Pesach Publications - Part 9: The Rebbe's Haggada (3)

00:01 This is Behemshech, in continuation to the earlier installments regarding the Haggadah with the Rebbe's commentaries, which was published in the year Tov Shin Vov 1946, and its various editions. We now continue with installment number nine, taking a closer look how the Rebbe followed the Haggadah and a glimpse into the Rebbe's Haggadah. The following is based on interviews published by the monthly Chassidishe Dehe. The Rebbe's own use. The Rebbe himself would make much use of the Haggadah, both the instructions that the Alter Rebbe wrote when he compiled the Siddur and Haggadah, and the explanations as well. Rabbi Yisroel Shmatkin related, at the Seder, the Rebbe would set up the Kaira while standing, and he would recite all of the instructions from the Haggadah before doing each part. When the Rebbe would recite the first words of the Alter Rebbe's instructions, Yisader Al Sulchone, putting together the Kaira, he would hold on to the matzahs. While saying HaYisroel, which is the matzah on the bottom, he would hold the bottom matzah and let go. Then continue with all of HaLevi, the matzah which is right above it. Then let the middle one go, and then conclude with the top matzah, which is the Kayem. When it came time for Urchatz, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak often said, the Rebbe would also read the instructions for Karpas, because one is not supposed to make a Hefsek speak after washing. The same would be by the synonym of Matzah, Morded, and Kadech. Before washing his hands, the Rebbe would recite all

02:02 of the instructions through Kadech. The Rebbe's Haggadah was printed in a different format in those days. In those Haggadahs, the text was printed along an entire page, and then on the next page or two were the Menogim and explanations. During the Seder, we would see the Rebbe recite an entire page quickly, and then while waiting for the Makri to reach the end of the page, he would peruse the explanations that he had written on the next page, as well as look into the Siddur HaAriza, which the Rebbe would have at the Seder. When the Rebbe would look back into Haggadah, Rabbi Yankel Katz, the Makri, would already be halfway through the next page, and then again the Rebbe would read through the entire page and then go back to the Menogim. As an introduction to what follows, as mentioned, a glimpse into the Rebbe's Haggadah. Over the centuries, there has hardly been another Sefer in all of Jewish teaching that has as extensive and lengthy commentary written about it like the Haggadah Shel Pesach. Among all these writings, one small commentary stands out above the rest, the Rebbe's Haggadah, which he humbly called Haggadah Shel Pesach im Lekute Menogim ve-Taymim, a Haggadah with a compilation of customs and reasons. But a mere reading of this magnificent work reveals a depth of explanation and clarity unparalleled anywhere else. And this follows with a story. Rabbi Avraham Hersh Cohen was a Lubavitcher Rav who, as a young man, studied in the Kehilot Meir Sha'arim, a Kehilot in

04:11 Yerushalayim, which included all kinds of young elite, Lubavitcher, Peilischer, and non-Chassidim. Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Segal related the following. Rabbi Avraham had a tremendous Koch, very excited and very involved in the Rebbe's Haggadah ever since it was published in Tov Shin Vov 1946. Every year, starting around Purim time, 30 days before Pesach, he would begin studying it in depth for two hours every day. Rabbi Hersh Kopshitz, a well-respected London, also studied in the Kehilot. And when he saw Rabbi Avraham Hersh expending so much effort on the Haggadah, he said to him, why should a Talmud Chacham like you study this Haggadah so much? Rabbi Avraham answered the following. Let's sit down for a few minutes and learn one piece, even just one question together. They began learning a part of the Haggadah where the Rebbe discusses the four questions of the Seder night and why the question of Misubin, why we lean on this night, comes last. The Gra answers the question in a certain way, but the Rebbe questions his answer and leaves things with Tzorech Ion Godol, meaning that it is a very serious question and need a response. Rabbi Kopshitz tried to come up with an answer for the Gra, but wasn't successful. So he asked if he can borrow the Haggadah for a day. After realizing that the question was indeed a strong one, he decided to take it to Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Saloveitchik, also known as the Briskerov or by the name of his Sefer, the Chidushei Hagriz. The next day,

06:12 Rabbi Kopshitz reported that he had sat for a long time with Rabbi Saloveitchik trying to come up with an answer, but the effort had proven unsuccessful. Rabbi Saloveitchik asked if he can keep the Haggadah for a few days. After a few days had passed, Rabbi Saloveitchik told him the following. I have several answers, but the question remains a question, meaning that the answers weren't sufficient to truly resolve the issue. Rabbi Saloveitchik added that he had spent some time looking into other things that the Rebbe wrote in the Haggadah and said, I knew that he is a London, but I had not imagined that it was to such an extent. We will, B'ezrat Hashem, continue in the next installment.