| On Pesach evening, we read from the Haggadah. This | | | | turned out that Ishmael was also born. Abraham loved |
| perfectly formulated ordered book is said to include | | | | Ishmael too - after all, he was his son (and his eldest at |
| the very secrets of the entire world. It seems like a | | | | that!) Yet Isaac was the son born to his true wife - |
| conglomeration of totally disconnected points. Yet to | | | | Sarah - who he had truly longed to have a son with. |
| the discerning eye - and of course the seasoned | | | | When Sarah saw that Ishmael would be a problem for |
| Torah scholar, the story of the Exodus - the Jewish | | | | her son Isaac, she told Abraham that the boy must be |
| people's leaving the land of Egypt to go towards true | | | | sent away. Abraham - due to his love for the boy, |
| freedom, the Land of Israel with the Torah itself - is | | | | was not happy with the decision and wanted to let the |
| perfectly told, no matter how it looks on the surface. | | | | lad live with them and be a part of the Abraham |
| For this reason, perhaps, the Haggadah is the chosen | | | | dynasty. Sarah wants him out! |
| method of sharing the story - rather than, for example, | | | | Naturally we see the truth of Sarah - and the problem |
| simply opening the book of Exodus and reading it from | | | | that Abraham faced. Abraham lived in a world of |
| beginning to end. | | | | fantasy - one where even an Ishmael can live |
| Today, in fact, there are so many Haggadot available | | | | harmoniously with his "brother" Isaac. Sarah saw the |
| that just about every great Torah scholar who has | | | | truth - the reality. In this physical world filled with |
| ever lived has his very own Haggadah. You'll see | | | | physical things (and weapons too!) Ishmael can simply |
| Haggadot with pictures of the Ben Ish Chai (Rabbi | | | | not live with Isaac. How true Sarah's feelings were, |
| Yosef Chaim of Baghdad) on them, Haggadot with | | | | and how false were Abraham's insights into what |
| pictures of Rabbi Yisrael Yaakov Kanievsky (the | | | | Ishmael would become. Of course, Abraham was on a |
| Steipler) on them, Haggadot with a variety of other | | | | stature of spiritual holiness that nobody in today's |
| great Torah scholars, Tzaddikim and giants - each | | | | generation can understand. His insight into his son was |
| apparently having written his own Haggadah. Of | | | | not for nothing. To him, Ishmael had some very |
| course, this is not true. Rather these Haggadot simply | | | | beautiful qualities - and for this, he loved him. But that is |
| contain many of the teachings that these giants | | | | the world of fantasy (a world of truth in the spiritual |
| shared about the Haggadah and hence these | | | | realms) - not reality! Sarah - the woman, saw the |
| Haggadot are named after them - so to speak. | | | | reality. |
| The novel ideas found in the Haggadah are so many | | | | Isaac on the other hand had two sons who shared a |
| that were one to begin collating every Haggadah | | | | common goal - to work with each other. Esau was to |
| available and publishing just one complete version - | | | | be involved in work, while Jacob studied Torah. What |
| would mean nothing less than a Guiness world record | | | | a noble thing for brothers to do - working together for |
| for the largest book in the world! It's no wonder that | | | | each other's good. Isaac loved Esau, even more than |
| the Haggadah speaks of the importance of reciting this | | | | he did Jacob. Yet Rebecca loved Jacob more. |
| story on the night of Pesach, "Even if we were all | | | | The truth is that Esau did have an important role to |
| wise people, understanding people, even if we all knew | | | | perform and he was certainly a great student of |
| the entire Torah, even if we were all old... still we would | | | | Torah... only he had a bad side to him. He enjoyed killing |
| be obligated to tell the story of the Exodus from | | | | others in cold blood, stealing from others, and raping |
| Egypt... and all who tell more - that one is | | | | those who pleased him to rape. What with all the |
| praiseworthy!" And much to tell - there certainly is. | | | | realities of Esau's life - the life of Jacob - a man |
| It is a sad point in our day, when so many feel that the | | | | studying Torah all day was far more pleasant in the |
| recital of the four questions fulfils one's obligation - if | | | | eyes of his mother Rebecca. Yet Isaac was no fool |
