PASSOVER : The Festival of the Return
(א) וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יְחִזְקִיָּ֜הוּ עַל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל וִיהוּדָ֗ה וְגַֽם־אִגְּרוֹת֙ כָּתַב֙ עַל־אֶפְרַ֣יִם וּמְנַשֶּׁ֔ה לָב֥וֹא לְבֵית־ה׳ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת פֶּ֔סַח לַה׳ אֱלֹקֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ב) וַיִּוָּעַ֨ץ הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ וְשָׂרָ֛יו וְכׇל־הַקָּהָ֖ל בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הַפֶּ֖סַח בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃ (ג) כִּ֣י לֹ֧א יָכְל֛וּ לַעֲשֹׂת֖וֹ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֑יא כִּ֤י הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ לֹֽא־הִתְקַדְּשׁ֣וּ לְמַדַּ֔י וְהָעָ֖ם לֹא־נֶאֶסְפ֥וּ לִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ (ד) וַיִּישַׁ֥ר הַדָּבָ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וּבְעֵינֵ֖י כׇּל־הַקָּהָֽל׃ (ה) וַיַּעֲמִ֣ידוּ דָבָ֗ר לְהַעֲבִ֨יר ק֤וֹל בְּכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִבְּאֵֽר־שֶׁ֣בַע וְעַד־דָּ֔ן לָב֞וֹא לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת פֶּ֛סַח לַה׳ אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם כִּ֣י לֹ֥א לָרֹ֛ב עָשׂ֖וּ כַּכָּתֽוּב׃ (ו) וַיֵּלְכוּ֩ הָרָצִ֨ים בָּאִגְּר֜וֹת מִיַּ֧ד הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ וְשָׂרָ֗יו בְּכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וּכְמִצְוַ֥ת הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵאמֹ֑ר בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל שׁ֚וּבוּ אֶל־ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי֙ אַבְרָהָם֙ יִצְחָ֣ק וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְיָשֹׁב֙ אֶל־הַפְּלֵיטָ֔ה הַנִּשְׁאֶ֣רֶת לָכֶ֔ם מִכַּ֖ף מַלְכֵ֥י אַשּֽׁוּר׃ (ז) וְאַל־תִּֽהְי֗וּ כַּאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ וְכַ֣אֲחֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָעֲל֔וּ בַּה׳ אֱלֹקֵ֣י אֲבוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּתְּנֵ֣ם לְשַׁמָּ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר אַתֶּ֥ם רֹאִֽים׃ (ח) עַתָּ֕ה אַל־תַּקְשׁ֥וּ עׇרְפְּכֶ֖ם כַּאֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם תְּנוּ־יָ֣ד לַה׳ וּבֹ֤אוּ לְמִקְדָּשׁוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִקְדִּ֣ישׁ לְעוֹלָ֔ם וְעִבְדוּ֙ אֶת־ה׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֔ם וְיָשֹׁ֥ב מִכֶּ֖ם חֲר֥וֹן אַפּֽוֹ׃ (ט) כִּ֣י בְשׁוּבְכֶ֞ם עַל־ה׳ אֲחֵיכֶ֨ם וּבְנֵיכֶ֤ם לְרַֽחֲמִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י שֽׁוֹבֵיהֶ֔ם וְלָשׁ֖וּב לָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את כִּֽי־חַנּ֤וּן וְרַחוּם֙ ה׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֔ם וְלֹֽא־יָסִ֤יר פָּנִים֙ מִכֶּ֔ם אִם־תָּשׁ֖וּבוּ אֵלָֽיו׃ {ס} (י) וַיִּהְי֨וּ הָרָצִ֜ים עֹבְרִ֨ים מֵעִ֧יר ׀ לָעִ֛יר בְּאֶרֶץ־אֶפְרַ֥יִם וּמְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְעַד־זְבֻל֑וּן וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ מַשְׂחִיקִ֣ים עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וּמַלְעִגִ֖ים בָּֽם׃ (יא) אַךְ־אֲנָשִׁ֛ים מֵאָשֵׁ֥ר וּמְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וּמִזְּבֻל֑וּן נִֽכְנְע֔וּ וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ לִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ (יב) גַּ֣ם בִּיהוּדָ֗ה הָֽיְתָה֙ יַ֣ד הָאֱלֹקִ֔ים לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶ֖ם לֵ֣ב אֶחָ֑ד לַעֲשׂ֞וֹת מִצְוַ֥ת הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִ֖ים בִּדְבַ֥ר ה׳׃ (יג) וַיֵּאָסְפ֤וּ יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ עַם־רָ֔ב לַעֲשׂ֛וֹת אֶת־חַ֥ג הַמַּצּ֖וֹת בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֑י קָהָ֖ל לָרֹ֥ב מְאֹֽד׃ (יד) וַיָּקֻ֕מוּ וַיָּסִ֙ירוּ֙ אֶת־הַֽמִּזְבְּח֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְאֵ֤ת כׇּל־הַֽמְקַטְּרוֹת֙ הֵסִ֔ירוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֖יכוּ לְנַ֥חַל קִדְרֽוֹן׃ (טו) וַיִּשְׁחֲט֣וּ הַפֶּ֔סַח בְּאַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֑י וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֤ם נִכְלְמוּ֙ וַיִּֽתְקַדְּשׁ֔וּ וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ עֹל֖וֹת בֵּ֥ית ה׳׃ (טז) וַיַּעַמְד֤וּ עַל־עׇמְדָם֙ כְּמִשְׁפָּטָ֔ם כְּתוֹרַ֖ת מֹשֶׁ֣ה אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹקִ֑ים הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ זֹרְקִ֣ים אֶת־הַדָּ֔ם מִיַּ֖ד הַלְוִיִּֽם׃ (יז) כִּי־רַבַּ֥ת בַּקָּהָ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־הִתְקַדָּ֑שׁוּ וְהַלְוִיִּ֞ם עַל־שְׁחִיטַ֣ת הַפְּסָחִ֗ים לְכֹל֙ לֹ֣א טָה֔וֹר לְהַקְדִּ֖ישׁ לַה׳׃ (יח) כִּ֣י מַרְבִּ֣ית הָעָ֡ם רַ֠בַּ֠ת מֵאֶפְרַ֨יִם וּמְנַשֶּׁ֜ה יִשָּׂשכָ֤ר וּזְבֻלוּן֙ לֹ֣א הִטֶּהָ֔רוּ כִּֽי־אָכְל֥וּ אֶת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בְּלֹ֣א כַכָּת֑וּב כִּי֩ הִתְפַּלֵּ֨ל יְחִזְקִיָּ֤הוּ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר ה׳ הַטּ֖וֹב יְכַפֵּ֥ר בְּעַֽד׃ (יט) כׇּל־לְבָב֣וֹ הֵכִ֔ין לִדְר֛וֹשׁ הָאֱלֹקִ֥ים ׀ ה׳ אֱלֹקֵ֣י אֲבוֹתָ֑יו וְלֹ֖א כְּטׇהֳרַ֥ת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ {ס} (כ) וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע ה׳ אֶל־יְחִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ וַיִּרְפָּ֖א אֶת־הָעָֽם׃ {ס} (כא) וַיַּעֲשׂ֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵ֠ל הַנִּמְצְאִ֨ים בִּירוּשָׁלַ֜͏ִם אֶת־חַ֧ג הַמַּצּ֛וֹת שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים בְּשִׂמְחָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה וּֽמְהַלְלִ֣ים לַ֠ה׳ י֣וֹם ׀ בְּי֞וֹם הַלְוִיִּ֧ם וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים בִּכְלֵי־עֹ֖ז לַה׳׃ {ס} (כב) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְחִזְקִיָּ֗הוּ עַל־לֵב֙ כׇּל־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם הַמַּשְׂכִּילִ֥ים שֵֽׂכֶל־ט֖וֹב לַה׳ וַיֹּאכְל֤וּ אֶת־הַמּוֹעֵד֙ שִׁבְעַ֣ת הַיָּמִ֔ים מְזַבְּחִים֙ זִבְחֵ֣י שְׁלָמִ֔ים וּמִ֨תְוַדִּ֔ים לַה׳ אֱלֹקֵ֥י אֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ {ס} (כג) וַיִּוָּֽעֲצוּ֙ כׇּל־הַקָּהָ֔ל לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ שִׁבְעַת־יָמִ֖ים שִׂמְחָֽה׃ (כד) כִּ֣י חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְ֠הוּדָ֠ה הֵרִ֨ים לַקָּהָ֜ל אֶ֣לֶף פָּרִים֮ וְשִׁבְעַ֣ת אֲלָפִ֣ים צֹאן֒ {ס} וְהַשָּׂרִ֞ים הֵרִ֤ימוּ לַקָּהָל֙ פָּרִ֣ים אֶ֔לֶף וְצֹ֖אן עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת אֲלָפִ֑ים וַיִּֽתְקַדְּשׁ֥וּ כֹהֲנִ֖ים לָרֹֽב׃ (כה) וַֽיִּשְׂמְח֣וּ ׀ כׇּל־קְהַ֣ל יְהוּדָ֗ה וְהַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם וְכׇל־הַקָּהָ֖ל הַבָּאִ֣ים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהַגֵּרִ֗ים הַבָּאִים֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְהַיּוֹשְׁבִ֖ים בִּיהוּדָֽה׃ (כו) וַתְּהִ֥י שִׂמְחָֽה־גְדוֹלָ֖ה בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם כִּ֠י מִימֵ֞י שְׁלֹמֹ֤ה בֶן־דָּוִיד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א כָזֹ֖את בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ {ס} (כז) וַיָּקֻ֜מוּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֤ים הַלְוִיִּם֙ וַיְבָרְכ֣וּ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וַיִּשָּׁמַ֖ע בְּקוֹלָ֑ם וַתָּב֧וֹא תְפִלָּתָ֛ם לִמְע֥וֹן קׇדְשׁ֖וֹ לַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ {פ}
(1) Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah; he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh to come to the House of the LORD in Jerusalem to keep the Passover for the LORD God of Israel. (2) The king and his officers and the congregation in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month, (3) for at the time, they were unable to keep it, for not enough priests had sanctified themselves, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem. (4) The king and the whole congregation thought it proper (5) to issue a decree and proclaim throughout all Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan that they come and keep the Passover for the LORD God of Israel in Jerusalem—not often did they act in accord with what was written. (6) The couriers went out with the letters from the king and his officers through all Israel and Judah, by order of the king, proclaiming, “O you Israelites! Return to the LORD God of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and He will return to the remnant of you who escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. (7) Do not be like your fathers and brothers who trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers and He turned them into a horror, as you see. (8) Now do not be stiffnecked like your fathers; submit yourselves to the LORD and