| Shabbat | Nissan 19, 4th day of the omer | 5703 | | In L'cha dodi substitute besimcha, and say gam besimcha uv'tzahala (p. 132). The following prayers are to be said in an undertone this Shabbat: Shalom aleichem, Eishet chayil, Mizmor l'David, Da hi s'udata (pages 144-146). Also V'yitein l'cha (p. 235). | | Torah lessons: | Chumash: Acharei Mot, Shevi'i with Rashi. | | Tehillim: 90-96. | | Tanya: Ch. 42. In the light (p. 217)...(yada) knew Eve." (p. 219). | |
My father once expanded on Ma nishtana (the "four questions" at the Seder):
How is this night, i.e. this present, final exile of Israel (exile being analogous to night) different from all other nights, i.e. all earlier exiles?
1) On all other nights we do not dip (the Hebrew word matbilin is used for immersion in a mikva for purification), expressing scouring, cleansing, purifying...
...even once; i.e. the cleansing was not completed in the earlier exiles, for they were followed by yet another exile;
but tonight we dip twice, this final exile will bring about the scouring of the body and the revelation of the soul.1
2) On all other nights we eat chametz or matza. Following each of the earlier exiles our avoda involved our G-dly soul (indicated by matza, a metaphor for nullification of self) and also our animal soul (indicated by chametz, a metaphor for ego, self-awareness);
But this night, following this final exile...
...we eat only matza, for the spirit of impurity will be abolished.2
3) On all other nights we eat various greens. The face of a jealous person turns green, that color symbolizing envy. During the earlier exiles there were various forms of envy; for example, the competitive envy among Torah-scholars;
But on this night, after the final exile...
...only maror, bitter greens, the most intense sort of envy, similar to a statement in the Talmud that in the Hereafter "each tzadik will be scorched by the 'canopy' of his fellow."3
4) On all other nights we eat either sitting or reclining... "Eating" indicates the spiritual delight, ta'anug, in the revelations that ensue from exile.4 There is the extension or manifest ta'anug, and there is (higher yet) the essence of ta'anug. Some through their avoda attain the extension of ta'anug, while others attain the essence of ta'anug.
...but tonight we all recline. After this final exile, all Israel will attain the quintessential ta'anug.
