THE “EVERYONE KNOWS” OF PESACH

Rabbi Dani Staum

StrivingHigher.com

There are certain ideas that seem to take hold and are often quoted and understood as the main reason for a certain custom, practice, law or passage in the Haggadah. This is true even though it may not really be the true reason. Even if there is a worthy basis for an idea, it may not be the most ‘well-rooted’ idea. Just as we are sometimes perplexed by certain individuals, ideas, or books that seem to gain popularity, the same holds true for certain ideas, beliefs, or explanations.

Here are a few popular ideas that are repeated before Pesach that are not necessarily the most well-sourced. Some of these may be surprising:

1. The Jewish people take Pesach cleaning very seriously, and with good reason. The prohibition of chometz is not to be taken lightly and we must do our utmost to ensure that we don’t transgress the prohibition of chometz. However, at times people can get too caught up in spring cleaning and lose focus on their true objective.

In most of our houses, we don’t need to be concerned with crumbs. The gemara says that we search for chometz because we are concerned that שמא ימצא גלוסקא יפה^[1] – perhaps he will find a good piece of cake, or a cookie, and he will forget it’s Pesach and will eat it. If someone is so desperate that he will gather crumbs to eat on Pesach he has bigger concerns to worry about. We must clean and check all rooms in our homes, but we are looking primarily for something someone can eat. Anything smaller is not much of a concern.

It is in the kitchen and dining room – places where food is eaten – that we must be concerned with crumbs and be extra vigilant. That is because even one crumb of chometz that touches food on Pesach, causes the entire plate/bowl of food to become forbidden to be eaten.^[2]

While it is nice to be stringent, one must make sure that going above and beyond in pre-Pesach cleaning doesn’t take away from his/her sanity and the obligation to feel simchas Yom Tov.

2. Everyone is excited when Adar arrives because משנכנס אדר מרבים בשמחה. By the time Pesach arrives, those words are a distant memory. However, Rashi^[3] says that the simcha of Adar is because of the holidays of Purim and Pesach.^[4] The increased joy of Adar is very much applicable during these days as well.

3. Every child is taught that the reason we dip Karpas in salt water is to remind us of the tears our ancestors shed in Egypt. While this is a nice idea, it has absolutely no early source! The first time it was mentioned was by the Modzhitzer Rebbe, Rav Shaul Yedidya Elazar Taub, in Haggadah Ishei Yisrael first published in Warsaw in 1938.^[5] There he mentions the idea of tears as a second possible explanation for why we dip in salt water.

The real reason why we dip Karpas is to arouse the curiosity of the children so they should ask about it. In fact, many Rishonim say nothing about dipping in salt water. Rather, they mention dipping Karpas into charoses, just like marror is dipped in charoses later on, or in wine, or vinegar.

It must be realized that in days of old dipping was a symbol of aristocracy. So, in fact, dipping Karpas isn’t symbolic of slavery, but of freedom^[6].

The reason many have the custom not to recline while eating Krapas is because we eat less than a k’zayis^[7] so it doesn’t have the status of achila (halachic eating) and therefore doesn’t require reclining. Still, Avudraham and others indeed hold that one should recline while eating karpas.^[8]

4. Every child is aware that when the Jewish people left Mitzrayim they took dough with them, and it baked in the desert sun upon their backs. The source of this idea is the Targum Yonasan ben Uziel. While that is undoubtedly a worthy source, it is a tremendous chiddush. Bread is baked in an oven heated to 450 degrees. While the desert is hot, it doesn’t get nearly hot enough to bake bread on one’s back.^[9] While there were many miracles happening at that time and this could definitely be counted as one of them, the question is why such a miracle was necessary.

Most other Rishonim are not in agreement with the Targum Yonasan and state that the dough was baked naturally, but didn’t become chometz for various other reasons.

Ibn Ezra writes that the dough didn’t become chometz because they didn’t add any leavening agent to the dough. Ramban^[10] and Chizkuni learn that they baked the dough into matzah when they arrived in Succos. According to them the miracle was in the fact that the entire nation arrived in Succos in such a short time that the dough didn’t become chometz. Ohr HaChaim writes that while they traveled, they kept kneading and manipulating the dough so that it didn’t have a chance to leaven.

Maharal^[11] explains that the process of exodus was completely divine and therefore when they left Egypt time was not a factor. Bread becomes leaven with the passage of time, but in the divine realm there is no passage of time.

5. As Maggid begins, everyone excitedly settles in excitedly for the main focus of the night – Sippur Yetzias Mitzrayim. There’s lots of talk about Ha lachma Anya and its message. Then we listen as each child has his/her moment saying Mah Nishtanah. Who doesn’t have something to share about Rabbi Eliezer ben Azaryah’s white beard at the age of 18? The Four Sons also get a lot of attention. We sing V’hi Shemadah with great passion and concentration. And then….

