'ktrahk xb vag ratf ovc vaga ,urucdv
wc ohchhju wusxj ubhkg rcd hfw-xbv hsh kg wv ,tn vcuyvrhaiuhf 'w/wv ,cyvu 'u,uksdu wv ,urucd ,hhtrw-ohrcs hba itf aha
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axd z`n zexxerzd ixace miig igwl mely `"hily lxrtreayd zeiyxt i"tr excqp yny zia w"wa mixyin cibn
yyyy`̀̀̀eeeexxxxeeee qqqqeeeeqqqq dddd`̀̀̀bbbb dddd`̀̀̀bbbb iiiikkkk ''''ddddllll ddddxxxxiiiillll----`̀̀̀ ddddffff ............ mmmmiiiiaaaa ddddnnnnxxxx eeeeaaaakkkk eeeeddddeeeepppp`̀̀̀eeee iiii ---- ((((aaaa----eeeehhhh zzzzeeeennnnyyyy))))bbbb zzzziiiiiiii`̀̀̀xxxx----ddddxxxxiiiiyyyy llllyyyy aaaaiiiiiiiiggggnnnndddd ''''dddd zzzzaaaahhhhddddeeee ''''dddd zzzzeeeexxxxeeeeaaaa
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sf ,ut rhna irupm (2) z"hex tb inhx (1) oav lrs k"jnr (5) y erp y rga (4) s-sh (3)wcm wng k"mz ihhyabkre crvk ixhbk xrybue (6)/jhe ohjxp (8) /c vyux (7) ohbunsev oac
v"g vnka ovrct wr ,c kjr tahr u,hgru k"z whcuy wr ic r,kt ktuna ;xuh ovrct wr ,nab hukhgk
uk h,trcu grv rmh h,trc
A Torah Tavlin Publication34 Mariner Way Monsey, NY 10952
jxp ka iurjtu hghca - sgunv kuj ,ca Shabbos Chol Hamoed - Second Days of Pesach
g"a, ixhb c"f-t"f 'y"h April 3, 5-6, 2010 -
zcearl mc`d z` xxerl miyexite zepirx v"dbd odkd l`ilnb iaxuiaepiax`"hily z`n oeghae dpen`a zewfgzde z"iyd w"dir milyexia minyd xry zaiyi y`x
ggggqqqqtttt llllyyyy iiiirrrriiiiaaaayyyy mmmmeeeeiiii llllyyyy rrrrttttyyyydddd
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and the manner in which a true leader must lead.”
llllyyyynnnnpppp: The lesson which the great prophet Tishbi was
imparting was that a person - most notably a leader of
people - must not consider himself above his flock. One
A SERIES IN HALACHAHgqt 'lda oil`ey bgd mcew mei miyely
The Seventh Day of Pesach - jxp ka hghca The Seventh day of Pesach - the Yom Tov of ;ux oh ,ghre - is
the only Yom Tov that we don’t say the beracha "ubhhjva" inKiddush and by Candle-lighting. This is not a reflection of the
low point of Yom Tov but rather it is a high point showing that
the seventh day is truly the climax of Pesach. Bnei Yisroel had
come out of slavery in Egypt but they were not fully free until
Krias Yam Suf, and the Shirah they sang on that day was a high
point in our history. This is also a crucial part of our davening
every morning and every night. We say "rhah zt" every morning
in Pesukei D’zimra, and immediately following Krias Shema
we thank Hashem again for the many details of Krias Yam Suf,
in the tefillah "ubh,uct ,rzg". We then say a shortened version of
the Shirah together in the tefillah of "lunf hn" and okugk luknh wv""sgu right before Shemona Esrai. Similarly, each night in
Maariv, after saying Krias Shema, we basically do the same
thing with a few different expressions.
jxp ka iurjtu jxp ka hghca is the time of the year when we
delve into this great episode, paint ourselves a picture of how it
happened and what really took place, and gear ourselves to say
this daily Shirah all year round, with gratitude and simcha.
The Power of rhah zt. The Mishna Berurah in the laws of
Pesukei D’zimra (1) quotes the Zohar: “One should say the
ohv ,rha with joy and imagine in his mind that on that day he
(was saved) and passed through the Yam Suf. One who says
must always be attuned to the feelings, fears, hopes and
needs of a fellow Jew and should not proceed with an
agenda that will compromise another’s feeling of security
and well-being in order to accomplish what he wants.
`"hily cltyxid jexa d"en z`n qhiid cplailw ,l`xyi zad` ldwc ax
with joy will gain Heavenly forgiveness for all his sins.” In the
words of the great Chacham, Rabbeinu Chaim Yosef Dovid
Azulai ZT”L, the Chida (2): “One should imagine he is standing
on dry land surrounded by the sea, the Egyptian pursuers
drowning and himself being saved. This creates atonement.”
