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Question of the Week
There is a passage in the Haggadah that always confuses me. Just after we read about the four sons, it says:
One may think that [the discussion of the exodus] must be from the first of the month. The Torah therefore says, `On that day.' `On that day,' however, could mean while it is yet daytime; the Torah therefore says, `It is because of this.' The expression `because of this' can only be said when Matzah and Maror are placed before you.
Sorry, can you explain what is going on here?
Answer:
This cryptic paragraph contains a life-changing lesson. Once you hear it you will never be the same again. But first let's understand its plain meaning.
The Haggadah is here establishing the correct time to tell the story of the Exodus. In a typically Talmudic back-and-forth style, the Haggadah explains:
You may have thought that the Seder should take place on the first of the month of Nissan, because back in Egypt that was when preparations for the Exodus began. But the Torah states: "You shall tell your child on that day, because of this G-d did for me when I left Egypt." "O n that day" means the Seder should be celebrated on the day of the Exodus itself, the 15th of Nissan.
But "on that day" makes it sound like the Seder should take place during the daylight hours. This is not the case. You have to be able to point at the Matzah and Maror and say "because of this G-d did for me when I left Egypt". The Torah commands us to eat Matzah and Maror at night, not in the day. So the story of the Exodus c an only be told at night, when you can point at the Matzah and Maror in front of you.
Like every passage in the Haggadah, this one has many levels of meaning. Here is a story that reveals a profound understanding of an otherwise technical teaching.
It was Seder night, 1946. Rabbi Yisroel Alter had escaped Poland and reached the Holy Land, only to learn that his wife, daughter, son and grandchildren had all been murdered by the Nazis. He sat down with some of his students for the first Seder after the war, a Seder without a family.
We can't imagine the superhuman strength it took for the survivors to make a Seder at that time. We can't imagine the pain of reading the Ma Nishtana and the four sons, when their children were there no more. But they did it.
Rabbi Alter came to the passage, "One may think...." and he paused. Looking at the assembled group of broken souls, he explained the passage in a new way:
After going through a time of great darkness and pain, how do we live on? One may think that you can't start a new life right away. You must wait for a new moon to appear, for time to pass, and when things are different only then will you start to live again.
This is not the case. You can't wait until then. You need to find the strength to live and celebrate "on that day" - right now, today. Even while you are still hurting, you have to awaken your soul and start anew.
You might think that joy can only come during daylight, when the sun is shining and things are good. No. Don't wait around until your mood changes. Force yourself to embrace life now, even when it is still dark. Let your soul shine in the darkness. Whatever is before you, whether you have Matzah, the bread of freedom, or Maror, the bitter herbs, you need to start your new life today.
With these few words Rabbi Alter breathed new life into a broken generation. The raw truth of his words reverberates until this very day. Right now there are many people hurting in so many ways. We can't wait around for things to get better. We have to make it better. Don't delay your new life for the next new moon. Don't wait until you are in the mood to make a positive change. Do it now. Start your exodus today.
Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss
Biographical note: Rabbi Yisroel Alter (1895 – 1977), known as the Beis Yisroel, was the fifth Gerrer Rebbe. He rebuilt Polish Chassidism from the ashes. He remarried after the war, and though he was not blessed with more children, his students and followers numbered in the hundreds of thousands.
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SERVICES & COMMUNITY INFORMATION: VAYIKRA
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PRIOR REGISTRATION REQUIRED TO ATTEND SHUL.
PLEASE REGISTER HERE.
Friday 19 March – 6 Nissan
Candle lighting ........... 6:50pm (after 5:55pm)
Mincha....................... 6:15pm
Evening Service........... 6:30pm
Kiddush sponsored by Judi Berman in honour of the upcoming Yortzheit for her late mother Ellen Schuftan (Leah Bat Yehuda) on 11 Nissan/Wednesday 24 March- Long Life.
Saturday 20 March – 7 Nissan
Morning Service ....... 10:00am-12:20pm
Kids Program............ 10:30am
Kiddush sponsored by Pearl Barukh for the Refuah Shelemah of Sholom Boruch ben Rina Miriam Bowden.
