Readings for Pesach
Special Readings for Pesach - Taken as a group the readings from the Torah touch the major themes of the holiday including the Redemption from Bondage, Springtime, Harvest and Temple Sacrifices. Two scrolls are used since there are two separate readings. The second scroll provides the Maftir or Concluding Portion. The second reading is the same on all eight days. It is only called the Maftir Reading on the first two days, the last two days and on Shabbat. Yes, the Torah is read on all eight days of the holiday. Each of the readings from the Prophets reinforces a theme from the Torah portion of the day. However, you only read a haftarah on the first two days of the holiday, the last two days of the holiday and on Shabbat.
Torah Readings for Tuesday, April 23, 2024
First Day of Pesach
12:21-51 Shemot (Exodus)
This was selected as the Torah reading for the first day of
Pesach because it describes the laws of Pesach as communicated by Moshe to the
elders. Incorporated in the instructions
are statements outlining the origin and significance of the festival. The reading includes the commandments
concerning the first Pesach (in
Maftir Portion
28:19-25 Bamidbar (Numbers)
The selection describes the sacrificial offerings that were
to be brought to the
Haftarah
5:2-6:1 Joshua
This is the reading from the prophets for the first
day. Just as the Torah reading describes
the first Pesach, the Haftarah describes the first Pesach the Israelites
celebrated upon arriving in
Omer
In the evening count the Omer for the first time.
Torah
Readings for Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Second Day of Pesach
This was chosen as the Torah reading for the second day of Pesach because it specifies the compassionate treatment that must be accorded sacrificial animals and then proceeds to describe, holiday by holiday, beginning with Pesach, the sacrifices to be brought on each holiday in the Jewish calendar. The holiday calendar here is a complete one including Shabbat, the Three Pilgrimage Festivals, Rosh Hashanah (although not by name) and Yom Kippur. It includes a detailed description of rituals for observing these holidays including the Counting of the Omer. In other words, we read the command for counting the omer, which technically starts on the second day of Pesach, in the Morning Service for the second day of the holiday. During the year we read this material in the sedrah of Emor.
Maftir Portion
28:19-25 Bamidbar (Numbers)
The selection describes the sacrificial offerings that were
to be brought to the
Haftarah
23: 1-9; 23:21-25 Kings II
This is the reading from the Prophets for the Second
Day. Just as the Torah portion describes
events surrounding the sacrifices to be brought to the
Torah
Readings for Thursday, April 25, 2024
Day 1 Chol Hamoed
13:1-6 Shemot (Exodus)
This is the reading for the first Intermediate Day. From a narrative point of view, it
immediately follows the material read on the First Day of Pesach and includes
another recitation of the Pesach rituals.
It also includes the famous lines, “And when, in time to come, your son
asks you, saying, ‘What does this?’ you shall say to him, ‘It was with a mighty
hand that the Lord brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage.’” (
Second Portion
28:19-25 Bamidbar (Numbers)
The selection describes the sacrificial offerings that were
to be brought to the
Torah
Readings for Friday, April 26, 2024
Day 2 Chol Hamoed
This is the reading for the Second
Intermediate Day. It is extremely
appropriate for Pesach for two reasons.
It begins with laws concerning the treatment of the less fortunate (and
who was less fortunate than the slaves of
Second Portion
28:19-25 Bamidbar (Numbers)
The selection describes the sacrificial offerings that were
to be brought to the
Torah
Readings for Saturday, April 27, 2024
Shabbat Chol Hamoed
33:12-34:26 Shemot (Exodus)
This reading “concludes with verses that emphasize
Maftir Portion
28:19-25 Bamidbar (Numbers)
The selection describes the sacrificial offerings that were
to be brought to the
Haftarah
37:1-14 Ezekiel
Often referred to as the “Vision of the Valley of the Dry Bones” the reading from the Prophets relates to the holiday and not to the text of the Torah. At the risk of interjecting my own views, this is one of the greatest of all Jewish writings. The words are powerful. The Hebrew term “Ben Adam” or in the classical translations, “Son of Man,” carries majesty all its own, especially when the Lord asks, “Son of Man, can these bones live?” (Ezekiel 37:3). The imagery is clear and moving. Pesach marks our first redemption. Ezekiel’s prophecy is a vision of our final redemption.