Standing. Even though the Mishna Berura doesn’t mention
that one should stand while saying "rhah zt", the custom among
Ashkenazim is to stand all the way from "sus lrchu" until after
"jc,ah". This is based on lurg ijka rumhe. (3)
Davening on jxp ka hghca. The sefer vsucgv aruau suxh (4)
stresses the importance of saying the following tefillos on the
seventh day of Pesach with extra concentration and simcha:
The Maariv beracha right after Krias Shema. This is the
actual night when these miracles happened, and the details
till "ktrah ktd wv v,t lurc" are all "tnuhs hbhbg" (relevant to this
day). Also, since this is the time when these miracles occurred
it has the potential for such miracles to happen again (5) either
in the original way or in comparable ways (6). The Gemara
tells us that (7) ohfusha and (8) vxbrp are compared to oh ,ghre;ux and salvation in those areas is also a big part of the day.
The tefillah of "rhah zt" in the morning.
The beracha after the morning Krias Shema.
An uplifting recital of these important sections of davening, on
the actual day that the events mentioned in them took place, can
help one say them properly and intently a whole year.
1)
2)
3)
������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
R’ Chanoch Henach of Alexander ZT”L would say:
“One of the great lessons of Krias Yam Suf is how much Hashem despises ga’avah - pride. The Medrash records
that the sea did not wish to comply with Moshe’s request that it split for Bnei Yisroel. The sea told Moshe, ‘I will not
split for you for I am greater than you, since I was created on the third day of creation, whereas you were created only
on the sixth day.’ When Hashem heard the sea express this haughty attitude, He immediately told Moshe, ‘Raise your
staff and extend your hand over the sea and split it’ - hit the boastful one and break it apart!”
Chacham Rabbeinu Eliyahu Di Vidas ZT”L (Reishis Chochma) would say:
“Envy causes harmful physiological reactions. An envious person always feels sad and miserable. He is unable to
daven or learn Torah since his mind is preoccupied. He cannot enjoy the food he eats. When one is envious of what
another has, he is full of worry, suffering and misery, while the person he envies is happy and able to enjoy himself.”
A Wise Man would say:
“A professional is one who does his best work when he feels the least like working!”DEDICATED BY MR & MRS SHUA & NECHAMA NISENBAUM WITH SHEVACH AND HODAAH
TO HASHEM YISBORACH IN HONOR OF THE BIRTH OF THEIR SON, YONASON DOVID i"p.
''''eeeebbbbeeee ooooiiiiiiiinnnn jjjjiiiicccceeeecccc mmmmiiiiaaaaeeeehhhh iiiikkkk eeeeddddiiiitttt zzzzeeeewwwwiiiiyyyyppppnnnn iiiippppwwwwyyyyiiii(((( aaaa----`̀̀̀ mmmmiiiixxxxiiiiyyyydddd xxxxiiiiyyyy)))) The great Tanna, Rabi Akiva, teaches that all the writings of the Torah are holy, but the book known as Shir Hashirim
is deemed the “Holy of Holies.” For this reason we read, at the outset, the words, "uvhp ,uehabn hbeah" - “Kiss me with the
kisses of your mouth.” The question is: What exactly are we asking Hashem for with this heartfelt request?
The answer is that this is truly the underlying theme of the entire sefer Shir Hashirim. It is our passionate yearning above
all else to be connected deeply to our Beloved Master of the world. A vehab (kiss) is the natural way for people to show love
to one another. When Hashem grants life to a person, He attaches His essence to that person by breathing into him a soul,
literally a piece of Himself. Similarly, a “kiss of death” is when Hashem attaches Himself to the soul of a person and “pulls
out” the neshama, as He did with Moshe Rabbeinu. We experienced a similar “kiss of Hashem” at Har Sinai when we heard
the voice of Hashem, were kissed by His words through angels (Medrash), and our souls were actually removed from our
mortal encasing in order to become one with the Almighty Himself. Only later, were we revived. A kiss is sharing a “ruach”
(spirit) between the two parties. It is an attachment, a spiritual closeness that we yearn to have with Hashem.
May all of Klal Yisroel merit to live their lives with closeness to Hashem as their primary goal, so that they will never
miss a single kiss of the truest and most purest love - Hashem’s love to His Nation. May we sing the song of all songs and
receive the kiss of all kisses in our times, as we greet Moshiach Tzidkainu, speedily and in our days, amen!
