IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END OF FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY YEARS, AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THAT VERY DAY, THAT ALL THE LEGIONS OF THE LORD WENT OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT.

IT IS A NIGHT OF ANTICIPATION FOR THE LORD, TO TAKE THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; THIS NIGHT IS THE LORD'S, GUARDING ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THROUGHOUT THEIR GENERATIONS.

(Shemot 12:41-42)

 

It is a night of anticipation - On it they were redeemed and on it they shall be redeemed in the future - so says Rabbi Yehoshua, for it is said this night is the Lord's.

R. Eliezer says: On it they were redeemed but in the future they shall be redeemed in [the month of] Tishrei, for it is said, blow the shofar on the [new] month, etc. Why? For it is law unto Israel, etc. (Psalms 91:4).

And what do we learn from the words this night is the Lord's? It is the night that the Holy One blessed be He said to our father Abraham, "On this night I shall redeem your children,"  and when the time came the Holy One blessed be He did not hold them back for even the blink of an eye.

Guarding all the children of Israel throughout their generations - this says that all of Israel should guard themselves in it.

(Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Bo - Massekhta DePesah 14)

 

And God came to Balaam at night..etc.

This relates to the verse It is a night of anticipation for the Lord - All of the miracles that were performed for Israel in order to pay back the wicked occurred at night, and God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night (Bereishit 31) and it is written, and God came to Avimelekh in a dream of the night (Bereishit 20), and it is written [they] deployed against them at night (Bereishit 14), and it is written and it was at midnight (Shemot 12).

(Tanhuma Balak 8)

 

 

"In Every Generation One Must View Oneself..."

Pinhas Leiser

As every year, one of the central passages which we will recite on Seder night, taken from Mishnah Pesahim (10:5), reads: " In every generation one must regard himself as though he had gone out of Egypt."  RaMBaM (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Hametz and Matzah 7:8), formulates it as follows:

In every generation, one must show himself as though he himself has just exited the slavery of Egypt as is written "And He took us out of there..." (Devarim 6:23). Regarding this, the Torah commanded: Remember that you were a slave (Devarim 5:14; ibid., 15:15; ibid., 16:12; ibid., 24:18; ibid., 24:22), meaning, as if you yourself were a slave, and went out to freedom and were redeemed.

From the Mishnah and the subsequent ruling of the RaMBaM, we learn that the commandment of relating the story of the Exodus from Egypt has a goal: it is to sense anew every year the experience of the liberation, of the passage from slavery to freedom.

The Talmud (Pesahim 116a) recounts an interesting conversation between Rav Nahman and his servant, Darro:

Rav Nahman said to his servant Darro: "A slave who is freed by his master, who gives him gold and silver, what must he say to him?" He replied: "He must thank and praise his master." He said to him: "If so, you have released us from the obligation of reciting the Ma Nishatana questions." He began to recite Avadim Hayinu.

Imbuing this story with actual and relevant significance presents a serious challenge. True, we are commanded to remember the Exodus from Egypt at frequent intervals (in the Shabbat Kiddush, in the passages contained in tefillin, in the Shema, in the prohibition against cheating the stranger, etc.), but the commandment "to relate"  applies only on the evening of the 15^th of Nissan - "when matza and the bitter herbs lie before you" - and it differs in essence from the commandment to constantly remember.

 

What, then, is the relevant significance of the Exodus narrative?

A reading of the entire above-mentioned mishnah reveals two controversies:

        v             Regarding the recitation of the Hallel on Seder eve, before the eating of the matzah, the bitter herb, and the meal, Bet Shammai says: Until what point does he recite? Until the mother of the sons rejoices (i.e., until the end of the first chapter). Bet Hillel disagrees: Until water from the rock (i.e., the end of the second chapter). There are different explanations of this controversy, but the Jerusalem Talmud explains that Bet Shammai is stringent regarding remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt (appearing in the second chapter - As the Children of Israel left Egypt) after midnight, time of the beginning of the redemption; Bet Hillel opines that there is no need to wait for midnight, because in any case the Exodus from Egypt began only in the morning.

        v             Rabbi Tarfon is of the opinion that the recitation of the Hallel ends with " who redeemed us and redeemed our fathers"  - sans any concluding benediction. He disagrees with Rabbi Akiva , who adds the passage relating to the future "So, may our God and God of our fathers bring us to other festivals and appointed times which approach us, in peace, rejoicing in the building of your city, and delighting in your service, and that we shall eat of the offerings and of the paschal sacrifice..." concluding with the benediction: "Blessed are you, God, who redeemed Israel."

