The Mystical Letter of Rav Shimshon of Ostropol on...
There is a practice to learn Letter of Rav Shimshon Ostropoli on the ten plagues on erev Pesach as a merit for a year of success and triumph.
Apr 22, 2016
By Rabbi Yochanan Bechhofer
First Day of Pesach vs. the Seventh Day
Why is the seventh day of Pesach part of Sefirat HaOmer while the first day of Pesach, specifically the seder night, isn’t and by its very nature cannot be part of...
Apr 20, 2016
By Rabbi Yochanan Bechhofer
Why Count?
Why don’t we count down to Matan Torah? Why is the count relative to the korban omer? Why do we begin on Pesach but not on the first day of Pesach?
Apr 20, 2016
By Rabbi Yochanan Bechhofer
Liberating Through Eating
The most important aspects of the seder are carried out using the mouth – eating the korban Pesach and telling the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim, the exodus from Egypt.
Apr 20, 2016
By Rabbi Yochanan Bechhofer
Pesach, Matzah, and Maror: Three Aspects of the Geulah
1) Why is marror one of the aspects of freedom if it serves to commemorate slavery? 2) Why don’t we discuss Pesach, Matzah, and Marror in chronological order with marror first? 3) Why do...
Apr 20, 2016
By Rabbi Yochanan Bechhofer
Shabbos HaGadol: What’s So Big?
Why only in Egypt did we have to take the Korban Pesach specifically on the 10th of Nissan? Why do we commemorate the day of the week on which the miracle...
Apr 13, 2016
By Rabbi Yochanan Bechhofer
Chametz to Matza: Breaking the Time Barrier
Why is the seder called “order” – there are other things that are orderly in Judaism? Why focus on who was skipped? What is the significance of the Jews being told...
Apr 7, 2016
By Rabbi Yochanan Bechhofer
Kriyat Yam Suf: Opening a Portal Between Dimensions
Why did an agreement need to be made with the water to split; the connection between Kriyat Yam Suf & techiyat hametim. Why couldn’t the Jews go 3 days without Torah? For...
Apr 7, 2016
By Rabbi Yochanan Bechhofer
The Journey to Yam Suf as a Metaphor for...
The Rambam and the Ramchal say Hashem doesn’t interfere with our free will, rather, he spins events to lead us to a specific result. For Chol HaMoed Pesach.
Apr 7, 2016
By Rabbi Yochanan Bechhofer
Question of the Tam
The tam is a straight, honest person asking why we break the neck of the donkey – a question any honest person has by any mitzvah: Why do bad things happen?...
Apr 6, 2016
By Rabbi Yochanan Bechhofer
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