Torah
Readings for Sunday, April 28, 2024
Day 3 Chol Hamoed
9:1-14 Bamidbar (Numbers)
This is the reading for the Third Intermediate Day. This is the reading that describes the origin of Pesach Sheni or the Second Pesach. (See below for further explanation).
Second Portion
28:19-25 Bamidbar (Numbers)
The selection describes the sacrificial offerings that were
to be brought to the
Torah
Readings for Monday, April 29, 2024
Seventh Day of Pesach (Final Day for Reform - Recite Yizkor)
This was chosen as the reading for the Seventh Day of Pesach because it describes the events at the Sea of Reeds. According to tradition, this miracle occurred on the Seventh Day of Pesach. As you know from our studies, this reading ends with Moshe’s Song at the Sea, which is also included the daily worship service. During the year we read this material in the sedrah of Beshalach.
Maftir Portion
28:19-25 Bamidbar (Numbers)
The selection describes the sacrificial offerings that were
to be brought to the
Haftarah
22:1-51 Samuel II
This is the reading from the Prophets for the Seventh
Day. Second Samuel describes events in
the life of King David. The haftarah is
song of thanksgiving and triumph. It
celebrates the life of David. The King
is proud of his accomplishments and thanks God for His beneficence. From a literary point of view, the Song of
David was written at the end of his life since it comes in the final chapters
of Second Samuel. However, the language
would indicate that it was written at an earlier time, possibly shortly after
David had conquered
Torah
Readings for Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Eighth Day of Pesach (Final Day for Orthodox & Conservative -
Recite Yizkor)
This is the reading for the Eight Day of Pesach when it falls on a weekday. The Torah portion “begins with a reminder that the firstborn of one’s herd belongs to God.” This is connected to the events of Pesach when the firstborn of the Israelites were spared. It is a fitting conclusion to the holiday observances, which began with the Fast of the Firstborn on the eve of Pesach. During the year, we read this as part of the sedrah of Re’eh.
Maftir Portion
28:19-25 Bamidbar (Numbers)
The selection describes the sacrificial offerings that were
to be brought to the
Haftarah
This is the reading from the Prophets for the Eighth Day. The portion alludes to the defeat of the Assyrians in 701 B.C.E., which was supposed to have occurred on Pesach. Once again we also see the prophetic vision of the final redemption although described in different imagery from that which we read in Ezekiel. This haftarah includes some of the most famous images of the Messianic era ever written including “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb and a leopard will lie down with a kid…with a young child to lead them” (Isaiah 11:6). Just as Pesach celebrates the first redemption of the Jews, Isaiah summons up a vision of the final redemption for all mankind.
Other Comments, Customs and Ceremonies
Most of you are acquainted with the Seder and its rituals so
we will not take time to review them here.
Below are a few items, some of which are tied to the worship service,
which you might find of interest. I have
viewed the holiday from a traditional point of view. For example, Reformed Jews observe Pesach for
seven days while Conservative and Orthodox Jews observe it for eight days.
Shabbat Ha-Gadol
The Shabbat
preceding Pesach is called Shabbat Ha-Gadol or the Great Sabbath. There are several possible reasons why this
particular Shabbat is so named. First is
its proximity to Pesach. Second,
according to Shemot, this would have been the time during which the Israelites
were selecting the lambs that would be part of the first Pesach
observance. Third, in the special
Haftarah (Malachi 3:3-24) that is read on Shabbat Ha-Gadol reference is made to
that “great day” when the prophet Elijah will re-appear. According to tradition, Elijah is the prophet
who will announce the coming of the Messiah.
We find this theme repeated at the Seder with the Cup of Elijah and the
singing of Eliyahu Hanavi (Elijah the Prophet) when we open the door in
anticipation of his appearance. There is
no special Torah reading for Shabbat Ha-Gadol.