| one manages to even get that far. In fact, so many | | | | either. What he saw in Esau were some very special |
| are already such experts in the "old" traditional story of | | | | qualities (aside from his killing, robbery and raping!) In the |
| the Exodus - that the night of Pesach may be no | | | | Torah of Chassidus, one can truly see the good side |
| greater than a night of eating a few unleavened | | | | of Esau and there is much to learn from him. |
| pieces of bread (reluctantly), if they will actually be at | | | | In the world of fantasy - of course, Esau was and is |
| the table at all. | | | | really a very good man. It's just that when his soul |
| With so much to share, I'd like to take just one snippet | | | | comes into this physical world, it leashes itself out in |
| in the Haggadah with the hope that those reading this | | | | every physical manner it can think of! But, if he is a son |
| will think through a central idea that the Seder highlights | | | | of Isaac - he must surely be someone very special. |
| - that Pesach highlights and that of course the | | | | Isaac knows that. Rebecca does too... but she's real. |
| Haggadah itself highlights. | | | | She realises that Esau will never share with his brother |
| On Pesach - the Haggadah says - one does not fulfil | | | | Jacob, and while the team of brothers may be a good |
| one's obligation until one says three things "Pesach, | | | | thing in the world of fantasy (the spiritual realms), in the |
| Matza, Maror". In fact these three things are the keys | | | | world of reality (this world - the physical) - Esau will |
| to the entire Seder. They represent the essence of | | | | simply run off with the goods, leaving Jacob to fend |
| what being Jewish is really all about. They represent | | | | for himself! Being in the tents of Torah won't help him |
| the way of the world, and there is much to say about | | | | pay his bills much - and Rebecca realises this. That is |
| what each of these really is. | | | | why she arranges things so that Jacob receives the |
| Pesach - the Passover sacrificial lamb represents the | | | | blessing from Isaac - the one "due" for Esau. |
| freedom of the Jewish people from slavery. When the | | | | The fantasy man - Isaac, lives in world of fantasy |
| Temple stood, this lamb would be the lamb prepared | | | | goodness. Wonderful. But in the world of reality - the |
| for the main meal. It represents everything we're | | | | world of women (who bring things into this world in a |
| hoping for today - true freedom. Our not being able to | | | | very real way, not leaving the exalted thoughts of |
| eat it is surely a sign of the sadness of where we are | | | | Torah to pay the bills...) is a world of reality. Esau can |
| at today - being unable to have a Temple and truly | | | | simply not get the blessing. It must go to Jacob! |
| connect with G-d and experience absolute G dliness. | | | | Apparently our forefathers were similar, and Jacob - |
| Those who would know what this feeling is, would | | | | even with his own difficulties, did not see what would |
| certainly do nothing less than observe every one of | | | | happen to him - making him make the same mistake! |
| the 613 commandments without blinking an eyelid. The | | | | When Jacob fell in love - it was with Rachel. He |
| fact that so many lack the appreciation of the Mitzvot | | | | wished to marry her and was actually going to go |
| is about as good a proof as any that our loss of the | | | | through it all, until her sister Leah ended up getting |
| Temple, means our loss of freedom - of knowing who | | | | mixed in to the ceremony due to her father Lavan's |
| G-d is, and connecting with Him. Naturally the Paschal | | | | intervention. Could the marriage have been diverted? |
| sacrifice was the very thing that the Jewish people | | | | Certainly. The Torah teaches that it was in fact Rachel |
| were heading towards with their leaving Egypt, as they | | | | herself - who gave over the special wedding signs she |
| prepared these lambs four days before leaving Egypt, | | | | had arranged with Jacob before - to her sister Leah, |
| an absolute insult to the Egyptians who worshipped | | | | so that when they met under the Chupah, Jacob |
| these animals on a daily basis. Yet, they were helpless | | | | would think he was marrying Rachel. The scheme |
| to stop the Jewish people from continuing with their | | | | worked, and come what may - Jacob was destined |
