Passover
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Elijah and Passover
Would you explain the tradition of the empty chair for Elijah at the Passover table? Answer: The most common tradition is to have a cup for Elijah the Prophet at the table that is usually filled with wine near the…
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Four Questions and the Youngest Child
Why does the youngest child always ask the 4 questions on Passover? Answer: Our Rabbis tell us that the reason that it is the youngest who asks the four questions, is so that he/she will remain an active participant in…
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Maror – Bitter Herbs
Why do we eat the Maror (Bitter Herbs) on Passover? Answer: God commanded us to eat 3 foods on the first night of Passover to remember 3 aspects of the miraculous way we were freed from Egyptian slavery. The Matzah…
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Passover – Back to Back Celebrations
I’m familiar with the Passover festival that begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nisan. Yet, the Bible (Leviticus 23:5-6 and other places) seems to indicate that Passover is on the 14th of the Jewish month of…
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Did the Jews Build the Pyramids?
On Passover when we read that the Egyptians forced us to do back-breaking work isn’t there the implication that the work was building the Egyptian pyramids? Not simply Pithom and Ramses? It certainly was implied when we studied this in…
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Egypt Was Good For Us
If G-d intended for the Jewish people to be strangers in a foreign land, Jacob’s decision to leave Israel was not out of his own free choice. So why do we thank G-d so much for taking us out of…
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Rabbi Akiva’s Students
[See this article for the background of this issue – Ed.] Question: How come Rabbi Akiva’s students all died from not having respect for each other if they were the students of the man who exemplified that? Answer: That could…
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First Passover
When was the first Passover? Answer: 1312 BCE. This was the year of the Exodus. The first Seder took place the night before the Exodus. Take care, Pinchas
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Bread of Affliction …or Freedom?
Why is it that on Matza represents freedom if we also consider Matza a poor mans bread that we had in Egypt as slaves? Answer: I attended Rabbi Soloveithchick’s (The Rav’s) lectures where he asked the same question: “Matzoh on…