come to His sanctuary, which He consecrated forever, and serve the LORD your God so that His anger may turn back from you. (9) If you return to the LORD, your brothers and children will be regarded with compassion by their captors, and will return to this land; for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful; He will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.” (10) As the couriers passed from town to town in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh till they reached Zebulun, they were laughed at and mocked. (11) Some of the people of Asher and Manasseh and Zebulun, however, were contrite, and came to Jerusalem. (12) The hand of God was on Judah, too, making them of a single mind to carry out the command of the king and officers concerning the ordinance of the LORD. (13) A great crowd assembled at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very great congregation. (14) They set to and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and they removed all the incense stands and threw them into Wadi Kidron. (15) They slaughtered the paschal sacrifice on the fourteenth of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they sanctified themselves and brought burnt offerings to the House of the LORD. (16) They took their stations, as was their rule according to the Teaching of Moses, man of God. The priests dashed the blood [which they received] from the Levites. (17) Since many in the congregation had not sanctified themselves, the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the paschal sacrifice for everyone who was not clean, so as to consecrate them to the LORD. (18) For most of the people—many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun—had not purified themselves, yet they ate the paschal sacrifice in violation of what was written. Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “The good LORD will provide atonement for (19) everyone who set his mind on worshiping God, the LORD God of his fathers, even if he is not purified for the sanctuary.” (20) The LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people. (21) The Israelites who were in Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days, with great rejoicing, the Levites and the priests praising the LORD daily with powerful instruments for the LORD. (22) Hezekiah persuaded all the Levites who performed skillfully for the LORD to spend the seven days of the festival making offerings of well-being, and confessing to the LORD God of their fathers. (23) All the congregation resolved to keep seven more days, so they kept seven more days of rejoicing. (24) King Hezekiah of Judah contributed to the congregation 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep. And the officers contributed to the congregation 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And the priests sanctified themselves in large numbers. (25) All the congregation of Judah and the priests and the Levites and all the congregation that came from Israel, and the resident aliens who came from the land of Israel and who lived in Judah, rejoiced. (26) There was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for since the time of King Solomon son of David of Israel nothing like it had happened in Jerusalem. (27) The Levite priests rose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer went up to His holy abode, to heaven.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מֵעוֹלָם לָא נִתְמַעֵךְ אָדָם בָּעֲזָרָה, חוּץ מִפֶּסַח אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה בִּימֵי הִלֵּל, שֶׁנִּתְמַעֵךְ בּוֹ זָקֵן אֶחָד, וְהָיוּ קוֹרְאִין אוֹתוֹ ״פֶּסַח מְעוּכִין״. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: פַּעַם אַחַת בִּיקֵּשׁ אַגְרִיפַּס הַמֶּלֶךְ לִיתֵּן עֵינָיו בְּאוּכְלוּסֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל: תֵּן עֵינֶיךָ בַּפְּסָחִים. נָטַל כּוּלְיָא מִכׇּל אֶחָד, וְנִמְצְאוּ שָׁם שִׁשִּׁים רִיבּוֹא זוּגֵי כְלָיוֹת כִּפְלַיִם כְּיוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם. חוּץ מִטָּמֵא וְשֶׁהָיָה בְּדֶרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה. וְאֵין לָךְ כׇּל פֶּסַח וּפֶסַח שֶׁלֹּא נִמְנוּ עָלָיו יוֹתֵר מֵעֲשָׂרָה בְּנֵי אָדָם. וְהָיוּ קוֹרְאִין אוֹתוֹ ״פֶּסַח מְעוּבִּין״.
