PIRQE ABOT: Who wants to be a Hasid?

כי ידוע הוא שהמעלה הגדולה אשר אין אחריה מעלה היא שיהיה האדם טוב לשמים וטוב לבריות

מגן אבות לרשב”ץ, הקדמה

Rabbi Shimon Duran (Rashbets, 1361-1444) explains in his commentary to Pirqe Abot that the reason we study this treatise of the Mishna before Shabuot is to reach the level of “Hasid”. “Hasid” is usually translated by pious, or devoted Jew. Or more popularly as “ultra-religious”. Let’s see now how Rabbi Duran understood the concept of “Hasid” 600 years ago.

The Hasid stands at a level above that of the Tsadiq, the righteous man. Rabbi Duran  quotes the Gemara in Qiddushin 40a that says that a person could be a  “non-righteous tsadiq” . For instance, if someone is very meticulous in his relationship with God, but does not behave well towards people, or vice versa. Rabbi Duran explains that “the highest level of religious observance, above which there is no other level,  is when a Yehudi is simultaneously good to HaShem and good to other people.” If one of these two dimensions does not exist, religious observance is incomplete. The Hasid is the Yehudi who observes the commandments toward God, and he also behaves correctly, with love and concern for others. This idea is based on two texts of the Gemara where the concept of “Hasid” appears.

 In the Gemara Berakhot the Rabbis said that the “First Hasidim” (that is, the epitome of the role model individuals of the Jewish people) use to pray for three hours, three times a day. In other words, they spent most of the day praying to God. From here we see that one can not be a Hasid if he or she does not maintain a deep and close relationship with HaShem.

On the other hand,  another Gemara mentions the Hasidim Rishonim, those who were praying nine hours per day, in a different scene, as  role models of a strict  moral behavior. The example that the Gemara brings is incredibly modern. These Hasidim,  the Gemara in Baba Qama 30a says,  were very careful in the way they disposed of their garbage. If they had to get rid of broken glass or thorny branches, they would dig a hole three feet deep and threw this type of garbage there, so that no damage would occur to anyone, not even to someone who years later would be plowing that parcel of land.

 This selfless love for people, which translates into the desire to avoid causing harm to others, is what earned them the name of Hasidim (remember that the word “Hasid” comes from “Hesed”, which means “kindness”, “doing good deeds for other people”).

In this way,  rabbi Duran says, the Gemara gives us a complete and full picture of what it means to be a “Hasid” . On the one hand, whoever wants to be a Hasid must build and maintain a very close connection with HaShem. And on the other hand, he or she must love people and be very careful in dealing with others, doing everything in his power to help and to avoid causing harm to another human being, directly or indirectly.

Rabbi Duran now concludes: Why studying Pirqe About as a preparation for receiving the Tora? Because this Mishna contains the words of the Rabbis as to how to become a Hasid, in other words, how to be a good Jew with God and with our neighbor.



Rabbi Yehuda Moscato (1530-1593) and the Cuzary

Rabbi Yehuda Moscato was born in Osimo, Italy in 1530. He was a rabbi a poet, and a philosopher. He left Osimo in 1555 and went to Mantua  (Montova) when the situation of the Jews there worsened under the pope Paul IV. In Mantua he had the instruction of the foremost Jews of his time, the brothers Moshe, David, and Yehuda Provençal and Azaria de Rossi. In 1587 he became chief rabbi of Mantua.
Rabbi Moscato was educated in all areas of knowledge. As many of his contemporaries, he believed that Jews should learn liberal arts and sciences because all knowledge derives from Tora knowledge.   In terms of Jewish thought he followed the greatest Jewish Philosophers, rabbi Yehuda haLevy and Maimonides.
Rabbi Moscato also wrote poetry.  Especially “elegies” (funerary poetry) on the deaths of friends and scholars, including one poem on the death of Rabbi Yosef Caro (1585).
We know of two books published by rabbi Moscato. The first one is Nefutsot Yehuda. This book was composed in Mantua and published in Venice in 1589. It is a collection of  fifty-two sermons which takes the subject of Jewish festivals as a platform for addressing issues in philosophy, theology, ethics, history, and other subjects that were relevant for the speaker and for his audience. These sermons were delivered in Hebrew and Italian.
Illustration: Sermon eleven is entitled: “What should a man do to live rightly in this world and to inherit the world to come?”  ( מה יעשה האדם ויחיה בזה ובבא ). The sermon is build around the Psalm 15 of the book of Tehilim.  Rabbi Moscato explains that this Psalm could be divided thematically into three subjects: the obligations of man toward God, the obligations of man toward men, and the obligations of man toward himself.
Rabbi Moscato shows that also the Ten commandments are divided into these three categories, as expressed in man’s actions, speech and thoughts.
The book Nefutsot Yehuda was translated into English by Gianfraco Milet and Giusepe Veltri and it can be found in Google books, see   here
The Second important book Rabbi moscato wrote is Qol Yehuda, the first and the most popular commentary of the book “The Cuzari” , by rabbi Yehuda haLevi.
One interesting point brought by rabbi Moscato is the historicity of the Cuzari, in other words, the assertion that the dialogues and debates between a Jewish sage, the “haber” Rabbi Yitshak haSangari, and the King of the Khazars was a real and historical event, and not a literary fiction of Rabbi Yehuda haLevi.
“ Should it not be believed that the great and awe-inspiring story which is the basis and essence of this book [The Cuzari by Yehuda HaLevi] is true and really happened? If that were not so, why would the author of the book lie? For he wrote in the beginning of his book: ‘As it has been recorded and known from historical works.’ He repeated that in the introduction to the second part of his book: ‘This is what happened afterwards with regard to the Kuzari, as it is known in the books of Khazaria.”
Today is accepted even by secular historians that the events narrated in the Cuzari took place in the eight century, in the times of the King Bulan. And that the Khazars, or at least a notable segments of its aristocracy, converted to Judaism.
Rabbi Yehuda Moscato died in Montova Italy in 1593.To download the book Nefutsot Yehuda follow this link