''''eeeekkkkeeee xxxxnnnn`̀̀̀llll eeeexxxxnnnn`̀̀̀iiiieeee ''''ddddllll zzzz`̀̀̀ffffdddd ddddxxxxiiiiyyyydddd zzzz`̀̀̀ llll`̀̀̀xxxxyyyyiiii iiiippppaaaaeeee ddddyyyynnnn xxxxiiiiyyyyiiii ffff`̀̀̀ ((((`̀̀̀----eeeehhhh zzzzeeeennnnyyyy ---- mmmmiiiidddd zzzzxxxxiiiiyyyy))))
''''eeeebbbbeeee xxxxeeeegggg`̀̀̀llll aaaaeeeeqqqqiiii ooooccccxxxxiiiidddd qqqqppppiiiieeee dddd`̀̀̀xxxx mmmmiiiidddd((((aaaa----cccciiiiwwww mmmmiiiillllddddzzzz ---- lllllllldddd zzzzlllliiiittttzzzz)))) There was once a poritz (gentile landowner) who was strapped for cash and decided to ask a wealthy Jew, who lived
on his estate, to lend him a large sum of money. The Jew, anticipating great hardship in being the creditor of this poritz,
went to a friend in a nearby village and begged him to lend the money to the poritz. The friend, likewise wary of the
poritz, refused his request. After much persuasion, however, he agreed to lend the money, on the condition that his friend
act as guarantor. The agreement was made, and the friend from the nearby village gave the money to the poritz.
As expected, when the loan became due, the poritz did not return the money. Consequently, the creditor went to his
friend and demanded that as guarantor, he pay the poritz’s debt. But his friend declined.
“True, I agreed to be a guarantor,” explained the man, “but I never committed myself to pay you unless you first go to
the poritz and claim your debt. If he refuses to pay you, then I will reimburse you.”
“No, sir!” cried the lender. “ I never thought of it that way. I never wanted to have anything to do with the poritz in the
first place. Only after you convinced me that by acting as guarantor on the loan, you’d accept responsibility for it under
all circumstances, did I lend it so that I could claim the money from you instead of having to go to the poritz!”
“Too bad,” said the first man, refusing to assume the title of Arev Kablan, i.e. a guarantor who bears full responsibility
for repaying the loan. “I’m just a simple guarantor, and I don’t care what you had in mind. Go to the poritz first!”
Since the two could not reach an agreement, they decided to go to the great Posek, R’ Sholom Mordechai Hakohen
Schwadron ZT”L (Maharsham), also known as the Brezhaner Rav, for a din Torah. When they appeared before the
Maharsham, they were certain that the Rabbi would look into the complicated halachos of Arvus (guarantorship) and
require at least a few hours, if not days, in order to decide their case.
Instead, the Maharsham surprised them. “My dear yidden,” he said on the spot, “may I draw your attention to the
words of Chazal in Pesachim (:jhe) that clearly deal with your case. The gemara expounds on the posuk in the Tehillim:
(z-ue ohkv,) w;ux ohc oh kg urnhuw - ‘And they (Bnei Yisroel) rebelled on the sea, at the Red Sea.’ When they came to the Red
Sea, the Children of Israel acted rebelliously against Hashem’s promise to rescue them from their Egyptian pursuers. They
said, ‘Just as we are coming up from this side, the Egyptians will go up on the other side (and capture us).’ Then the Holy
One, Blessed is He, spoke to the heavenly prince of the sea (oh ka ura), commanding him, ‘Spew the Egyptians out on
the shore.’ The prince of the sea said to the Holy One, Blessed is He, ‘Can there be a slave who is given a gift by his
master, and then the master takes the gift back?’ Hashem said to him, ‘I will give you one and a half times as much as
they are!’ Then the prince spoke to Hashem. ‘Lord of the Universe! Can there be a slave who presses charges against his
masters?’ Hashem responded, ‘Let the River Kishon serve as a guarantor!’ At that, the prince of the sea immediately
spewed them out onto dry land, and the Children of Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore.”
The Maharsham had quoted the entire passage from gemara by heart, to the astonishment of the litigants. Then, he
commented, “Even though one usually is expected to get repaid on a loan from the borrower himself and not from the
guarantor, that applies only to an ordinary guarantor. In the case of the River Kishon, however, since there cannot be a
slave who charges his master, the River Kishon is considered a guarantor who assumes surety on the loan and is charged
first under all circumstances. If so,” concluded the Maharsham, “your case is exactly the same. The person who
volunteered to be a guarantor, without specifying what kind of guarantor, must be regarded as an Arev Kablan, and thus
must assume full responsibility for repaying the loan!”
������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
mmmmiiiinnnnddddeeee mmmmiiiidddd jjjjeeeezzzzaaaa ddddyyyyaaaaiiiiaaaa eeeekkkklllldddd llll`̀̀̀xxxxyyyyiiii iiiippppaaaaeeee ''''eeeebbbbeeee mmmmllll`̀̀̀nnnnyyyynnnneeee mmmmppppnnnniiiinnnn ddddnnnngggg mmmmddddllll ((((hhhhkkkk----cccciiii zzzzeeeennnnyyyy))))
The Great White Sea. Both awe-inspiring and mystifying.
