Volume XII Issue 5 MAAYANEI TORAH
Where in the World is Moshe Rabbeinu? val of Freedom. In an essay entitled Moses and the Re-
Mrs. Lynn Kraft
Tanakh, Jewish History, Chesed Advisor, Senior Advisor
A striking anomaly in the Haggadah, noticed by many
of its commentators, is its complete lack of attentiveness to
Moshe Rabbeinu. The central figure in the account of
Yetziat Mitzrayim in Sefer Shemot, and in the rest of the
Torah as well, is mentioned but once in the entire Hag-
gadah, and at that, in a mere proof text:
When Rabbi Yosi ha-Gelili is darshening out the num-
ber of makkot that occurred on the Yam Suf as compared to
those that occurred in Mitzrayim, he bases his argument on
the fact that while the plagues in Mitzrayim were described
as etzba E-lokim, the finger of G-d (Shemot 8:15), the
miracles at the sea were described as yad ha-gedolah, the
hand of G-d, which led Bnei Yisrael to believe both in
HaShem and in Moshe His servant (Shemot 14:31). There-
fore, Rabbi Yosi continues, just as there are five fingers on a
hand, so too there were five times more miracles wrought
upon the Egyptians at the Yam Suf than occurred in Mitz-
rayim proper.
This argument of Rabbi Yosi serves as the general con-
text for the only mention of Moshes name in the entire Hag-
gadah. For some reason, although Moshe figured promi-
nently in the actual events of Yetziat Mitzrayim, it seems
that a single mention of his name suffices to fulfill our an-
nual obligation of sippur Yetziat Mitzrayim. How can that
be?
This question becomes even more astonishing when we
compare our telling of the Pesach story in the Haggadah to
the reading aloud of the Purim story in the Megillah, which
comes just prior in the course of the yearly holiday cycle.
The Haggadah focuses solely on HaShems role in Yetziat
Mitzrayim, omitting, as we have discussed, any substantial
reference to His appointed leader. In stark contrast, the Me-
gillah focuses solely on the roles of the Jewish leaders who
brought about salvation, and does not mention HaShem even
once. Why does HaShem appear to be overshadowed by
Esther and Mordechai in the story of the geulah from Ha-
man, while He seems to completely overshadow Moshe in
the geulah from Pharaoh? I think that an answer to the
above questions may be found in Rav Soloveitchiks Festi-
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demption, the Rav distinguishes between two types of
shelichut.
The first type of shelichut (henceforth referred to as
Shelichut I) is utilized when the sender cannot attend to
business personally, and he therefore appoints a shaliach to
go in his stead. In this case, the messenger is appointed to
act through proxy in the absence of the sender. A clear
transfer of authority has taken place. A paradigmatic exam-
ple of this kind of shelichut is when Avraham sent Eliezer as
his shaliach to find a wife for Yitzchak. Due to Avrahams
absence, he was not mentioned as a participant in the story,
and Eliezer was given complete authority to act in his stead.
The second form of shelichut (henceforth referred to as
Shelichut II) involves the presence of both sender and shali-
ach, and unites the two individuals in a bond of friendship
and common ideals. They are both present together at the
transaction, and yet each one of them can act on behalf of
the other. This does not involve a transfer of authority, as in
Shelichut I, but rather a merger of identity.
This less comprehensible Shelichut II becomes clearer
through the examples that the Rav cites. For instance, al-
though a kohen acts as the agent of a member of Klal Yis-
rael who brings his or her korban, each individual Jew must
still travel all the way from his home to Yerushalayim in
order to be present as the kohen brings the korban. This
kind of shelichut involves the merging of ones identity with
the other, so that both kohen and Jew are uniting in order to
bring the korban. Similarly, even though the kohen gadol
was the representative of Am Yisrael to obtain kapparah for
their sins on Yom Kippur, the nation still stayed in the Beit
HaMikdash the entire day with him and even stayed awake
with him the entire night before. The last example the Rav
brings is the most pertinent to us today: whereas the shali-
ach tzibbur is considered to be the representative of the tzib-
bur and the agent of their prayers, the congregation must
still be present and actively participate in the tefillah in or-
der for the shelichut to work. The people pray through their
shaliach, but only while they and the shaliach are together
and united in their purpose.
Yet in all cases of Shelichut II it must be noted that the
sender, and not the shaliach, is ultimately given the credit
for the transaction: the Jew is considered to have brought his
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 Volume XII Issue 5 MAAYANEI TORAH
own korban, the nation of Am Yisrael is considered to have
attained kapparah, and the tzibbur is considered to have
prayed. For in these cases the shaliach is not acting in the
place of the sender, but together with the sender, acting as
the senders companion to help him carry out his original
purpose.
