Laws of Pesach for Women - Rabbi Menachem Mendel Harel shlita

00:02 Speaker 1 You’re listening to “Lemaan Yishme’u,” a podcast from Machon Halacha Chabad.

00:09 Speaker 2 Regarding women’s special connection to Pesach, the Rebbe points to this special fact: our ancestors were redeemed from Egypt in the merit of righteous women. As we know, the Jewish people were subjected to such harsh bondage that they did not want to bring another generation into the world, so that another generation would not have to endure it. It was the women, in particular, who believed in the promise and remembered the prophecy spoken by Yosef Hatzaddik, which Serach, Asher’s daughter, passed down among the Jewish people from generation to generation. It was the promise that G-d would surely remember them, that Hakadosh Boruch Hu would take the Jewish people out of Egypt: “And I will bring you up.” Hakadosh Boruch Hu would bring the Jewish people out of Egypt and take them to a good and spacious land, the inheritance of their forefathers. The women believed this. Even in the depths of the hardship of exile, when the men were so terribly burdened that, as we said, they had sunk emotionally into the depths of exile, the women believed and did everything they could to ensure there would be another generation of the Jewish people. At the same time, our Sages, of blessed memory, note the exceptional modesty the women practiced, to the point that the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt in the merit of the modesty they maintained. What is more, the Rebbe cites our Sages’ observation about the words in the Song at the Sea, “And all the women went out after her with tambourines and dances.” The righteous women of that generation were certain that they would leave Egypt and that Hakadosh Boruch Hu would perform miracles for them. Even while they were still in exile, they prepared tambourines so they would be able to dance, sing, and thank Hashem for the miracles. And indeed, that trust and faith proved justified. As we know, thank G-d, we left Egypt and became a people. Hakadosh Boruch Hu split the sea for us, gave us the Torah, and so on, brought us to the Land of Israel, and, with Hashem’s help, built the Beis Hamikdash—and will build the Beis Hamikdash for us

02:50 Speaker 2 very soon. So Pesach has a special connection to this service of the women, to the special quality of pure faith and the special quality of unwavering trust. And now, as we are in the days of preparation for Pesach, and afterward during Pesach itself, women need to know their special virtue—not only in the first exile and redemption, but also in the final exile and redemption. The same merit that stood for us then is the merit that, with Hashem’s help, will stand for us today: in the merit of righteous women, the Jewish people will be redeemed and leave exile for the Geulah, to greet Moshiach Tzidkeinu. So when this time arrives, the season of our freedom, the time when Hakadosh Boruch Hu chose us to be His people and took the Jewish people out of Egypt, it was truly like a birth. As the prophet describes it, “On the day you were born.” The Jewish people were born then, all in the merit of the special service of the righteous women. Surely today, too, there is this path of modesty, this path of faith and trust in Hashem, which a woman—a mother, a daughter—radiates throughout the home: the faith, the trust, and the distinctive way the Jewish people have followed through all the generations. In this merit, with Hashem’s help, we will be redeemed. The preparations for Pesach, too, should therefore be made with that knowledge and understanding, and with that sense of being uplifted: women are indeed engaged in something they had the merit to bring about for the Jewish people. And “had the merit” is not only in the past tense; through this merit and with this strength, they also have the merit, with Hashem’s help, to bring about the true and complete Geulah very soon. In this part of the class, we will not deal so much with the order of the Seder night, because there are other classes here on Seder night itself and how the Seder should be conducted. We will focus more on what concerns women in the activity around the Seder table. First of all, an important part of preparing for

05:33 Speaker 2 the Seder is making sure the children rest, so they will have the energy to stay awake during it. We need to remember that the whole point of the Seder night is “And you shall tell your child on that day, saying”—to tell the children the story of the Seder night, and for the children to ask questions and be alert participants throughout the Seder. So the first preparation is to make it possible for a child to take it in and participate actively. For a child to participate in the Seder, the child needs to rest beforehand. Along with all the work and preparation of the special foods and the items for the Seder plate, and all the effort surrounding the Seder, it is therefore very important to make time for the children—and, in square brackets, the parents too—to rest that day, so they can be alert at the Seder. Candle lighting is as on every Yom Tov, and ideally the candles are lit before Yom Tov begins. Of course, if it is Shabbos, they must be lit at the candle-lighting time listed in the calendars. But if Yom Tov falls on a weekday, the candles may also be lit close to Kiddush by transferring a flame from an existing one. That is, a long-burning candle is prepared before Yom Tov begins, and then the candles are lit close to Kiddush. So that the Seder can begin on time, the matzos and the items for the Seder plate should be ready beforehand, so they can easily be arranged on the table when everyone returns from shul. The matzos are not put on the table before Yom Tov, but only after—after the father returns from shul. Or, if the mother is conducting the Seder on her own, or a woman is conducting a Seder for herself, putting the matzos on the table is part of the Seder night. The table should be set with a respectable tablecloth and attractive dishes. Mainly, there should be cups on the table, with plates beneath them; if everyone has a goblet, all the better—a goblet with a plate beneath it. There should be a bottle of wine or