YOM HAZIKARON: 23,320 z’l

Israel Independence Day, YOM HA’ATZMAUT, will begin BH tonight. It celebrates the anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 (5708), 67 years ago.

Today, one day before the great celebration, we commemorate YOM HAZIKARON, a day devoted to honor the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for the establishment of the State of Israel and its continued existence.

They are Israel’s heroes. “The silver platter” on which the State of Israel was given to us. As Rabbi Melamed says: These soldiers, most of them very young men, sacrificed all for having our land, where we will fulfill our biggest dream, that all of AM ISRAEL will be back in its land, serving HaShem. The state we have, is becuase of them.  The children raised in Israel, is for their merit. The Tora studied in Israel, for their merit.  We should be inspired by their devotion sacrifice, and dedicate our lifes to sanctify God’s name (leqaddesh shem shamayim).

Today in Israel tens of thousands of people attend the local cemeteries to mourn their children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, spouses and friends. We honor 23.320 soldiers and victims of terror, who fell on the wars of Israel, from the Independence war in 1948 until today.

In the morning, at 11.00 am, a siren sounds across the country. Everyone and everything stops for two minutes: people, cars, businesses, public transportation, etc. honoring the memory of the fallen heroes. Many Israelis would spend the day at home watching on the Israeli National TV the short clips prepared especially for the occasion, in which they show the lives, the bravery and the heroism, particularly of the soldiers and victims of terror who were murdered this year.

Please, light a candle in their memory.

 

May HaShem treasure the souls of the fallen soldiers in Gan Eden.

 

May HaShem protect our soldiers and shield them from the hands of our enemies.   

 

May HaShem bring everlasting peace to Medinat Israel. AMEN

 

 



What do we celebrate in Yom HaAtsmaut?

אם-יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲךָ, בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמָיִם מִשָּׁם, יְקַבֶּצְךָ ה ‘אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וּמִשָּׁם, יִקָּחֶךָ. וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ ה ‘אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-יָרְשׁוּ אֲבֹתֶיךָ וִירִשְׁתָּהּ; וְהֵיטִבְךָ וְהִרְבְּךָ, מֵאֲבֹתֶיךָ

  4 ‘דברים ל

The Tora speaks of reward and punishment for the mitsvot we do or fail to do. There are penalties established for individuals and collective punishments, which affect the entire Jewish people. The most severe collective punishment that the Tora stipulates for the rebellion of Israel is “exile”. So says, for example, Debarim 28: 64-65 “And then [if Israel abandons my Tora] HaShem will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other …. among those nations you will not find peace or a resting place … You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life … “.

But just as the Tora predicted the rebellion of Am Israel and the horrors of the exile, it also predicted the reconciliation and the return of Israel to their land (qibbuts galuiyot).

In chapter 30 of the book of Debarim (Deut.) This process is explicitly described. Let’s analyze it verse by verse.

In the previous chapter, as we said, the Tora states that if the people of Israel leave the Tora they will be taken into exile and live oppressed and persecuted by the nations. Now, the Tora says that a new thought will awake within the Jew.

30:1 “And when all these [bad] things will happen to you (= exile, persecution, suffering) … and you would reflect in your heart, while you are among the nations where HaShem your God has led you … “. This pasuq describes the beginning of Teshuba, our return to HaShem. This reconciliation begins with us. First, with a new way of thinking. Understanding that all the suffering, the bad things that happened to the nation of Israel, was predicted by the Tora thousands of years ago. Thereore,  and this is the “new” thinking, if leaving HaShem has caused all this suffering, if we return to Him, our exile and tribuations will end. This thought should awake a feeling: feeling closer to Hashem, realizing that He loves us as a father loves his children.