The majestic waves and the shimmering blue/green of the
ocean surface, doesn’t even begin to compare to the
dizzying depths, the formidable sea creatures and the vibrant
plant life of the ocean floor. And who can forget the
shipwrecks? How much gold and silver lies on the bottom
of the many oceans and seas that constitute a full three-
quarters of the earth’s surface? Untold numbers of ships and
sea vessels, loaded with precious materials have matched up
against the tempestuous seas - and wound up battered and
broken - their cargoes spilled out in stunning disarray.
And yet, there was one moment in time, when the sea
met its match - and gave way to the “ocean” of humanity
passing through it. That was the miracle of Krias Yam Suf.
R’ Simcha Sheps ZT”L quotes the Medrash: “The Sea
saw and retreated: It saw Yisroel coming with the bounty
of Egypt in their hands.” The “bounty in their hands”?
Undoubtedly, they carried the immense wealth of Egypt on
the backs of their donkeys and in their caravans. Yet, Chazal
were making a point here. Many people are blessed with
wealth and riches, however, it is not they who control their
money; it is their money that controls and consumes them.
Their entire lives revolve around the pursuit of ever more
gold, ever more riches, without the slightest concern for
restraint or self-control. In such a case, when these rich
men “take on” the sea, the sea responds mercilessly and
they and their wealth end up at the bottom of the ocean.
But Bnei Yisroel came with the wealth “in their hands” in
their control, with no regard for greed or earthly desires.
Their eyes were turned to Heaven, even if their coffers were
overflowing with wealth. When the sea saw how the Jews
handled their wealth, at once it gave way for them to pass.
EDITORIAL AND INSIGHTS ON THE WEEKLY MIDDAH OF ...
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The holy Baal Shem Tov ZT”L established a custom
to eat a third meal on the last day of Pesach. This meal is
known as “Moshiach’s Meal,” for on this day the
Messianic radiance is revealed. This revelation
foreshadows the future redemption. The last day of Pesach
is a day which is added only in the Diaspora. The essence
of the added day is that in chutz la’aretz (out of Israel), the
Jewish people can transform one mundane day into a period
of kedusha. On Acharon shel Pesach, we transform this
day into a festival of freedom and redemption for this is the
very essence of the imminent redemption - converting
Golus itself into actual Geulah, so that the Almighty is
revealed even at the very lowest levels of creation.
In certain circles, there is also a custom at this special
meal to drink four cups of wine akin to the four cups that
are drunk at the Seder, on the first two nights of Pesach. The
Rashab, R’ Sholom Dov Ber Schneerson ZT”L explains
that the first days of Pesach echo the redemption from
Egypt. The accent in this redemption is on the beginning of a
new period, a period in which the world was granted
permanence and fulfillment through Kabbolas HaTorah. For
Yetzias Mitzrayim itself was a preparation for the Torah; as
Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu when He first sent him on
his mission: “When you have brought the people out of
Egypt, you will serve the Lord on this mountain.” We
drink four cups of wine at the seder to relate to the four
expressions of redemption that began in Egypt.
The Last Day of Pesach, by contrast, foreshadows the
future redemption. Here the stress is on the end of a period,
the end of Golus with its distinctive mode of divine service.
The four cups relating to the future redemption remind us
that the end of Golus is near: Moshiach is on his way!
FROM THE WELLSPRINGS OF
R’ GUTTMAN - RAMAT SHLOMO
llllyyyynnnn: Late one Friday night, Chacham Rabbeinu
Avraham Tzorfati ZT”L, dozed off in the midst of his
learning and he saw, in his dream, a vision of an old man
with a long flowing beard coming towards him.
The man, Eliyahu HaNavi, spoke. “My son, who was
the greatest prophet in history?”
“Moshe Rabbeinu, of course,” was the quick reply.
“If so,” replied Eliyahu HaNavi, “Why didn’t he sing
Shirah (songs of praise) even before the Egyptians
drowned? Shouldn’t the greatest of prophets known that
his enemies would drown and his nation saved? Why
didn’t he trust in this miracle and begin to sing before?”
The Chacham realized that this was no ordinary question
and that he was being tested. He chose his words carefully.
“Surely, Moshe could have sung before the Egyptians
drowned. But as a dedicated shepherd to his flock, he
understood that his people were not fully convinced and
were as yet afraid. Thus, they were not prepared to sing
Shirah and Moshe did not want to sing without his people.”
Eliyahu HaNavi beamed. “This is the correct response
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