The Sages taught: No one was ever crushed by the great throngs of people in the Temple courtyard, except for one Passover in the days of Hillel when an old man was crushed, and they called that Passover the Passover of the crushed. The Sages taught: Once, King Agrippa wished to set his eyes on the multitudes [ukhlosin] of Israel to know how many they were. He said to the High Priest: Set your eyes on the Paschal lambs; count how many animals are brought in order to approximate the number of people. The High Priest took a kidney from each one, as the kidneys are burned on the altar, and six hundred thousand pairs of kidneys were found there, double the number of those who left Egypt. This did not reflect the sum total of the Jewish people, as it excluded those who were ritually impure or at a great distance, who did not come to offer the sacrifice. Furthermore, this was a count of the Paschal lambs and not of the people, and there was not a single Paschal lamb that did not have more than ten people registered for it. They called that Passover the Passover of the crowded, due to the large number of people.
FRAMING BROKENESS
What is the key to Jewish survival? Abraham’s life is defined by a pitched irony, in which promises a given by God yet unfulfilled. In fact, God tells Abraham from the outset the heartbreaking truth that his progeny will suffer? “You will be a stranger in a strange land” is not about some ancient past, but very much reflective of the present Jewish moment. Even the State of Israel has not eliminated our deep sense of insecurity and displacement. The exilic condition it seems is not a historical anomaly, but rather the rule. What are we supposed to learn from this, and how do we as a people respond?
(ז) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑יו אֲנִ֣י ה׳ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הוֹצֵאתִ֙יךָ֙ מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים לָ֧תֶת לְךָ֛ אֶת־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (ח) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אדושם ה׳ בַּמָּ֥ה אֵדַ֖ע כִּ֥י אִֽירָשֶֽׁנָּה׃ (ט) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו קְחָ֥ה לִי֙ עֶגְלָ֣ה מְשֻׁלֶּ֔שֶׁת וְעֵ֥ז מְשֻׁלֶּ֖שֶׁת וְאַ֣יִל מְשֻׁלָּ֑שׁ וְתֹ֖ר וְגוֹזָֽל׃ (י) וַיִּֽקַּֽח־ל֣וֹ אֶת־כׇּל־אֵ֗לֶּה וַיְבַתֵּ֤ר אֹתָם֙ בַּתָּ֔וֶךְ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אִישׁ־בִּתְר֖וֹ לִקְרַ֣את רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְאֶת־הַצִּפֹּ֖ר לֹ֥א בָתָֽר׃ (יא) וַיֵּ֥רֶד הָעַ֖יִט עַל־הַפְּגָרִ֑ים וַיַּשֵּׁ֥ב אֹתָ֖ם אַבְרָֽם׃ (יב) וַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ לָב֔וֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָ֖ה נָפְלָ֣ה עַל־אַבְרָ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵימָ֛ה חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה נֹפֶ֥לֶת עָלָֽיו׃ (יג) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאַבְרָ֗ם יָדֹ֨עַ תֵּדַ֜ע כִּי־גֵ֣ר ׀ יִהְיֶ֣ה זַרְעֲךָ֗ בְּאֶ֙רֶץ֙ לֹ֣א לָהֶ֔ם וַעֲבָד֖וּם וְעִנּ֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָֽה׃ (יד) וְגַ֧ם אֶת־הַגּ֛וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲבֹ֖דוּ דָּ֣ן אָנֹ֑כִי וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֥ן יֵצְא֖וּ בִּרְכֻ֥שׁ גָּדֽוֹל׃
(7) Then [God] said to him, “I am ה׳ who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to assign this land to you as a possession.” (8) And he said, “O lord ה׳, how shall I know that I am to possess it?” (9) Came the reply, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young bird.” (10) He brought all these and cut them in two, placing each half opposite the other; but he did not cut up the bird. (11) Birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. (12) As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a great dark dread descended upon him. (13) And [God] said to Abram, “Know well that your offspring shall be strangers in a land not theirs, and they shall be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years; (14) but I will execute judgment on the nation they shall serve, and in the end they shall go free with great wealth.
וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָם יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ (בראשית טו, יג), יָדֹעַ שֶׁאֲנִי מְפַזְּרָן, תֵּדַע שֶׁאֲנִי מְכַנְסָן. יָדֹעַ שֶׁאֲנִי מְמַשְׁכְּנָן, תֵּדַע שֶׁאֲנִי פּוֹרְקָן. יָדֹעַ שֶׁאֲנִי מְשַׁעְבְּדָן, תֵּדַע שֶׁאֲנִי גּוֹאֲלָן.
"You shall surely know..." Know that I will scatter them and know I will gather them. Know that I will create a home for them and know I will uproot them. Know that I will enslave them, and know that I will redeem them.
(ט) עמד אברהם והיה מתפלל לפני הב"ה כדי שלא ישתעבדו בניו בארבע מלכיות הללו ונפלה עליו שנת תרדמה ויישן לו שנאמר ותרדמה נפלה על אברם וכי יש לך אדם שהוא יושב וישן ויוכל להתפלל אלא ללמדך שהיה אברם שוכב וישן מכח תפלה כדי שישתעבדו ארבע' מלכיות הללו שנאמר והנה אימה חשכה גדולה נופלת עליו אימה זו מלכות אדום שנאמר דחילא ואימתני ותקיפא חשכה זו מלכות יון שהחשיכה עיניהם של ישראל מכל מצות התורה גדולה זו מלכות פרס ומדי שגדלה למכור את ישראל חנם נופלת זו מלכות בבל שנפלה בידם ישראל עליו אלו ישמעאלים שעליהם בן דוד יצמח שנאמר אויביו אלביש בושת.
(9) Abraham arose and prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, that his children should not be enslaved by these four kingdoms. A deep sleep fell upon him, and he slept, as it is said, "A deep sleep fell upon Abram" (Gen. 15:12). Does then a man lie down and sleep, and yet be able to pray? But this teaches thee that Abraham was lying down and sleeping because of the intensity of his prayer that his children might be enslaved || these four kingdoms, as it is said, "And, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him" (ibid.). "Horror" refers to the kingdom of Edom, as it is written, "And behold a fourth beast, terrible and powerful, and strong exceedingly" (Dan. 7:7). "Darkness" is the kingdom of those who darken the eyes of Israel (by preventing the observance of) all the precepts which are in the Torah. "Great" (Gen. 15:12) refers to the kingdom of Media and Persia, which was great (enough to be able to afford) to sell Israel for nought. "Fell" (ibid.) refers to the kingdom of Babylon, because in their hand fell the crown of Israel, as it is said, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen" (Isa. 21:9). "Upon him" (Gen. 15:12) refers to the Ishmaelites, upon whom the Son of David will flourish, as it is said, "His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon him shall his crown flourish" (Ps. 132:18).
(ג) וָאֵרָ֗א אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּאֵ֣ל שַׁדָּ֑י וּשְׁמִ֣י ה' לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖עְתִּי לָהֶֽם׃
(3) I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but I did not make Myself known to them by My name ה'.
(ג) ושמי ה' לא נודעתי להם. לֹא הוֹדַעְתִּי אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי, לֹא נִכַּרְתִּי לָהֶם בְּמִדַת אֲמִתּוּת שֶׁלִּי, שֶׁעָלֶיהָ נִקְרָא שְׁמִי ה', נֶאֱמָן לְאַמֵּת דְּבָרַי, שֶׁהֲרֵי הִבְטַחְתִּים וְלֹא קִיַּמְתִּי:
(3) ושמי ה׳ לא נודעתי להם BUT BY MY NAME THE LORD WAS I NOT KNOWN TO THEM — It is not written here לא הודעתי [My name the Lord] I did not make known to them, but לא נודעתי [by My name, the Lord], was I not known [unto them] — i. e. I was not recognised by them in My attribute of “keeping faith”, by reason of which My name is called ה׳, which denotes that I am certain to substantiate My promise, for, indeed, I made promises to them but did not fulfill them [during their lifetime].
The Irony of the Life of Abraham
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃ (ב) וְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ֙ לְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל וַאֲבָ֣רֶכְךָ֔ וַאֲגַדְּלָ֖ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה׃ (ג) וַאֲבָֽרְכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה׃
(1) ה' said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. (2) I will make of you a great nation,And I will bless you;I will make your name great,And you shall be a blessing.*a blessing I.e., a standard by which blessing is invoked; (3) I will bless those who bless youAnd curse the one who curses you;And all the families of the earthShall bless themselves by you.”
