World of Belz

Pesach/Passover

The 15th of Nissan – 22nd of Nissan
Wednesday night, April 4, 2023- Thursday night, April 13 , 2023

WHAT IS PESACH?

Pesach is the Jewish name for Passover. It is called so because Hashem “passed over” the homes of the Jews during the historical event of Makas Bechoros – the plague of the firstborn. It is a holiday commemorating the Exodus from Egypt when Hashem suspended the usual laws of nature to punish the Egyptians and take the Jews out of their slavery in a miraculous Exodus that would stay imprinted on the world’s conscience forever.
However, there is another meaning to the name Pesach. פה – סח – the mouth speaks. This is the night we start our children on a path of complete trust and faith in Hashem. We do so by telling of our history and experiencing Hashem’s miracles. 
והגדת לבנך – the lesson of chinuch of inspiration has a special emphasis on this night.
Peh-Sach – open your mouths this year with praise, stories, and lessons for the children. But let us remember to keep those lessons flowing long.

PREPARING YOUR HOME
Getting Rid of Chametz

Chametz refers to the fermentation of one of five basic grains (wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt). Any time one of these grains comes into contact with water for any length of time above 18 minutes, it is rendered Chometz. Hence, Matza is made, from start to finish, within 18 minutes.
We are forbidden on Pesach to own, find or eat Chometz. Hence, the frenzy before Pesach to get our homes “chametz free.”

As Jews, we clean our homes in anticipation of being Chametz-free for Pesach. No, you don’t have to whitewash your walls, although many households did so previously. You MUST get rid of all the Chametz, have different dishes and pots just for Pesach and make sure no Chametz will be found in your home or business on Pesach.
First, we clean. Focus on places you will be using extensively. Make sure your eating area is well-done.

After the cleaning is all done, we do something called Mechiras Chametz. We can sell all Chametz we don’t want to destroy so that ownership is moved from us to a non-Jew for the duration of Pesach. In the contract, we get a buy-back clause, allowing the non-Jew to sell us back our Chametz after Pesach. A rabbi does the transaction on your behalf.
The night before Pesach, we go on a Chametz hunt. We search our homes to make sure we’ve really made it Chametz-free. We declare that any Chametz still left behind is null and void, ownerless, and not ours. So that the search for Chametz (including a Bracha) is not in vain, the custom is for ten pieces of chametz to be put out before the search so that when looking for that Chametz, ten bits are found. 

Bedikas Chametz instructions and Brachos.

The next morning, Erev Yom Tov, we burn any Chametz we had found the previous night, and do the declaration again.

Homes now Chametz-free, it is time to head to the crux of Pesach, the Seder.

SEDER NIGHT
What, Why and How

Seder, in literal translation, means order. There is an “order” to the night’s flow of tradition on the first two nights of Pesach. A 15-step program is set up for us to follow. We start off with Kadesh – with sanctification and purpose. We end with Nirtzah – with being beloved by Hashem.

The first thing we do on Pesach night is set the stage for what will be the discussions. Visual props for our teaching lessons. We are going to teach ourselves and our children, and visual teaching tools are put into place. We do this by setting up a Seder Plate that will be prominent on the table and show us what the night is all about.

Seder Plate / קערה

The Seder Plate is set up with three Matzas below a plate. The plate has six sections.

זרוע – Zeroah

A shank bone (some folks use a chicken wing) that is roasted, which is to remind us of the Pesach Karban, the Paschal lamb.

חזרת – Chazeres

Also bitter herbs.

ביצה – Baytzah

An egg, symbolizes the sacrifices brought in the times of the Beis Hamikdash.

כרפס – Karpas

A bit of vegetable (often potato or celery is used).

מרור –  Marror

The bitter herbs.

חרוסת – Charoses

A mixture made of wine, nuts, apples, and ginger that looks like mortar to remind us of the bricks made for the pyramids.

