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RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL:JEWISH RENEWAL:LOT,MATZAH,PASSOVER
Jewish Spiritual Renewal:Shabbat 4/11/09:Torah, TaNaK, Talmud, Ethics, Spiritual View Point
Shalom Chaverim v' Talmidim:
I am writing this a few hours before sunset on Shabbat Ha Gadol. It is called such because this is the Sabbath immediately preceding Passover, when we became a free people, and seven weeks later, received our Torah, our way of living. Our last week's class, always a week ahead, discussed these aspects and the parasha for this Shabbat, Tzav.
The Shabbat of 4/11/09, falls in the middle of Passover 8 days, or 7 in the Land of Israel. Keep in mind that the first two days and the last two days, are treated as Shabbatons, regarding work and other prohibitions. The intermediary days are call Chol Ha Moed. But since the Shabbat is a Shabbat, its is still treated as a Shabbat. We have special readings on this Shabbat, and hence do not read the parasha following Tzav. We will do such on 4/18/09.
A d'var Torah will still appear below but on our special readings. Note also that it is custom to read the Song of Songs, ostensibly about God's love for Israel and vice versa, [which is how it was allowed into our Canon] , and our charoset recipe comes from this Song. RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:THE REAL REASON FOR CHAROSET ON PASSOVER IS THE SONG OF SONGS
So there are many things we can learn about Passover. For example: in the Talmud, the 4th question about reclining is not there, but rather a question about why we can only roast lamb on 'this night.' When the Babylonian Jews celebrated Passover with what we call a seder still not set down into a Hagaddah, and the Hebrews were celebrating it with a Pascal offering in Ezra's "second Temple' in Jerusalem, Jews ate roasted lamb. It was only after the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 CE that this question was replaced in what we now call the Hagaddah, although it remains in the Talmud, and a shank bone ended up on our seder plate. And Jews don't eat lamb at seders. As far as mint jelly, consult your Rav.
But for those of you who have been to a real seder, and not the so many abridged ones that are occurring, you have learned that similar to Purim, being kind to the poor is a part of Passover as is hospitality. We know that Elijah will return as a beggar looking for food. If we turn him away, we are not ready spiritually for the Messiah. This is why we open the door for him and have a glass of wine for him.
Some Talmud Bavli Pesachim 10:1: We need make sure every poor person has enough wine for 4 cups.
And we all know the Hagaddah's cry, taken from Rabbi Huna's of the Talmud daily cry at dinner time, 'Let those who are hungry let them come and eat!.' The Talmud tells us we are to say this not in Hebrew but in the vernacular, which in Babylon was Aramaic, so that everyone could understand it. For our seders this coming week, we would say it in English in America, and since we have international students, in the language best understood by your town's people.
Some TaNaK: "You are defrauding Me!" says God, "because you fail to share My abundance with the poor and landless, you will not bring the common wealth into the common storehouse. Only if you turn back to My teaching will the locusts vanish from your fields. Only then, if you will share My rain of blessings on your harvests, will I pour those blessings down from Heaven." (Malachi 3: 8-11)
Some Torah: "And he (Lot) prepared a banquet for them, and baked matzot, and they ate" (Gen: 19:2).
Some Rashi: "And it was Pesach."
Now how was it Passover when the Children of Israel hadn't even gone to Egypt yet, and Israel (Jacob) hadn't even been born? The Radak [Rabbi David Kimchi circa 1200 France] says it wasn't Passover. This is a lesson in hospitality. That when one has hungry guests, serve them 18 minute matzah first, and water, and then take time to bake bread. My d'var below shows how the festival of unleavened bread was a Semitic grain holiday long before the Exodus took place. And the spring harvest festival of killing a lamb pre dated our Exodus as well. This should come as no surprise as when in comes to synchronicity, borrowing from other cultures, and putting a Hebraic or Judaic spin on it and making it our own, we win the prize.
But it we look at Genesis Chapter 19 and compare it to Exodus Chapter 12 we see parallels.
Gen. 19 tells of a ''house that is closed up'', in which the family and the guests have just completed a meal with matzot. At the ''doorway to the house'', the ''angels'' save the family members, ''strike' the people of the city (Sodom), and then ''bring'' Lot 's family ''out'' of the city, by virtue of the hospitality shown to them.