For many people that’s when they space out while a lot of unfamiliar words are being said about who knows what? Something about Lavan and Pharoah, and then a few more pages until we finally get to the Makkos.

The issue is that it’s specifically at that point that the focal point of Maggid begins. It is then that we are actually reciting the story of what occurred to us as a nation when we were in Egypt.

We recite four pesukim and expound upon them, explaining our descent to Egypt, initial success, forced servitude, unbearable slavery, until finally the process of redemption began.

All the paragraphs until then – important and beautiful as they are – only serve as an introduction for the real story.

As the Rambam (Chometz Umatzah 7:4) writes:

One must begin (retelling the story of our saga in Egypt) with degradation and conclude with praise…. This (implies) that one should expound from (Devorim 26:5) “An Arami sought to destroy my father…”, until one concludes the entire passage. Whoever adds and lengthens his extrapolation of this passage is praiseworthy.”^[12]

It is specifically about this section that one who expounds and elaborates is praiseworthy. Therefore, the main focus of Maggid should be on this section. Perhaps the beautiful thoughts and discussions about the previous introductory paragraphs can be saved for the day meals of Pesach.

6. When we recite the Makkos we dip our finger into our cup of wine and remove a little bit of wine or pour out a bit. The repeated reason for doing so is to demonstrate that we are not fully happy with the punishment and suffering of our enemies.

This ubiquitously cited reason is not written in earlier sources. The earliest source for spilling out some wine is in the Rokeach (Rabbi Eleazer of Worms, 1176–1238). The custom is also quoted in Sefer Maharil, who quotes Rokeach and writes that the idea is that G-d should “save us from all these and they should fall upon our enemies.”

Rama quotes the custom^[13] and in Darkei Moshe he adds that this custom hints to the “the angel in charge of vengeance.”

Mishna Berura explains that the 16 drops represent the first two letters of G-d’s Name (O.H. 473:75). Rabbi Reuven Margolios, in his 1937 Haggadah commentary Be’er Miriam, explains that the removal of drops represents that the plagues that befell the Egyptians are only a small drop compared to the cups of retribution the enemies of the Jewish people will face in the future.^[14]

All these explanations generally relate the custom to some aspect of vengeance against our enemies. They contain no trace of the idea of “incomplete joy” due to the suffering of the Egyptians.

Yet the reason of sharing the pain of our enemies has taken root and is the reason quoted, even in many contemporary haggados.^[15]

7. Eliyahu HaNavi at the Seder

Children are often taught that Eliyahu HaNavi comes to every home during the Seder. There are some worthy sources that mention it. However, it doesn’t have early sources. It’s not mentioned in Mishnah, Gemara, Medrash, or any of the Rishonim, including the Tur, or the Shulchan Aruch. Eliyahu’s purported coming is also not the reason why the cup we fill and don’t drink is termed the “Kos shel Eliyahu”.

The Ohr Zura (1200s) quoting Rabbeinu Nissim Gaon writes that it is customary not to lock our door on Seder night because the pasuk refers to it as “Leil shimurim – a night of (divine) guarding”. Rama (Oh’C end of siman 580) writes that before reciting the versus beginning Shfoch Chamoscha, in which we ask Hashem to avenge the honor of His nation from our many enemies, it is customary to open the door to demonstrate that it is a night of divine protection. He adds that in the merit of that faith, we trust Moshiach will come and our enemies will indeed receive their due punishment.

The Imrei Noam^[16] explains that on the night of Makkas Bechoros, as they ate the matzah, marror and Korbon Pesach, the Jews were prohibited from leaving their homes. Therefore, they opened their doors to be able to see what was happening to the Egyptians. In commemoration of that, we too open our doors at the Seder when we recite the pesukim asking Hashem to exact revenge from our enemies.

In the Maharal Haggadah – Divrei Negidim^[17] it says that we open the door in honor of Eliyahu HaNavi to publicize to our family that the future redemption will be announced by Eliyahu HaNavi and that will herald the future redemption.

The Shu”t Shtei Halechem (46)^[18] writes that Eliyahu HaNavi comes to each Jewish home to “relate the praise of the Jews and to mention before G-d that they have fulfilled what they accepted in the mitzvah of Pesach that is dependent on milah. He adds that there is no doubt that Eliyahu HaNavi will come into every Jewish house to see the fulfillment of one commandment which is really two: Pesach and milah. He then goes to Heaven to advocate on behalf of the Jewish nation for the coming of the Final Redemption.