I would like to suggest that Shelichut I is a paradigm
through which we can understand the roles of Esther and
Mordechai in the Purim story. As we explained, Shelichut I
reflects a transfer of authority to the shaliach in the absence
of the sender. In the Megillah, HaShems absence is quite
clear. Its time was one of hester panim, and the path lead-
ing up to its ultimate salvation was paved only with nisim
nistarim. Because of this, HaShem appointed Esther and
Mordechai as His shelichim to initiate a strategy for geulah
in His perceived absence. Just as Avraham is not mentioned
once as an actor in the meeting of Eliezer and Rivkah, so too
HaShem is not mentioned once in the telling of the events of
Esther and Mordechaibecause He had kevyachol trans-
ferred His authority to them and they were acting in His
stead in the public sphere. In this way, Esther and Mor-
dechai deserved the credit for the geulah, and therefore to
be mentioned in the Megillah, because they achieved the
redemption through their own actions.
To the contrary, the Rav explains that Shelichut II is
exemplified by shelichut Moshe. When at first Moshe re-
fused the shelichut on the grounds that he was not worthy of
it, HaShem reassured him with I will be with you (Shemot
3:12). This shelichut was not to be a transference of author-
ity, but a merging of identity. HaShem followed through on
this promise when He didnt command Moshe to go to Phar-
aoh with the more typical directive of lech el Pharaoh,
go to Pharaoh, implying that he should go, away from
HaShem, to Pharaoh. Rather, HaShem commanded him
with the directive of bo el Pharaoh, come to Pharaoh,
implying that Moshe is to come along with HaShem in his
shelichut to Pharaoh.
In this way, the Rav explains, HaShems thoughts
would be crystallized in Moshes mind and His words
would be spoken through Moshes mouth. HaShem and
Moshe would be united both in their goal of bringing the
geulah and in the achievement thereof. But in this kind of
shelichut, the shaliach cannot take credit for what tran-
spires, even though he is necessary for action to be taken in
the human realm. In such a merging of identity, Moshe did
not act in HaShems place, but served only as His compan-
ion. In reality, every miracle executed by Moses was per-
formed by the Almighty. In that era of nes nigleh, every
miracle was obviously from HaShem that Moshe was not
considered anything more than a human conduit for divine
power. For this reason, Moshe claimed no credit for the
geulah, as proven in his first words in Az Yashir: I will
sing to HaShem for He is highly exalted! And for this rea-
Page 2 Maayanei Torah is a chagim publication produced by the students of Maayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls
son, he is given no credit in the Haggadah either.
However, we might still be bothered: Is Moshe ever al-
lowed to take credit for the all-important role he served in
leading Bnei Yisrael? Can he ever receive the prominence
he deserves? Shir HaShirim Rabbah says that although we
cannot find Moshe ba-laylah shel Mitzrayim, we will be
able to find him at Har Sinai on Shavuot and in the Ohel
Moed during the rest of the year, when he is involved in the
teaching of Torah. The Rav explains this midrash to mean
that whereas Moshe (or any other shaliach for that matter)
cannot claim any credit in terms of military prowess, eco-
nomic success, or political victory, there is one way in which
he may always be immortalized: as a teacher par excellence.
For teaching does not entail a claim of divine power, but a
mirroring of divine attributes, which man was specifically
commanded to do when he was created be-tzelem E-lokim.
This is why we do not refer to Moshe for posterity as Goal-
einu (our redeemer) or Moshieinu (our savior), but as
Moshe Rabbeinu, our teacher.
May we all be zocheh this Pesach to merit the ultimate
geulah, when we will be able to experience nisim geluyim
yet again and our mashiach will once more gladly give up
the credit for the nisim he helps to bring to this world for the
sake of being mikadesh shem HaShem, Who is the true ex-
ecutor of all nisim.
Tzafun: What Are We Really Looking For?
Sara Kasovitz (11)
Tzafun is one of the final parts of the Pesach Seder.
Right after the meal, we eat one final piece of matzahthe
afikoman. The afikoman is unique in that we do not eat this
piece of matzah out of hunger; rather we are merely eating
this piece of matzah because we are commanded to do
so. As humans, we sometimes focus exclusively on the
physical aspects of life: eating because we are hungry and
washing because we are dirty. However, when we eat the
afikoman we are doing it solely for the spiritual aspect, be-
cause G-d commanded us to eat it.
The correlation between the physical and spiritual, evi-
dent in the afikoman, is elaborated on in the mashal which
compares the two aspects of a person to a horse and a rider.
The mussar sefarim explain that a horse can take a rider to
his destination, but the rider has to control the horse in order
to get there. If the rider does not control his horse, then the
horse will stray off the path and lose its focus. The rider
represents the soul, the spiritual aspect of a person; and the
horse represents the body, the physical aspect of a person.