This is what the next pasuq says

30:2 “And then you woud come closer to HaShem your God and obey his voice,  all I’m commanding you this day, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul.” These thoughts and feelings must be translated into actions: observing the Tora, our covenant with HaShem. In a way, by observing the mitzvot the individual Jew is “resetting” the dormant covenant with HaShem, reactivating it.

Once we take the first step, it is the turn of HaShem. The greatest miracle is about to be detailed:

30:3 “And then [when this happens] HaShem your God will bring you back from among the captives (= the Jews who were exiled among all the nations of the earth), and He will have compassion on you, and He will gather you from all the peoples where HaShem your God has scattered you. “

HaShem’s response to our Teshuba is qibbuts galuiyot, ending our exile, bringing us back from all the nations of the earth to our own land.

Thus says the following pasuq

30:4 “Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens,  from there HaShem your God will gather you and bring you back  [to your land].”

 

No matter how far we are. HaShem will bring us back from exile. And would He take us?

30: 5 “HaShem your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors.”

The process of returning to the land of Israel is taking place today. More and more Jews return to the land that Hashem granted to our parents. Israel is a very prosperous country, more porsperous than ever, and the number of Yehudim living there has never been higher. No doubt there is still much to do and improve, but the fact is that our collective reconciliation but HaShem has begun. We are probably the most privileged generation of all Jewish history. We are living this ancient and beautiful prophecy. Moreover,  we ARE that prophecy.



Learning the details of Sefirat hOmer

esterday we explained that the counting of the days of ‘omer connects the Holiday of Pesah, the commemoration of our physical freedom, with Shabu’ot, the day we received the Tora and we attained our “mental” freedom.

 

Following, a brief summary of the basic laws of Sefirat ha’omer.
WHO?
Counting the days of ‘omer is  mandatory for adult males. Women can also count the days but they should not recite the blessing. In some Ashkenazi communities it is customary for women to say the Berakha for counting the ‘omer. Children can count the ‘omer and  recite the blessing, as a training for the future (hinukh).
HOW?
The counting of the ‘omer takes place at night and it is preceded by the blessing: ... asher qiddeshanu bemitsvotav vetsivanu ‘al sefirat ha’omer. Then we proceed to count the days and the weeks. Today, for example, is the tenth day of the ‘omer, that is, one week and three days since the ‘omer.
WHAT IF…?
If we forget to count the ‘omer at night we can still count it during the next day until sunset. But only when we count at night we recite the proper blessing. If we miss one entire day, and we did not count the ‘omer during that night or the following day, we should continue counting, but in the opinion of most contemporary rabbis, Sephardim and Ashkenazim, we should not recite the blessing anymore.
It is customary in most communities to announce the day of the ‘omer in the morning Minyanim, so no one misses one entire day.
WHEN?
The days of the ‘omer are counted at night. Because for us Jews, the new day starts at night. Now, at what precise moment the new day starts and at what time the previous day ends is a complicated technical Halakhic matter.
Very briefly: there are two possible astronomic indicators for the new day. “Sunset”, when the sun disappears from sight, and “nightfall”, which is marked by the visibility of three medium size stars in the sky. All Rabbis agree that before sunset it is still considered day # 1, and most Rabbis agree that after three medium stars are visible it is considered day #2.  The time in between sunset and the appearance of the three stars is known as “twilight” or in Hebrew, “ben hashemashot”. This time-period can fluctuate between 13 ½ minutes (for example in Israel or in other areas closer to the equator line) and 3 hours or more in extreme southern or northern locations. In New York area, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, etc., the length of this time is approximately 30 minutes (it also varies in different seasons). According to a very famous Gemara day #1 ends and day # 2 begins at an unknown, unidentifiable brief instant within this “twilight zone”. Now, what do we do in practical terms when we need to perform a Mitsva which needs to take into account the beginning of a new day? Regarding Shabbat, for example, we take the strictest stand by receiving Shabbat always a few minutes before sunset, and ending Shabbat only after three medium stars are visible.
For the Omer, ideally one should count the ‘omer only after nightfall. In many  Sephardic communities in America however, the rabbis would authorize to count the ‘omer 15 minutes after sunset (thus says rabbi Eliyahu ben Hayim, for example). In exceptional circumstances Rabbis would authorize to count with berakha earlier, but never before sunset.
Every individual should follow the customs of his or her own community.
TO READ ABOUT THE TRADITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS OF THE DAYS OMER SEE THIS