Fascinatingly, the Nodeh B’Yehudah^[19] used to “escort” Eliyahu down the steps of his house after the Seder.^[20]

The Aruch Hashulchan (480:1) notes that some have the custom to say “Baruch haba – blessed is he who comes” when opening the door, as if to welcome Eliyahu HaNavi.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe related that the Ba’al HaTanya wrote that there is a custom “to pour one cup more than the number of people present”. He was alluding to Eliyahu’s visit to the Seder. “Eliyahu becomes one of those seated at the Seder table, because the faith of the Jewish people on this night, the night in which the King of Kings, God in all His glory, fully revealed Himself, this in and of itself, brings . . . Eliyahu to every Seder”.^[21]

In Chassidic lore, there are many stories about Eliyahu HaNavi coming on the night of the Seder.^[22]

Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber Schneersohn, the fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe (1860-920) who, before pouring wine from Eliyahu’s Cup back into the wine bottle, would add additional wine because he was concerned that the wine in the cup was pagum.^[23] [24]

If early sources do not say anything about Eliyahu coming to our homes on Seder night, why is it called the cup of Eliyahu?

There is a dispute among Rishonim whether we should drink a fifth cup of wine at the Seder.^[25] Whenever we are unsure what the halachic ruling should be, we state that Eliyahu HaNavi will come and reveal it to us.^[26] Because it is unclear whether we should drink the fifth cup or not, we fill it and leave it in the middle of the table, but do not drink it. We aptly call it the cup of Eliyahu, because when Eliyahu arrives to announce the coming of Moshiach and also tells us the halacha in all cases of doubt, he will tell us what the halacha is regarding the fifth cup as well.^[27]

The Mishnah Berurah (480:10) writes that the cup is called Kos shel Eliyahu to allude to the fact “that we believe that just as G-d redeemed us from Egypt, He will again redeem us and send Eliyahu to herald the redemption.”

It is fascinating that these ideas have taken hold and have become accepted as the main reason for our practices at the Seder.^[28]

…. But at least now you know the rest of the story!^[29]

1. Pesachim 6b ↑
2. Note – before Pesach, chometz would become nullified in sixty times more permitted food. ↑
3. Gemara Ta’anis 29a ↑
4. My rebbe, Rabbi Mordechai Finkelman, leaves the משנכנס אדר sign hanging in his home until after Shavuos. He quoted his rebbe Rav Moshe Wolfson who noted that from Rosh Chodesh Adar is one long period of spiritual growth, culminating with our reacceptance of the Torah on Shavuos. ↑
5. The Haggadah Zichron Niflaos quotes the Alexander Rebbe, Rav Shmuel Tzvi Dancyger (1860-1923), who explained that the salt water represents the tears that a ba’al teshuva sheds over his past sins. At the time of Yetzias Mitzrayim, the Jewish people raised themselves from the 49^th level of tumah, and therefore, inevitably shed tears over previous sins.

   While he does mention the idea of tears, it is in a different context. Still, that source is only from the 1800s. ↑

6. However, it isn’t surprising for a food to have contradictory symbolisms at the Seder. There are numerous other foods that have contradictory symbolisms. Wine symbolizes freedom. It is customary to use red wine to symbolize the blood of the Jewish babies Pharaoh slaughtered to bathe in. Matzah itself symbolizes slavery (ha lachma anya) but is the bread of liberation that we ate on our way out of Mitzrayim. Charoses reminds us of the mortar they were forced to use to make bricks, but it is sweet tasting. ↑
7. We do so in order that we shouldn’t be obligated to say a beracha achrona ↑
8. For more on the topic, see: https://hakirah.org/vol24Ron.pdf ↑
9. It is also fascinating to note that if one bakes matzah in the sun it may not be eaten for the matzah of the Seder. “Clearly one may not bake the matzot (for the the mitzva of eating matza) in the heat of the sun. If one did so, then even if the heat was very strong and it seems clear that the dough did not ferment, nevertheless one cannot use this matza to fulfill the mitzva of eating matza, for matza has been called “bread of poverty” in the Torah, and what is baked in the sun is not properly called bread” (Shulchan Arukh Harav 461, 6). ↑
10. Shemos 12:39 ↑
11. Gevuros Hashem chapter 36 ↑
12. משנה תורה, הלכות חמץ ומצה ז׳:ד׳