08:31 Speaker 2 bottles of wine and grape juice on the table, and that is all. Everything else is part of preparing the Seder night after returning from shul following davening. We should mention that a woman who davens at home by herself should also say Hallel after the Amidah of the first night of Pesach. On the first night of Pesach, full Hallel is said after the Amidah, with a blessing; that is the custom. Only afterward does she finish davening with Aleinu Leshabeiach and go to arrange the Seder table. For the Seder plate, three whole matzos are needed, with the items placed on top. As we know, and as we can see in the illustration in the Haggadah, the items are arranged like two segol shapes: the zeroa on the right, the egg—of course, a hard-boiled egg—on the left, and maror in the middle. The maror is lettuce and a little chrein. Beneath the zeroa, on the right, is charoses; beneath the egg, on the left, is karpas, either an onion or a potato; and beneath them, in the middle, completing the second segol, is more maror for korech. A little salt water is brought to the table. Salt water is water with a bit of salt in it. Ideally, it is prepared before Yom Tov, before Shabbos; if it was not prepared beforehand, it can be made on Yom Tov or Shabbos itself, by putting in a little salt and then water. To keep the children alert during the Seder, our Sages said that when the father hurries home from shul, what do we do? We give the children roasted grains and nuts. We give them nuts and almonds. Why? So the children will wonder why they are being given these things now, when we are supposed to begin the Seder and the meal. This is like several other things changed from an ordinary Shabbos meal to arouse the children’s curiosity. It is very important to remember that this is Seder night. What does “Seder night” mean? It has a particular order. That order is alluded to in the sequence written

11:22 Speaker 2 At the beginning of the Haggadah: Kadesh, Urchatz, Karpas, Yachatz, Maggid, Rachtzah, Motzi, Matzah, Maror, Korech, Shulchan Orech, Tzafun, Barech, Hallel, Nirtzah. Kadesh: we make Kiddush. Urchatz: we wash our hands without a blessing. Karpas: we say a blessing over the karpas and dip it in salt water. We eat a little karpas, not a lot—less than a kezayis. Yachatz: we break the middle matzah in two and put the larger piece aside for the afikoman. I should mention that our custom is not to steal the afikoman. Maggid: we recite the Haggadah. The Haggadah begins, of course, with the child’s question, “Mah Nishtanah?” If there is no one to ask—if, for some reason, there are no children, and the reason doesn’t matter right now—then the person reading the Haggadah says Mah Nishtanah himself. If it is a woman, she asks her husband; and if she is alone, she reads it and asks the question herself, asking Hakadosh Boruch Hu, “Why is this night different?” After that we recite the Haggadah. It is very important to engage the children, so it is good for them to have Haggadahs with pictures and so on, so they can take an interest in what their father tells them from the Pesach Haggadah. On the one hand, we really need to engage the children, make room for their questions, tell them about it, and encourage them to ask. At the same time, we must be careful not to draw things out so much that they lose patience. Parents, too, need to stay very calm despite all the pressures and tensions, and give the children their full attention, the confidence to ask their questions, and the chance to share what they have to say about the Seder night. This is very important, because the whole point is for the children to be at the center. After all, the children ask, the children speak; we need to give them that opportunity. After reciting the Haggadah, we wash our hands—Rachtzah. This time we wash with a blessing. We say Motzi, “Who brings forth bread from the earth,” and after

14:16 Speaker 2 that, Matzah: “Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the eating of matzah.” We eat a kezayis of matzah, followed by maror. There is a special blessing for the maror, as written in the Haggadah. Korech: we wrap the maror in matzah. We take a kezayis of matzah, wrap maror in it, and eat it. After that comes Shulchan Orech: we eat and drink as much as we need, and joyfully give thanks to Hashem. Just remember, of course, to leave room for the afikoman, which is Tzafun. Tzafun means it is hidden; at the end of the meal, we bring out the afikoman and eat it. At the festive meal, the afikoman is really the compote—the dessert. We do not eat anything after it. So if Mom has all kinds of delicious dishes to serve, first, of course, she serves the fish, then the meat course, then the treats she prepared, and finally we eat a kezayis of afikoman—Tzafun. Barech: we say Birchas Hamazon. Hallel: I should also mention that we open the door for Eliyahu Hanavi after Birchas Hamazon. The custom, when Yom Tov falls on a weekday, is to go with candles to open the door for Eliyahu Hanavi, and then we say “Pour out Your wrath.” Hallel: we recite Hallel, the Great Hallel. And Nirtzah: Hakadosh Boruch Hu assures us that when we have conducted the Seder properly, He accepts it and bestows an abundance of blessings upon the Jewish people. The main blessing is that in the coming year we should already merit to celebrate Pesach in its fullness in the Beis Hamikdash. After we have finished the Seder and reached Nirtzah, we should know that the custom is not to drink anything with flavor for the rest of the night. Someone who really needs a drink may drink water. The reason is so that the taste of the afikoman remains in our mouths. As for Krias Shema before bed on Pesach night: on the first night of Pesach, we say only from “Shema” through “and upon your gates,” and the blessing of Hamapil. We do not say the other verses, because this night is a night of protection, and Hakadosh Boruch Hu has promised us that He watches

