Why is there no Bracha on magid?
Chasm sofer writes that “Chayiv adam liros es atzmo…”
No Torah yet, no am Yisroel, no Brachos yet... after we go through Masan Torah, then we can make the Brachah
What is Lechem Oni? The Gemarah in Pesachim says that there are 3 ways to understand Lechem Oni:
1. Lechem Oni can be interpreted as the “bread” that you call to attention/speak upon (lechem sheonim alav devarim harbeh) 2. The Passuk which mentions Lechem Oni doesn't have a Vuv making the shoresh mean “poor” so it can be interpreted as poor people’s bread (just like a poor person saves his food and doesn't eat a full loaf of bread (i.e. in pieces) we do the same on pesach (Yachatz-break matzo into pieces))
3. The bread is made the way Aniyim make it because when his wife finishes making the dough (doesn't wait for it to rise i.e. quickly)) his wife puts it in directly to save coal, so to on Pesach we do the same
While the first and third answers seem to make sense, there seems to be a difficulty with the 2nd answer. We know that we need 2 loaves of bread (Lechem Mishneh) to make Hamotzi on Yomim Tovim. How can we use a broken matzo for this purpose?
● Rashi says that we have 3 matzos for this purpose (2 whole, and 1 broken (we have to make sure we are eating from one of the whole ones-Lechem Mishneh))
So, then why do we include the broken matzo in the Brachah of “Al Achilas Matzo”?
According to the second answer of the Gemara, we include the broken matzo for the sake of it being “poor man's bread”, but what is the significance of that, and how does that connect to the Pesach story? It would appear that Matzo would be a cheap (2 ingredients) and fast way to provide food to slaves so from that perspective, it can be considered Zecher L'avdus.
Alternatively, the Lubavitcher Rebbe (Likkutei Sichos) relates that in order to truly be Bnei Chorin (free from Mitzrayim), we have to be free of awareness of self (Mitzrayim LITERALLY means “limitations”) Now, it has been thousands of years since Yetzias Mitzrayim; how can we relive that experience under completely different conditions?
In order to completely re-live Yetzias Mitzrayim, one has to think beyond the limited boundaries of time and space where they find themselves (opposite of self-awareness) and only then, will he feel like he is leaving Mitzrayim. How can this be accomplished? This is accomplished when a person realizes how truly insignificant he is; that he is truthfully poor, and the food he is eating - which is responsible for his very existence - is “poor man’s bread.” Eating “this very bread” enables him to become appropriately humble and relive Yetzias Mitzrayim.
-
Why do we say Mah Nishtanah?
R’ Matisyahu Solomon in his Haggadah says that something becomes internalized when one is bothered by something and is answered, and that will be something that “sticks” in one’s heart
-
It is typically assumed that there are 4 questions in Mah Nishtanah:
Abarbanel says only 1, the question of Mah Nishtanah is that we are doing thighs that are seemingly contradictory; we are doing some things that represent freedom, as well as slavery
Reason: we were slaves and became free
Why do we say "Biyad Chazakah, Bizroah Netuyah"? Hashem doesn't have human body parts? Rashi writes that the reason we are personifying Hashem is to help us understand and connect with Hashem's actions. While He doesn't ACTUALLY have these body parts, these body parts were created by Hashem to perform similar functions to those that He has (we were created "Bitzelem Elokim" (Parshas Bereishis)
4 Rebeim in Bnei Barak….one was R’ Akiva (who lived in Bnei Barak) R’ Eliezer and R’ Yehoshua came to his house, why is it like this, and not vice versa (they were R' Akiva's Rebeim)
Answer: The Seder needed to be by R’ Akivah because he had an optimistic approach (end of Maseches Macos; foxes coming from Kodesh Hakedashim, everyone crying but R’ Akiva was laughing. Why?; because “if the Nevuah came into effect that the Beis Hamikdash would be destroyed, then the Nevuah of Zechariah (rebuilding) would happen as well.) they wanted to be by the house of someone who would give them Chizuk (i.e. the one who sees suffering as the step before Geulah)
Why are we talking about Zechiras Yetzias Mitzrayim as opposed to Sipur Yetzias Mitzrayim?