(ב) וַיֹּ֡אמֶר קַח־נָ֠א אֶת־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת־יְחִֽידְךָ֤ אֲשֶׁר־אָהַ֙בְתָּ֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְלֶ֨ךְ־לְךָ֔ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּ֑ה וְהַעֲלֵ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה עַ֚ל אַחַ֣ד הֶֽהָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
(2) “Take your son, your favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will point out to you.”
"JEWISH STORY TELLING"- Narrative Frameworks
מַתְחִיל בִּגְנוּת וּמְסַיֵּים בְּשֶׁבַח. מַאי בִּגְנוּת? רַב אָמַר: ״מִתְּחִלָּה עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָיוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ״. [וּשְׁמוּאֵל] אָמַר: ״עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ״.
It was taught in the mishna that the father begins his answer with disgrace and concludes with glory. The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the term: With disgrace? Rav said that one should begin by saying: At first our forefathers were idol worshippers, before concluding with words of glory. And Shmuel said: The disgrace with which one should begin his answer is: We were slaves.
Avital Chizuk-Goldschmidt, "The Power of Imagination," in The Promise of Liberty: A Passover Haggadah, Stuart Halpern and Jacob Kupietzky eds., (Maggid, 2024), pp. 234-235
[The context is she is first generation American, children of Soviet emigres.] For years, I longed for the "right" kind of seder- a litany of divrei Torah and of songs sung by the whole table. I dreamt of a Seder where the intergenerational transmission of tradition went from old to young, rather from young to old, which is how I (rather arrogantly) saw our Seder. And the transposing of Soviet memory onto the text, at first, seemed inauthentic. It was as if the towers of the Kremlin were blocking my view of the pyramids of Pithom and Raamses.
Later did I realize tatr that was, in fact, the embodiment of "In every generation a person must see themselves as if they left Egypt themselves." Little did I understand that those memories, those stories of oppression, antisemitism, hunger, taking place across the landscape of Kiev, Kharkov, and the steppes of Northern Siberia- they were the ultimate fulfillment of the chiyuv, the obligation, to imagine.
The ability to imagine is an essential part of our religious experience. We are called upon to use our personal experiences to access emotional relevance to ritual; withour stories, stories that feel intimate, the ritual risks feeling irrelevant, distant, academic even. It is our secret hardships which help us understand what Egypt is, and it is jubilant victories which help us understand the crossing of the Sea....
PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSES
(ז) יוֹצֵ֥ר אוֹר֙ וּבוֹרֵ֣א חֹ֔שֶׁךְ עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁל֖וֹם וּב֣וֹרֵא רָ֑ע אֲנִ֥י ה' עֹשֶׂ֥ה כׇל־אֵֽלֶּה׃ {פ}
(7) I form light and create darkness,I make weal and create woe—I the LORD do all these things.
אֶלָּא מֵעַתָּה ״עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם וּבוֹרֵא רָע״, מִי קָא אָמְרִינַן כְּדִכְתִיב?! אֶלָּא כְּתִיב ״רַע״ וְקָרֵינַן ״הַכֹּל״ לִישָּׁנָא מְעַלְּיָא, הָכָא נָמֵי לֵימָא ״נוֹגַהּ״, לִישָּׁנָא מְעַלְּיָא!
The Gemara strongly objects: But if so, what about the continuation of the verse: “Who makes peace and creates evil”? Do we say this blessing as it is written in the Bible? Rather, it is written evil and we euphemistically recite the blessing all things to avoid mention of evil. Here, too, let us euphemistically say brightness instead of darkness.
חַיָּיב אָדָם לְבָרֵךְ עַל הָרָעָה כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ עַל הַטּוֹבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכׇל לְבָבְךָ וְגוֹ׳״. ״בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ״ — בִּשְׁנֵי יְצָרֶיךָ, בְּיֵצֶר טוֹב וּבְיֵצֶר הָרָע. ״וּבְכׇל נַפְשְׁךָ״ — אֲפִילּוּ הוּא נוֹטֵל אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ. ״וּבְכׇל מְאֹדֶךָ״ — בְּכָל מָמוֹנְךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר: ״בְּכָל מְאֹדֶךָ״ — בְּכָל מִדָּה וּמִדָּה שֶׁהוּא מוֹדֵד לְךָ הֱוֵי מוֹדֶה לוֹ.
The mishna articulates a general principle: One is obligated to recite a blessing for the bad that befalls him just as he recites a blessing for the good that befalls him, as it is stated: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The mishna explains this verse as follows: “With all your heart” means with your two inclinations, with your good inclination and your evil inclination, both of which must be subjugated to the love of God. “With all your soul” means even if God takes your soul. “And with all your might” means with all your money, as money is referred to in the Bible as might. Alternatively, it may be explained that “with all your might” means with every measure that He metes out to you; whether it is good or troublesome, thank Him.
