Page 5 - RMBA Upper School Haggadah 2018

ques ons, and speak of the Passover sacrifice that was brought in the mes of the Temple. We
retell again and again the cultural, historical, and religious significance of the ‫ פסח‬story. But the
ques on I s ll find myself asking is, why call it ‫ ?פסח‬More than just the basic “G-d passed over
us” explana on, this holiday’s name, marking such a significant event in Jewish history, must
have some deeper meaning. Why call it ‫?פסח‬
A quick look into the study of “Lashon Hakodesh”, or the “Language of Crea on”, provides an
insight into the enigma c origins of the word ‫פסח‬. The Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria), 16th century,
separated the word ‫ פסח‬into two words; ‫ פה‬and ‫סח‬: the mouth talks. Before Yetziat Mitzrayim,
the Exodus, the Jews were slaves, explains Rabbi Ari Bergmann. They had no autonomy, no
concept of self-determina on; they were subject to the wills of those who controlled them.
They had no choice in what they could and could not say. In other words, there was no ‫פסח‬.
Then came along Moshe Rabbeinu, who triumphed against Pharaoh and led the Jewish people
out of Egypt, towards freedom. All of a sudden, an enslaved people found themselves with the
ability to speak their mind. It marked the first me, ever in history, that the Jewish people were
one sovereign na on, no longer a familial tribe. Along with Yetziat Mitzrayim came the ability to
interpret and explain the world around us; the mouth talks. The Jews could speak freely, to tell
and retell the story of the Exodus.
The holiday of ‫ פסח‬is a commemora on of the me our people found their voice, and more
importantly were given the ability to use it. It marks the me of Jewish independence, and
sense of na onhood. Thus we find ourselves si ng around long tables laden with parsley and
charoset to celebrate the ‫פה סח‬. We tell and retell the story every year, in apprecia on and awe
of the mouth that talks.
Why Is It Called Chag Hamaztot? - Gavriel Hampel (11th Grade)
In a shiur given by Rabbi Abraham Leibtag, we are asked why Pesach, the holiday that
remembers our exodus, is also called “Chag Hamaztot.” The two simple answers are as follows.
Firstly, it is in order to remind us of the poor man's bread that we ate during our me in
bondage. Secondly, its purpose is to remind us of the dough that did not rise when we has ly
fled from Egypt. Both of these answers are only at the top of the iceberg just barely peeking
above the water. But, like most things in life, we can always extrapolate a greater meaning and
lesson if we search below and beyond the surface level.
Beyond the horizon, in this case, would be the significance of the Mazta and the understanding
of how we, as Jews, relate to our unleavened bread. Every Friday evening Jews have leavened
bread, Challah, in order to commemorate the two clouds of G-d that protected us, in front and
behind, while we traveled through the dangerous desert. The Mazta, an unleavened bread that
signifies our bondage, was our state of spirituality, easily broken and malnourished during our
slavery. The 40 years we traveled before arriving in the Holy Land was me needed to upli our
spirituality. The contrast we see between the bread we have once a week and the bread we had
as slaves is in order to open our eyes. It, like the en re purpose of Pesach, is meant to act as a
reminder of our connec on and gratefulness to G-d and that we must con nue to nourish and
make our spirituality level rise even higher.

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