Rabbi Shimon Duran (1361-1444) and his commentary to Pirqe about

Rabbi Shimon ben Tsemah Duran , also known as the “RASHBETS” was born in 1361 in Majorca, Spain.  In his youth he studied with the famous Rabbi Efraim Vidal,  the head of the Yeshiba of Majorca.  Besides his profound studies in Tora, and following the classic educational method of  Spanish Jews, he acquired a thorough knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, philosophy and particularly medicine. In Majorca, Rabbi Duran practiced as a physician and a surgeon in the city of Palma.
The Jewish community of Majorca was prosperous, and before the massacres of 1391 the Jewish community there consisted of more than 1,000 families. In 1391 the anti-Jewish riots sweeping Spain also reached Majorca. In the city of Palma the riots broke out on July 10.  The mob broke down the gates of the  Jewish quarter (known in Spanish as the “Call” =Qahal)  and massacred scores of Jews, pillaging, and stealing their possessions.  Many Jews were forced to accept baptism in order to save their lives. Other Jews were tortured to death for not accepting baptism, among them Rabbi Duran’s old teacher, Rabbi Vidal. Those who “converted” were subjects to the scrutiny of the Inquisition who persecuted them. If a “converso” was found practicing Judaism (“judaizando”) he will be burned alive. The descendants of Majorcan conversos kept Judaism in secret for centuries. Until the close of the 15th century, 346 trials of the Inquisition were held in Majorca and 257 “conversos” (popularly known as “marranos”) were condemn to death by fire. By 1771 the Inquisition had sent a total of 594 “conversos” to the stake. The Majorcan “conversos” are known by a specific name “chuetas” (see  here).
Back to rabbi Duran, in September 1391 he escaped to Algiers, in North Africa. In Algiers Rabbi Shimon was unable to earn his livelihood from his medical profession, since the native population resorted to “healers”  rather than to professional doctors.  Reluctantly, he was forced to accept a salaried office of rabbi.  Rabbi Shimon Duran joined the Bet Din of the famous rabbi Isaac bar Sheshet, (RIBASH). These two Rabbis  and later on Rabbi Duran’s son, Rabbi Shimon Duran (RASHBASH) established  the foundation for the “Sephardic” customs and traditions of Algerian and most North African Jews. After the death of rabbi Isaac bar Sheshat (1408) Rabbi Duran was appointed as the Rabbi of Algiers. His Halakhic decisions were a guide to later posqim who frequently quote them, including rabbi Yosef caro in the Bet Yosef/Shulhan ‘arukh.
BOOKS
Rabbi Shimon Duran wrote 14 books.
His most famous work is undoubtedly the responsa known as TASHBETS, a collection of 802 Halakhic questions an answers.
His other books are less known. So, they deserve perhaps more attention.
Rabbi Duran wrote many books on the area of ideas and beliefs. He wrote a monumental book called Magen Abot, “In defense of our fathers”. This book comprises four tractates, which sometimes were published as independent works.
In the first tractate,  חלק א׳ ממעל, Rabbi Duran deals with subjects related to theology. God’s existence, unity, incorporeality, etc.  This tractate was written mainly against the backdrop of the philosophical Aristotelian thinking prevalent in his days, akin to what today would be considered “secular thinking”.
In the second tractate חלק שוסינו he explains the concept of Tora Min HaShamayim, i.e., the divine origin of our Tora, prophecy, the oral Tora, etc.
The third tractate, חלק יעקב, is mainly about the Jewish beliefs of the immortality of the soul and resurrection.
In these three tractates he systemically follows and defends the 13 principles of faith established by Maimonides. Also, within these books, Rabbi Duran wrote a long chapter where he critically compares Judaism with Christianity and Islam. He clarified that he wrote this chapter to give ammunition to the Jews who were constantly persecuted by missioners, from both religions, trying to convince them to leave their faith. This book, which is not only apologetic but highly critical of those faiths, was censured for centuries and was published as an independent booklet in Livorno, Italy, 1785 under the name “Qeshet uMagen”(bow andarrows, to attack, a shield, to defend)
The fourth part of  Magen Abot is a comnatery on Pirqe Abot, and it mainly deals with Jewish ethics.
Since we are in the days of the Omer, and it is customary to study Pirqe Abot in the coming days I will be writing mainly about this Mishna. Ihis year, BH, I will base my commentaries on Magen Abot, the book written on the subject by Rabbi Duran.
I will be using a new edition of this book which was graciously sent to me by the author, rabbi Eliyahu Zini, from Haifa, who published this new edition in 2014 ( see here ).
To download the book Qeshet uMagen click here


PESAH: What to do today and tomorrow?

THURSDAY APRIL 2nd
One of the biblical prohibitions of Pesah is owning Hamets: to keep Hamets in our possession during Pesah. To avoid this, before Pesah we clean our houses and other premisses (car, office, etc.) and remove all Hamets food that can be found there. Then tonight, when the first stars come out (in NY, 7.45pm), we make the Bediqat Hamets, i.e.,  the last inspection for any Hamets food that could have remained in our property after cleaning. How do we do the Bediqat Hamets? With the help of a candle or a flashlight, we look everywhere in our house where we could have brought, eaten or stored foods. We must check especially in the kitchen, in all areas of food storage, like the pantry, refrigerator, freezer and all other places where food is usually kept. In the bediqat Hamets we are  looking particularly for Hamets food: cookies, crackers, bread, pasta, frozen foods, protein drinks, cereals, and alcoholic beverages made from grain (beer, whiskey, most vodkas, etc).

