9 Short But New Ideas on the Haggada for your Seder Table

Everyone needs chiddushim (new ideas) every year for their Seder, and this class supplies that need, including timely ideas for our present war with Hamas and relating to the non-religious.

President Herzog visits Rabbi Wein

A special Chag get-together of Rabbi Berel Wein and President Mr. Isaac Herzog speaking about his grandfather Rav Herzog ZT"L and giving a blessing in honor of Pesach.

One Minute Late

What drives a 90 year old man to come to the synagogue an hour and a quarter early? What can we learn from this?

How Does One Fulfill the Obligation to Experience the Exodus

A Moment of Wisdom

A Moment of Wisdom

What's So Wrong With Bread?

Everyone knows you can't eat bread on Pesach, but what's so wrong with bread?

On Freedom, Matzah, Maror, and Korech

Why is the the Jewish Calendar Based Upon Pesach Falling in Spring?

The Jewish calendar, adding an additional month of Adar in almost every 3rd year, evolves around making sure that Pesach comes out in the spring. Most Jews are familiar with this fact, but Rav Kook explains beautifully why it's so crucial that the spring of the Jewish Nation (Pesach) must be synched with the spring of the Jewish Land (Eretz Yisrael). The class proves that the Torah was given to be observed and learned in the Land of Israel.

Sixteen Seders to Egypt

Exodus sounds far away from us, but is it so?

Concise and Innovative Insights on the Haggada for Your Seder

Why do start the seder with "Ha Lachma Anya"? What is the Idea of not eating Chametz? Why do we scold the evil son, instead of welcoming him for coming?

Who is Mashiach Ben Yosef?

There is a direct connection between Mashich Ben Yosef and Pesach, and that is why we read Haftara of the Atzamot Yeveshot of Yechezkel on Shabbat Chol Hamo'ed Pesach.

Stealing the Afikoman

How to Keep Our Kids at the Seder and On The Derech of Torah

An innocent line in the gemara about "grabbing matzot at the Seder so children will stay awake", is open to 5 totally different explanations in the rishonim, where each one sees it as a springboard for his personal educational theory. Each of these chinuchi and psychological approaches will hopefully, not only keep our children at the seder, but also "on the derech" of Torah and Mitzvot, to stay religious for the rest of their lives. In addition to the Talmudic analysis, the she'ur includes humorous anecdotes and personal experiences, which were originally delivered at a Shabbat HaGadol Drasha.

Rav Kook on Independence, Pesach, Chametz & Korech

Rav Kook, in his innovative style, explains the necessity for modern man to clean his Chametz in order to achieve individual and national independence and freedom on Pesach. If it's so natural to want to improve, and this "evolution" is built-in to the essence of the world, what are the factors that hold us back from being free to be ourselves? The Rav analyzes the symbols of matzah, maror and their merger in the Korech sandwich, in conjunction with free will, as well as nationalism.

Pesach, Matzah and Maror

The Wisdom of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (17) - Pesach

The Wisdom of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (17) - Pesach

The Birth of a Nation

Much like a child being born, the nation of Israel broke through the waters of the red sea and were then fed directly by G-d until they were ready to stand on their own.

Erev Pesach on Shabbat

The Drama of Jewish History

The first Mitzvah Am Yisrael received was the Mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh. This was Hashem's first communication with the nation of Israel. What is so important in the Mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh? How can it be that the year starts in TIshrei, but the first month is Nissan?

Pesach - Halacha and Hagada

In every generation, a person has to see himself as if he left Egypt. The Seder divides into four parts. the four parts correspond to the four cups.

Pesach - The Reward of Suffering

Why was the Mitzrayim experience necessary, why did the Jewish nation have to suffer for hundreds of years? Why didn't Avraham Avinu pray to Hashem the same way he prayed not to destroy the city of Sedom?

The Haggadah: A Guide To The Future

The purpose of the Haggada is to tell the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim. We read the story which is mentioned in “Ki Tavo”. Why don’t we read the story for “Shemot”? Why don’t we read through the whole Parasha and mention the entrance to the land of Israel?