There are different customs and traditions for placing these items, but here is a link to the layout of your Seder plate according to the most widely used customs.
THE SEDER PLATE

THE SEDER SIMANIM – סימני הסדר

קדש – Kadesh

We make the Kiddush of the night and drink Cup 1 of the 4 Cups of Wine

ורחץ – Urchatz

We wash our hands and do NOT make a blessing of Al Netilas Yadayim

כרפס – Karpas

We take a bit of vegetable (such as potato or celery), and dip it into saltwater and say the blessing – בורא פרי האדמה

יחץ – Yachatz

We break the “middle matzah” the second Matza in the pile of three Matzos. The bigger half gets hidden away to become the Afikomin

מגיד – Magid

We recount the history of going into Egypt, and tell the story of how Hashem saved us. We drink the 2nd cup of wine.

רחצה – Rachtzah

We wash our hands again. This time we DO say the blessing Al Netilas Yadayim

מוציא – Motzee

We say the blessing on the Matzah – Hamotzi

מצה – Matzah

We eat the Matzah and say the blessing Al Achilas Matzah

מרור – Marror

We eat the bitter herbs dipped in the Charoses and say the blessing of Al Achilas Maror

כורך – Koraych

We make a “sandwich” of matzah and maror and say Zecher L’mikdash K’Hillel

Shulchan Oraych
שלחן עורך –

We have a wonderful festive Holiday meal

צפון – Tzafun

We “find” the Afikomin that was hidden away previously and eat it

ברך – Baraych

We say the Birchas HaMazon, the Grace After Meals, and drink our 3rd Cup of Wine

הלל – Hallel

We sing songs of praise and thanks to Hashem and drink the last of the 4 cups of wine

נרצה – Neertzah

We’ve gotten to the high point where we are spiritually elevated and beloved by Hashem

PESACH, MATZAH, AND MARROR

We are told that at the Seder, the crux of the night is to remember to talk about PESACH, MATZAH, and MAROR. If you don’t mention these three items and don’t explain these three items, you haven’t fulfilled your obligations of the night of Pesach.

Pesach is about Hashem saving us, which was commemorated by the eating of the Korban Pesach – the Paschal lamb in the times of the Beis Hamikdash. 

Matzah reminds us of the speed at which the miracles unfolded to get us out of that situation. Our Exodus was so quick we had no time to bake bread.

Maror is a symbol of bitterness and suffering. Why is that lumped together with Pesach and Matzah…and why does it come last in the order of things?

It is hard to know that at the time of suffering, but when we get past a crisis, we often do not regret going through that pain. We often feel that the pain and challenges have made us better people, deeper emotional creatures, and able to appreciate the good times that much more. Therefore, after all, is said and done, after the redemption of our people, we are thankful for the Maror, too.

That is the message of the Maror, that even in the bitterest times, we carry the song, knowing we will rejoice again, someday, no matter what. As it says, “Am Yisrael Chai!” We are alive, grateful for all our past challenges, which have forged us into a beautiful nation.

It is called post-trauma growth. After hard times, we often grow greater and more confident. That is why we put the Marror last. Only after Pesach and Matza, after the redemption, can we appreciate having gone through the hard times, too.

Download a printable version of The Pesach Haggadah

MINHAGIM OF BELZ

The preparations for Pesach start with Rosh Chodesh Nissan, with the Rebbe asking everyone to learn Hilchos Pesach.

The Belzer Rav Shlita draws water for “מים שלנו” – water used for baking matzahs –  from a well situated in the courtyard of the Great Belz Shul in Yerushalayim. Each year, new utensils are used, and while drawing the water, the Aleph Beis is recited to count each sip.
Hundreds of Chassidim gather to participate in the Mayim Shelani ceremony, accompanied by music escorting the crowd as they carry the sacred water to the matzah bakery.

On the 22nd of Adar, matzah baking starts for the Rebbe’s household. 

Kimcha D’Pischa – money distributed to the poor to help purchase Pesach staples.
The Belzer Rebbe Shlita is involved on a uniquely personal level in the Kimcha D’Pischa operation. This is in keeping with a tradition from all the previous Rebbes ZT” L, and this Tzedakah campaign is the only time the Rebbe visits prominent donors and oversees the technicalities of the allocation, distributing Pesach food staples to 7,000 families (that’s 50,000 people!) in 14 cities in Eretz Yisroel.

The Seder night starts with the children explaining the simanim of the seder

Karpas -The minhag is to take a piece of potato and parsley from the Karah (Seder plate)  and dip it entirely into the saltwater

Yachatz – The minhag is to break the matzah in half inside the matzah tash (holder) and then take it out to show.  The bigger half gets hidden away to become the Afikomin, and the smaller half is put back into the matzah tash. 