17:09 Speaker 2 over us for all generations: this night is a night of protection for the Children of Israel throughout their generations. Along these lines, some Jews had the custom—and the custom is brought in the Shulchan Aruch—of leaving the house open so that Eliyahu Hanavi could come and we could go with him to the true and complete Geulah. Pesach cooking should be done with great joy, and in the proper way, with no concern that any chametz might get mixed into the food. Of course, it goes without saying that the products must have reliable kosher certification for Pesach. We do not use any kind of kitniyos on Pesach, even if it has the most reliable certification. Nor do we use the spice called cumin on Pesach, even if it has the most reliable certification. We also do not use oils made from kitniyos on Pesach. As a general rule, our custom is to peel every food item before eating or cooking it on Pesach. Whether it is a potato, a carrot, or any other food, we peel it before using it for Pesach so that there is no question, no concern, not even the slightest possibility of a problem. We should know that, yes, not everyone follows all the customs we follow. But we follow the customs passed down among Chabad chassidim from generation to generation, and the custom was to peel every food item before eating or cooking it. A very important and fundamental Chabad custom, one that is explicitly recorded, is that on Pesach we do not offer someone else food to eat. Rather, we place it before them, and if they want it, they can take it. There is a custom, not only in Chabad but in many Jewish communities, that families do not eat at one another’s homes on Pesach. This is part of preserving the integrity of each family’s Pesach customs. Of course, someone who cannot prepare what they need for Pesach on their own, or someone who is alone and has no way to hold a Seder by themselves, can certainly

20:44 Speaker 2 go and stay with friends or acquaintances for Pesach. They should just make sure beforehand that those friends or acquaintances follow the same Pesach customs they do. At the same time, it is very important not to take on customs of our own invention, because sometimes invented customs lead only to mistakes or, G-d forbid, harm. There is a famous story—this is not a storytelling class, but to illustrate the point, I’ll tell a well-known Jewish story. There was a man who ate nothing but nuts throughout Pesach. At the Seder he would eat the required matzos, the kezaysim of matzah one is obligated to eat on Seder night, but apart from that he ate nothing during Pesach except nuts. This man lived on the estate of a certain landowner. The landowner was very fond of the Jew and had great respect for his custom of eating nuts all Pesach. He would personally set aside a large sack of nuts for him to eat during the days of Pesach. And indeed, each year the Jew would come to the landowner, who would wish him well for the holiday and give him a sack of nuts for Pesach. Years passed, the landowner died, and his son took his place. As Pesach approached, the Jew came to the landowner’s son—the heir, so to speak—and received a sack of nuts from him for Pesach. After Pesach, the Jew met the son and said, “Thank you very much for the nuts you gave me.” The new landowner asked him, “How were the nuts?” He replied, “Listen, the nuts were fine, but as a friend I have to tell you: the nuts your father used to give me were much tastier.” The landowner’s son said, “I’ll tell you the truth. My father was very fond of you, much more than I am, and so several months before Pesach he would

23:28 Speaker 2 He soaks the nuts in beer so they’ll taste good. “I don’t love you quite as much as my father loved you.” When the Jew heard that, he nearly fainted. For all his stringencies, it turned out that for years he had been eating nuts on Pesach—but those nuts were chametz, beer-soaked nuts. So which stringencies should one observe? What is appropriate, what isn’t, and what is unnecessary? Each woman should consult her mashpia and the rabbi who guides her family to determine whether it is right for them to adopt a particular practice, and so on. On Pesach, one may eat any natural products that have reliable, high-standard kosher certification for Pesach. That includes carrots, potatoes, all kinds of vegetables and all kinds of fruit. There is no problem eating them on Pesach. Many people have avoided using commercially produced Pesach foods, but today, first of all, most products sold are commercially produced. Second, there are now very high-standard certifications even for basic commercially produced products. So every woman can—and preferably should—buy products with reliable certification, rather than try to buy things that seem natural and seem free of concern but have no Pesach certification. On the other hand, it is true that many Anash families try to use as few products as possible beyond the basics on Pesach. But as I said earlier, is every family’s practice right for every other family? That is a personal question for each family to discuss with the rabbi and mashpia who guide them. Sometimes a family really can manage on Pesach with just potatoes, carrots, eggs, chicken or meat, and of course matzos. For another family, that doesn’t work; they need more. And if those foods have good, high-standard certification, why not? It might be the older members of the household, the younger ones, or the little children. They can’t accept

