Mah Nishtana: The Power of a Question
Why is magid in question-answer form – even when we already know the answer? The purpose of this format is to stop an old way of thinking & begin a new...
Understanding Yachatz: Secrets of Matzah
What does the poverty theme of yachatz & ha lachma anya have to do with the seder, why do we introduce the matzah both now & later? What does freedom mean?...
Secrets of Karpas
Why do we specifically dip a vegetable in salt water to arouse the children’s curiosity; aren’t there other ways? Why does it have to be a vegetable? Previous: Seder Night: What’s So...
Seder Night: What’s So Orderly?
Why on Pesach do we have to retell the story & reason for the holiday? Pesach recalls & renews the new world order. Talking about it brings it into reality. Next:...
Breaking the Matzah
Our minhag is to break the matza before maggid (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 473:6). The Rambam (Hilchos Chametz u’Matza 8:6), however, puts it right before ha’motzi, after netilas yadayim. The basis...
Rav Soloveitchik: Pesach Avdus – Part 2
There are 2 kinds of slavery, personal and political and they go hand-in-hand. We celebrate freedom from both at the Pesach Seder. Delivered March 15th, 1970. For part 1, click here.
Rav Soloveitchik: Pesach Avdus – Part 1
There are 2 kinds of slavery, personal and political and they go hand-in-hand. We celebrate freedom from both at the Pesach Seder. Delivered March 15th, 1970. For part 2 click here.
Rav Soloveitchik: Makas Bechoros – Part 2
The Torah connects 2 mitzvot to the exodus from Egypt – forbidden relationships & kashrut – mitzvot where man is commanded to discipline himself. Delivered in Boston, February 15th, 1975. For part...
Rav Soloveitchik: Makas Bechoros – Part 1
The Torah connects 2 mitzvot to the exodus from Egypt – forbidden relationships & kashrut – mitzvot where man is commanded to discipline himself. Delivered in Boston, February 15th, 1975. For part...
Rav Soloveitchik: Haggadah – Part 2
Rav Soloveichik discusses the Rambam’s Haggadah as presented in the Mishna Torah and how it differs from the text we use at the Pesach Seder. Delivered in Boston, 1972. For part 1 click...
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- Asarah B'Tevet
- Birchat HaChama
- Chanukah
- Elul
- Fast of Esther
- Fast of Shiva Asar B'Tammuz
- Fast of Tisha B'Av
- Four Shabbatot
- Hoshanah Rabbah
- Lag BaOmer
- Months
- Passover
- Pesach Sheini
- Purim
- Rosh Hashanah
- Sefirat HaOmer
- Shabbat
- Shavuot
- Shemini Atzeret
- Shushan Purim
- Simchat Torah
- Sukkot
- The Three Weeks
- Tu B'Av
- Tu B'Shevat
- Tzom Gedaliah
- Yom HaAtzmaut
- Yom HaShoah
- Yom Hazikaron
- Yom Kippur
- Yom Yerushalayim
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