Maggid – We clap our hands before reciting mah nishtanah.  The Belzer Rebbe Shlita explains why.  The numerical value of the word “כף” – the palm, used for clapping is 100. Clapping the two hands together is equivalent to 200, plus the ten fingers equal 210 – to remember the years the Yidden were in Mitzrayim – Egypt.

Ten plagues – we use the ring finger to remove the wine from the cup

Maror- we use a kezayis lettuce or bitter herbs with a bit of the grated horseradish

Shulchan Aruch –  the seudah is rushed a little so that we can eat the Afikoman before chatzos (check local timing)

Hallel – For the 4th cup of wine, the minhag is to pour a bit from the kos of Eliyahu into everyone’s cup

PESACH IN BELZ

Pesach in Belz is an experience that stays engraved in the heart for many years. Witnessing age-old traditions makes one step back in time, back to the original shtetl, where life centered around Jewish tradition in the most meaningful ways.

Thousands of Chassidim spend the special days of Pesach with the Belzer Rebbe Shlita. Many of them live in Yerushalayim, close to the Rebbe. However, many others will travel from other cities in Israel and other countries worldwide to spend the holiday with the Rebbe. 
Likewise, thousands of students studying in the Yeshivas stay in Yerushalayim for Pesach to be close to the Rebbe. After all, even the most ancient of our Haggados tells the tale of Talmidei Chachamim teaching faith and Pesach thoughts well into the night, surrounded by their students. Here in Belz, too, the Torah scholars sit and drink in words of Torah learning and of Emunah on Pesach.

Erev Pesach Matzahs
While baking the matzos on Erev Pesach, the Belzer Rebbe Shlita wears a white  Yerushalmi Beketcha (frock), a white yarmulke, and a white gartel.
The Belzer Rebbe Shlita makes a special siman (marker) using a roller that makes holes on nine matzahs that will be used at the Seder. While baking matzos, the Belzer Rebbe Shlita says Hallel, Hodu, and Ana Hashem. After baking the matzahs, the Rebbe visits a site opposite the Kosel, says the Korban Pesach versus ( Parshas Bo), and learns the Rambam on the halachos of Korban Pesach.

Preparing for the Seder Night
The Belzer Rebbe Shlita starts the Seder approximately an hour after davening ends. During this interval, the Rebbe learns the Zohar on Korban Pesach with his oldest grandson, Reb Shulem Rokeach Shita.
The Belzer Rebbe Shlita wears to the Seder a white beketcha (frock) with a white kittel (sacred linen garment) on top, a white yarmulke, and a white gartel. The Rebbe wears his tallis until he washes for Rachtzah.

The Belzer Rebbe’s Karah
The Belzer Rebbe Shlita lights three mah nishtana lecht (traditional long-lasting candles) and uses the three matzahs that he baked on Erev Pesach for the Karah, placing first the Kohen on the bottom of the matzah tash (holder), the Levi matzah in the middle and Yisroel on top.  Then the Rebbe turns over the matzah tash, with the Kohen on top.
The Belzer Rebbe Shlita received a Karah (seder plate) as a heritage from his esteemed father-in-law, the Previous Viznitz Rebbe zt’’l.

The Seder
The Belzer Rebbe Shlita’s grandchildren over age bar-mitzvah (13) are privileged to pour wine into their grandfather’s, the Belzer Rebbe’s) becher (special cup for wine) and to lift the Rebbe’s becher before he recites a bracha over it. The Belzer Rebbe Shlita gives his young children almonds and nuts before reciting the Mah Nishtanah. For Shefoch Chamaschu – opening the door for Eliyahu Hanavi, the Belzer Rebbe Shlita honors one of his grandchildren above the bar mitzvah age to open the door.

DIVREI TORAH

Why do you wear a White Kittal at the seder?

White clothing shows chasuvos  (esteem) and also reflects on freedom.  On Seder night, we no longer are slaves, we are held in high regard – “בני חורין” – we are free and chasuv people!

The Kohen Gadol wore white clothes when he did the holy Avodah on Yom Kippur.  This is to allude to the Avodah (actions) on Seder night is equally worthy as the Avodah of the Kohen Gadol in the Kodesh HaKedoshim. (מהר’’ל מפראג)

Hashem took us as His nation on Pesach night, therefore we wear white clothing – the same attire as a king.