| plan of leaving the land of Egypt. | | | | to marry Leah first. |
| The Matza represents our having left Egypt in a hurry. | | | | Shouldn't Rachel have simply kept quiet and let Jacob |
| The Jewish people fled Egypt in a hurry and did not | | | | marry her first? She loved him too! Why did she do |
| have time to wait for the dough to rise. Matza | | | | this?! Without going into detail, let us consider just one |
| represents this enthusiasm which we each need to | | | | point which we can meditate over for years and |
| keep with us when engaged in the commandments of | | | | never get to appreciate even then! Even with the |
| the Torah. Those lazy and not wanting to learn or do, | | | | tremendous self-sacrifice of Rachel, it was to Leah |
| are true slaves to the world around them - not realising | | | | that the blessing went to be the mother of the |
| that there is a task ahead to refine this world. This | | | | Moshiach. Leah's fourth child - Judah - would be the |
| must be done with haste! | | | | father of Moshiach. Had she not married Jacob, one |
| The Maror represents the bitterness of the Jewish | | | | wonders - if in the cosmic sense of things - if indeed |
| people that they underwent while in Egypt. It was not a | | | | Moshiach would have come through Rachel. After all, it |
| pleasant state to be in, and we must forever | | | | seems, G-d wanted the Messiah to come directly |
| remember what true slavery feels like. Once again, | | | | through Judah - who was to be born to Leah. |
| today we are faced with the eating of Maror on a | | | | More than this, the entire mystery of going into Egypt |
| daily basis, though most seem to enjoy the taste. The | | | | and coming out again was based upon the order of |
| lives we live without the Temple - are lives without | | | | marriage of the two sisters. After all, Joseph became |
| much meaning - save for those moments when the | | | | the youngest son (save for Benjamin at the time) who |
| treat of Torah learning and practise takes us out of | | | | would be tormented by his brothers, sent into Egypt |
| exile and brings us directly back to G-d. Those eating | | | | and then become viceroy and be responsible for |
| real raw "chrain" - with their eyes shedding tears as | | | | saving Egypt and many other lands too, and ultimately |
| the burn goes right through their systems - should do | | | | bringing real redemption for the entire Jewish people. |
| well to remember that this is the real state of affairs | | | | Had Joseph been born first, the brothers would not |
| for the soul today. A life of Maror is certainly not a | | | | have behaved to him as they did (he would now have |
| pleasant one, and one from which we must all run | | | | been the eldest son!) which would have meant that he |
| from as fast as we can. | | | | would not have gone down to Egypt. And of course, |
| Running from Egypt - the Matza and Maror - must be | | | | when the famine did eventually come, there would not |
| with the sole goal in mind of that Paschal lamb - true | | | | be a Joseph in Egypt ready to save the entire Jewish |
| freedom with the Temple and an overwhelming | | | | people! |
| influence of G-d's presence being felt around us | | | | Rachel of course - with her Divine inspiration knew this. |
| continually. What a goal to strive for and desire and | | | | Jacob did not. In the world of fantasy - Jacob's world, |
| pray for continually. | | | | things could work out well by marrying Rachel first. But |
| But still, there is a problem with the above points. The | | | | in reality, this just could not take place - not in a |
| Haggadah tells us that anybody who does not say | | | | physical world filled with impurity and much more. |
| these three things on Pesach does not fulfil his/her | | | | 3 represents the men - caught up in worlds of fantasy |
| Pesach obligations. Yes, these three things represent | | | | - where much can be, but what with a 3 legged chair - |
| the crux of what Pesach is all about. But for ONE | | | | a slight kick and it can all fall down! The number four |
| thing... | | | | represents women who ground everything into reality - |
| Pesach is not about threes. It's about fours! On | | | | into the physical world. This is why we have 3 |
| Pesach, we ask four questions. We drink four cups of | | | | forefathers, and 4 foremothers. This is a short insight |