In earlier times, it was customary for the Rabbis to devote their
sermons on Shabbat Ha-Gadol to the rules of Pesach to ensure proper observance
of this major festival. On Shabbat Ha-Gadol
(Nisan, 4950) in 1190 the Jews of York, England, were attacked by a mob
including crusaders heading for the Holy Land. They gave the Jews the choice of converting or
death. Most of the Jews chose death,
which meant murder-suicide pacts. A few
Jews did surrender to the mob, but they were murdered any way.
Haggadah
The Haggadah (from the Hebrew word meaning narration or
recital) is the term describing the text used during the Seder. Parts of the text and ritual in the Haggadah
date from Biblical times and the days before the destruction of the
Fast of the First Born
The Fast of the First Born usually takes place on the 14th
of Nisan which is the day before Passover.
In other words, it ends with the start of the first Seder. It “is the only fast which neither an
antonement for sin nor a fast of petition.
It commemorates the last of the ten plagues (Exodus12:29). It serves as a reminder of the death of the
Egyptian firstborn and miraculous sparing of the lives of the Israelite
firstborn. For this reason, the only
people required to fast are firstborn males and the fathers of firstborn who
have not reached the age of Bar Mitzvah.
Those who are supposed to fast may avoid the obligation by participating
in a “siyyum” - the study of the concluding passage of a Talmud tractate. Those who participate in a “siyyum” must
celebrate the event by eating and drinking.
Traditionally, the Shacharit or Morning Service on the 14th
of Nisan is always followed by a short Talmud study session. Based on anecdotal information, we can
conclude that attendance at that service is higher than usual - nothing like
the desire to eat to draw a crowd.
Chol Ha-Moed
Chol may be translated as
“weekday, secular or profane.” Ha-Moed
is translated as “the festival.” Some
translated the term to mean “The Profane Days of the Festival.” Others use the term Half-Holiday. Chol Hamoed refers to the intermediate days
of Pesach and Sukkoth. As you can see
from the shortened Torah readings, some of the rituals are less stringent. In addition, people are allowed to do a
variety of work that is prohibited on the first and last days of the
festivals. This may be one of the reasons
that the days are called Profane or Secular.
Interestingly, Ashekanzim wear tefillin on Chol Ha-Moed. Sephardim and Chasidim do not.
The Calendar
In the Torah reading, the
Pesach starts in the month of Abib. We
call this the month of Nisan. The name
change probably occurred as a result of our contact with the Babylonians. Also, the holiday observances described in
the various readings mentioned above also vary.
The repetition of the core observances should indicate the importance of
these events. The variations may be a
product of point of view. In other
words, the description in Shemot fits with the actual Exodus and our first
contact with the holiday coming out of
Genius of Judaism
Pesach is an excellent
example of the “genius of Judaism.” If
we had clung to the literal description of the holiday, it would have
disappeared with the destruction of the
Chametz
“Any product of types of
grain - wheat, rye barley oats and spelt - becomes Chametz (or Leaven) if the
grain has been in contact with water for eighteen minutes without being handled
before baking.” For Ashkenazic Jews,
this list of prohibited foods also includes “rice and legumes (including peas,
beans, corn, maize, lentils, millet and mustard), which expand when
cooked.” Sephardic Jews are not bound by
this expanded list. Observant Jews look
for markings indicating that prepared items are “Kasher le Pesach” or Kosher
for Passover, to ensure that they do not contain any Chametz. Just as we remove the Chametz from our homes
each year, the Sages tell us to remove the Chametz from our hearts and souls. Pesach is a time of renewal as well as
rejoicing. We do not have to wait for
Yom Kippur to cleanse ourselves and start again on our journey.
Matzah
“It is unleavened bread, baked under supervision by a Jewish
baker. The ingredients are water and
flour…” Since you only have eighteen
minutes, the mixture is “quickly kneaded, flattened for rapid baking and
stamped out in round or square sections and baked at a high temperature.” Most Matzah is made by machine, but it is
still possible to buy hand-made Matzah.
Matzah is variously known as Unleavened Bread, the Bread of Affliction
or Poor Bread. One of my favorite terms
for Matzah is “The Bread over which people speak” because the term conjures up
the conversation and inter-play that are a vital part of the Seder.