קדש ורחץ…

Reb Aharon of Belz zt’’l explained the order of the Seder Simanim.  It starts with קדש – making oneself holy and continues with ורחץ – cleansing yourself from bad actions.  The question is asked, how can one make himself holy before cleansing himself? 

Hashem lifts His children to great heights on Pesach, elevated to the heights of malachim – angels. By malachim, the order is first קדושה – holiness and then טהרה – cleansing. As it says in davening, “וכולם פותחים את פיהם בקדושה ובטהרה”

You break the middle matzah  – יחץ…

A Chassid once asked Reb Yehoshea’la D’Zikiver zt’’l – most mitvahs are comprised of four components – 4 parshas in tefillin, 4 corners to tzitzes, the lulav has 4 parts, 4 kosos, etc.  Why by the seder do you only place three matzahs? Reb Yehoshea’la answered: “That’s why we break the middle matzah in half, so that it should be four!”

אפילו כלנו חכמים כלנו נבונים כלנו יודעים את התורה…

If someone knows the whole Torah, why would they need to relate the story of Yetziyas Mitzrayim – coming out of Egypt? The Belzer Rebbe Shlita explains that a person can think that the whole reason for Yetziyas Mitzrayim was only for קבלת התורה – to accept the Torah.  And if he is already a חכם or a נבון – a wise and learned man, then he doesn’t have to relate the story.  Therefore the Hagaddah says it’s a “מצוה לספר ביציאת מצרים” – it’s a mitzvah to tell the story of Yetziyas Mitzrayim; for the wise and all amongst Klal Yisroel.

על אכילת מצה

The word מצה stand for “מכל צרה הצילנו” – we should be saved from every  calamity.  By eating matzah we are saved from all calamities! (אמרי חיים)

Why do you wear a White Kittal at the seder?

White clothing shows chasuvos  (esteem) and also reflects on freedom.  On Seder night, we no longer are slaves, we are held in high regard – “בני חורין” – we are free and chasuv people!

The Kohen Gadol wore white clothes when he did the holy Avodah on Yom Kippur.  This is to allude to the Avodah (actions) on Seder night is equally worthy as the Avodah of the Kohen Gadol in the Kodesh HaKedoshim. (מהר’’ל מפראג)

Hashem took us as His nation on Pesach night, therefore we wear white clothing – the same attire as a king.

קדש ורחץ…

Reb Aharon of Belz zt’’l explained the order of the Seder Simanim.  It starts with קדש – making oneself holy and continues with ורחץ – cleansing yourself from bad actions.  The question is asked, how can one make himself holy before cleansing himself? 

Hashem lifts His children to great heights on Pesach, elevated to the heights of malachim – angels. By malachim, the order is first קדושה – holiness and then טהרה – cleansing. As it says in davening, “וכולם פותחים את פיהם בקדושה ובטהרה”

You break the middle matzah  – יחץ…

A Chassid once asked Reb Yehoshea’la D’Zikiver zt’’l – most mitvahs are comprised of four components – 4 parshas in tefillin, 4 corners to tzitzes, the lulav has 4 parts, 4 kosos, etc.  Why by the seder do you only place three matzahs? Reb Yehoshea’la answered: “That’s why we break the middle matzah in half, so that it should be four!”

אפילו כלנו חכמים כלנו נבונים כלנו יודעים את התורה…

If someone knows the whole Torah, why would they need to relate the story of Yetziyas Mitzrayim – coming out of Egypt? The Belzer Rebbe Shlita explains that a person can think that the whole reason for Yetziyas Mitzrayim was only for קבלת התורה – to accept the Torah.  And if he is already a חכם or a נבון – a wise and learned man, then he doesn’t have to relate the story.  Therefore the Hagaddah says it’s a “מצוה לספר ביציאת מצרים” – it’s a mitzvah to tell the story of Yetziyas Mitzrayim; for the wise and all amongst Klal Yisroel.

על אכילת מצה

The word מצה stand for “מכל צרה הצילנו” – we should be saved from every  calamity.  By eating matzah we are saved from all calamities! (אמרי חיים)

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