[What is the difference?
Zechirah- Balev-in your heart
Sipur-Pa’peh-you have to actually say it/verbalize it
Brisker Rov gives us 3 distinctions:
Sippur is telling it over to others in a Q&A format
Sipur-Maschil B’Gnus Misayem Bi’Shvach - start with the bad, end with the good
You have to list the reasoning behind the Mitzvos (Arvei Pesachim-Kol Sheeino Omar 3 Devarim…)
R’ Moshe Soleveichick (the Griz)
When it comes to the mitzvah of Sippur Yetzias Mitzrayim, you are obligated to talk about Hilchos Pesach]
Sfas Emes explains that we aren’t contrasting. The Mitzvah of Zechiras Yetzias Mitzrayim is rooted in Sippur Yetzias Mitzraym. Zechiras Yetzias Mitzrayim is giving you a little piece, every night as a reminder to Sippur Yetzias Mitzrayim. Zechiras Yetzias Mitzrayim is a reminder of the experience that we have on the night of Pesach and all of the lessons we can learn From Sippur Yetzias Mitzrayim.
The Sefer HaChinuch says that Zechiras Yetzias Mitzrayim is a foundation for our Emunah in Hashem and helps us have Bitachon. Sippur Yetzias Mitzrayim is about Shevach V’Hoda’ah (praise and thanks)
-
What Makes one a Chacham, and one a Rasha? Torah doesn’t mention it as such (Just gives questions and answers).
The question seems to give it away (Chacham-what is the difference between Eidos, Mishpatim, etc,)(Rasha-What is this stuff that you are doing (not looking for an answer-Vihayo Ki Yomru Aleichem))
-
Why doesn’t it say Li, lo Lecha (It says, Lo Lo)
Back in Mitzrayim, the people who didn’t believe in Hashem weren’t saved (Talking about them, not him), but because we experienced the Geulah, we became a nation (Kol Yisroel Areivim) and YOU are part of us (He isn’t looking for a philosophical question) (That guy wouldn’t be redeemed, but you are part of US)
Why do the Pesukim switch from singular (Arami Oved Avi) switch to plural (more specifically us) (Vinitzak Anachnu El Hashem Elokeinu)?
"Chayiv Adam Liros Es Atzmo Ceilu Hu Yotzo M’Mitzrayim"
Why are the Pesukim picked from Devarim, more specifically, the Parsha of Bikkurim (Ki Savo)?
According to the Rav (R' Soleveichick), the whole concept of giving Bikkurim is giving thanks to Hashem which is the real theme of the Seder.
Halacha Li’Maisah
-
We know we have to eat less than a Kizayis of Karpas,
-
We know we have to eat a Kizayis of Matzov(We eat matzo 3 times; 1st is for the actual fulfillment of the Chiyuv (Dioraisah) so we double the measurement (2 Ki’Zeitzim,) to be extra careful (Half of a circle Shmurah MAtzo), The 2nd time we eat Matzo (Koreich) is Dirabanan so you need a quarter of a circle Shmurah Matzo in total (⅛ on each side), The last time is for Shulchan Oreich (some say it is the REAL mitzvah) and it is a Zecher of the korban Pesach so we are Machmir and we double the Kizayis (½ of the circle)
-
We know we have to have a Reviis (Acc. to R’ Moshe Feinstein, the amount is 4.42 Oz.) of wine per cup (the cup should preferably be relatively small because you are supposed to drink Rov Kos/the Majority of the cup(If you didn’t drink Rov Kos, but drank Rov Reviis, you would STILL be Yotzei)
-
We know we have to eat a Kizayis of Maror