A man who was normally treated as the doormat in his house, had just finished reading a book called, Man is the Boss. He then stormed into the kitchen and declared to his wife, "From now on, Man is the Boss. What I say goes…"
"Therefore, you are going to start with preparing me a five-course dinner with a sumptuous dessert. After that, you are going to prepare for me a hot bubble bath, where I can wash up and smell clean after a hard day's work. Then, I am going to smoke my wonderful Cuban cigar so I can relax. After that, guess who is going to dress me and comb my hair?"
And the wife responded, "the Chevra Kadisha?" (the burial society)
One of the greatest Jewish teachers, Rashi, whose commentary on
the Torah is considered to be the "select of the interpretations",[1] created a 15-step mnemonic in
which to remember the order of events at the Passover Seder.[2] This is printed in most haggadot.
The first two are kadesh and urchatz (to make kiddush on wine and then wash your hands-without a blessing). A simple observation reveals an obvious inconsistency. Out of all fifteen, only urchatz has a Vav (which means "and") preceding it. Why this Vav, and what is its connection to kadish?
To every question there are at least four or five answers. This is known as PaRDeS: pshat-literal; remez-hint; drush-homeletic or halachic; and sod-esoteric or kabbalistic, and then the Chassidic. [3] The thread that combines all the answers is this: since urchatz has a Vav, which means "and" or connection, it implies that these two ideas are mutually symbiotic and need each other.
PSHAT
All of the fifteen steps have two syllables, i.e., ka-desh.
All besides the second, therefore, by placing a Vav, it becomes
ur-chatz-two syllables. [4]
REMEZ
The phrase 'kadesh and urchatz' is a hint to the
Third Holy (kodesh) Temple. When Moshiach will come, the
Holy Temple will descend from heaven spontaneously, and many people
will not have washed and cleansed themselves. We will then immediately
afterwards wash (urchatz) ourselves in purity. [5]
DRUSH
When eating wet fruits or vegetables, one should first wash their
hands ritually. Though this is a stringency and not commonly done,
on Pesach night, when we are all kadesh-holy and living
on a higher plane, after Kiddush, we immediately wash our hands.
[6]
Alternately, halachicaly, there is a question of how many times one should pour the water on one's hands. Some say two on the right, then two on the left, totaling four, and some say three on the right, then three on the left, totaling six. The additional Vav of urchatz is the gematria of six, teaching us that tonight (at least), we wash six times. [7]
SOD
Kaddish represents chochma-intellect and bina-understanding.
Kabbalah states that chochma and bina are two friends
that never part. Thus, the Vav of connection. [8]
CHASSIDUS
When looking at others to inspire them and bring them closer to
G-d and Torah, what should you look for? The answer: you must
look at their soul, [9] a part of
G-d that is pure, pristine and kadesh-holy. After seeing
one's great qualities, only then can you urchatz, help
them to wash off their soiled garments and chose a better loftier
path for themselves.[10]
PARDES
In general, the different interpretations of pardes correspond
to the four letters of G-d's name - Yud, Hei, Vav, Hei, and the
Chassidic interpretation to the point on the Yud. They also coincide
with the four cups of wine at the Seder table and the fifth cup
of Elijah.
In the merit of celebrating the Pesach Seders "and connecting" with other guests on all levels of pardes, may we merit to see Elijah, the harbinger of the Moshiach and the spontaneous revelation of the Third Holy Temple. Let us wash and be ready.
STORY[11]
Traditionally, the fifteen stages of the Seder service have been introduced by the chanting of a rhyming mnemonic: "Kadesh-When Father comes home from shul on Pesach eve, he has to recite Kiddush straight away so that the little children will not fall asleep and will ask the Four Questions, beginning mah nishtanah."
One Seder, at the home of the Shpoler Zeide, his young son announced "Kadesh" and proceeded with the traditional explanation, "When Father comes home from shul on Pesach eve, he has to recite Kiddush straight away." However, he stopped at that point.
His father asked him to continue, but the boy explained that his teacher had only taught them up to that point. So his father completed the explanation. The next day, the boy's teacher joined the family for lunch, and Shpoler Zeide asked him why he didn't teach the little ones the full explanation in Kadesh, as was the custom.
The teacher responded that he saw no reason to explain so much. The Shpoler Zeide protested vigorously and told the teacher he did not understand the reason behind the tradition and admonished him not "to diverge from the customs of our venerable forebears by following the dictates of your own reason!"
"Listen now to the inner meaning of these words," he explained. They "serve as an introduction to the entire Seder."
'When Father comes home from shul on Pesach eve' - that is to say: When our Father in heaven returns from shul after the evening prayers to his abode On High, having seen that even though every single Jew was exhausted from the heavy work of preparation for Pesach, they all nevertheless came to shul for the evening prayers, and poured out their souls in the recitation of the thanksgiving psalms of Hallel, then, 'he has to recite Kiddush straight away' - that is to say: He straight away has to renew his betrothal of Israel, his 'Kiddushin', with His forlorn bride, and must redeem us from our exile straight away.
'So that the little children will not fall asleep!' - the People of Israel are sometimes referred to by His prophets as small children-so the Almighty must act quickly, lest these children fall too deeply into the slumber of exile, and despair (G-d forbed) of ever being redeemed. He must act quickly, -- "so that they will ask the question, 'Mah Nishtanah?' Why is this night different from all other nights? Why is the long dread night of this exile being prolonged more than all the dark exiles which we have already endured?
And then the Shpoler Zeide broke out in tears, threw his arms heavenward and cried out: "Father Above! Redeem us quickly from exile Do not let us fall into a deep slumber!"
| ACTION: Invite at least one guest to your Passover table or sponsor one to a community Seder, and ask your guest to accept a new mitzvah for the coming year. |
FOOTNOTES
[1] HayomYom Adar Sheni-18
[2] Machor Vitri, Ch. 65
[3] See Kuntris, On the Essense of Chassidus, Ch. 8, 11,
etc.
[4] See Hagadah Likutei Ta’amim Uminhagim on this
passage. Also see Klolei Tamei Hamikra by Rabbi Yudah
[5] Sichas Kodesh Erev Pesach 5750
[6] Hagadah Likutei Taamim Uminhagim
[7] Hayom Yom Shvat 20, "According to the glosses
of Ashri." See Tractate Chulin, Ch. 8, Rosh, Section 43,
quoting Riva.
[8] See Hagadah Likutei Taamim Uminhagin. The Rebbe says
this in the name of his father, Hagaon Hamikubal Rabbi Levi Yitzchok.
See also Sichas Kodesh, Ibid.
[9] See Tanya, Ch. 25. Also Siddur: Morning Blessing: Elo-Kay
neshama…tehora hee.
[10] Another interpretation-kadesh: first, purify yourself
then, urchatz: you will be more expert in washing away
the soiled garments of others. See Ukutei Sichos, Vol.
4. Chukas, p. 1060, FN 25, No. 2.
[11]Adapted A Treasure of Chassidic Tales on the Festivals,
Volume Two, pp 360-362.