 

After the bediqa we keep in a safe place the Hamets that we will be eliminating in the morning, and in a different place, the Hamets that we will consume tomorrow morning.

Then we say the first kal Jamira, the formula by which we renounce to our possession of any Hamets that belongs to us and we have not found

KAL HAMIRA DEIKA BIRSHUTI, DELA HAZITEH VEDELA BI’ARTEH, LIBTIL VELEHEVE HAFQER KE’AFRA DEAR’A.

“All Hamets or yeast that belongs to me, that I have not seen or removed, should be considered owner-less as the dust of the earth”

 

FRIDAY APRIL 3

Ta’anit Bejorot
On the eve of Pesah, it was established as a custom (minhag) that all the firstborn men should fast, as a recognition of the protection of HaShem, when during the last plague, all the firstborn of Egypt died and the Jewish firstborn were saved. However, since this is not a mandatory fasting (it was not enacted by the Torah or the rabbis of the Gemara) we usually avoid this fast by participating of a festive religious ceremony. For example, Berit Mila or Pidyon. But because these events cannot be anticipated, it is customary in most communities to organize a Siyum Masekhet, the conclusion of a tractate of the Talmud, which is considered a festive event with sufficient merit to avoid this fast. By participating in this fast the firstborn may eat during Pesah eve normally.

Bi’ur Hamets (Disposing of Hamets)
In the morning, we can only eat Hamets until the fourth hour of the day (in NY about until 10 am). Once we finished eating Hamets, we collect the remains of Hamets from this morning, together with the rest of Hamets we left yesterday, and proceed to eliminate it (remove it). This can be done by feeding the Hamets to the birds, to fish, or throwing it in a public garbage, or selling it to a non-Jew. Many have the custom to burn the left overs because Hamets symbolizes arrogance and by burning it we demonstrate that our souls are clean and purified from pride.

After the removal of Hamets, we proceed to their final nullification (= declaring the Hamets ownerless). And once again we recite the statement of “Bitul Hamets” but more detailed:

KAL HAMIRA DEIKA BIRSHUTI, DEHAZITEH VEDELA HAZITEH, DEBIARTEH VEDELA BIARTEH, LIBTIL VELEHEVE HAFQER KE’AFRA DEAR’A.

“All Hamets or yeast that belongs to me, which I saw or which I did not see, which I have removed or which I have not yet removed, should be considered ownerless as the dust of the earth”

The elimination/removal of the Hamets, in any of its forms, and the renunciation to the Hamets, must be done before the fifth hour of the day. In New York this is about 11 in the morning.

From that time on, one cannot consume, sell or make any nullification of Hamets.

Akhilat Matsa
On the eve of Pesah we should not eat Matsa. We reserve the taste of Matsa for the ideal time: the Seder night. We can eat Matsa ‘ashira, also known as egg Matsa. Tomorrow, in general, we should eat only until noon, to save our appetite for the Matsa  and food we will eat at the Seder.


Pesah, Matsa, Maror

According to Rabban Gamliel, there are 3 concepts that should be mentioned in the Pesah Seder to meet the minimum requirement to transmit to our children the story of Pesah. These three concepts are: Pesah, Matsa and Maror.

Before explaining these ideas, one by one, see how they interrelate. Pesah is what HaShem did for us. Matsa is what we ‘am Israel did to deserve our freedom. And Maror is what the Egyptians did ti us. Thus, these 3 concepts signal to the role of the three main characters of the story of Pesah. Let us begin from the later.

MAROR
Yesterday we explained “Maror”, the way the Egyptians mistreated us, demonized us and made us suffer (see here). Rabban Gamliel says we should not deprive our children of this painful information. That somehow they must become aware of our suffering and know that our destiny as the chosen people involves exposure to the demonization and persecution of peoples. Why is so important for our children to become aware of our suffering? The Torah teaches us to positively channel the memory of the suffering of our fathers in Egypt. How? By not letting other people to suffer. Caring for those who have less. Remembering that we should not oppress the weak or those who work for us, Jews or Gentiles. Why? ki gerim heytem be-erets Mitzrayim, “because you were slaves in Egypt,” we know, firsthand, the pains of the abused. And we “honor” the memory of our suffering, by preventing others from suffering.