Hallel
“Six psalms (113-118), collectively known as Hallel
(Hymns of Praise) are said immediately following the Amidah” in the Morning or
Shacharit Service.” The full Hallel is
said on the first two days of the holiday.
On the last six days of the holiday, the first verses of Psalm 115 and
all of Psalm 116 are omitted from the Hallel.
One of the reasons given for this has to do with the feeling of sadness
connected with drowning of the Egyptians at the
Musaf Service
On Pesach, there is a Musaf
or Additional Service following the Torah Service. This is a reminder of the Musaf or Additional
Sacrifice that was brought to the
Prayer For Tal or Dew
During the Musaf Service on
the First Day of Pesach, the Prayer for Tal or Dew is recited. Pesach marked the end of the rainy
seasons. So the ancient Israelites asked
God to provide the moisture they would need for the coming months in the form
of dew.
Gibraltar Jews
Many Ashkenazic Jews
recited their Seder in two languages - Hebrew and Yiddish. The Jews of Gibraltar whose community dates
back to the 14th century have a similar custom with a slightly
different twist. On the first night they
recited the
Haggadah in Hebrew. On the second night,
they recited the
Haggadah in Ladino. Ladino is the
Sephardic equivalent of Yiddish.
Yizkor
Yizkor or the Memorial Service is recited at some point
prior to the Musaf Service on the last day of Pesach. The recitation of Yizkor on the festivals is
tied to the description of the festival offering in Devarim 16:17, “They shall
not appear before the Lord empty-handed...”
According to Rabbi Donin, this reference about not appearing empty
handed is tied to the pledge of charity that is part of the Yizkor Service.
Shir Ha-Shirim
Shir Ha-Shirim or the Song
of Songs is traditionally read on Pesach.
The Scroll is part of the third portion of the TaNaCh (Bible) called
Katuvim or Writings. King Solomon supposedly
wrote it. It has a two-fold connection
with Pesach. First, it is poem about
springtime. Secondly, it is a hymn to
love that replicates the love that God has for the Israelites. Ashkenazim read it on the Intermediate
Sabbath just before the Torah reading.
Sephardim read it before the Mincha Service on the Intermediate Sabbath. Outside of
The Four Sons
Of all of the Four Sons,
the one who seems to draw the most interest is the Rasha, the Wicked Son. There is the standard explanation about him
that he is Wicked because he cut himself off from the community. There is another explanation about that says
he is Wicked because he is really advocating continuing the ways of Egypt and
engaging in idol worship. The one thing
that all the sons have in common is that they all asked questions. So the Rasha cannot be labeled as Evil
because he asked questions. A benign
explanation is that he asked his questions in the wrong manner. Instead of asking in the manner of the
disputes between Hillel and Shammai, men who were trying to find answers for
the sake of truth, he asked in the manner of Korach or Jeroboam, men who were
asking question to undermine the House of Israel. A less benign explanation is that this is the
product of Sages who had become intolerant of questions, viewing them all as a
challenge to their authority. After all,
one view of the Wise Son is that he is wise because all he wants to is absorb
that which has compiled by others. Since
this is a topic that has fascinated people for centuries, do not expect this to
be anything more than a stimulus to further discussion.
The Fifth Son
The Four Sons are a famous part of the Haggadah. The so-called Fifth Son is worse off even
than the Wicked Son. At least the Wicked
Son comes to the Seder. The Fifth Son
represents the absent Jews, the ones who have drifted away or feel estranged from
their people. As Jews it is our duty to
search them out and make them feel welcome.
Pesach Sheni
The term means Second
Pesach. It falls one month after the
regular Pesach on the fourteenth of the Jewish month of Iyar. Moshe established it so that those who were
ritually unclean and therefore forbidden from taking part in the Pesach
sacrifice could still celebrate the holiday.