    (ד) וצריך להתחיל בגנות ולסיים בשבח. כיצד מתחיל ומספר שבתחלה היו אבותינו בימי תרח ומלפניו כופרים וטועין אחר ההבל ורודפין אחר עבודת אלילים. ומסיים בדת האמת שקרבנו המקום לו והבדילנו מהאומות וקרבנו ליחודו. וכן מתחיל ומודיע שעבדים היינו לפרעה במצרים וכל הרעה שגמלנו ומסיים בנסים ובנפלאות שנעשו לנו ובחירותנו. והוא שידרוש מארמי אובד אבי עד שיגמור כל הפרשה. וכל המוסיף ומאריך בדרש פרשה זו הרי זה משובח. ↑

13. Darkei Moshe, O.H. 473:18 and notes to Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 473:7) ↑
14. This explanation is sometimes attributed to the Vilna Gaon, since it may be hinted to in Biur ha-Gra O.C. 473:45. ↑
15. For more on the topic see: https://hakirah.org/Vol19Ron.pdf ↑
16. Dzhikover Rebbe, 1819-1877 ↑
17. This work is attributed to Maharal (1512-1609), but is believed to be of later authorship. While much of the material is taken from the Maharal’s writings, some claim that the publisher, Rabbi Yudel Rosenberg (1895-1925), incorporated his own ideas into the text. ↑
18. by Rabbi Moshe Chagiz (1671-1750) ↑
19. Rabbi Yechezkel Landau (1713-1793) ↑
20. על ה”נודע ביהודה” מסופר (אור פני יצחק דף טז, בשם הרי”מ מגור) שהיה נוהג ‘ללוות’ את אליהו הנביא לאחר הסדר, והיה יוצא עמו במעלות ביתו, והיה מאמין באמונה שלימה שאליהו הנביא בא אז לכל אחד שבישראל, לכן היה הולך ומלוה אותו”. ↑
21. הגדה של פסח עם ליקוטי טעמים מנהגים וביאורים ח”ב ↑
22. • One year at the Seder, when he was a young boy, Rav Arele Belzer opened the door and asked his grandfather Rav Yehoshua Belzer who the elderly man was in the doorway. Rav Yehoshua told his grandson, “My dear child, not everything that you see should be mentioned publicly.”
    • One year, the Kotzker Rebbe told his chassidim that Eliyahu HaNavi would reveal himself at the Seder. Every chasid came to the Rebbe’s seder to witness the incredible revelation. To their utter chagrin, when the door was opened for Shfoch Chamoscha, nothing happened.

    The chassidim were very dejected. The Rebbe thundered at them, “You think Eliyahu HaNavi enters through the door? He enters through your heart!” ↑

23. i.e., the cup had been drunk from, rendering the wine unusable for other mitzvos unless additional wine is added ↑
24. Rabbi Yehoshua Mundshine, Otzar Minhagei Chabad 175:3 (5755), 202. ↑
25. Based on a statement in the Mishnah in Pesachim (118a), there is a dispute among the Rishonim as to whether drinking a fifth cup at the Seder is required. The gemara states, “It is taught – on the fourth cup one completes Hallel (Hamitzri) and says Hallel Hagadol (Tehillim 136); these are the words of Rabbi Tarfon.” Some versions of the gemara insert the words “on the fifth cup” right after the words “Hallel (Hamitzri) and.” Rashi, Rashbam and Tosafos (Pesachim 117b, revi’i) insisted that the former version, without mention of a fifth cup, is the correct one.

    Rabbeinu Chananel and Rif in Pesachim 118a quote, in the name of Rabbi Tarfon, that one is indeed required to drink a fifth cup. Rav Amram Gaon, Maharam Chalava, and the Meiri agree. Rambam (Chametz U’matzah 8:10), Ramban and the Rosh maintain that a fifth cup is optional. ↑

26. Whenever the Gemara is unsure of what the halacha is, it concludes, “תיקו,” loosely translated to mean “let the question stand”. However, there is a tradition that תיקו is an acronym for: “תשבי יתרץ קושיות ובעיות” – (Eliyahu ha)Tishbi will answer questions and inquiries ” ↑
27. החמישי הוא ספק, ולפיכך מוזגים כוס ואומרים שכוס זה הוא עד שיבוא אליהו ואז נדע את הדין אם צריכים לשתות עוד כוס או לא. ולכן קוראים לזה “כוס של אליהו הנביא”, אבל לא שמיחדים ומוזגים כוס לאליהו הנביא, אנחנו לא נותנים כוסות לאליהו הנביא, אלא מחכים עד שיבוא אליהו והוא יפשוט לנו מה דינו של כוס חמישי, וכדאמרינן בסוגיות הגמרא “תיקו”, שהוא ברמז תשבי יתרץ קושיות ואבעיות. (רב שלמה זלמן אוירבך) ↑
28. If one has any other such examples of such a conundrum, please send them my way. ↑
29. In the words of the late Paul Harvey…. ↑