The Tosafists explain Rabbi Tarfon's position, saying that it was his custom to be sparing with requests. Here, too, he makes do with thanks for that which already happened, the redemption which already occurred. Rabbi Akiva was wont to request at length, and therefore he concludes the Hallel with a request relating to the future redemption.

Rabbi Tarfon was careful, in certain instances, to rule in conformity with Bet Shammai (Mishnah Berakhot 1:3), because he had studied in Shammai's academy. Therefore one can find a common denominator between the two controversies:

In Bet Shammai's view, reliving the past experience demands that we wait until that hour when the event occurred. Perhaps we can compare Bet Shammai's position in this case to his stand on the lighting of the Hanukkah candles (lighting fewer each night). His religious consciousness is based upon that which has already occurred and which is occurring now (past and present). But according to Rabbi Akiva, it is permissible to praise and laud for a past redemption, even if the exact hour in which it occurred has not arrived.

Rabbi Tarfon's religious consciousness, too, relates to that which has already happened and to the current significance of that event, but his religious consciousness does not include the future. Rabbi Akiva, however, the "optimistic" believer, relates to prophecy due to materialize as though it had already materialized (See the story of the fox which emerges from the Holy of Holies, at the conclusion of Tractate Makkot).

RaMBaM rules that we must tell the story of the Exodus and experience in our lives, here and now, the experience of liberation, but together with this - in his version of Hagaddah - he rules like Rabbi Akiva (and Bet Hillel), integrating the request expressing our anticipation for the future redemption into the benediction which concludes the first portion of the Hallel.

Religious awareness based on memory of the past and upon internalization of the moral messages which flow from this memory, can create an attitude of empathy towards all who are enslaved, just as we were in Egypt. But when this awareness does not include an aspect of hope for, and belief in, a better world, it may result in despair and depression.

MaHaRaL, in his commentary on the Haggadah, observes that religious consciousness based on faith in the future, can infuse hope into situations in which we undergo again the experience of slavery. This was also the greatness of Rabbi Akiva, who, in a period of destruction, merited hearing his despairing friends say " Akiva, you have comforted us."  

Occasionally, however - and this happened to Rabbi Akiva - there exists the danger that an overabundance of anticipation of the redemption, will result in " forcing the end,"  in messianic interpretation of historic events. Along with this danger, there exists another danger, no less serious than the first: the belief that our redemption can be attained at the expense of others.

Only proper balance between the two consciousnesses can advance us, some day, to the complete redemption. In the words of the RaMBaM (Laws of Kings 12:7-8):

7. The prophets and the Sages yearned for the days of the Messiah not that they may rule over all the world, and not that the have dominion over the nations, and not that the nations exalt us, and not in order to eat and drink and be merry: but in order that we be free for the Torah and its wisdom, and they will have neither oppressor nor one to keep from study of Torah, but so that they merit life of the world to come, as we explained in the Laws of Repentance.

8. At that time, there will be neither hunger nor war nor jealousy and competition - there will be an abundance of goodness, and all delicacies will be as commonplace as dust. The world will be engaged only in the knowledge of God. Therefore will there be great wise men, and those who know the deep and hidden knowledge; they will achieve knowledge of their creator according to human ability, as is written For the world will be full of the knowledge of God, like the waters which cover the seas (Isaiah 11:9)

Pinchas Leiser, editor of Shabbat Shalom, is a psychologist

 

A MiShebeirakh Prayer for Passover

By Rachel Morforgo

Yael Levin

In the year 5610 (1850 C.E.) the scholarly Jewish poetess from Italy, Rachel Morforgo (1790-1871), composed a mishebeirakh prayer that was included in a letter she sent to her uncle, the ShaDaL (1800-1865), and which was later appeared in the collection of her works titled Ugat Rahel (pg. 107) that was published on the hundredth anniversary of her birth. The prayer expresses hope that the Temple be rebuilt and that we be granted to go up to it and sacrifice the paschal offering. Halakhic debates over the possibility of renewing the paschal sacrifice - even in the absence of a rebuilt Temple - took place in the nineteenth century, and the prayer must be understood against the context of that debate. The Matriarchs are mentioned in the beginning of the prayer.