Mitzrayim and Freedom
The Hebrew word for
Pirke Avot (Sayings of the Fathers)
It is a custom among some
people to begin reading Pirke Avot each Shabbat starting with first
Shabbat after Pesach until the last Shabbat just before Rosh Hashanah. Pirke Avot or Sayings of the
Fathers is one of sixty-three tractates of the Mishna. While most of the Mishna is concerned
with legal matters, Pirke Avot is concerned with morality. Its six chapters are filled with pithy moral
sayings from rabbis who lived from approximately 300 B.C.E. to 200 C.E. The custom is to read one chapter each Shabbat
and then begin again. There are a couple
of times when you double up so that the reading comes out evenly. Shabbat is a time for study and people read
this on their own, not during services.
This cycle exists through Spring and Summer when there is more daylight
which means people have more time to study on Shabbat. It is so short that some prayer books contain
the entire tractate. You can also buy it
in book form. For the technologically
oriented folks, go to Google and type in Pirke Avot. You will find a deluge of websites.
Omer
We start counting the Omer
on the second night of Pesach. We count
for 49 days. The fiftieth day is Shavuot
- The Feast of Weeks. In case you missed
it, 49 days is the same as seven weeks.
While the term omer is a term of measurement, Counting the Omer refers
to the measure of barley that was brought to the
Syrian Seder
The next time you bemoan
the difficulty connected with preparing for Pesach and having a Seder consider
the fate of Gid'on Magen and Pini
Nahmani. They were the two-man crew of
the Phantom jet taken prisoner by the Syrians after they were shot down on
April 2, 1970. Eighteen days later,
Nahmani and some of the other POW’s including a youngster name Boaz observed
Pesach. “In the morning,” they “gave the
cell a thorough scrubbing, something the concrete floor had never had.” The prisoner “drew a Seder plate on a piece
of cardboard, with a Magen David in the middle, and a different item at each of
the star’s points. In the afternoon,”
they “managed to give” themselves “baths in ice-cold water, and then” they “put
on their cleanest clothes.” The center
pieces of the Seder were “two Haggadot and some Matzah crumbs sent by the Chief
Rabbi of Zurich.” “In the most
heavily-guarded prison of any enemy state, three Israeli prisoners” recited the
story of the Exodus and sang the songs “of the ancient holiday of liberty. The only person disturbed by the celebration
was Nur al-din Atassi, the former President of Syria who was in the next
cell. Atassi had thrown the Israelis in
jail declaring that “the Israeli pilots would grow old in a Syrian
prison.” Now he was there a fellow
prisoner, thanks to the President Assad and he was forced to listen to these
Jews chant from their Haggadah including the part about Laban, the evil Syrian.
Let All Who Are Hungry Come and Eat
Normally we connect
Passover with food including the famous invitation recited at the start of the
Seder. Pesach, 1946 was a different
matter. Eleven hundred Jews trying to
get from Spezia to Palestine had been interred in Italy. The group had been convinced to stop their
hunger strike by the leaders of the Jewish Agency who were worried about their
health. The Jews of Eretz-Israel took up
the fast for them. The third day of the
fast coincided with the first Seder. The
chief rabbis presided over a Seder where each attendee was to eat a piece of
Matzah no bigger than olive. Instead of
cups of wine, they drank cups of tea as they chanted from the Haggadah. The hunger strike paid off. The refugees were released on the first day
of Pesach and allowed to continue to Palestine.
Once in a while, gaining the freedom of Passover means being hungry and
not eating.
The Empty Seat
For the first time since 1949, Israel is at war during Passover. In response to that The Seder Seat for a
Hostage campaign sponsored by “the leading Jewish organization in the United
Kingdom” is scheduled to begin on the evening of April 22 when Jews sit down
for their first Seder. Many people will
be observing this moment by setting an empty spot at their Seder even if they
do not send a picture. The section that begins with “Pour out thy wrath…”
recited just before opening the door for Elijah will certainly take on a greater
intensity as waves of anti-Semitism crash against us the House of Israel.
Passover Jewish Jeopardy
(If things grow dull at the
Seder, and you get desperate for entertainment start with the answers and see
who can come up with the question.)
1.
1934 - When did
Maxwell House coffee begin distributing Haggadot?
2.
Fermented Grains
- What forms of fermented food are prohibited during Pesach?