RADICAL REINTERPRETATIONS, OR DENIAL OF REALITY?
אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: מֹשֶׁה תִּקֵּן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּרְכַּת ״הַזָּן״ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיָּרַד לָהֶם מָן. יְהוֹשֻׁעַ תִּקֵּן לָהֶם בִּרְכַּת הָאָרֶץ כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ. דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה תִּקְּנוּ ״בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם״. דָּוִד תִּקֵּן ״עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּךָ וְעַל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עִירֶךָ״, וּשְׁלֹמֹה תִּקֵּן ״עַל הַבַּיִת הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ״. ״הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב״ בְּיַבְנֶה תִּקְּנוּהָ כְּנֶגֶד הֲרוּגֵי בֵּיתָר. דְּאָמַר רַב מַתְנָא: אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שֶׁנִּיתְּנוּ הֲרוּגֵי בֵּיתָר לִקְבוּרָה תִּקְנוּ בְּיַבְנֶה ״הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב״. ״הַטּוֹב״ — שֶׁלֹּא הִסְרִיחוּ, ״וְהַמֵּטִיב״ — שֶׁנִּיתְּנוּ לִקְבוּרָה.
With regard to the origins of the four blessings of Grace after Meals, Rav Naḥman said: Moses instituted for Israel the first blessing of: Who feeds all, when the manna descended for them and they needed to thank God.Joshua instituted the blessing of the land when they entered Eretz Yisrael.David and Solomon instituted the third blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, in the following manner: David instituted “…on Israel Your people and on Jerusalem Your city…” as he conquered the city, and Solomon instituted “…on the great and Holy Temple…” as he was the one who built the Temple. They instituted the blessing: Who is good and does good, at Yavne in reference to the slain Jews of the city of Beitar at the culmination of the bar Kokheva rebellion. They were ultimately brought to burial after a period during which Hadrian refused to permit their burial. As Rav Mattana said: On the same day that the slain of Beitar were brought to burial, they instituted the blessing: Who is good and does good, at Yavne. Who is good, thanking God that the corpses did not decompose while awaiting burial, and does good, thanking God that they were ultimately brought to burial.
Daniel S. Nevins, A Place Among the Mourners of Jerusalem, Conservative Judaism, 58:4 (2006): 56-57
Rabbi Joseph B Soloveitchik, Festival of Freedom, pp 96-97
(Commenting on the verses of kedusha)
Sometimes we need not search for the Holy One; we see His presence in the whole world. Other times we must search for Him at great length. When it is a time of favor and grace, when we can see him in the world, He is praised on Kadosh- the Kadosh Baruch Hu. When the Divine Presence is not evident, when their is Hester Panim, we say his glory is blessed from His place, mekomo, wherever it may be.
The path of the Jewish is neither a straight road nor an easy one; it twists and turns, up and down, over seas and deserts. True- in the end, the Holy One Kept his promise and 'calculated the end' of the bondage. God ultimately took our forefathers our of Egypt, but in the beginning, the choosing of Abraham was by the Makom and the realization of his promise hidden from view.
The Jew has taught me to wait- so wrote Heinrich Ibsen, a gentile and very sensitive person (Peer Gynt [1867], act 4). This is the greatness of our people. Waiting is the art a Jew knows best; no other nationa knows how to wait like the Jew. "Next year in Jersualem!" "This year we are here; next year-in the land of Israel!" "This year we are slaves; next year - free men! This is a characteristic trait of the Jew. The Messiah is a little slow in coming; nevertheless, we are still waiting. If he knocks on our door, we will open it for him.
Daniel Reiser, Creative Writing in the Shadow of Death: Psychological and Phenomenological Aspects of Rabbi Shapira's Manuscript "Sermons from the Years of Rage", in Don Seeman, Daniel Reiser and Ariel Evan Mayse eds., Hasidism, Suffering and Renewal: The Prewar and Holocaust Legacy of Rabbi Kalonymous Kalman Shapira (USA: SUNY, 2021), 196
There are times when a person is astounded by himself, exclaiming, “Am I not broken? Am I not nearly always in the state of tears crying from time to time? How can I study Torah? In what means may I strengthen myself to produce new teachings of Torah and chasidut?!’ At times, his heart strikes him, as he declares: “Is it not my heartlessness and allows me to fortify myself in the study of Torah on my sorrows when the sorrows of the Jewish people are so great?“ He will once more answer himself, “Am I not broken? How great are my tears; all of my life is well and gloom.“ This person is perplexed by himself.
Reiser’s comment on this text. The ability to live in between these two opposing worlds – the world of literary creation and innovation in the world of total destruction – his testimony to a special kind of resilient deserving description in it’s own right
(Self-reflective editorial Comment of Shapira in the margins of the book.)