26:45 Speaker 2 that practice, and it can lead to a chain of practices and eating habits that are genuinely problematic on Pesach. I’m putting it gently because I’ve heard of various cases, and that is why I strongly urge every family to pay attention to what kind of practice suits them. Some things are clear to everyone: we do not eat kitniyos on Pesach in any form. There is certainly no need to buy unnecessary products for Pesach. But the range between unnecessary and necessary is very broad. As I said, every family should consult their mashpia and their rabbi to find out what is right for them and how to conduct themselves with regard to all the foods, practices, stringencies and hiddurim observed on Pesach. At the same time, young couples in particular need to be careful not to impose their ways on each other. Sometimes a woman comes from a home with many stringencies, while her husband’s family did not observe all of them. Sometimes it is the husband who comes with many stringencies, while his wife’s family did not observe them all, and needless tension begins to develop. And that tension really is needless: neither of their homes has chametz, and both eat food that meets the highest standards. So whether they eat this product, whether they eat avocado or don’t eat avocado, or any number of things like that—it is very important to talk it through together and reach a shared understanding, as I said, with the rabbi or mashpia, rather than fall into situations that undermine shalom bayis, with arguments and the like. Again, this isn’t a class for telling stories, but I have to give an example to make the point. They tell of a young couple who once came to a rabbi, firmly requesting a divorce. The rabbi was astonished. Their wedding had been only recently. Everyone had rejoiced at their wedding, and they themselves had been happy. What had happened? Just a few Shabbosim had passed, and already they wanted a divorce. What was the matter? Well, the rabbi

29:32 Speaker 2 told them to sit down. “What do you have to say? Tell me what happened.” The husband said, “I don’t want to live with a woman who doesn’t observe Jewish custom.” His wife immediately stood up and said emphatically, “And I refuse to live with a husband who violates Jewish customs.” The rabbi heard this and was terribly alarmed. He was sure he was about to hear the worst things he had ever heard. He said to them, “Calm down. I want to hear what happened. Which customs does each of you claim the other violated, to the point that you want a divorce?” The husband immediately stood up and said, “Every Shabbos, my custom from my father’s home is to eat noodle kugel at the beginning of the meal. My wife absolutely refuses to serve me noodle kugel at the beginning of the meal. She says her father ate potato kugel at the end of the meal, but not noodle kugel. I don’t want to live with a woman who violates customs that are fundamental to the sanctity of the Jewish people.” His wife immediately stood her ground and said, “And I don’t want to live with a husband who thinks my father was a non-Jew who didn’t observe Jewish customs, because kugel is eaten only at the end of the meal.” The rabbi listened to their arguments. At first, he was upset. All right, but what could he do? This was an argument that had reached the point of divorce. He told them, “Wait a few minutes. I want to think calmly about what can be done in your situation.” Well, some time passed, giving them a chance to calm down. They did calm down after each had vented at the other. Then the rabbi said to them, “Look, I have a suggestion. You have a Jewish custom from your father, and you have a Jewish custom from your father. You’re both right, and I think we can find a way to observe

31:58 Speaker 2 both customs. How? You’ll make two kugels. You’ll serve one kugel right at the beginning of the meal and the other at the end, and you’ll both eat both kugels: the first as his father did, and the second as your father did.” They heard this idea and were delighted. From then on, there was peace in their home, and thank G-d, they lived long and happy lives. I tell this story because sometimes arguments about “in my parents’ home” and “in your parents’ home,” and so on, are about things that aren’t essential. It’s just the yetzer hara trying to drive hearts apart a little. So it is very important to consult, reach an understanding together, and do things properly. Whether it is a newly married couple or a couple that has suddenly decided to strengthen their observance of certain Pesach customs and practices, they should do it properly, so that all those lofty aspirations, hiddurim and stringencies are contained in the right vessels. In Chabad, we are very careful about gebrokts. But at the same time, that care—and all care on Pesach—must be exercised with seichel, with good sense. That means both shum, garlic, to put in, and shuma, assessing things properly with good sense. We need to maintain our standards and observe our customs, but in a humane way—to be human. Stringencies and hiddurim cannot come at the expense of shalom bayis, or at the expense of the mitzvah of rejoicing on Yom Tov. They certainly cannot lead to arguments and unpleasantness that leave the people around the table feeling that, G-d forbid, it would have been better if this time had never come. So even when you want to adopt a particular stringency or custom, it is right and very important first to consult your mashpia. Think together about whether that custom suits your family and, if it does, how to observe it. Most important of all is to do it the right way. Not to impose

34:59 Speaker 2 the fear it puts into the members of the household. “Oy, oy, oy, look what happened! Oy”—and I’m putting it mildly—“gebrokts! Actual chametz!” All kinds of expressions that take the wind out of everyone’s sails. We need to be careful about gebrokts, yes, but we don’t need to turn the whole table upside down because we imagine that some gebrokts has been made here. There are many ways to handle this. I’ll suggest one, though there are surely other good ways, and we need to use sound judgment, as mentioned earlier. In general, it’s best for matzos not to enter the kitchen. Keep the matzos separately, either in a particular room or in a particular cupboard outside the kitchen. When eating matzos at the table, the custom is to put them in a bag and eat from the bag. Some people, since baruch Hashem disposable tablecloths are readily available today, put down a disposable tablecloth, and when they finish eating the matzos, they fold it up and then bring all the food to the table. Children who want to keep eating matzos—or adults who want to keep eating them when the rest of the food is brought to the table—by all means, they can sit to the side, a little away from the table, finish their matzos, and then eat the meal. The same applies to hosting, being a guest, or going to various places on Pesach. Obviously, the question isn’t whether, G-d forbid, to go to places that don’t observe Pesach. That question doesn’t arise; we don’t go to such places on Pesach. Sometimes the question is whether to go somewhere that is more particular, or even more particular, in its observance. That depends on the circumstances in the home, the members of the household, and so on. So a question like that certainly calls for guidance from a mashpia and an understanding of the circumstances, so it can be considered properly. And when a person consults and draws strength from a rabbi, from a mashpia for a man or a female mashpia for a woman, Hakadosh Boruch Hu helps