Shiur with Rabbi Sufrin .......... 5:45pm
Mincha................................. 6:45pm
Shabbos ends & Maariv ......... 7:44pm
Latest Shema this week......... 9:58am
PESACH TIMES FOR NEFESH 5781/2021
ALL SERVICES AT 1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH
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Thursday 25 March, 2021 | 12 Nissan
Shachris 7:00am
Followed by Siyum for Fast of the Firstborn
EREV SHABBOS
Friday 26 March, 2021 | 13 Nissan
Burn and sell before 12:00pm
Remember Eruv Tavshillin
Candle Lighting 6:41pm (Not before 5:47pm)
Mincha 6:15pm
Evening Service 6:30pm-7:20pm
EREV PESACH
Saturday, 27 March 2021 | 14 Nissan
Shabbos morning service… 8:00am- 10:00am
Kiddush and HaMotzi available in Shul
Eat Chometz until 11:00am
Nulify chometz before 12:00pm
Candle Lighting (after) 7:34pm
Mincha 6:30pm
Evening service 7:15-7:45pm
PESACH DAY 1
Sunday 28 March 2021 | 15 Nissan
Morning Service 10:00am - 12:45pm
Children's Program 11:00am
Priestly Blessing 12:30pm
Mincha 6:30pm
Candle Lighting (after) 7:33pm
No second Seder preparations before this time.
Evening Service 7:15-7:45pm
Begin counting the Omer
PESACH DAY 2
Monday 29 March 2021 | 16 Nissan
Morning Service 10:00 am - 12:45pm
Children's Program 11:00am
Priestly Blessing 12:30pm
Mincha followed by words of Torah 6:30pm
Yom Tov ends and Maariv 7:31pm
CHOL HAMOED SHACHRIS
Tuesday - Friday (30 March-2 April) – 8:00am
EREV YOM TOV | SHABBOS SHEVII SHEL PESACH
Friday 2 April 2021 | 20 Nissan
Remember Eruv Tavshilin
Candle Lighting 6:31pm
Mincha 6:15pm
Shabbos & Pesach Evening Service 6:30-7:20pm
SHEVII SHEL PESACH (DAY 7)
Saturday 3 April 2021 | 21 Nissan
Shabbos & Pesach Morning Service 10:00am - 12:45pm
Children's Program 11:00am
Priestly Blessing 12:30pm
Candle Lighting (after) 7:25pm
Mincha 6:30pm
Yomtov Evening Service 7: 15pm
ACHARON SHEL PESACH (DAY 8)
Sunday 4 April 2021 | 22 Nissan
*Daylight saving ends
Pesach Morning Service 10:00am - 1:00pm
Children's Program 11:00am
Yizkor Memorial Service 11:30am
Priestly Blessing 12:45pm
Mincha after Musaf
Seudas Moshiach
Shabbos & Yom Tov ends and Maariv 6:23pm
Please allow half an hour before eating chometz that was sold.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Natalie Cromer ..... 7 Nissan/Saturday 20 March
Nisya Richman ...... 9 Nissan/Monday 22 March
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Andrew & Keren Binstock............... 9 Nissan/22 March
Josh & Dana Goodman................... 9 Nissan/22 March
David & Joanna Landau................. 9 Nissan/22 March
Sarah & Matt Michael.................... 9 Nissan/22 March
Lara & Shaun Klein....................... 9 Nissan/22 March
Monique & Daniel Krochmalik........ 12 Nissan/25 March
Gaby & Dylan Shatter.................... 13 Nissan/26 March
LONG LIFE FOR THE FOLLOWING YORTZHEITS
Jaqueline Eliovson for her late mother Bessie Behrman
Basha Bat Yaacov... 7 Nissan /Saturday 20 March
Brent Maksimovich for his late grandfather Alexander Mekler,
Alexander ben Yaacov v'Sima...8 Nissan/Sunday 21 March
David and Rene Bermeister for their late son Wayne Bermeister
Zeev ben David... 9 Nissan/Monday 22 March
Gail Simpson mother Freda Kloss,
Fruma Hannah bat Avraham...9 Nissan/Monday 22 March
Charlene Klein for her late father
Zelig Ber...9 Nissan/Monday 22 March
Judi Berman and Martine Springer for their late mother Ellen Schuftan,
Leah Bat Yehuda...11 Nissan/Wednesday 24 March
Leslie Tanchum for his late brother Nathan Tanchum,
Natan Nota ben Bentzion...12 Nissan/Thursday 25 March
Adam Pisk for his late grandfather Erich Pisk
Yitzchak ben Shmuel Ha'Levi...13 Nissan/Friday 26 March
Jenny Kantorovich for her late father Pinchus ben Shlomo...16 Nissan/Monday 29 March
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