3.
The Wife - Who
asks the Four Questions if only a husband and wife are present for the Seder?
4.
Kitniyot - What
is the name for legumes and grains from which bread can be made and are
therefore not eaten by Ashkenazic Jews?
5.
18 - What is the
maximum number of minutes that one has to bake a mixture of flour and water
before it is assumed to have become leavened and is therefore not Kosher for
Pesach?
6.
Spain, 1482 -
Where and when was the first independent printed Haggadah issued?
7.
Song of Songs -
Which book of the Bible mentions Pharaoh’s Chariot in its first chapter? (Hint, it is read in the synagogue on
Pesach.)
8.
China - What kind
of dishes cannot be kashered for Pesach because they are too porous and
absorbent for removal of Chametz?
9.
Warsaw Ghetto
Uprising - What battle against the Nazis began on Pesach?
10.
11. Mila 18 - What was the address of the headquarters for
Jewish fighters in the Warsaw Ghetto?
12. Mordecai Anielewicz and Isaac Zuckerman - Who were two
of the commanders of the Freedom Fighters in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising?
Passover Jewish Jeopardy II
If you find your Seder
getting a little boring, you might want to follow The Four Questions with The
Four Answers and play Jewish Jeopardy.
1. The answer is “Passover.
“ The question is, “What do the cities
of Warsaw, Hamilton and Tel Aviv have in common? Everybody knows that the Warsaw Ghetto
uprising began Erev Passover, 1943. On
the same Passover Eve when the Jews were fighting for their survival in Warsaw,
representatives of the British and American government were meeting for a
conference in Hamilton, on the island of Bermuda to discuss what could be done
to help the Jewish refugees who had escaped from Hitler’s clutches as well as
those who were trapped in Nazi-occupied Europe where their extermination was
all but assured. The conferees concluded
that nothing could really be done to help them and they went home. As to Tel Aviv, on the 6th day of Passover in
1909, 66 Jewish families gathered on a five acre sand dune outside of Jaffa
that they had purchased in 1908 and drew lots to decide where they could build
their homes. Within a year, they would
have laid out several of the main thoroughfares, built dozens of houses and
installed a water system.
2. The answer is
“Passover”. The question is “What do the
Civil War, World War II and World War I have in common?” The Civil War marked the first time in our
history that large numbers of Jewish soldiers were away from home for Passover.
When it came to observing the holiday,
they relied on their own ingenuity.
Passover, 1862, found 21 Jewish soldiers serving with the 23rd Ohio
Volunteer Regiment conducting a Seder at their camp at Fayette in western
Virginia. They got Matzah and Haggadot
from Cincinnati. They were able to get
meat and eggs from local sources. They
substituted a locally grown “bitter weed” for horseradish since none was
available. They also could not find the
ingredients for Charoset, so they put a brick on the table figuring that
looking at it while reciting the service would suffice to remind them of the
Bricks their ancestors used as slaves.
By World War II, the military took an active part in helping Jewish
troops observe Passover. For Passover,
1944, the U.S. military helped the Jewish Welfare Board distribute 400,000
boxes Matzah, 7,000 gallons of wine and 190,000 Haggadot to those serving “in
every war sector as well as England, North Africa and Australia. Holiday supplies were even parachuted to
troops serving in the upper reaches of the Rockies and dogsleds were used to
get Passover goodies to those serving in outposts in Alaska.” As to World War I, the United States Congress
declared war on Germany on the eve of Pesach.
Among the Jews sitting to their last Seder as civilians was Irving
Berlin, the composer of White Christmas, who put on an Army uniform at the age
of 30. The American Jewish community and
the military had already figured out to help servicemen observe Passover as can
be seen from the seder held at Manhattan’s Tuxedo Hall in 1914 for 450 Jewish
sailors and marines stationed aboard the Battleships Texas, North Dakota,
Washington, Ohio Wyoming and Louisiana.
3. The answer is
“Passover.” The question is “What do
Mickey O’Brien and Charles ‘Silver Dollar’ Smith have in common?” Mickey O’Brien was a “small boy with red hair”
who spoke with a thick Irish brogue living in New York. In 1907, as Passover approached Mickey
presented a ticket at a Jewish run distribution center good for a list of
supplies including Matzah and Matzah flour.