MATSA
Matsa represents what we  Jews did to deserve our freedom. On the 10th of Nisan HaShem commanded the Yehudim to take a sheep and keep it. Remember that the Egyptians worshiped many animals, because for them the animals embody the powers of their gods. The crocodile or hippo, for example, were worshiped as sacred gods because they were believed to embody power and violence against enemies. The sheep, especially male-sheeps known as “rams”, embodied virility and the power of procreation. Now, the Jews were faced with a great challenge: they had to take one of those sheeps and keep it until further notice. Which was extremely dangerous vis-a-vis the Egyptians (as dangerous as it would be today to capture and sacrifice a cow in India). But there was something even more difficult, and more meritorious. The people of Israel had to demonstrate that they were FREE from the idol-worship culture. Keep in mind that the Jews lived immersed in that culture  for ten generations,  exposed to all kinds of superstitions and fetishism, typical of the ‘Aboda zara (idolatry) society. Now, on the 14 Nisan, God commanded the Yehudim to sacrifice the “ram”, expose its blood on the doors, grill it and eat it. Can you begin to imagine the tremendous psychological difficulty of taking by force, kill and eat an animal that your masters worship?. Slaves naturally fear their masters to death. Imagine how much more they should have  feared the “masters of their masters,” the animals that their masters considered gods!  HaShem wanted the Yehudim to “deserve” their freedom, demonstrating that they were mentally free of idolatry and superstitions. They had to understand that the Egyptian gods were false, mere products of human imagination. The Jews did not hesitate and they did as HaShem thru Moshe told them. They showed that they were psychologically prepared to leave Egypt and leave behind the idols. And they did all this in one night. Faster than what takes the dough to ferment into bread, the Jews we were able to unmask idolatry, leave it behind and deliver themselves into the hands of Bore Olam. The prophet Yrmiyhau remembered this great merit, as he said in the name of HaShem, “I remember your merit of young, your love [to Me]: when you followed me into the desert, a dry land [with no food, and no water] “(Jeremiah 2: 2).

PESAH
In English Pesah is called “Passover”, which means that when HaShem was killing the Egyptians firstborns, He “skipped” passed-over the houses of the Yehudim and did not affect them. This is the classic interpretation of the word Pesah.
However, according to Rab Menashe Ben Israel and many others, the idea of Pesah is a little different,  yet often unknown. Rabbi Israel Ben explains that the word “Pesah” or “pasah” should be understood as “protected” (hayis, as Targum Onkelos translates). When HaShem unleashed the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn, which the Tora calls “mashchit” (destroyer, pest) this plague would have affected “naturally”, all the firstborn of Egypt, Gentiles and Jews indiscriminately. HaShem, however, “protected” the houses of the Yehudim (“pasah”) and did not allow the deadly plague affect the Jewish firstborn (to understand this reading, carefully read the pasuq in Shemot 12:13 and 12:23 or see this). Pesah, then, is the holiday in which we celebrate the constant, direct and “supernatural” protection HaShem grants the people of Israel. This “selective protection” (hashgaha peratit) which began the night of 15 Nisan, suggestively called in the Tora lel Shimurim (the night of protection), is the Divine Protection that watches over Am Israel throughout its history until today. As it happened that night in Egypt, God protects Israel in “miraculous” ways. The existence of Israel defies statistics or the most logical predictions. The Jewish people, the most persecuted and harassed human group in the history of mankind, should not exist “statically”, and yet, exists!  Moreover, how is it that the State of Israel–the only country in the world whose existence is delegitimized and credibly threatened, the only country completely surrounded by neighbors (and neighbors of neighbors) who seek its destruction, and have plenty international support for it, and 100 times more population and territory–still exists! The truth is that Am Israel, the people, the state, exists “miraculously”, only because HaShem, today as in those days, continues to protect us


PESAJ: Algunos pensamientos para la noche del Seder

Como explicamos ayer, nuestra misión en la noche del Seder es “enseñar” la Hagadá a nuestros hijos, familiares e invitados, no sólo “leerla” frente a ellos. Para enseñar la Hagadá, entre otras cosas, debemos hacerla presente y relevante, también para aquellos que no están familiarizados con la historia judía. Debemos demostrar que la historia que la Hagadá cuenta no es parte de un pasado olvidado sino sorprendentemente contemporánea. Como si la historia, o la historia judía, se repite después de miles de años, también el día de hoy, literalmente. Con esta idea en mente vamos a analizar un pasaje de la Hagadá. Este párrafo, de cuatro palabras, describe la estrategia que los egipcios utilizaron para esclavizarnos sin ninguna oposición interna.

