I hope everyone had a great week, and would like to thank everyone for their brochas etc. on Moshe Pinchas's upsherin.
Children are mentioned three times in conection with Yitzias mitzrayim/the Exodus from Egypt, mainly in the context of passing on our national heritage from one generation to the next. 1) "And it will come to pass when your children say to you ... that you shall say it is a Passover sacrifice ... when he struck the Egyptians and saved our homes" (Shmos 12, 26-27);) 2) "And you shall tell your son on that day, saying: this is for that which the Lord did for me when I went out of Egypt" (Shmos 13,8); 3) "And it will be when your son asks you saying... and you shall say to him: by strength of hand did the Lord take us out of Egypt" (Shmos 13, 14). Our Sages add to these three expressions another verse, taken from Devarim (6,21): "then you shall say to your son..." We also know that the main idea throughout the Pesach Seder is to involve the children, to keep them awake, to keep them asking.
If you pay attention to the words of these psukim that we quoted you will notice how the questions are asked in the future tense ("It will come to pass...", "On that day...", "It will be when...") but the answers are given in the present tense ("and saved our homes..." "took us out..." "for me..."). So lets try to understand both the over emphasis on the children and also the Torah's changing from future to present tense when telling the story of yestziyas mitzrayim. The existence of the Jewish people, its continuity and unbroken history through the course of time, depend upon the passage of its mesorah/heritage and national memory from generation to generation. However, we are not dealing here simply with memory. We do not want our children simply to "remember" yetziyas mitzrayim, the receiving of the Torah, the entry into Eretz Yisroel and all of the spiritual, cultural and practical heritage of our People. If that was the goal we would have been gone a long time ago, forgotten like a lot of other great nations who are now only history lessons. The goal is to cause our children to feel their Jewishness on a daily basis. The Jewish mesorah is a way of life, the way of the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos. It is the practice which we pass on to our children and not the memory. "For that which the Lord did for me when I went out of Egypt". The mishna (Pesachim 10:5) tells us "in each and every generation a man must see himself as if he came out of Egypt". How do we do that? The Sefer HaChinuch explains as follows (Mitzva 20) "because the heart follows the deeds... because by the doing of good deeds we are taught to be good and become worthy of eternal life". This follows that which the Rambam wrote in his introduction to Pirkei Avos (Shmonah Perakim:8): "and it becomes him to make himself accustomed to doing good deeds until such time as he achieves those qualities". These things that we do at the Seder - these rituals - are not just symbolic gestures to remember our past. They are things that we do in order to ingrain in ourselves that Mesorah, that Jewishness so that we could give it over to our children. What did Moshe keep on telling Pharoh? Not just "Let My people go!' But rather "Let My people go that they may serve Me."
It is every parent's task to stimulate their children's questions, interest and desire to understand. When questions are posed it is an opening to educate - and to put theory into practice - because the mesorah of the Jewish people expresses itself in action, not memory . It is not something which happened some time long ago, it is not a "historical event" - today a headline, tomorrow forgotten. It is a day-to-day experiential feeling, an existential reality and a way of life. (Based upon Daf Parashat Hashavua by Yosef Agur B.I.Y.)
"Hachodesh hazeh lachem rosh chadoshim/This month shall be for you the first of the months." (Shmos 12:2)
Rav Moshe Feinstein ztl said that the month of Tishrei is the month of the creation of the world. The month of Nisson is the month of the exodus from mitzrayim. Both months are lessons in our awareness of Hashem's power. The lesson of Tishrei is that Hashem is the creator of the universe. The lesson of Nisson is that of hashgacha pratis/divine providence, that Hashem controls the universe. He is the One who enslaved the Jews in mitzrayim and he is the one who freed them. This pasuk is teaching us that the lesson of Hashem's guiding historical events is even more important than the lesson of the creation of the world. We mentioned this last week as an explanation as to why we are always remembering yetziyas mitzrayim. I just wanted to repeat it and add on what Rev Moshe says which ties in with what we said above. One can believe that Hashem created the world and this might not make any differences in his or her behavior and attitudes. But once a person is aware of the constant supervision of Hahem in daily events both personaly and on a larger scale, he or she will improve their behavior or at least think about improving. Not only that but his trust in Hashem will free him from worry (IT'S ALL ABOUT EMUNAH!!!) The month of Nisson is the first month of the year and by remembering this we remember all that is symbolized by yetziyas mitrayim. Even if we don't understand all that is symbolized fully or at all it will still have a major effect on what we do and how we think.
May we be zoche to see the final redemption brought about by all of the Jewish people coming together once and for all to greet the Mashiach tzidkeinu!!! And take part in the building of the third and final Beis Hamikdash!!! Speedily!!! In our days!!!! Amen!!! Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Peace and joy,
Etan
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