The town of Lubavitch was festive. Many had come from towns near and far to bask in the presence of the Rebbe Maharash. Although it wasn’t Tishrei, not Pesach nor Shavuos, a great celebration was about to occur, the wedding of the son of the Rebbe Maharash, Rabbi Menachem Mendel. The kalla was Sarah, daughter of R’ Akiva Kornitzer, granddaughter of the Chasam Sofer. Who would want to miss this historic event?
As the 80% were dying and being buried, 20% were plotting a map to vast treasures they would plunder. If a slave has the chance to amass a fortune and be led out of captivity by G-d Himself, why would anyone not want to be a part of it? * At least the Defiant Son is at the table. In some respect, he wants to be convinced…
Chazal tell us that the days of Chol Hamoed were given to us primarily to enable us to spend additional time learning Torah, as well as rejoicing and eating special Yom Tov meals.
Matzah was traditionally always made meticulously by people, with extreme care to keep clean, and so to ensure the finest kosher matzos.
QUESTION > Dear Rabbi! I really love sushi and other rice products and every Pesach I have this problem: I am Ashkenazic and can’t eat kitniyos. If it were something that everyone was prohibited from, I would be fine, I also like pizza, and I manage. What bothers me is that Sephardic Jews are allowed to eat kitniyos, so why is it my fault that my rabbis, 1000 years ago, decided to prohibit it? Why could my Sephardic neighbor eat rice and I can’t? Can’t all the rabbis get together and decide if it’s chametz or not? Sarah
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Jacobson and Rabbi Moshe Lieberman were asked, long ago, to travel to Japan to lead a seder for the Jews there.
It is not enough to celebrate 11 Nissan because it is the right thing to do, because we know it is required of the Rebbe’s Chassidim (even though it is virtually Erev Pesach). That approach does not suffice and it is a sure-fire strategy for us to remain in the same status quo another year, G-d forbid. Let’s give the Rebbe the ultimate birthday gift, giving ourselves over truly and completely to the mission of perfecting ourselves and everything around us to bring Moshiach now!
May 2, 2019