El pasuq dice: “VAYARE’U OTANU HAMITSRIM VAYA’ANUNU” (Deut. 26: 6). La palabra clave para entender este versículo es la primera palabra “VAYARE’U” …. Por lo general se traduce así “los egipcios nos hicieron mal a nosotros”, en el sentido de “nos trataron con crueldad”.  Pero como el lector sabrá  esta palabra, VAYARE’U se puede leer también (o principalmente) en Hif’il, la construcción verbal transitiva. Y cuando se lee de esta manera el pasuq dice:  “Y los egipcios nos hicieron malos a nosotros”, en otras palabras, “nos hacian ver mal”, o en una sola palabra: nos “demonizaron”. Como mi hijo Ya’aqob escribe en. su comentario a la Hagadá, el Faraón era “un dictador que señalaba al pueblo de Israel como una entidad irracionalmente mala, culpable de todas las desgracias que afectaban a los ciudadanos egipcios. La propaganda del Faraón era absurda. Básicamente, le decía a su pueblo:.. “Este pueblo de Israel, es muy astuto, tenemos que ser más astutos de lo que son, sino, cuando nos ataquen, los Israelitas se unirán a nuestros enemigos por pura malicia . Su objetivo en unirse a nuestros enemigos será hacernos daño, nada más. De hecho, después de que nos ataquen, van a escaparse de Egipto! “. Los judíos son malos, repetía una y otra vez este precursor de Goebbels. Y de esta manera culpaba sistemáticamente a los judíos de todas las desgracias posibles. El faraón tuvo éxito en erradicar  la impresión positiva que Yosef había dejado en Egipto hace unos pocos años. Sin Yosef los egipcios habrían perecido en la peor hambruna que los haya afectado en su historia. En ese momento, reconocieron a Yosef “nos has salvado la vida!” Pero las contribuciones judías a la sociedad se pueden olvidar tan rápidamente como el tiempo que le toma a un mensaje de odio irracional llegar a los oídos de los ciudadanos en un sistema dictatorial. “

Este fenómeno, demonización> antisemitismo, fue iniciado por el Faraón, pero se repitió innumerables veces. En 1492 la reina Isabel de España expulsó a los mismos judíos que habían hecho tan exitosa a España,  y que incluso habían ayudado a la reina en su guerra contra los árabes. Antes de expulsarnos, los judíos fuimos demonizados en España y en toda Europa, no sólo como “deicidas” (asesinos de un dios) sino también como envenenadores de pozos, usureros, y asesinos de niños cristianos con fines rituales, es decir, para hornear con su sangre las matzot de Pésaj….

Hoy en día, esta demonización se aplica sistemáticamente al Estado de Israel, que es el “judío” entre las naciones de la tierra. Israel es vilipendiado, atacado y acusado falsamente de todos los males imaginarios. El auge del antisemitismo en el mundo no es, como usualmente se suele racionalizar, la consecuencia de las demoniacas acciones del  Estado de Israel, por el contrario, el antisemitismo es la causa de la sistemática denominación de Israel .
Irónicamente, no hay institución en el mundo donde el antisemitismo se practique  más abiertamente que en las Naciones Unidas. Hasta 2013, Israel ha sido condenado en 45 resoluciones por el Consejo de Derechos Humanos de las Naciones Unidas. Desde su creación en 2006, este Consejo ha promulgado más resoluciones condenando a Israel, que al resto del mundo combinado!  Hace dos semanas, por ejemplo, la Comisión de las Naciones Unidas que protege la Condición de la Mujer emitió un informe condenando a un solo país por su maltrato a la mujer – Israel!  Y lo más preocupante es que el mundo no se opone enfáticamente esta ridícula falsa propaganda antisemita. Es más, el mundo parece aceptar como algo normal y tolerable la demonización de Israel.

Tengo un ejemplo muy preocupante de las noticias de hoy. Mientras las negociaciones entre las superpotencias e Irán progresan hacia la firma de un acuerdo sobre el armamento nuclear de Iran, hay un elemento en las negociaciones que se ha ignorado por completo, y que a nadie pareciera preocuparle, ni siquiera al “mejor amigo de Israel “, los EE.UU. Irán ha dicho repetidas veces que tiene la intención “de borrar a Israel del mapa”. Esta declaración, que si fuera dicha contra cualquier otro país se consideraría una declaración de guerra,  nunca fue parte de las negociaciones. En otras palabras ¿Por qué los Estados Unidos o Francia o Alemania no exigen que Irán se desdiga de esta amenaza contra Israel como parte de las negociaciones? Si Iran se desdijera abierta y públicamente de estas declaraciones beligerantes contra Israel sus afirmaciones de que está desarrollando energía nuclear con fines pacíficos sería mucho más creíbles, y viceversa? ¿Por qué no se le exige a Irán este simple gesto antes de suspender las sanciones económicas contra él?

