What is the origin of the fast of the firstborn? Why do we fast? Most of the Ashkenazi Rishonim quote it but it’s not clearly sourced in the Gemara, it is discussed in מסכת סופרים. The Gemara records that Rebbe fasted on Erev Pesach but not because he was a bechor but because he was […]

Yehoshua’s father Nun, was the son of Elishama ben Amihud the Nasi of Ephraim. Yehoshua began propesizing right after the mourning period for Moshe. The Haftarah mentions discusses the mass circumcision and the first Korban Pesach offered in Eretz Yisrael. After milah Hashem tells Yehoshua that today Hashem removed the disgrace of Egypt from them […]

Why does the Haggadah turn to the declaration made when bringing Bikkurim to tell the story of the Exodus rather than the story itself? What is emphasized in מקרא ביכורים? Why isn’t the verse about coming into the Land of Israel included at the Seder (why don’t we include a fifth cup – והבאתי)? The […]

Until when can the afikomen be eaten? R’ Akiva – all night; R’ Elazar ben Azarya – until chatzot. Like whom do we hold? Most Rishonim say you are only yotzei afikomen until chatzot; the Rambam says all night. The Shulchan Aruch says to be machmir. The Avnei Nezer’s suggestion for how to finish the […]

Rambam, chapter 7 of Hilchos Chametz u’Matzah

The Seder, despite its name seems on the surface to be disorderly. What is the internal logic of the order? What is the goal? How does the Seder accomplish this goal? How do the pieces fit together to accomplish this goal. Three layers to the Haggadah: Halacha (7 Halachot on the Seder night) – the […]

The first mishna in Pesachim says that on אור of the 14th of Nisan we check for chametz, the word אור is used instead of לילה in order to use clean language and then proceeds to discuss this topic for 2 daf. R’ Tzadok HaKohen writes that aggadic sections are placed in masechtot to which […]

What is the spiritual necessity embedded in Pesach that was meant to be fulfilled by a historical event? What event is Pesach meant to rectify? How do the halachos help us to achieve this necessity now that the historical event didn’t complete the goal? Shiur provided courtesy of torahthinking.com

The Gemara says we begin with the bad and end with the good: Shmuel holds we begin with עבדים היינו; Rav says we begin with מתחילה עובדי עבודה זרה היו אבותינו. We follow both: The first “haggadah”, of Shmuel:begins with questions (מה נשתנה), proceeds to עבדים היינו (the bad) and ends with ברוך המקום (praise). […]

The Seder night is the only time when there is a positive obligation to eat matzah. The beginning of the Haggadah says we eat matzah to remember what our ancestors ate in Egypt. Rabban Gamliel gives a completely different reason – when our ancestors were freed they didn’t have time for the dough to rise. On […]