| wine. There are four expressions used in the Torah to | | | | into our great Fathers and Mothers. |
| declare our freedom. Actually as one works through | | | | Pesach is a night of fours - except of course for the |
| the Haggadah the number 4 stands out again and | | | | THREE things we must say. What then of the fourth?! |
| again - except of course for here! The Haggadah | | | | This is exactly the point... the fourth thing is just this. |
| speaks of only three things. One is left to wonder | | | | There are three things that one must SAY to fulfil |
| what exactly is missing! | | | | one's obligation. The fourth thing is speech - of actually |
| The numbers 3 and 4 are both highly significant (as all | | | | doing and saying something. One can fantasize about |
| numbers are!) We know that the Jewish people have | | | | Matza, Pesach and Marror as much as one wants to. |
| 3 forefathers and 4 foremothers. Why? | | | | One can come up with the best and deepest thoughts |
| The number 3 can be compared to a stool that one | | | | about each of these things. But without actually making |
| may sit on. It has three legs. One sits comfortably on | | | | something of them (leaving them simply in the air |
| the chair, and it supports one. Yet, the truth is that with | | | | literally) one does not fulfil one's obligation. |
| a bump in the wrong direction, the stool will topple over. | | | | Life is not about philosophy, of thinking about things - |
| 3 works well. But when it comes to true sturdiness, 3 | | | | no matter how lofty they are. Life is about doing, of |
| is unacceptable, and we need something with 4 legs. A | | | | making something happen because of speaking and |
| proper dining room chair will have four legs. A table will | | | | because of doing. Fantasy works well when people |
| have four legs. | | | | want to simply show how great they are, but the |
| The number 3 can certainly work... but four? Four is | | | | reality of life is far deeper, it's about speaking things - |
| better! It somehow just keeps the support of | | | | to put into action. |
| something so that even a kick won't knock it over. It | | | | The Seder is not about some story that happened |
| will still stand strong. | | | | thousands of years ago that we already all know |
| Indeed 3 speaks about a fantasy world of what can | | | | (from the many years we've been through it before.) |
| work... but doesn't really. 4 speaks about a world of | | | | It's all about doing it again. Of saying everything again. |
| reality. At the end of the day, while the 3 legged chair | | | | Of eating the Matza and Maror again!!! Just like Torah |
| will get the job done, it is the four legged chair that will | | | | too, which is about doing everything again and again. |
| be the most widely used. | | | | There is never enough of it, and each time there is |
| Our 3 forefathers - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, | | | | something new. But it is only when we put ourselves |
| likewise represent a world of fantasy. There is | | | | into Torah and Mitzvot that we actually begin to see |
| something missing in all of their lives, something which | | | | just how much is involved. |
| only the foremothers are able to latch on to. While the | | | | There is no getting out of it. This is the physical world, |
| forefathers are living in worlds of fantasy, the | | | | a world of reality. A world of four. A world of speech |
| foremothers live in the world of reality. | | | | and action. Being at a Seder is simply not good |
| Abraham's life ends up with him being comfortable | | | | enough. It's about doing everything, the right way - |
| having a child through a woman other than his wife (i.e. | | | | completely from beginning to end. It's about speaking it |
| Hagar.) While intrinsically the boy born of this | | | | out and learning what Torah and G-d are all about - |
| relationship - Ishmael - could be a good son, the truth is | | | | and of course what a Jewish soul is. What is means |
| that something goes terribly wrong with him and his | | | | to be a slave (as we should know only too well) and |
| descendants who continue to fight with the Jewish | | | | what it means to be truly free - something that can |
| people to this day. Yitzchak - the son born to | | | | only happen with the holding on to the Torah and her |
| Abraham and Sarah is really the only son that should | | | | commandments. |
| have been born, but due to circumstances, things | | | | |