“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh - Pesach
14 Nissan 5782/April 15, 2022
לזכר נשמת חו"מ נטע
יצחק בן אלכסנדר
OF ALL PLACES
Like
every Yom Tov, Pesach is beautiful and unique. But the road to Pesach must pass
through Erev Pesach.
Erev Pesach
isn’t just a day. In fact, it’s not even limited to a specific time. It becomes
a mindset and an encompassing way of life.
For
some, Erev Pesach begins Chanukah, for others on Shushan Purim, and for some
nervous nellies Pesach begins the day after Succos. But for everyone the week
before Pesach is unquestionably Erev Pesach.
It is
common for many Jews to suffer from EPS (Erev Pesach Syndrome) which may
include feeling hungry, irritable, fatigued, anxious and overwhelmed.
The most
significant challenge of Erev Pesach is that our routines are interrupted.
There is a great investment of time necessary for cleaning, checking, and
kashering. In addition, cooking, baking and food preparations for Pesach need
to begin a few days prior in a chometz-free environment. Therefore, during the
days before Pesach chometz needs to be eaten outside the kitchen.
In our
family, our basement becomes our makeshift kitchen during the days before
Pesach. We open a folding table upon which the coffee maker, toaster, and all
remaining food is placed. Lunch may consist of whatever can be found when
rummaging through what is left in the shalach manos boxes. Taffy, crackers, an
apple, and animal crackers may constitute a full meal (if my kids don’t catch
me taking stuff from their shalach manos boxes).
During
these trying times making a cup of coffee can become an ordeal, trying to
locate the coffee, milk, hot water, spoon, and sugar all in different and
unusual places. In the early morning hours before having had a coffee, having
to search for coffee materials is a sure recipe for grumpiness.
In
shuls, announcements are made for everyone to clear out their shtenders and all
personal belongings because the shul will be cleaned for Pesach. Signs are
posted saying that no chometz should be brought into the shul.
During
our last days of classes in Heichal HaTorah before Pesach, the yeshiva
generously donates its Bais Medrash to be used for packing boxes for Teaneck
Tomchei Shabbos. Every table, chair and shtender is removed from the room, and
replaced with hundreds of boxes and Pesach food supplies. Then, our final day
before Pesach, the yeshiva students and rabbeim join the massive, chessed
operation to help pack boxes.
Despite
it being an inconvenience to move, especially just before vacation, the chesed
opportunity is well worth February hassle.
The
process of Erev Pesach is surely enriching and memorable, but it is also
inconvenient and somewhat challenging.
It is
well known that the Chasam Sofer began one of his responsa by writing, “Since I
am outside my study because I have been chased out by the righteous women who
are cleaning for the Yom Tov of Pesach, therefore (my response) cannot be as
lengthy as necessary”[1]. The Nodeh B’Yehuda similarly
wrote about how busy he was dealing with communal issues before Pesach, “and,
in addition, I have no space and am constantly going from room to room and
corner to corner because they are cleaning the walls and sweeping the floors in
honor of the holiday. Therefore, I am writing my opinion concisely”[2].
It seems
that being inconvenienced and out of place during the days before Pesach is not
a new practice.
Perhaps
there is an integral idea symbolized by our Pre-Pesach wandering that connects
to one of the main messages of the Seder and Pesach.
In our
prayers, we refer to G-d by various names in order for us to somewhat grasp how
He relates to us. Each divine Name has different significance and meaning based
on His divine manifestation in the world.
One of
the more unusual names of G-d is “Makom - Place”. When we comfort a
mourner we say to them that, “Hamakom yenachem eschem - the
Omnipresent should comfort you”. Similarly, after laining on Monday and
Thursday we daven for our suffering brethren and say, “Hamakom yerachem
aleihem - the Omnipresent should have mercy upon them.”
During
the Seder we refer to Hashem as “HaMakom” four times. At the time of the
exodus, the Jewish people learned that our Avodas Hashem isn’t limited to a
time or place. Torah observance isn’t only for when one is in shul during
davening times. A Jew must serve Hashem wherever he is and always.
Just
prior to their leaving Egypt, the men received a b’ris milah and the nation
performed the mitzvah of Korban Pesach. They demonstrated complete subservience
to Hashem, symbolizing that their redemption was solely for that purpose.
Forevermore the new nation would be defined as G-d’s people. That subservience
would transcend time and place.
On the
night when we celebrate the genesis of our nationhood, we refer to G-d as “the
Place” to emphasize that we are His people wherever we are.
The
Medrash[3] states, “Rav Yudan said in
the name of Rav Bun: One who learns Torah out of his place takes one thousand
(portions of) reward; one who learns Torah in his place takes two hundred
(portions of) reward.”
Rav
Shimshon Pincus zt”l notes[4] that the message of the
medrash applies equally to tefillah. He gives the example of one who is
traveling and has no choice but to daven mincha on the side of the road, just
prior to sunset. He may think to himself that he’ll daven mindlessly to fulfill
his obligation, and the next day, when he’s back in his usual place for
davening, he’ll daven properly again.
Rav
Pincus counters that such an attitude is incorrect. Before mincha on Yom Kippur
would anyone think, “Today I’m weak and hungry from the fast so I’ll just daven
nonchalantly. Then tomorrow when I’m feeling better, I’ll daven with more
enthusiasm and concentration”? That would be absurd. Everyone knows that mincha
on Yom Kippur is an irreplaceable opportunity, so even if one doesn’t feel
well, he’ll push himself to take advantage of it. The same is true with mincha,
and every other tefillah or mitzvah on any given day. Even if one is harried,
tired, disoriented, and not in the mood, if he realizes that this
davening/mitzvah is an irreplaceable opportunity, he’ll take advantage of it
despite the hardship.[5]
The days
leading up to Pesach are indeed inconvenient and out of routine. But that
itself is an important component of the spiritual message of Pesach. We left
Mitzrayim in order to serve Hashem - wherever and whenever. We became avdei
Hashem in Mitzrayim, in the desert, in our homeland, on land, in the
sea, in exile and in redemption, in the kitchen, in the basement, outside in
the backyard, in Cancun or in Alaska. No matter when or where, we proudly
remain the servants of Hashem. After spending some time reminding us of that
truth, we sit down at the Seder to celebrate the merit we have to be the proud
nation chosen to serve Him always.
Shabbat
Shalom & Good Shabbos
Freilichen Yom Tov & Chag Kasher
v’samaeiach,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum
[1] או"ח ח"א סי' קלו'
[2] מהדו"ת או"ח סי' נז'
[3] Shir Hashirim Rabbah 8:14
[4] This was written on
12 Nissan, Rav Pincus’ yahrtzeit. The previous part of the essay was written
prior. It was amazing to me that on the morning of his yahrtzeit I saw this
idea in his Haggadah, directly relating to the topic I was writing about. May
his holy neshama have an aliyah.
[5] This thought is נאה למי שאמרו - fitting for the one who said it. Rav
Pincus lived his every day as full of opportunities to serve Hashem, in all
situations and circumstances. His passion for avodas Hashem, tefillah, Shabbos and
Torah were unparalleled, and continues to inspire Klal Yisroel.