Here is the text of Morforgo's prayer:

May He who blessed our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah bless the entire congregation of the community of Israel. May we merit and live and rise up to sacrifice paschal offerings on the altar, happy and rejoicing in the rebuilding of our Temple soon and in our days [!] Amen.

It seems that this prayer was not widely published in its day, and there is no evidence that it was actually recited by any individual or group. In the passage introducing the prayer we find, among other things: "When this book reaches you... gather the people, the men and women and children and call out in a loud voice, 'Thus spoke the young one of the flock.'"  Rachel asked that her letter be read before the members of ShaDaL's family. Her words may have even been brought to the attention of her own family and friends.

The formula of this prayer, written more than 150 years ago, is the only example of a misheberakh prayer written by a woman up until that time. It is also the only prayer relating to the Passover holiday known to us to have been established by a woman up until our own times.

Editor's comment: We thank Dr. Yael Levin for sending us this prayer, which was written by a woman in Italy in the 19^th century, along with her explanatory comments. The prayer expresses religious fervor and longing for an early form of worship on Passover Eve and on the festival itself. The prayers and formulations of our Haggadah also express longing for sacrificial worship in general and for the paschal sacrifice in particular. Does this mean that our vision of redemption, as religious Zionists living in the 21^st century, must necessarily involve " re-establishing the crown,"  including the revival of the sacrifices? Or are there perhaps other options? We invite our readers to join the discussion of this question.

 

 

Lo, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord, that he may turn the heart of the fathers back through the children, and the heart of the children back through their fathers-lest I come and smite the earth with utter destruction.

(Malachi 3:23-24, from the haftorah for Shabbat HaGadol)

 

Rabbi Yehoshua said: Through Raban Yochanan ben Zakkai, who heard from his teacher and his teacher from his teacher, I received a ruling given to Moses at Sinai, to the effect that Elijah will not come to make impure and to cleanse, to distance and to bring close, but rather to distance those [disqualified families who gained acceptance by force, and to bring close [those families] which were unjustly disqualified by force. In Transjordan the [legitimate] family of Beit Tzarifah was forcefully disqualified by Ben Zion; another family [which should have disqualified] was certified by force. These are the kind of cases which Elijah will come to make pure and to cleanse, to distance and to bring close.

Rabbi Yehudah said: To bring close, but not to distance.

Rabbi Shimon said: To settle disputes.

The Sages said: Neither to distance nor to bring close, but to make peace in the world, as is written: I will send you Elijah the prophet..., that he may turn the heart of the fathers back through the children, and the heart of the children back through their fathers.

(Mishnah Eduyot 8:7)

 

Love Truth and Peace

The author of Midrash Shmuel writes in reference to the mishnah (Avot 5:7): " Every controversy that is for the sake of Heaven"  in the name of the RaMBaM that the explanation is that we know that 'If they all find him [someone on trial for a capital offense] guilty - he is considered innocent' (Sanhedrin 17a). This is because when there is no group opposing [the majority view] through difficult questions and arguments, it is impossible for the matter to be clarified, and it might happen that they are all mistaken - see the source text. Understand that when everyone states his position in strong terms, precision is increased and the truth becomes purified.

(Yismah Moshe part II 7b)

 

Some people mistakenly believe that world peace can only be achieved by [establishing] uniformity of opinion and character. And so, when they see scholars investigating wisdom and Torah ideas, and as a result of these investigations the number of viewpoints and methods multiplies, they think that they [the scholars] cause controversy and the opposite of peace. But in truth it is not so, for the true peace can only come to the world by way of the value of the multiplicity of peace. The multiplicity of peace occurs when all viewpoints and methods become visible, and it becomes clear how each has its own place, each according to its worth, its place, and its concerns.

(HaRav Avraham Yitzhak HaKohen Kook, ztz"l Olat RaAYaH, pg.330)

 

 

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