In the day or two before Pesach, I thought I'd share two quick thoughts for the Seder, and ask that you add a comment with a quick idea from your Seder.
1) "An outstretched arm"--- What is the imagery of an outstretched arm? Is it just a repetition of "strong hand", another metaphor for God's power? Perhaps it means that the hand of someone helping another must be outstretched, but the one being helped cannot be rescued until he or she grasps the outstretched arm of the rescuer. Thus, redemption required God's outstretched arm--and our taking of it.
2) Ma Nishtana-- I heard from Rabbi Tzvi Sobolofsky that the Abarbanel understands the four questions as relating to the Korban Pesach (or at least the first question relating to it). Thus, "on all other nights we eat chametz and matzah, tonight only matzah" means: on all other nights that we bring a Korban Todah, a thanksgiving offering, it is brought together with chametz and matzah (according to the halachot of a korban todah), but this thanksgiving offering--the passover offering, we eat it only with matzah. Thus, the Korban Pesach is a type of Thanksgiving offering, but it is different from the regular one.
Please leave an idea or two of your own in the comments.
chag kasher v'sameach,
Michael Merdinger
1 comment:
Carol Katzman wrote (I slightly edited it for privacy): every year we would create clues and send the kids around the house looking for the answers. Each answer was a piece of a puzzle (created out of heavy construction paper). Once they had all the pieces, they had to put the puzzle together....to discover where the afikoman was hidden!! good way to allow the kids to run around...for a purpose!!
we've also had sederim where everyone was given a different hagaddah (some from the local Jewish library). It allowed adults to comment on differences in translations, esp if there were shy guests at our table. even the kids got into it.
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