37:26 Speaker 2 them do the right things. Most importantly, this is the season of our freedom: we need to convey a feeling of joy, freedom, and release within the framework. Freedom doesn’t mean escaping the framework. We remain within it, but conduct ourselves in the right and appropriate way. So when anyone has a question about a stringency she heard of, or some special practice she thinks she heard about, and so on—because sometimes the stringencies passed around by word of mouth aren’t really stringencies. Sometimes they’re worse than leniencies, and sometimes they’re stringencies that aren’t written anywhere, one invention on top of another. So before adopting any special practice, it’s essential to check whether it is correct, whether it is appropriate, and so on. Regarding Chol Hamoed, our Sages, of blessed memory, say: “The festivals were given to the Jewish people only so that they would sit and study Torah.” The whole purpose of the festival is to engage in Torah study. And they said, “One who desecrates sacred things and treats the festivals with contempt,” and so on, G-d forbid. Very severe things are written about this. The halachic authorities understood from this that the whole purpose of Chol Hamoed is for the Jewish people—men, women, and children—to sit in their homes and rejoice in and take pleasure from the festivals Hashem gave them, as it says, “These are the appointed festivals of Hashem, holy convocations.” That means engaging in holy matters, in Torah study. That is also why our Sages, as is well known, prohibited work on Chol Hamoed. And to understand even more deeply what is expected of a Jew, of the Jewish people, on the festivals: the halachic authorities wrote that, given a situation in which people sit around and behave frivolously, it might have been better to allow them to work and engage in their occupations on Chol Hamoed rather than behave frivolously and, G-d forbid, bring about the opposite of a sanctification of Hashem’s name. Of course, in practice, they did not change the ruling of our Sages that work is forbidden on Chol Hamoed. That statement was made only to make clear how important

40:23 Speaker 2 this essential matter is: engaging in holy pursuits, refraining from work that is not needed for the festival, and rejoicing in Hashem’s festivals on these days. Therefore, work that is not needed for the festival is not done on Chol Hamoed. Sometimes people, including girls, ask whether they may study for secular exams on Chol Hamoed, work on dictation assignments, or practice for an English or math test, and the like. The answer is: ideally, the time on Chol Hamoed should certainly be devoted to Torah study and studying matters related to the festival. But if there is a lot of pressure and the person or the girl cannot sit with peace of mind, it is possible to permit studying secular subjects on Chol Hamoed. Writing and practice, though—working through exercises or practicing writing—cannot be done on Chol Hamoed. Laundry is also forbidden on Chol Hamoed. A person needs to prepare before the festival so that they have clothes for all its days and won’t need to deal with laundry and the like. But clothes belonging to very young children, who are constantly getting their clothes dirty, may be washed on Chol Hamoed. The same applies if there is concern that leaving a garment dirty until after the festival will ruin it—for example, if it gets soiled by a small child’s bodily waste or the like, which would also leave a very bad smell, or if the garment might become moldy, and so on. In such a situation, one may certainly wash the garment on Chol Hamoed to prevent irreversible damage. Of course, if the children run out of clothes, their clothes may be washed. Likewise, if even an adult, man or woman, runs out of white garments—undergarments, that is, clothes that absorb perspiration—or the kitchen runs out of towels, those garments, those clothes that absorb perspiration, may be washed on Chol Hamoed. And if a person runs out of clothes altogether—thinking they had enough, but then it suddenly became very hot, they changed clothes every day, and they didn’t have

43:24 Speaker 2 enough clothes left through the end of the festival—then they may wash what they need for the festival on Chol Hamoed, but no more than that. The same applies to ironing. If clothes were taken out and are wrinkled from the wash and cannot be worn as they are, one may iron what is needed for Chol Hamoed in honor of the festival. The custom is cited that the Maharil would wear Yom Tov clothes, Shabbos clothes, on Chol Hamoed. This custom was brought into halachah: on Chol Hamoed, we don’t wear ordinary weekday clothes. Rather, in honor of the festival, we wear Shabbos clothes, Yom Tov clothes, respectable clothes, showing that we honor Hashem’s festivals. All sewing is forbidden on Chol Hamoed. If, for example, someone’s trousers tear and they have no other pair, they may do some simple sewing—meaning sewing that will not last long. First, it should be sewn differently from the usual way. Second, it should not be stitching intended to last, but a temporary repair that will need to be resewn after the festival. So too, if a button falls off that fastens a person’s shirt, trousers, or jacket, they may stitch it on simply, just enough for it to hold, in a way that they will sew it on again neatly and properly after the festival. This general restriction on washing on Chol Hamoed also applies to having a wig washed and styled professionally. Just as we don’t do laundry on Chol Hamoed, we also don’t wash a wig on Chol Hamoed. So a woman who wants her wig to be clean for the festival should have it washed before Chol Hamoed. Regarding various cosmetic treatments, generally, as we said earlier, it is best to do everything before the festival. But if an urgent need arises during the festival because of an unsightly appearance