Our body, the horse, can take us to our destination of a
strong relationship with HaShem and His Torahas long as
the soul, the rider, is in charge. If, however, we stop control-
ling our body, then the body can take over the soul. Once the
body is in control, we start to focus solely on our bodys
Volume XII Issue 5 MAAYANEI TORAH
needs - physical and worldly pleasures - instead of divine
needs such as Torah. Hence, it is our job to make sure we
always use our soul to control our bodies, and use our bod-
ies, the physical, as a tool to do good deeds and maintain a
close relationship with HaShem.
The mashal represents a persons lifelong spiritual jour-
ney, and the afikoman represents the destination. The afiko-
man is hidden until tzafun. In order to eat this last piece of
matzah we have to physically search until we find what we
are looking for. This physical search represents our spiritual
search to do what is right. Sometimes we tend to lose focus
of our goal and become absorbed into the materialistic as-
pect of life. It is our job to search for the spiritual, to control
the physical, and to find what we need in order to keep our-
selves on the right path. When we eat the afikoman during
tzafun we do so because we are commanded, and not to sat-
isfy our physical pleasures. The matzah we seek and eat
represents the spiritual aspect of our lives, the search and
successive reward.
Throughout the Seder, we repeatedly focus on Bnei Yis-
raels journey from slavery to freedom. As Jews, it is our
duty to make sure that we remain free people. We must al-
ways strive to control the materialistic aspect of our nature,
in order to prevent the physical from controlling and enslav-
ing us. By focusing on the spiritual aspect of life we can
ensure that the physical drive will not take over our ambi-
tion. In this manner we can ensure that we remain free.
When you search for the afikoman, dont only
search for the matzah, the physical, rather try to search for a
deeper meaning behind it, as a way to find that spiritual
drive deep within your soul.
Maaseh be-Rabbi Eliezer
Tali Spier (13) and Tzipora Leiser (13)
When reading the passage of maaseh be-Rabbi
Eliezer, where the Seder of the five Tanaim in Bnei Brak
went on so long that their students came and told them that it
was time to say the morning Shema, many questions arise.
Firstly, how is it possible that these great talmidei
chachamim did not realize that it was time to daven
Shacharit? R. Shalom Rosner explains that these chachamim
were so engrossed in their Torah learning that nothing could
distract them. This teaches us a lesson that when we are
learning or davening, we must remember to avoid distrac-
tions and anything else happening around us and also be
completely focused.
Maayanei Torah is a chagim publication produced by the students of Maayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls
Another question is: why does it say until the students
came to them? Werent the students already there learning
with them? The answer to this, from R. Asher Weiss on the
Haggadah, is that the students who were learning outside in
other places were the ones who came, because no one learn-
ing inside knew that it was morning. They couldnt tell the
difference between morning and night because R. Eliezers
face would shine with the light of Torah just like Moshe Rab-
beinus would.
This is even more perplexing. Why did the talmidim
come and interrupt the learning of their rebbeim if they were
so focused on the mitzvot of the night? If they were so en-
grossed in their Torah learning, why did they have to be in-
terrupted just to recite Kriat Shema? Couldnt they have just
said Shema a few minutes after the zeman? They would have
still been using their time wisely, sharing stories of Yetziat
Mitzrayim! R. Pinkas explains that many times people look at
their lives and think that they are average because they as-
sume they have done more mitzvot then aveirot, so overall
they think they are okay. He points out, however, that our
mitzvot do not just negate our aveirot and cover up our faults.
R. Pinkas explains that our goal should be to lead balanced
lives, not to use our mitzvot to cover up our faults. For exam-
ple, It is not okay to rationalize sins by saying that you will
learn until 3 AM every morning and then go to sleep, daven-
ing be-yechidut (individually, without a minyan) after the
zeman. The learning doesnt cancel out the flawed davening.
This is why it was extremely important for the talmidim to
come interrupt the rebbeim to say Kriat Shema. That the
rabbis were immersed in their talmud Torah does not mean
that they can disregard other important mitzvot.
There is a famous story of R. Levi Yitzchak of Berdi-
chev, who was a renowned spiritual advocate for Jews and
who would daven to HaShem on behalf of Jews who ap-
peared to be sinning. On the Seder night, while walking
home from shul, he would stop outside the houses of simple
Jews to listen to how they performed their Sedarim. Once, he
stopped at a familys house and heard the man recite the pas-
sage of the arbaah banim. The man reading the passage em-
phasized the word echad each time he said it. Then, he ex-
plained to his family that this is how his father taught him to
say the word echad in Shema. His father also told him that
the same thing applied to echad in the Seder. When R. Levi
Yitzchak heard this, he lifted his hands to shamayim and said
to HaShem, Who in your nation is like this man? The whole
purpose of the Seder is to realize that HaShem is one. The
Tanaim spent the entire Seder telling stories of Yetziat Mitz-
rayim until their students came in the morning to tell them it
was time to say Shema, but this simple man started off his
Seder by saying HaShem is one! In fact, R. Levi Yitzchak
explains how the word echad in the paragraph of the arbaah
banim connects to the echad in Shema. The word Shacharit
is an acronym for the arbaah banim: she-eino yodea li-
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 Volume XII Issue 5 MAAYANEI TORAH
shol, chacham, rasha, and tam. In the passage of maaseh
be-Rabbi Eliezer it says, The time has come to recite the
Shema of Shacharit. Therefore, when the students said this,
they were also implying that the way one should daven
Shema islike this man who emphasized echad.
