The Kosher Bookworm: Learning more about the Pesach story

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The Kosher Bookworm

by Alan Jay Gerber

Issue of March 19, 2010/ 4 Nissan 5770

With Pesach less than two weeks away this essay will be devoted to briefly bringing to your attention several books that will help enhance your understanding of the background of the festival of freedom.

This is an opportune time to expand upon a book that I briefly mentioned last year. “Kos Eliyahu: Insights on the Haggadah and Pesach” (Ktav 2003) by Rabbi Eliyahu Safran of the Orthodox Union is a collection of 31 essays, many extensively footnoted, dealing with just about every major theme of the Pesach experience.

Drawing upon the intellectual and theological resources of an eclectic grouping of thinkers representing the variant opinions of our faith, Rabbi Safran gives us a rich selection of commentary to help us better understand the complicated ritual and historic background of the Exodus saga.

Among the essays that drew my immediate attention was one dealing with the problematic liturgical work, “Shfoch Chamatcha” (Pour out your rage). Given the nature of this prayer, Rabbi Safran asks: is the Haggadah immortal?

He answers this question with a series of observations that point to both the positive and well as the negative implications of this prayer recited as we welcome Elijah, a highlight of the Seder. Nevertheless, given the status of our current exile, our hopes and prayers toward a “just reward” to be meted out to our tormentors has given cause for concern among the more timid among us.

Noting the negative reactions to this prayer during Britain’s Victorian era in the 1870’s, such as the condemnations published in the London Jewish World, Safran contrasts this with more positive reactions from classical sources claiming that this prayer is an integral part of the geulah (redemptive) process.

As noted before, Rabbi Safran draws from many sources to bring these various themes to fruition, among them the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the late Rav Menachem M. Kasher, the Beis Halevi, the Gerer Rebbe, Rav Yehudah Arieh Leib, and the chief rabbi of Efrat, Rav Shlomo Riskin.

Much of the volume contains citations to the works and wisdom of the late Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik, whose influence upon Rabbi Safran is ever-present. This certainly helps to enhance the value of this book, thus meriting your reading and intellectual attention.

This sefer has recently been translated into Hebrew, the author’s mother tongue, and published by Mossad Harav Kook, one of Israel’s premier publishers of quality seforim. It should be in your local bookstores by now and will make an excellent addition to both your home and shul libraries, together with the English original.

Another book recently reissued under the Maggid-Koren label is, “Torah Lights: Shemot, Defining A Nation” by Rav Shlomo Riskin.

This is an eloquent and extensive commentary on the Book of Exodus. Over half of the book deals with themes relating to the Pesach holiday, and Rav Riskin’s commentary and Divrei Torah reflect upon some of the best known incidents related to the Egyptian slavery, the life of Moshe, and the actual Exodus narrative. Rav Riskin’s deft hand is demonstrated in numerous instances, including the titles. One essay titled, “Yichus, lineage, and the forebears of Moses,” deals with Moshe’s family relationships and their implications upon his leadership style and success.

Other titles help the reader get to the author’s point in such issues as how to praise G-d, to chastise with love, and the concept of Israel’s chosen status revisited and redefined.

Directly related to this season is the chapter “Passover: The Festival of Everyone’s Right to be Free,” wherein the author weaves together the Biblical narrative with the relevant rituals of the Seder service. Unique to this is the manner in which Rav Riskin brings together the Kuzari, the Yerushalmi, and Rav Moshe Feinstein to the contemporary scene.

Finally, given the youth orientation of this holiday, I wish to bring to your attention a new Haggadah by Menachim Shimanowitz and Reuven Stone titled “Torah Tots Family Haggadah.” Each page of this dazzling work displays colorful illustrations that would be attractive to children of all ages and backgrounds. This new addition to both the many Haggadot available to us, as well as to the Torah Tots series, is more than welcome to the growing field of American Judaica. The authors are to be commended for their excellent work.

To state that this Torah Tots Haggadah would make an excellent gift to your children would be a gross understatement. It is an excellent learning tool that deserves a place on your children’s and grandchildren’s bookshelves.

Next week, the Kosher Bookworm will review more Pesach related books for your reading pleasure.