45:49 Speaker 2 of a woman and so on, which also relates to honoring the festival, so she may have these treatments during Chol Hamoed. We mentioned earlier, and it bears repeating, that a woman may have any beauty treatments during Chol Hamoed, including a haircut. At first we said she should have it done before the festival, but if it concerns her modesty and the like, she may also have whatever hair she urgently needs cut during Chol Hamoed. A young child who did not manage to get a haircut before Chol Hamoed may be given one during the festival. The entire decree of our Sages against getting a haircut during the festival applies only to someone old enough to understand and prepare for it. They did not apply this decree to a young child, who cannot prepare himself beforehand, including getting a haircut. So if, for whatever reason, a young child did not get a haircut before Chol Hamoed, and it is clear that he cannot go through the festival with his hair as it is—he really does not look presentable—he may be given a haircut during the festival. As for an upsherin, even though it involves a young child, the custom is to hold the haircut only after Chol Hamoed. If it is Chol Hamoed Pesach, he will of course wait until Lag BaOmer and have the haircut then, as is customary on the day of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s celebration. Someone who wants to rent a car for travel during Chol Hamoed may do so, since this too is considered a need of the festival, and anything needed for the festival may be done then. As we said earlier, in general it is best to avoid weekday work during Chol Hamoed. But if there is a pressing need to finish some work on a computer—and I emphasize, specifically on a computer, because according to many halachic authorities, using a computer is not considered

48:10 Speaker 2 actual writing—then, in pressing circumstances, as we mentioned and defined earlier, one may type up assignments and the like that need to be finished. But printing is forbidden throughout the festival, even printing a test copy. In general, you should know that although I am saying there is a basis for permitting this, that permission is not entirely straightforward. Certainly, from the outset, a G-d-fearing person who understands the significance of Chol Hamoed should refrain from writing, especially writing about weekday matters, during Chol Hamoed. It is important to emphasize that when we speak of work that is forbidden during the festival, we mean actual work. But when it comes to preparing food, everything involved in food preparation is certainly permitted during the festival. Everything—everything. Cooking, grinding, baking, roasting, and so on. There is no restriction on preparing food during Chol Hamoed, and we do not say, “You could have prepared it before the festival.” On the contrary, during Chol Hamoed one may prepare everything needed, in abundance, without any restriction on the preparation of food. As for watering plants or the garden, one may water them during the festival, because they might dry out if they are not watered during Chol Hamoed. But treatments intended to improve the plants or the garden are not done during Chol Hamoed. One may also immerse utensils during Chol Hamoed. In other words, if you bought new utensils and want to use them, there is no problem taking them to a keilim mikvah and immersing them as required so they can be used. A grocery store, supermarket, or similar business that sells food may operate during Chol Hamoed, so a woman who works as a cashier there may work during Chol Hamoed. Of course, it is advisable and right to ask the store or supermarket management for a day or two off so she can celebrate the festival with her family. But as far as

50:43 Speaker 2 the prohibition against work on Chol Hamoed is concerned, working as a cashier in a grocery store is permitted. With other businesses that do not sell food, however, one should certainly avoid working during Chol Hamoed from the outset, unless the person might lose their livelihood. In general, where possible, it is right and desirable to explain to the owners responsible for a store that, for their own good and the good of the store, a store that does not need to operate during Chol Hamoed should remain closed. That is where their blessing lies—in observing Hashem’s festivals. This applies, of course, to a store that does not sell food. But it does not apply to a food store, whose products are needed for the festival. Such stores need to operate so people can buy what they need, rejoice during Chol Hamoed, and celebrate Hashem’s festivals with the pleasure of eating and drinking. Another case in which one may open a store during Chol Hamoed is when the person who owns the business would otherwise have nothing to eat during the festival. He lives day to day, as they say, and if the store does not operate, he will have nothing to eat or drink. Opening the store is therefore a need of the festival itself. The same applies to an employee: if he will have nothing to eat or drink, he will lose out on the festival. This is not only a question of what happens after the festival—which, as we said, can also be considered a case of financial loss. Here, during the festival itself, he will not have enough money to buy food or treats for the children and make them happy. Certainly, in that situation a person may work during Chol Hamoed. Our Sages, of blessed memory, said regarding Chol Hamoed, “One does not mix one celebration with another.” For that reason, weddings are not held during Chol Hamoed, so that a person can rejoice in the festival itself. A wedding would introduce another celebration into the celebration of the festival, and therefore