CREATING PATHWAYS OF HOPE
Hope in psychological terms is a positive perceptual BIAS that facilitates the DISCOVERY and RETENTION of favorable future OUTCOMES – Anthony Scioli
(כט) ועל פי זה יובן מה שנאמר אז ישיר, לשון עתיד על שעלתה בלבם לומר שירה קודם התשועה. וכמו שפירש רש"י שמשום שעלתה בלבם לומר שירה נאמר ישיר. ובזה מובן שכוונת הכתוב כך, ויאמינו בה׳ ובמשה עבדו אז ישיר משה ובני ישראל, פירוש אז בעת ישיר משה ובני ישראל, שקאי על קודם התשועה שמשום הכי נאמר ישיר, אז ויאמינו בה׳ ובמשה עבדו, שגם קודם התשועה האמינו שבוודאי יעשה עמהם ניסים ונפלאות. וחידוש גדול השמיענו הכתוב שגם קודם התשועה האמינו בה׳ שבוודאי יושיע להם שלבם היה נכון בטוח בה׳. וקאמר ויאמינו בה׳ ובמשה עבדו ואז ישיר, וזהו לשון אז, כלומר באותו זמן שקפץ נחשון לתוך הים ובא עד צוארו קודם שנבקע הים עלה במחשבה של ישראל שיעשה להם נס וישירו שירה ולכן מובן תיבת הזאת שאיננו מובן, כלומר באותו זמן קודם שנבקע הים בטחו שיעשה האל נס ויבקע הים ואז בטחו שישירו שירה הזאת על הנס. ובזה יובן הכתוב נכון כסאך מאז, שאמר המדרש נכון כסאך מאז, מאז ישיר:
(29) According to Rashi on the last words, G’d told Moses that the merit of their forefathers coupled with their own faith would suffice for the sea to split and to allow them passage. G’d told Moses that He was aware of the people’s basic faith that He would split the sea for them. This awareness of G’d stemmed from His knowing that they had already formulated in their minds the words of the song of thanksgiving that they would sing after completing their safe crossing of the sea. This is also what Rashi means when he says on psalms 114,2 היתה יהודה לקדשו ישראל ממשלותיו, “Yehudah became His holy one, Israel His dominion.” The psalmist refers to Nachshon’s act of faith in jumping into the sea. Because the Israelites’ faith was so strong they were able to formulate the words of the song even before the miracle of their deliverance had occurred.
תניא אמר רבי מאיר מניין לתחיית המתים מן התורה שנאמר (שמות טו, א) אז ישיר משה ובני ישראל את השירה הזאת לה' שר לא נאמר אלא ישיר מכאן לתחיית המתים מן התורה כיוצא בדבר אתה אומר (יהושע ח, ל) אז יבנה יהושע מזבח לה' בנה לא נאמר אלא יבנה מכאן לתחיית המתים מן התורה
It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Meir said: From where is resurrection of the dead derived from the Torah? It is derived from a verse, as it is stated: “Then Moses and the children of Israel will sing this song to the Lord” (Exodus 15:1). It is not stated: Sang, in the verse; rather, the term “they will sing” is stated, indicating that Moses will come back to life and sing the song in the future. From here it is proved that resurrection of the dead is derived from the Torah. On a similar note, you can say: “Then Joshua will build an altar to the Lord God of Israel on Mount Ebal” (Joshua 8:30). It is not stated: Built, in the verse; rather, the term “will build” is stated. From here, resurrection of the dead is derived from the Torah.
Rabbi Frederick Klein, Times of Israel Blog, Yom Kippur 2023
Yom Kippur and Sukkot
Cultivating Faith when Life Does not Makes Sense
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, months before his untimely death in the midst of the pandemic, captured the uncertainty and fear that gripped so many. He said, “Faith is not certainty, but the courage to live with uncertainty.” My colleague, The Reverand Theo Johnson said a similar thing to me in conversation. He said, “We do not know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.” Of course, both were echoing a more ancient voice, that of King David. “Even as the shadow of death befalls me, I shall fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23).
Faith is not a philosophical perspective based upon understanding with certainty- even if some rabbis and ministers would like to argue otherwise- but a behavioral response to the events which occur in our lives which cannot and will never be understood. Faith is a reorienting of the self in which the main question is to consider how in our uncertain life we are to live powerfully and with meaning right now. That is at essence what mitzvot are meant to convey. Living before eternity as opposed to the present ephemeral moment is meaningful, and it is redemptive- not only for us but for the world. Faith is not a belief, but an action. To be faithful is to engage in actions of faith and hope.