The passage of maaseh be-Rabbi Eliezer teaches us a
very important lesson. We must always remember to recog-
nize HaShem for everything that He does. At the Seder it is
beautiful to learn many divrei Torah, but it all means noth-
ing if we do not realize that everything is from HaShem and
do not take the time to internalize that lesson. The only rea-
son that we have a Seder celebrating the Exodus every year
is because of HaShem and all of the miracles that He per-
forms for us. Even though it is so important to be engrossed
in sippur Yetziat Mitzrayim, we must remember that every-
thing we have is from HaShem and recognize the yad chaza-
kah of HaShem in all the miracles He performed and per-
forms daily. We cannot successfully reach our potential in
talmud Torah if we also disregard opportunities to fulfill
other important mitzvot, such as recognizing HaShems
strength and reciting Kriat Shema; instead, we have to
make sure that we can have a balance, and not just focus on
one mitzvah. Mastering one mitzvah does not mean that do-
ing that mitzvah cancels out all the aveirot that one did to
get there, nor does it exempt one from doing other necessary
mitzvot. Therefore, if the whole purpose of learning sippur
Yetziat Mitzrayim at the Seder is to come to the realization
that HaShem is One and everything that happens is because
of Him, it is so important to say Shema, the exact tefillah
that declares HaShems omnipotence! May we all be zocheh
to realize the koach of HaShem right as we start the Seder
and in everything else that we do, just like the simple man in
the story of R. Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev. Let us make
sure to remember this while performing all other mitzvot
throughout our lives.
What Did Chametz Ever do to You?
Talia Friedman (10)
Currently my family and I are in the arduous proc-
ess of cleaning the house and car for Pesach. We, like
many others are on a hunt to eradicate all traces of chametz
from our property. But why? What all of a sudden is so bad
about chametz that we seek it out and burn it? If it is terrible
then it should be burned year-round! This question ties into
where the issur regarding chametz on Pesach originated.
And are there any benefits to not owning any chametz on
Pesach? Lets find out.
The Biblical source against owning chametz is in
Shemot when HaShem commands Bnei Yisrael to prepare
for the Exodus from Egypt. The pasuk reads, Va-yomer
Moshe el ha-am: zachor et ha-yom ha-zeh asher yatzatem
mi-Mitzrayim mi-beit avadim, ki be-chozek yad hotzi
Page 4 Maayanei Torah is a chagim publication produced by the students of Maayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls
HaShem etchem mi-zehve-lo yeachel chametz. Moses
told the people remember this day when you departed from
Egypt from the house of slavery, for G-d brought you out
with a strong hand from here, and therefore chametz should
not be eaten (13:3). This pasuk both sources the issur and
explains some of the rationale behind it, that G-d redeemed
us with a strong hand. However, this does not explain the
nature of the connection between redemption and chametz.
Why is specifically chametz banned on Pesach?
Mishnah Pesachim compares chametz to matzah. Bnei
Yisrael baked matzah to remember the haste with which they
left Egypt. Matzah symbolizes slavery. Chametz is the op-
posite of matzah. Refraining from the opposite of matzah,
chametz, reinforces the concept of slavery, and reinforces the
importance of reenacting Yetziat Mitzrayim. Refraining
from Chametz is therefore an additional way to remember
our slavery.
The Zohar takes a different approach and compares
chametz to idolatry: Whoever eats chametz on Pesach, it is
as if he prayed to an idol (2:182). Similarities between
chametz and idolatry include (1) that it is forbidden to be
seen (2) it must be burned (3) all traces of it must be eradi-
cated (4) it cannot be benefited from (5) even the tiniest par-
ticle is forbidden. Due to the severity of both issurim, both
must be extensively obliterated.
Rabbi Alexandri (Berakhot 17a) has a more theological,
metaphorical approach. Rabbi Alexandri observes that mat-
zah is permitted, even required, on Pesachuntil seor,
yeast, is added and makes it chametz. The seor, the yeast, is
inedible plain; however once it mixes with the sanctified,
edible matzah, the matzah is degraded into forbidden, edible
chametz. This process is a metaphor for our yetzer ha-ra, our
evil inclination, that can turn something holy into something
forbidden. By itself, our yetzer ha-ra is not powerful; how-
ever, once it enters our pure thought processes, it can corrupt
us. (While this metaphor is interesting, R. Alex Israel ques-
tions it why then is chametz permitted the rest of the year,
even during times such as the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah, the
Ten Days of Repentance, when we make strong efforts to
fight the yetzer ha-ra?)