Mientras estaba pensando en esta idea, me llego un correo electrónico de “Times of Israel” con algunas noticias muy fresca. A medida que la “hora” límite para firmar un acuerdo con Irán se acerca más y más , el jefe de la milicia iraní fue citado hoy diciendo que para Irán “Destruir Israel es un principio “no  negociable “. Vamos a ver cómo reaccionarán las superpotencias a estas intolerables declaraciones … aunque yo dudo mucho que hagan algo …

Y mientras la historia se repite,  este viernes a la noche, cuando leamos la Hagadá, nos convenceremos una vez más que “VEHI SHE’AMDA LAABOTENU VELANU”, que más allá de lo que suceda con nuestros amigos y enemigos, el pueblo de Israel nunca estará solo.  HaShem siempre estará a nuestro lado, protegiendonos.



PESAH: Some thoughts for the night of the Seder

As we explained yesterday, our mission at the Pesah Seder is to TEACH the Hagada to our children, family members and guest, not just to READ it in front of them. To teach the Hagada means, among other things, to make it alive and relevant also for those who are not familiar with Jewish history.  We must show that the story of the Hagada is not part of a forgotten past, but shockingly contemporary.  As if history, or Jewish history, repeats itself after thousands of years. With this idea in mind let us analyze one passage of the Hagada. This paragraph, four words, describes the strategy the Egyptians used to get us enslaved without any inside opposition.

The pasuq says: “VAYARE’U OTANU HAMITSRYIM VAY’ANUNU” (Deut. 26:6).  The key word to understand this verse is the very first word “VAYARE’U”… . It is usually translated as “the Egyptians did bad to us”, in the sense of treated us bad. But you will notice that this word is in the Hif’il, a transitive verbal construction. When understood in this way this word means: “And the Egyptians did US bad” , in other words, “they made us look bad”, or in just one word” They “demonized” us.  As my son Ya’aqob writes in his commentary to the Hagada, Pharaoh “a dictator singles out the People of Israel as an irrationally evil entity, who is to blame for all the misfortunes of this dictator’s subjects. The propaganda of Pharaoh is nonsensical. Basically, he tells his people: “The other, this People of Israel, is very cunning. We must be more cunning than they are. If not, then if and when we are attacked, the Israelites will join our enemies out of sheer malice. Their goal in joining our enemies will be to harm us, nothing more. In fact, after they attack us, they will leave the land! “. The Jews are bad. They are irrationally bad. This is the only way it makes sense to systematically blame the Jews for all possible misfortunes. Thus, Pharaoh succeeded in eradicating the positive impression Joseph had left on Egypt just a few years ago. Without Joseph, Egyptians would have perished in the worst famine to have ever affected them. At the time, they acknowledged it: “you have saved our lives!”-they admitted to Joseph. But Jewish contributions to society can be forgotten as swiftly as the time it takes for an irrational message of hatred to reach the ears of subjects in a dictatorial system. ”
This phenomena, demonization > antisemitism, was started by Pharaoh but it repeated itself numberless times. In 1492 Queen Isabel from Spain, expelled the same Jews who had made Spain so successful and who had even helped the Christian queen in her war against the Arabs. Before doing that the Jews were  demonized in Spain an across Europe, not just as “deicides” killers of a god, but also as poisoners of wells, usurers, and murders of Christian boys for ritual purposes, i.e., to bake the Matzot.

Today, this demonization is systematically applied to the State of Israel, the “Jew” among the nations.  Israel is vilified, attacked and falsely accused of all imaginary evils.  Antisemitism in the world is not, as it is usually claimed, the consequences of the “evils” of the state of Israel, antisemitism is the reason why Israel is systematically vilified.

There is no place in the world, no institution where antisemitism is most prominent than in the United nations. As of 2013, Israel had been condemned in 45 resolutions by United Nations Human Rights Council. Since its creation in 2006 the Council had resolved more resolutions condemning Israel than on the rest of the world combined!  Two weeks ago, for example, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women issued a report on March 20 condemning one country in particular for its mistreatment of women – Israel! And the most disturbing thing is that the world does not oppose emphatically this antisemitic false propaganda. The world seems to accept that Israel the demonization of Israel.

I have a very disturbing example from today’s news: As negotiations between the superpowers and Iran progress toward reaching a deal, there is one element in the negotiations that was entirely ignored, as no one seemed to have cared about, not even Israel’s “best friend”, the USA: Iran has said many times that they intend to wipe off Israel”. Why, then, this statement was never  part of the negotiations? Why America or France or Germany does not demand from Iran to publicly deny this belligerent against the State of Israel, something that will make Iran’s promises about pursuing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes much more credible, and vice versa? As I was thinking about this idea, i got an email from “Times of Israel” with some very fresh news. As the deadline to reach a deal with Iran gets closer and closer by the hour, the Iranian militia chief was quoted today saying that for Iran “Destroying Israel is ‘nonnegotiable’ “.

Now, let us see how the superpowers would react to this statement… but do not bet your money on it…

In the meantime, Friday night, when we will read the Hagada, we will be saying VEHI SHE’AMDA LA-ABOTENU VELANU, that no matter what happens with our friends and foes, we will never be alone, HASHEM will always be on our side.