Pesach Torah

[magid]

Two things I read this year that I liked.

Excerpt from A Night To Remember: The Haggadah of Contemporary Voices by Mishael Zion and Noam Zion, via JOFA

The Talmud connects the four cups of wine drunk at the Seder to God's
Four Promises to Israel: "Tell the children of Israel: I am Adon-ai! I will take them out... I will rescue them... I will redeem them... and I will marry them taking them as my people and I will be their God" (Exodus 6:6-7, Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 10:1).

However, two 16th C. mystic rabbis identify the four cups with the four matriachs of Israel. The Maharal of Prague (famous for the legend of the Golem) and Rav Isaiah Horowitz of Tsfat explain:

1. The Cup of Kiddush stands for Sarah who was the mother of a community of converts, believers by choice.
   
2. The Cup of Maggid is for Rebecca who knew how to mother both Esav and Jacob, two opposed natures.
   
3. The Cup of the Blessing after eating represents Rachel whose son Joseph provided the whole family of Jacob with bread in a time of great famine.
   
4. The Cup of Hallel is for Leah, the first women to praise God. (Genesis 29:35)

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From my friend Josh Weinstein

How far does one say? Until 'the happy mother of children,' according to Beit Shammai; until 'the granite stone to springs of water,' according to Beit Hillel. —Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 116b

Seder night is the only time during the year when Hallel is said at night; even more strange, this Hallel is divided into two parts – one before the meal, and one after.

One reason for this is that praising God is an integral part of telling the story of yitziat mitzraim. The story cannot be told coldly, as if through the eyes of a neutral observer. We tell it in first person, and instead of merely relating events, we feel them as demanding our response. And the reasonable response to rescue is not only talk – but thanks, praise and song.

But in moments of high emotion we don't always succeed in saying the right thing. This is the meaning of the dispute in our quote.

We may want to blurt out immediately the essence of our reaction: in one word, Hallelujah! This is Beit Shammai's position, for the first paragraph of the Hallel concludes: "Who returns the barren woman home, as the happy mother of children – Hallelujah!"

On the other hand, we may wish to retell our entire experience in beautified, elevated language; the very telling of story itself becomes a part of our praise of God. This is Beit Hillel's position, who add the paragraph beginning "When Israel went forth from Egypt…"

In either case, our immediate reactions are not enough. After we eat – after we "digest the experience," as it were – then is the time for more thoughtful, more composed and more musical compositions. Finish the Hallel with more wine.

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Last night was the eighth night of the omer, which is 11₇.

Comments

[fairdice.livejournal.com]

How is it that I never thought of counting the omer as getting to 100₇ before?

[magid.livejournal.com]

It didn't occur to me until I was once at the MIT minyan, and they talked about it. Yay, Jewish geeks :-).

I think it would be a great way to introduce other base systems in a day school math class, too.

off topic

[magid.livejournal.com]

I thought you might be interested in doing this with D. Not sure how many slots are still available, though.