R. Ezra Bick also uses the metaphor of yeast, but R.
Bick explains yeast very differently. Rav Bick observes that
matzah forms a predictable flat shape whereas bread rises
and forms an unpredictable loaf. While growth, as repre-
sented through the chametz bread, can be admirable; it can
also be wild and anarchic. Yeast represents uninhibited
growth. During Yetziat Mitzrayim we were first freed and
first permitted to grow. However, we had not yet learned
how to turn our freedom into service of G-d; we did not have
the Torah, we did not know how to be free. Hence we need
Pesach, a seven day period, for us to learn how to control
ourselves in our newfound state of freedom. During these
seven days we are not ready to deal with unbridled growth.
 Volume XII Issue 5 MAAYANEI TORAH
So we ban and burn all unbridled growth, yeast, from our
midstlest we never learn how to control ourselves. We
start out as slaves with stunted growth, then we have no
yeast, so therefore only limited growth, and then we climax
with the arrival of the Torah fifty days later and we are
ready for wild, abundant growth, channeled to serve G-d.
The Netziv takes a similar approach to the one written
above, in that chametz is likened to growth and improve-
ment of a basic product, but the Netzivs interpretation is
unique in that the Netziv views adding chametz as man in-
terfering with divinity. The basic structure of matzah is di-
vine, but by adding yeast to the recipe it becomes something
more earthly and manmade. While normally, advances in
cooking technology, such as yeast, would be welcomed,
they are forbidden on Pesach. Pesach is a holiday when
HaShem did everything for us: He sent plagues, split the
sea, drowned the EgyptiansMeanwhile Bnei Yisrael did
not do anything to help, and it would be presumptuous to
impose our creations when we are thanking G-d for His in-
tervention.
One last reason to forbid chametz is that chametz is a
symbol of pride. When appropriate, there is nothing wrong
with justified pride resulting from productivity, which is
why chametz is permitted most of the year. However flee-
ing slavery does not qualify as something of which to be
abundantly proud, and for these seven days we recognize an
inglorious time period of our history.
While it may be tedious to seek out all of the chametz;
there definitely are reasons to do so. (Aside from the obvi-
ousa clean house.) Eliminating chametz reminds us of
our slavery, helps us gradually overcome our slave mental-
ity, helps us overcome idolatry, warns us against being sub-
verted by the yetzer ha-ra, teaches us to recognize G-ds
hand in the Exodus, and cautions us against undue pride.
Previously, every year when I cleaned, I only focused on the
end goal of the cleaningthe Sedarim. I always overlooked
the lessons I learned from the process and the reason I was
even doing it. Hopefully this teaches us to analyze the proc-
esses behind the mitzvot and the reasons they are enforced to
begin with.
Sources for this article include: online articles by R. Ezra
Bick, R. Alex Israel and R. Moshe Taragin, and learning with
my brother, Jesse Friedman (TABC 10).
Maayanei Torah is a chagim publication produced by the students of Maayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls
The Splitting of Hallel
Avital Peyser (11)
Many questions may arise when looking at the structure
and format of the Haggadah. One of great significance re-
gards the recitation of the Hallel. Why is it that the Hallel is
split into two parts? We recite the first two paragraphs at the
end of Maggid, and the rest of Hallel, right after Birkat
HaMazon. The answer to this question illuminates a reason
for why specifically we recite the first two paragraphs of the
Hallel and continue with the rest later, and also explains why
the first part is recited when we drink the second of the four
cups, and the rest of Hallel is said specifically at kos revii.
The Maharam explains that Hallelukah hallu avdei
HaShem and Be-tzeit Yisrael mi-Mitzrayim talk about
Yetziat Mitzrayim and the miracles that HaShem performed
for us in history. Therefore, these passages were placed di-
rectly at the end of Maggid, which describes how HaShem
took the Jewish people out of Mitzrayim. The remaining
paragraphs of Hallel speak of Milchemet Gog and our future
oppressions and salvations, and are thus placed toward the
conclusion of our Seder.
Rav Soloveitchik expands upon this idea and says that
the Hallel was split up because the first part is pure shevach
ve-hodaah (praise and thanks) and the second is tefillah and
bakashah (prayer and supplication). According to Rambam,
everyone must envision himself as if he left Mitzrayim as he
reads through the Haggadah. Therefore, right after we have
witnessed detzach, adash, be-achav, which represent the
ten makkot, we give immense praise to HaKadosh Baruch
Hu for saving us from the hands of the Mitzrim and taking us
out of Mitzrayim, le-fichach anachnu chayyavim le-hodot
we are therefore obligated to give thanks. However, the
Rav points out, man is never really secure. Although, strictly
speaking, thanking HaShem is appropriate at this point, we
will offer a tefillah and bakashah from Him at some point
later on, as the Mishnah in Berachot states: noten hodaah
le-she-avar, ve-tzoek le-atid la-vo. A Jew gives thanks for
what He has done in the past and cries out for the future.