Gen 6: And Lot went out to them at the entrance, and shut the door after him.
Ex. 22: And none of you shall go out from the entrance of his house until morning.
Gen. 11: And they struck the men that were at the entrance to the house with blindness… and they wearied themselves to find the entrance.
Ex. 23 …God will pass over the entrance and will not allow the destroyer to come into your houses, to smite you.
Gen 3: And he made them a feast, and baked matzot, and they ate.
Ex. 8: And they shall eat the meat on that night, roasted with fire, with matzot; they shall eat it with bitter herbs.
Ex. 27: It is the sacrifice of Pesach unto God, Who passed over the houses of Bnei Yisrael in Egypt , when He smote Egypt
Gen 13: For we will destroy this place, for their cry has grown great before God, and God has sent us to destroy it.
Ex.(12) I shall smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt land of Egypt.. land of Egypt.
Ex. 9: 23: And God sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran down to the ground, and God rained hail upon the land of Egypt
Both episodes last all night. One produces two nations, Moab and Ammon and the other Israel.
What the Torah is trying to teach us, that it is through the merits of our hospitality and chesed , loving kindness to others, is how Lot was redeemed, how Israel was redeemed, and how each one of us redeems ourselves.
Some Talmud Bavli Pirkei Avot 1:2 2. Shimon the Righteous was one of the last survivors of the Great Assembly. He used to say: On three things the world is sustained: on the Torah, on the (Temple) service, and on deeds of loving kindness.
Well we have been taught that all of Torah can be summed up into love of one's fellow, and that the Temple service has been replaced with a service of the heart (prayer and self spiritual growth). So our entire Judaism is learning how to truly love, be free of resentments, and be altruistic.
Treat everyone you meet, or email, or on the phone, with kindness, as you can never know if that is the last time you will have an opportunity to be nice to that person.
Again, if anyone needs a seat for first night seder, or knows of someone, please contact us, at RabbiASegal@aol.com. Conversely, we are sederless for the second night.
The Talmud tells us we are to be simple and plain and humble like matzah, and not puffed up with ego, like fancy bread with chumetz."Leaven represents the evil impulse of the heart (Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 17a)." This is why matzah with honey, or onion flavor, etc, is not kosher for pesach.
The days preceding Passover and the 8 days of it, are an excellent time to begin your journey of Jewish Spiritual Renewal, to learn to rid yourself of ego, of dishonesty of commission and omission, of fears, of grudges, and learn to live a life of happiness, joyousness, and freedom. Check out www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org for our ''Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew,'' and I will work with anyone who wishes to, for gratis. It has helped countless others change their lives and many of them are your fellow Talmidim, from the most liberal of Jews, to members of Chabad.
Shabbat shalom and a sweet Pesach.
Rabbi Arthur Segal
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
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 Click to Order | THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal distills millennia of sage advice into a step-by-step process to reclaim your Judaism and your spirituality in a concise easy-to-read and easy-to-follow manner. If you find yourself wishing for the strength to sustain you through the ups and downs of life; if you want to learn how to live life to its fullest without angst, worry, low self-esteem or fear; or if you wish that your relationships with family, friends and co-workers were based on love and service and free of ego, arguments, resentments and feelings of being unloved...this book is for you. Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge |
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 Click to Order | A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to show the true Jewish take on what the Torah is trying to teach us. This companion to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew brings the Torah alive with daily relevance to the Modern Jew. All of the Torah can be summed up in one word: Chesed. It means kindness. The Talmud teaches that the Torah is about loving our fellow man and that we are to go and study. The rest is commentary. This compendium clarifies the commentary and allows one to study Torah and Talmud to learn the Judaic ideals of love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and peace. A must read for all Jews and deserves a place in every Jewish home. Price: $24.99 494 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge |
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(001) The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal
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In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal distills millennia of sage advice to reclaim your Judaism and your spirituality.
- Price : $19.99
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(002) A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud
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A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to show the true Jewish take on what the Torah is trying to teach us.
- Price : $24.99
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(003) Tzadakkah Bundle
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The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal and A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud. Purchase both books as a set, and I will donate a portion of the sales price in your name to the tzadakkah of your choice. -- Rabbi Segal
- Price : $44.98
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