Contemporary Reclining-Parshas Beshalach
(The following halachic analysis regarding the practice of reclining during the Pesach Seder is based largely on an exposition from the sefer Yerach L’mo’adim, Pesach, vol. I, § 44.) The tenth chapter of maseches Pesachim outlines the procedure followed at the Pesach Seder, and one of the first items it mentions is the practice of reclining. As the Mishnah states (10:1): וַאֲפִלּוּ עָנִי שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יֹאכַל עַד שֶׁיָּסֵב. “Every member [...]
Stop the World – it’s Chatzos!-Parshas Bo
There appears to be a discrepancy regarding the timing of the climactic plague, Makkas Bechoros (Plague of the Firstborn). When Moshe announces the upcoming event in this week’s parshah, he avoids pinpointing a specific time, merely stating instead that it would occurכַּחֲצֹת הַלַּיְלָה – “around midnight” (Shemos 11:4). When relating the actual execution, however, the Torah does employ exactitude in the matter, as it states: וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה וַד' הִכָּה כָל־בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם – “And [...]
Pairing the Plagues-Parshas Va’eira
Perhaps one of the most familiar, cherished aspects of the Seder night and the Exodus narrative in general is the topic of the Esser Makkos, the Ten Plagues that Hashem visited upon the Egyptians. But as the Ramchal famously states in the introduction to his classic work Mesilas Yesharim: “Together with universal familiarity... comes also a lack of scrutiny and deep understanding” [paraphrased]. While so many of us are [...]