The fact that these two parts of Hallel are recited over
the second and fourth cups, respectively, also possesses great
significance. With Ve-hetzalti, the phrase for which we
have the second cup, we praise HaShem for saving us in
every way: physically, mentally and spiritually. With Ve-
lakachti, the fourth cup, we ask of HaShem to please take
us to the next level of salvation and watch over us in the
midbar, in Eretz Yisrael and in our future galuyot. The sym-
bolism of the two cups corresponds to the two aspects of
Hallel described by the Rav.
I wish everyone a meaningful and happy chag. May we
all recite the Hallel with kavvanot both of gratitude and
bakashah for the future, so that our tefilliot will be answered
and we will have even more to be thankful for.
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Volume XII Issue 5 MAAYANEI TORAH
Analyzing Faith vs. Accepting Faith
Tamar Berger (11)
In the Haggadah, the chacham, the wise son, questions
the father before the tam, the simple son, does. The
chachams question is as follows: mah ha-eidut ve-ha-
chukkim ve-ha-mishpatim asher tzivah HaShem Elokeinu
etchem? - What are the testimonies, decrees, and ordi-
nances that HaShem our G-d, has commanded you? Then,
two sons later, the tam asks, mah zot? What is this? The that His commands benefit us. By knowing that before we
order is surprising because in the Torah, the pasuk with the
tams question (Shemot 13:14) appears before the pasuk
with the chachams question (Devarim 6:20-21). I would
like to focus on the lesson the Torahs order imparts to us.
R. Moshe Feinstein says that the biblical order teaches us
that we should first obtain a broad knowledge of Torah with
complete faith before we learn each mitzvah in depth and
analyze each mitzvah. First, we need to understand that
HaShem does everything for our benefit; HaShem gives us
all these mitzvot in order for us to receive rewards and live
meaningful lives, and then we can learn and comprehend the
laws He gives us.
Although this lesson seems simple, it is important and
worth repeating. We sometimes do not trust that everything
HaShem does is exclusively for our benefit. Sometimes, we
question the mitzvot, accuse them of not making sense, and
therefore decide that a mitzvah does not need to be fulfilled.
That is, if they do not make sense to us, then there is no
point in doing them. However, R. Feinstein explains that we
should never discard a mitzvah. First we need to understand
that HaShem does everything for our benefit, and after un-
derstanding that, we realize that we must accept all the mitz-
vot, the ones that make perfect sense to us and the ones that
are a lot harder to understand. We need to take this leap of
faith because we never know HaShems plans for us. We
never know why HaShem does what He does. Yet despite
our lack of knowledge, we have to believe that HaShem
does everything for a reason and that the reason is ulti-
mately beneficial to us.
In the movie The Karate Kid, the kid wants to learn
karate for self-defense. He makes a pact with a teacher that
he will meet with the teacher to learn karate. The first day
the teacher tells the boy to clean his car. The second day the
teacher tells him to paint his fence. The third day the teacher
tells him to paint his house. After the kid does all the as-
signed tasks the teacher requests, the kid gets angry with the
teacher and confronts him saying, The deal we made was
for you to teach me karate. I havent learned any karate,
instead I have just been your slave. The teacher replies,
Not everything is as it seems, and shows the kid that when
the kid was doing all those chores the teacher was actually
teaching him karate through those chores.
Page 6 Maayanei Torah is a chagim publication produced by the students of Maayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls
The Karate Kid is analogous to mitzvot (le-havdil);
HaShem gives us these chores that seem to have no benefit
for us, when in fact they do benefit our lives. They may
seem like they are just chores, when in reality they are more
than choresor not chores at all. Rather, they are presents.
Just like the teacher taught the kid karate through a frustrat-
ing, inexplicable method, which the kid does not understand,
similarly, sometimes the mitzvot seem annoying and frustrat-
ing because we do not understand them. However, even if
we do not understand them we need to have faith in HaShem
start going through the mitzvot and learning and analyzing
them, they will benefit us, the mitzvot become easier for us
and augment our ahavat HaShem.