53:06 Speaker 2 weddings are not held during Chol Hamoed. There is, however, one type of wedding that may be held during Chol Hamoed: when a man remarries his former wife. That is, a couple divorced and later reconciled and want to marry again. They may hold the wedding during Chol Hamoed itself. Similarly, when a couple concludes a shidduch—mazal tov!—our custom today is generally to hold a meal when a shidduch is concluded, but during Chol Hamoed they do not hold a full meal. They can have a small l’chaim with mezonos, fruit, and drinks, and celebrate, but not a full meal. They will hold the full meal after Chol Hamoed. During Chol Hamoed they may conclude the shidduch and say l’chaim over a few mezonos foods, sweets, and fruit. On the night after the first day of Pesach here in Eretz Yisroel—which, outside Eretz Yisroel, is the night of the second day of Yom Tov—we begin counting the Omer. According to our custom, a woman counts with a blessing. Of course, to be able to count with a blessing, one needs to keep at it carefully from the first night. On the first night, after Maariv, we recite the blessing “Who has sanctified us,” and so on, and count the first day. We say the entire text as written in the siddur, including the attribute associated with the first day, and likewise each day: Chessed shebeChessed, the next day Gevurah shebeChessed, and so on, until all the days of the counting are completed. The customs of the Omer period begin only after Pesach; during Chol Hamoed, the Omer-period customs do not apply. One may celebrate and listen to music. As for haircuts, we do not get haircuts during Chol Hamoed in any case. Nor do we hold weddings during Chol Hamoed in any case. So the remaining things—celebrations and dancing—are permitted during Chol Hamoed. Starting on the first day of Pesach, at the Musaf prayer, we return to saying the summer prayers: “Who brings down the dew” and “Grant”

55:44 Speaker 2 Blessing. So it is very important to remember to say “Morid hatal” beginning with Musaf. After Yom Tov ends—after the festival—we say “Vesein berachah.” Of course, throughout Chol Hamoed we add Yaaleh Veyavo, and a woman who forgot to say Yaaleh Veyavo must repeat the Shemoneh Esrei. Throughout Chol Hamoed, we observe all the laws of Chol Hamoed, as we discussed in the class devoted to them. Of course, on Pesach we need to be especially careful about outings: where we go and where we spend time. The need for modesty always applies—“Your camp shall be holy.” A Jew cannot go just anywhere and look at things he should not see. The holy Torah commanded all of Israel, “Do not stray after your hearts and after your eyes,” and so on. We must guard our eyes. And certainly, with the children whose education we invest so much time in, we cannot take them to places where, in a single glance, they will see everything we have been careful to shield them from. It is certainly good for the whole family to be together. It is good to find somewhere to go for a little while, get some fresh air, and give the body time to unwind. But it needs to be a place with holiness and fear of Heaven, where a Jewish family can be together. You can go to a nice park, a grove, places with games, and so on. Just make sure that it really is a suitable place for a Jewish, chassidic family to go. Of course, when setting out, we need to prepare all the supplies we need in accordance with the laws and customs of Pesach. Being away from home is no reason to relax the laws we observe. On the contrary, when traveling we need extra care, so we should certainly take even greater precautions to stay safe and protected, both physically and spiritually. Shevi’i Shel Pesach is the last Yom Tov

58:27 Speaker 2 of Pesach. In Eretz Yisroel it is one day; outside Eretz Yisroel it is two days. Shevi’i and Acharon Shel Pesach are like any other Yom Tov. What is distinctive about Shevi’i Shel Pesach is that we do not recite Shehecheyanu, either at candle lighting or at Kiddush. The Frierdiker Rebbe explains that the reason we do not recite Shehecheyanu on the seventh day of Pesach is that Shevi’i Shel Pesach is connected with the future Geulah. The first day of Pesach is about the redemption from Egypt, and so we recited Shehecheyanu. Shevi’i Shel Pesach is connected with the future Geulah, and therefore, with Hashem’s help, when Moshiach Tzidkeinu comes, we will be able to recite Shehecheyanu over the complete Geulah—the completion of the Exodus from Egypt, as it will be in the true and complete Geulah. In general, the laws of Yom Tov are familiar; we also discussed them in the class on the laws of Yom Tov. What is special about Shevi’i Shel Pesach is that, in addition to the regular Yom Tov meals, we have the special meal instituted by the Baal Shem Tov. The Rebbe Rashab added to the significance of this meal by instituting that four cups be drunk, and he called it Moshiach’s Seudah. Women, too, have the custom of eating this meal after Minchah on Shevi’i Shel Pesach and drinking four cups of wine or grape juice, each according to her ability. Of course, there is no need to become intoxicated. Some years, Shevi’i Shel Pesach falls on Friday, meaning that Shabbos begins immediately after it. So, of course, before Shabbos—on the eve of Shevi’i Shel Pesach—one must make an eruv tavshilin. When Yom Tov falls on the eve of Shabbos, our Sages, of blessed memory, instituted the mitzvah of making an eruv tavshilin. This means that when Yom Tov falls on the eve of Shabbos, so that Shabbos follows directly after Yom Tov, the cooking for Shabbos should begin before Yom Tov. This is out of respect for the festival, for Yom