When told that the supplies were supplied to those of “the Hebraic
faith” he replied, “Me name is Mickey O’Brien but sure me mother needs the
matzoth. We’re most starving and if
it’ll do any good, I’ll be an Irish Hebrew.”
O’Brien got the food. During the
19th century and well into the 20th century, so-called Uptown Jews collected
funds to help support their less fortunate co-religionists who had recently
come to the United States. At Passover
time, there were several organizations that provided thousands of pounds of
food to make it possible for people to observe Passover and to have meals after
the holiday. Often, destitute non-Jews
would show up at these distribution centers.
When asked why the Jews gave them food, one society matron replied that
hunger knew no religious boundaries.
This was merely giving life to the words of the Haggadah “This is the
bread of affliction. Let all who are
hungry come and eat.” Silver Dollar
Smith was a 19th century New York saloon keeper and a minor member of the
infamous Tammany Hall political machine.
Every year at Passover time, he would pass out unlimited supplies of
Matzah at his saloon on Essex Street.
Smith died in 1899 and the poor Jews of the Lower East Side were afraid
that this was the end of the largess.
They were pleasantly surprised to discover in April of 1900 that Smith’s
henchmen were continuing the practice of their late benefactor when it came to
the distribution of Passover supplies.
As to Smith, his name wasn’t really Smith. He was a Jew whose birth name was either
Charles Finkelstein or Charles Solomon.
The Silver Dollar came from the fact that several of these coins were
embedded in the counter of the Essex street saloon. Matzah has been called many things including
Unleavened Bread and the Bread over Which People Talk. It took a minor New York politician to make
it the Bread with which one bought votes.
4.The answer is
“Passover”. The question is what do
Maxwell House Coffee and Coca Cola have in common? According to the legend Maxwell House noticed
that its sales would decline each year for a week during March or April. This was attributed to the fact that most
Jews did not eat beans during Passover so they did not consume a drink made
from the coffee bean. Joseph Jacobs
Advertising Agency met with a rabbi who, after much consideration, issued a
ruling that the coffee bean was not a bean but a berry. This meant that coffee could be consumed
during Passover. In 1934, to solidify
its hold on the newly won Jewish Passover coffee consumers, Maxwell House
issued the first edition of the now famous Maxwell House Haggadah. With over fifty million printed over the
years, it is the most popular Haggadah ever created. It is also the longest running consumer food
promotion in American history. As to Coke,
at Passover Time, Coke is indeed the real thing. For decades KP Coke had been a staple in many
homes as can be seen from the Haggadot Coke produced in the 1930s. However, during the 1980s Coke started using
high-fructose corn syrup instead of sugar.
Since Jews do not consume products made with corn, it looked like a
decades old relationship was about to come an end. But a few bottlers in markets with large
number of Jews, got permission to return to Coke’s roots at Passover time and
use real sugar. Ironically, if you want
the real versions of “The Real Thing,” you have to buy the specially marked
Kosher for Passover Yellow capped bottles of Coke.
If you enjoyed “The Four
Answers,” great! It is just like
anything else connected with Passover; come back next spring and we’ll do it
again.
This is not a formal
academic paper so excuse the lack of footnotes.
At the same time, I do not want to be thought a plagiarist. Besides the four Chumashim that I regularly
rely on, my sources have included: The
Artscroll Haggadah, A Guide to Jewish Prayer by Rabbi Adin
Steinsaltz, To Pray As A Jew by Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin, The
Complete Book of Jewish Observance by Leo Trepp, Living Judaism
by Rabbi Wayne Dosick, This Is the Torah by Alfred J. Kolatch, Torah
Studies by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, The Holocaust by Nora
Levin, The New Jewish Quiz Book by Barbara Shapiro, Rabbi Pinchas Ciment
who gave me a chance to study and my father Joseph B Levin who gave me the
Seder, which became my road to study.
Copyright; April, 2024;
Mitchell A. Levin