Hence, R. Moshe explains that the simple son is bibli-
cally recorded first, because we have to learn to accept be-
fore we can analyze. We need to accept that the mitzvot are
not for HaShems benefit, but rather they are for our own
benefit. HaShem does not need us, but rather we need Him
and His mitzvot in order to lead a happier and more con-
nected life. Just like parents sometimes set up rules for us to
benefit us, so too does HaShem. Our parents are not affected
by whether or not we attend school or whether or not we use
our phones, rather, we are the ones directly affected. We
become better people, better students, and our lives improve
through proper behavior. HaShem doesnt give us mitzvot for
His sake. He is absolutely perfect and does not need com-
mandments. Rather, he gives them to us to strengthen our
relationship with Him. It makes us better people and allows
us to lead happier lives. First we need to have this under-
standing, and then, and only then, can we move on to under-
standing and analyzing the mitzvot. We can be like the tam
and the chacham, doing mitzvot first through faith, and then
through comprehension.
Finding a Pattern in the Chaos of the Makkot
Lizzy Klein (12)
In the Haggadah, Rabbi Yehudah divides the makkot
into three groups: detzach, adash, be-achav. Detzach
represents the first three of the makkot: dam, tzefardeia and
kinnim. The second group, adash, corresponds to the next
three of the makkot: arov, dever and shechin. The last group
stands for the final four makkot: barad, arbeh, choshech, and
makkat bechorot. There are many opinions about why R.
Yehudah divided the groups this way.
It is brought down in the Machzor Vitri that these spe-
cific groups are related to who executed the makkah. The
first three makkot are similar, and are therefore grouped to-
gether, because they were performed by Aharon with the
mateh (staff). The makkot in the second group, adash, were
carried out by Moshe alone, without the staff. The subse-
quent three makkot, included in the group be-achav, were
 Volume XII Issue 5 MAAYANEI TORAH
each executed by Moshe with the staff. The remaining mak-
kah, makkat bechorot, was performed by HaShem, though it
is attached to the group of be-achav because there is no
other place for it.
Abarbanels opinion is that there is a pattern amongst
the makkot, which organizes them in this way. For instance,
there is only a warning before the first
makkah in each group. There is also a
reason for the warning only before the
first makkah in each of the three
groups. Before the makkah of dam it is
written, be-zot teida ki ani
HaShem (Shemot 7:17), meaning,
with this you will know that I am
HaShem. Because there is only a
warning and reason given before dam
(until arov), it can be concluded that
HaShems original reason was intended
to apply to all the makkot from dam
through kinnim. All of the makkot in
the group of detzach are meant for the
Egyptians to acknowledge HaShems
presence, as displayed in the reason given to the group of
makkot. This is accomplished by HaShems easing the char-
tumim, the Egyptian magicians, into the makkot. Dam, the
first makkah, was able to be performed and halted by the
chartumim. The chartumim were only able to perform the
next makkah, tzefardeia, but were not capable of ceasing it.
The chartumim were unable to do or do away with kinnim,
the last makkah in the group. After this makkah, the magi-
cians acknowledged that it was HaShem performing these
miraculous acts. This was HaShems goal for this unique
group of makkot.
Adash, the following set, similarly contains one warning
and intent for the three makkot within the group. It is written
in Shemot 8:18 prior to the first makkah of this group, arov,
lemaan teida ki ani HaShem be-kerev ha-aretz. This
quote is translated: So that you will know that I am
HaShem throughout the land. The intent for this group of
makkot is to make the Egyptians know that HaShem is the
G-d everywhere and He has the capability to differentiate
between the Egyptians and the Jews. This is displayed by
each makkah in the set of adash; in each of these makkot it
is written that HaShem separates between the Egyptians and
Bnei Yisrael.
In the warning for barad, the first makkah of be-achav,
the final group of makkot, it says ba-avor teida ki ain ka-
moni be-chol ha-aretz (Shemot 9:14). Meaning So that
you will know that there is none like Me in all of the land.
HaShem wanted the Egyptians to know that HaShem is one
and there is no other G-d. Also, HaShem wanted them to
know that He is all-powerful. After each makkah in this fi-
Maayanei Torah is a chagim publication produced by the students of Maayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls
nal set, it is written as there never was before in all the
land. This exemplifies HaShems strength and capability, as
well as His oneness. Since there is a warning and reason
only before the first makkah in the group, barad, it is con-
cluded that this is the purpose for each makkah within the
group. This pattern offers another reason why R. Yehudah
breaks up the makkot into these unique
groups.
We see from the warnings of all the sets
of makkot that HaShem made the makkot
with specific intent for each one: to show
His divinity, display His omnipresence, and
to demonstrate His omnipotence. Together,
these ideas form one cohesive message to
the Egyptians at whom the makkot were di-
rected, and to Klal Yisrael as well. These
ideas are some of the main tenets of our
emunah in HaShem, and by remembering the
makkot on Pesach, we reaffirm these beliefs.
Ideas from this devar Torah come from the
Machzor Vitri and Mrs. Kahans class.
Lets Play House Together
Talia Friedman (10)
There are many parts to the Seder where seemingly the
only reason for them is to arouse the childrens curiosity.
