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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Passover - Pesach
- The Seder Night
The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
Yaakov Ben Behora
Legend has it that the Seer of Lublin viewed this as the right time to expedite the final redemption. It was springtime, before Passover, and, as our sages teach, "In Nisan (the Hebrew month which corresponds to the beginning of spring) Israel was redeemed and in Nisan Israel will again be redeemed in the future." The Seer of Lublin received the assistance of three sages - R' Isaac'l of Kalov, "the Holy Jew," and R' Mordecai of Chernobyl - who would also devote themselves in the necessary manner and help him bring the Messiah.
On the first night of Passover, during the course of the Seder, as the the Seer and his students sat in unification and mitigating rectification, the Rebbe suddenly said, "Everything is ruined. The wife of the Holy Jew, Sheindel, is ill-treating her husband, violating the joy of the holiday and preventing him from occupying himself with the hastening of the redemption. R' Isaac'l from Kalov is relating the Hagadah in Hungarian, and in Chernobyl the Afikoman is lost and they are busy looking for it.
World Wars generally strengthened the desire of the Jews to experience the coming of the Messiah. The World War between Napoleon and Russia became a strong focal point in the lives of Jews, for it was played out within the view of many Jewish settlements. It is well known that there was disagreement between the leading rebbes of this period on the matter of who to side with, the Russians or the French.
And so, just as Jewish soldiers of the warring armies found themselves pit against one another on the battlefield, so did Israel's spiritual leaders find themselves at war amongst themselves in the spiritual arena - some lending spiritual support to the Czar, others giving spiritual support to Napoleon. Napoleon's defeat spelled disappointment to those who believed that the great battle of Gog and Magog was playing itself out before their very eyes. During these moments of crisis, the Seer of Lublin tried, on a practical level, to hasten the final redemption.
The time chosen by him to do this was Seder Night. The adage of the Sages, "In Nisan they were redeemed, and in Nisan they will again be redeemed in the future," teaches us of a certain periodicy in the yearly cycle, periodicy of a time which is capable of bringing the redemption. During these days, the power of redemption is awakened, most clearly on Seder Night, the night on which we recall with our own mouths the complete story of the Exodus. The Seer of Lublin does not carry this out alone; he is aided by three other pious rabbis. The joint efforts of these righteous men can bring the complete redemption.
Everything failed as a result of three different events which took place separately in the homes of these three righteous men. Each of these events has symbolic significance. From Chassidic stories, it is well known that the wife of "the Holy Jew" was a hard woman. Violation of peace in the home on Seder Night has symbolic significance in view of the fact that the redemption is often portrayed as a meeting between husband and wife. This disturbance of peace in the home, then, teaches us that, apparently, we must remain in the Exile.
The reading of the Hagadah by R' Isaac'l of Kalov in Hungarian recalls the words of the Sages regarding the Children of Israel who were redeemed from Egypt by merit of the fact that they did not change their names, their dress, or their language. A change of language symbolizes the fact that, apparently, the Exile still has control over the Jewish People, and an end to the tribulations has not yet arrived.
The Afikoman also has symbolic importance in relation to the redemption. The Afikoman symbolizes the end of the Seder, and, conceptually, the final stage of the redemption. The fact that the Afikoman was lost teaches us that, apparently, we have not yet arrived at the final redemption. Apparently, we must continue to wait for the end of the process.
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Shoftim TESHUVA IN COURT OF LAW?
Parshat Shoftim-Chodesh Elul
Why does parshat Shoftim always come out during Elul? This innovative and central explanation is an eye-opener regarding many aspects of Judaism.
The Month of Elul TESHUVA IS THE ANSWER
The month of Elul serves as a vital time for self-reflection and personal accountability to prepare for true repentance.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
P'ninat Mishpat Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Chemdat Yamim The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Re'e NEVER EXTREME EXCEPT ISRAEL
Parshat Re'eh
Judaism is against extremism, so how can we understand the seemingly extreme statements found in our sages in favor of living in the Land of Israel and against living in Chutz laAretz? The article deals with the seeming contradiction between the strength of Free-Will and the strength of being influenced by our surroundings.
Ekev DANCE FOR ISRAEL- FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Parshat Eikev
Description: The 7 Haftarot we read after Tisha B'Av ("Shiva D'Nichemta") surely get us excited that they're coming TRUE, and awaken us to yearn, dance & join the return to Zion! The short article also deals with the problems and solutions facing the American Jewish community as discussed at a recent panel, as well as the question why Jews come from America to Israel to help when we face problems, but Israelis don't come to aid Jews in America when they face anti-Semitism.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