1:01:05 Speaker 2 Tov. This is expressed through a mitzvah called eruv tavshilin. Take a matzah, which serves as bread, and a cooked food, such as an egg or another cooked item that will keep until Yom Tov ends and Shabbos begins, and use them to make the eruv tavshilin. Of course, put the matzah in its own bag to protect it from becoming gebrokts. Put the cooked food together with the matzah in a container or something similar, in a bag. Then recite the blessing: “Blessed are You, Hashem our G-d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the mitzvah of eruv.” Then say: “By means of this, it shall be permitted for us to bake and cook, to keep food warm and light a candle, and to prepare and do everything needed for Shabbos on Yom Tov, for us and for all the Jewish people who live in this city.” After saying this, put the matzah and the cooked food somewhere they will be kept safe. The matzah can go in a cupboard, on top of the refrigerator, or anywhere it will be safe. The cooked food should be marked in some way, in a bag in the refrigerator. Do not eat the matzah or the cooked food until after Shabbos begins, because if the eruv tavshilin is eaten before Shabbos arrives, the eruv tavshilin is invalidated. Of course, usually the father, the husband, performs this mitzvah of eruv tavshilin. But if, for some reason, a woman is on her own, she can make the eruv tavshilin herself, following exactly the procedure we described. And, as mentioned, the most important thing is to keep the eruv tavshilin until Shabbos begins. Strictly speaking, one may eat the eruv tavshilin at the first Shabbos meal. But the custom is to wait and eat it at the second or third Shabbos meal, so that the bread of the eruv tavshilin—here, the matzah used for the eruv tavshilin—can be used for as many mitzvos and blessings over lechem mishneh as possible. A woman who lives on her own also makes an eruv tavshilin. Even if a woman is a guest elsewhere but sleeps at home and needs to light candles at home

1:04:33 Speaker 2 and the like, she should make an eruv tavshilin. If, however, a woman is staying with a family for the entire festival, it is preferable for her to make her own eruv tavshilin without a blessing, but after the fact, she may rely on the head of the household. The reason even someone who is not cooking makes an eruv tavshilin is that, after all, she still needs to light candles, and lighting candles is also a preparation from Yom Tov for Shabbos. Therefore, the custom is to make an eruv tavshilin in every situation. It is important to add that when cooking on Yom Tov for Shabbos, the Shabbos food must be ready to eat before Shabbos begins. In other words, the food must be ready to eat during Yom Tov itself, even though it is being cooked for Shabbos. It must be prepared in such a way that if someone wants to eat some of it on Yom Tov, they can. So you cannot leave the cooking for Shabbos until the last moment of Yom Tov. You must prepare the dishes early enough for them to be ready while it is still Yom Tov, before Shabbos begins. Of course, you can put the dishes on the hotplate—whether fish, soup, or cholent—as you would on any Friday. But the most important thing here, since we are going straight from Yom Tov into Shabbos, is to have an eruv tavshilin. If a woman did not make an eruv tavshilin, the situation is not simple. She needs to ask her local rabbi what to do, because there are several details involved. First, it depends on whether there are two days of Yom Tov, as with Rosh Hashanah or with two days outside Eretz Yisroel. Another question is whether, even when it is just one day, she can rely on the eruv tavshilin that the rabbi made for the whole city. There are halachic limitations on this, so if a woman forgot, she should consult a rabbi to find out what can be done. Another point that can be added here regarding

1:07:10 Speaker 2 So if a woman remembers after sunset, but before nightfall, that she needs to make an eruv tavshilin, she can still make it during that time between sunset and nightfall. The main thing to pay attention to is what happens with Shabbos. Shabbos comes after Pesach: when Shabbos begins at the end of the seventh day of Pesach, it is no longer Pesach. Even so, we do not eat chametz on this Shabbos. Even someone who has chametz in a cupboard cannot eat it on this Shabbos. But one may eat foods that we generally do not eat on Pesach, such as kitniyos, gebrokts, and anything else that is not chametz. Someone who wants to cook such foods for this Shabbos—foods that are not really Pesach foods—should, first of all, use only products with a standard of kashrus they rely on throughout the year, even if they do not meet their Pesach standards. Second, they should not cook them in Pesach utensils, but in separate utensils or stainless-steel pots, or get special utensils for cooking these additional foods for Shabbos. But generally speaking, there is no need to rush. We managed with Pesach food for seven days; one more day will not hurt. If it is very important to someone’s enjoyment of Shabbos, that is understandable, but it must be done with proper care. These foods are permitted because they are not chametz, though we still do not eat chametz on this Shabbos. And when it comes to utensils, disposable ones are available today, making it much easier to use them for cooking and so on. On Isru Chag, as on every Isru Chag, one should add to the meal.

1:09:47 Speaker 2 Our Sages, of blessed memory, said that anyone who makes a meal in honor of Isru Chag is regarded by Scripture as though he had built... an altar, built a platform and offered a sacrifice on it, as it says: “Bind the festival offering with cords, up to the horns of the altar.” So there is certainly reason to make an additional meal on Isru Chag. In a year when the seventh day of Pesach falls on a weekday, Isru Chag is the following day, which falls on Friday; Shabbos is Isru Chag. Our Sages, of blessed memory, spoke very highly of making... a meal on Isru Chag, and cited the verse, “Bind the festival offering with cords, up to the horns of the altar.” Anyone who makes... a special meal is regarded by Scripture as though he had offered—built a platform and offered a sacrifice on it, as it says: “Bind the festival offering with cords, up to the horns of the altar.” So we should know that this day is important in its own right. Although there is no prohibition against doing work on it, it is certainly important to eat and drink a little more, as mentioned.