However, this is confusing, since children have no obligation
to perform mitzvot; and they dont fulfill a commandment of
their own if they ask questions. But if the children have no
chiyyuv in mitzvot, then why are there so many mitzvot cen-
tered around, and specifically for, the children?
Rabbi Besser, in a devar Torah given at mishmar, ex-
plains that the children do not participate for the childrens
sake; they participate for the adults sake. Arguably, the
most challenging mitzvah during the Seder is Be-chol dor
va-dor chayav Adam lirot et atzmo keilu hu yatza mi-
Mitzrayim. In every generation, every man must feel as if
he himself is being redeemed from Egypt. It is extraordi-
narily difficult to pretend you are someone you are not, liv-
ing somewhere you have never visited, and are visualizing
miracles the likes of which you have never seen. I know I
have never succeeded in fulfilling this commandment, and I
doubt most other people have succeeded.
This difficult command explains why the children are
necessary. Adults only act silly near children and only near
children are they both capable and willing to play pretend.
Children play house and make believe and are capable
of visualizing themselves in different scenarios. Hence we
invite children to the Sedarim, and entice them to partici-
pateso that we can help ourselves participate and visualize
Page 7
 Volume XII Issue 5 MAAYANEI TORAH

Yetziat Mitzrayim.
When you are at your Seder, do not be afraid to dress like an Editor-in-Chief: Talia Friedman
Egyptian, or to run around the house to try and find the afikoman
even try to do it with chipazon. So enjoy the Seder and be-ezrat Associate Editor: Chaya Kanarfogel
HaShem, next year we will not just have to imagine redemption, we
will experience Mashiach and a new redemption of our own. Staff Editors: Marcella Berman
Le-shanah ha-baah bi-Yerushalayim! Rachel Friedman
Hannah Lockspeiser
Personal and National Closeness to HaShem Rebecca Peyser
Shira Hanau (13) Michal Wiseman

Pesach is a chag that should be related to on both a personal Managing Editors: Aliza Friedman
Daniella Grodko
and national level. As a nation, the holiday of Pesach commemo-
rates Bnei Yisraels leaving Egypt and transformation into a na-
Layout Editor: Hanna Erdfarb
tion. On a personal level, during the Seder, every Jew must feel
as if he himself is leaving Egypt and escaping Pharaohs subjuga- Production Editors: Talia Pruzansky
tion. Batya Sadek
There is a midrash which compares the time Bnei Yisrael
spent in Egypt to the time a baby spends in a mothers womb. Distribution Editors: Ayala Laub
What happened to us there are the events that formed us into the Amalya Sherman
nation we are today. Both time periods have critical effects. Just
as the time in the womb affects who the child will be, similarly Staff Writers : Yifat Adler
Egypt affected who we became as a nation. When Bnei Yisrael Allison Alt
was born, so to speak, we truly became an am kadosh and an Shira Hanau
am HaShem. Jennifer Lebowitz
On a more personal level, when we read the Hagaddah on Talia Stern
Seder night, we are all supposed to feel as if we ourselves are
leaving Egypt. In addition to its national ramifications, it is a Faculty Advisor: Mrs. Shifra Schapiro
very personal experience as well. We all should want to have the
connection with HaShem on Seder night that we would have had Thank you to Mrs. Orly Nadler, Mrs. Fran
if we had been taken out of Egypt. When the rasha asks his ques- Rochwarger, Mrs. Madeline Schmuckler and
tion, he calls the mitzvot yours, instead of ours. He is there- Mrs. Andrea Winkler for their technical
assistance.
fore answered sharply, because he has not personally tied himself
to the Seder and the miracle of Yetziat Mitzrayim.
If your shul would like to receive Maayanei
These two seemingly separate connections go hand in hand Torah, or to sponsor an issue, please contact:
on Seder night. There is a pasuk from Tehillim 30:11, HaShem Maayanot
heyeh ozer li. O Lord, be my helper. Another example of be- 1650 Palisade Ave.
ing called a helper is when Chavah is called an ezer to Adam, as Teaneck, NJ 07666
a husband and wife are meant to help each other. Just as one 201-833-4307
should have a completely trusting and giving relationship with Maayaneitorah@maayanot.org
ones spouse, one should have a similar relationship to HaShem,
who is also called an ozer. This is what the Seder and the miracle Mrs. Rookie Billet, Principal
of Yetziat Mitzrayim do for us. As a people we must forge a rela- Mrs. Ruth Wang Birnbaum, Mrs. Evelyn Gross
tionship with HaShem where we can trust Him and give to Him Associate Principals
through tefillah and mitzvot, while on a personal level, we seek a Ms. Elana Flaumenhaft, Mrs. Rivka Kahan
close relationship with Him like that with a spouse. Assistant Principals
Mrs. Rachel Feldman, Administrator

Page 8 Maayanei Torah is a chagim publication produced by the students of Maayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls