One should endeavor to eat two whole Shemurah (guarded) matzoth for the first two nights (the nights of April 14th and 15th in 1995). In addition, one should try and drink four cups of kosher wine and eat a sizeable portion of lettuce as well (or any of the other possible choices for the maror-bitter herb), on the first two nights. One can purchase a Haggadah in English which provides all the necessary information needed to conduct the seder. In addition, one must refrain from eating or possessing any chametz (leaven found in bread, cakes, other grain products, vinegar and many liquors, etc.) during all eight days of Pesach. One way to remove all chametz Products is to transfer ownership of it to a non-Jew prior to the holiday. The prohibited leaven sold reverts back to one's possession upon the conclusion of the holiday. For further information, consult your local orthodox rabbi or any Chabad House to make Pesach arrangements.
The reason we drink four cups of wine as opposed to some other number is
that after the Exodus from Egypt, the Jews experienced four other
exiles. Each exile was at the hands of an empire, Babylonia, Persia,
Greece and Rome, which disseminated its own philosophies creating
negative spiritual energies which would obscure the light of Hashem,
just as the Egyptians had done. Although Egypt and the other four
empires are long since extinct, the spiritual energies they created
still remain. Whenever we do an act that is spiritually based the light
that we create shines even into the distant past, rectifying spiritual
"blemishes". Therefore, since the four cups of wine are associated with
the four exiles and Pesach contains the spiritual energies of
redemption, when we drink the four cups on Pesach in a state of
holiness, it serves not only to increase our faith in and connection to
Hashem, but actually dissipates those four sources of spiritual
darkness. Thus, we create the opportunity to come from bondage to
materialism and truly connect to Hashem. (Lekutai Halachoth: Orach
Chaim; Hilchoth Natilath Yadayim, Shacharith 2:16).
The spiritual light that is drawn through the hands influences the mind
and the heart. The hands are the messengers of the heart and the mind
receives information through touch. To ensure that the light that is
absorbed through the hands is not tainted by the negative, idolatrous
belief in nature inherent in this world, we wash our hands with the
water of faith, twice. The corrupt spiritual energies are so strong on
Pesach, that it takes an extra dose of the power of water to rectify and
negate its effects to strengthen the heart and mind in faith. (Likutai
Halachoth: Orach Chaim; Hichoth Birkath Ha'Rayach 4:9,10).
Karpas is eaten after we wash our hands. Water, as mentioned above,
contains the spiritual energies of faith, implying that, in order to eat
Karpas, we need an extra dose of faith. Karpas represents poor people
who cannot afford to buy meat, who can afford perhaps only a meager
vegetable. A poor person needs added faith to believe that his plight is
determined by Hashem, and it is for his ultimate good and that Hashem,
if He so chooses, can change his situation. This is symbolized by the
fact that not only does Karpas represent poverty, but as used in the
Book of Esther, it also can symbolize great affluence. When the Jews
left Egypt, they did so with no provisions, believing that Hashem would
provide for them. The Karpas contains the spiritual energies that
nourish our minds to believe in Hashem, even during difficult times.
(Likutai Halachoth: Orach Chaim; Hilchoth Netilath Yadayim 6:26).
When the Egyptians were drowned at the Red Sea, their spiritual power
was destroyed. Since this spiritual threat was eliminated, it became
possible to eat chametz after Pesach without it damaging
our perceptions. Eating matzah on Pesach fortifies our faith so
that, after Pesach, we are better equipped to unveil Hashem within the
natural world. We may eat chametz all year except for Pesach for
during Pesach, the very powerful and destructive energies that were
unleashed by the Egyptians is concentrated and unleashed. Thus, to
counteract this, we need additional help to connect our minds to faith
in Diving Providence through eating matzoth. (Lekutai Halachoth: Orach
Chaim; Hilchoth Netilath Yadayim Shacharith 2:12)
The letter "hay" has an opening on it's upper left side. This
indicates that its spiritual power enables one to draw down Hashem's
energy for elevation and escape from the pollution that can be
associated with physicality.
The letter "chet" of the word chametz has a numerical
value of eight. Eight is four, doubled, associated with dual nature of
each of the four basic elements - earth, air, water and fire. The dual
nature of the elements resulted from Adam's sin, when everything became
intermixed with good and evil. So, each element contains positive and
negative energies.
Since it is the "hay" and the "chet" which are the
differentiating factors between matzah and chametz
(spiritually speaking), and since the "hay" connects to the
spiritual power of Torah and the "chet" connects to the admixture
of good and evil found in every physical thing, eating matzah on
Pesach has the power to negate the impure aspects of the spiritual
essence of chametz. As mentioned above, "chet" is eight -
four, doubled. The letter "hay" is actually composed of the
letter "daled" (numerically equal to four) with a "yud"
(ten or five, doubled) tucked underneath. Because "hay" contains
the daled, it also connects to the positive spiritual side of the
four elements, but the energy of the double five from the yud (as
part of the "hay") incorporates a fifth element - so to speak -
the spirit of Hashem and thus has the power to nullify the impure aspect
of the double four of "chet". Eating matzah on Pesach
activates the power of the "hay" and its inner yud,
enabling the sanctification of the enture material world. (Lekutai
Halachoth: Orach Chaim; Hilchoth Pesach 3:9).
The first three letters of the word Pharaoh (the Egyptian King) can be
rearranged to spell the Hebrew word oref - the back of the neck.
This alludes to the mental damage Pharaoh inflicted upon the Jews as a
result of the hard work he imposed upon them. Faith is dependent upon
one's mental faculties - the more intelligence a person has, the greater
can be his faith in Hashem. The crushing labor that the Jews experienced
in Egypt diminished their faith in Hashem. The hard work had strained
their minds to the point that their mental powers of faith were trapped
at the back of their necks and base of their brains. When one's mental
powers are trapped in this area, faith is unable to spread throughout
the recesses of the mind. This inhibits a person from feeling the
enlightenment and joy that faith in Hashem engenders. Because the Jews
lacked faith, they were not mentally connected to Hashem that caused
them to suffer from the pain of their afflictions. When a person has
faith in Hashem, he realizes that all afflictions are precious gifts
that enable him to purify his soul and body to become attached to
Hashem. When a person is encompassed by the light of Hashem, he feels no
pain, only joy. As the Jews left Egypt, Hashem gave them the gift of His
light that strengthened their faith and opened their minds to clear and
true interpretations of the Torah, deepening their understanding of His
ways. (Lekutai Halachoth: Orach Chaim; Hilchoth Pesach 4:2)
There is a spiritual rule for any group of items or beings, the first one produced or born has a much higher spiritual energy potential than similar items or beings which come after it. Therefore, the first-born Egyptians had a greater ability to draw to themselves and to the world the spiritual darkness of midnight. By destroying the first-born at midnight, Hashem broke the energies of spiritual darkness.
Once the spiritual forces of darkness and the first-born who could access this power were eliminated, the great light of Hashem connected to the energies of faith -- the belief that Hashem controls the world -- could be much better perceived by the Jews and the rest of the world. When the Jews' minds were filled with the light of Hashem, their faith was increased, enabling them to connect to Him. In the merit of their renewed faith, they became vessels able to access and receive the gift of redemption and Hashem took them out of Egypt. (Lekutai Halachoth: Orach Chaim; Hilchoth Netilath Yadayim Shacharith 2:4)
We dip the bitter vegetable into a blended mixture of wine, nuts, cinnamon, apples, dates and other types of fruit, called in Hebrew charoseth. The letters of this word can be rearranged to spell the words chas Ruth. Ruth was an extremely holy woman. She was the great grandmother of King David. Chas has the same numerical value as the word chaim-life. The verse says, "A woman that fears Hashem, she shall be praised". (Proverbs 3:31) Another says, "Enjoy life with the woman who you love". (Eccl. 9:9) These two verses teach that love of holiness, represented by the holy woman, neutralizes the bitterness of the materialistic lifestyle, allowing a person to truly enjoy life. (Lekutai Halachoth; Orach Chaim; Hilchoth Pesach 5:11)
There are many people who are trapped in the prisons and exiles of their physical urges, ensnared by the evil energies created hundreds of years ago. When we celebrate Pesach, we access and draw to ourselves the great light of Hashem that frees us from the bondage of this world, leaving us happy and uplifted. (Lekutai Halachoth: Orach Chaim; Hilchoth Pesach 7:11).KADESH
The Talmud teaches that the consumption of wine has one of two effects,
"If a person is worthy [his consumption of wine] makes him a head
[meaning that it expands his intelligence to some degree, i.e. his
perception of Hashem (G-d)]. If he is unworthy, [the wine] makes him
impoverished [his intelligence and perception of Hashem are diminished].
(Talmud: Yuma 7b) Thus wine has the spiritual power to increase of
decrease the mind's power depending upon the conditions and motives of
the drinker. The definition of true intelligence is the ability to
perceive Hashem on a high level. On the night of Pesach, the
great light of Divine Providence is unleashed into the world. We make a
brucha (blessing) over each of the four cups of wine consumed at
the holy seder. Drinking wine under these conditions connects us
to the spiritual energies of belief - the belief that Hashem controls
the world. In this way, our intelligence and awareness of Hashem is
greatly enhanced, enabling us to find and connect to Him on the night of
Pesach. When our faith is increased, we can leave our own
personal bondage to the material world that has ensnared us throughout
the course of the year. In doing this we become able to truly sing
praises to Hashem at the seder as the Talmud teaches, "Song is
sung only over [or as a result of] wine." (Talmud: Berachoth 35)UR'CHATZ
All wash their hands as if washing for bread, but do not recite a
blessing.) On Pesach night, we wash our hands at two
different occasions during the seder ceremony - a highly unusual
practice. Why is this necessary? The very first thing that Hashem
created was water. This was the only physical item that was created as
something from nothing. Everything else was subsequently created from
water, i.e. something from something. Before the creation, Hashem alone
existed, so everything was holiness. Since water was created out of this
"holy nothingness", it serves as a bridge between Hashem's infinite
light and our finite, material world. We access water's positive
spiritual powers through belief that Hashem created the world from
nothing. Conversely, when a person does not believe that Hashem created
the world out of nothingness (G-d forbid), he draws forth the negative
spiritual energies connected to water which are associated with impurity
and lack of faith. This is one reason that matzah is made from
flour and water. When we eat matzoth on Pesach, the water
contained in it nourishes our minds, giving us increased faith in
Hashem. One reason that we avoid eating bread on Pesach is that
bread contains the negative energies of water that are absorbed by the
air which is integral in the leavening process. On Pesach the
spiritual energy of the Egyptians - based on belief in nature and denial
of Hashem - are unleashed into the atmosphere. Hashem made us his agents
in reversing the effects of this by the commandment to eat
matzah.KARPAS
(Dip a vegetable, smaller than the size of an olive, other than a
bitter herb, into salt water). Rabbi Nachman teaches that, from the
ceremony of Karpas, we can learn never to fall into despair. The Karpas
vegetable came from the lowly ground and was covered with filth. Despite
this, this vegetable, by virtue of being used for the seder, has
reached the pinnacle of holiness. Thus we see that even if we have
fallen so low spiritually and are dirty from our many sins, we can still
approach Hashem and, in an instant reach the realm of holiness.MAGGID
(It is a biblical commandment to recite the story of the Exodus on
Passover Night, which gives Hashem (G-d) tremendous pleasure. Everyone
who joyously participates in recounting the story of the Exodus will be
worthy to rejoice with Hashem in the hereafter). Rabbi Nachman
talked about the greatness of Torah and it's awesome secrets. He said,
"The entire Tikuney Zohar (consisting of 70 chapters) is a mere
commentary on the first word of the Torah, Bereshith. Thousands
of volumes would not suffice to explain all of this single word's
secrets. Similarly, a Tikuney Zohar could be written about each
and every word of the Torah. (Sichos HaRan 285) Rabbi Nachman's words
imply that the light of Torah is too great for the average human to
absorb or comprehend. Therefore, Hashem camouflaged His great light in
stories so that the soul may be able to gradually absorb it. Many lofty
concepts are cloaked in the stories of the Torah, such as the stories of
creation, Adam and Eve, the flood, the Patriarchs, and the Exodus. The
purpose for the creation of the world and the redemption from Egypt is
for man to find and connect to Hashem amidst and despite the confusion
of physicality that obscures Him. Rabbi Nachman also taught that telling
stories of Tzaddikim (the righteous saints) arouses the heart with an
overwhelming yearning to come close to Hashem. (1 Lekutai MoHaron 248)
Therefore, we are commanded to tell the story of the Exodus so that our
souls can draw from and be nourished by those lofty spiritual energies
that will enable even the least of us to become unified once again, with
Hashem.KOL DICHFIN
All who are hungry, come and eat! The Torah commands us to
emulate Hashem's attributes, as the verse says, "to walk in all His Ways
and to cleave unto Him." (Deuteronomy 11:12) Hashem took us out of the
bondage of Egypt, from the depths of our spiritual impurity, an
unwarranted act of kindness. Before Pesach we give much charity and, at
the start of the seder, we call out to the needy to come and join
us. Through acts of unwarranted kindness the spiritual energies of
redemption are activated, as the verse says, "Righteousness (or charity)
will deliver [or redeem] from depth." (Proverbs 10:2). Every year our
souls are redeemed from our material environment by activating the
spiritual energies of redemption through celebrating the Pesach
seder. Extending kindness to the needy at the beginning of the
seder unleashes the energies of redemption, liberating our souls
from our own material bondage. (Lekutai Halachoth: Yora Dayah, Hilchoth;
Kibud Av V'aim 2:4)ON ALL OTHER NIGHTS WE MAY EAT EITHER CHAMETZ (LEAVEN) OR
MATZAH, BUT ON THIS NIGHT WE MAY EAT ONLY MATZAH.
Chametz possesses the spiritual energies that cultivate reliance
upon nature. The reason for this is that chametz requires more
intervention. The process of making leaven entails absorption of more of
the physical energies from the atmosphere of the material world than
matzah, e.g. air during rising and fire during baking. Since man
was given the physical ability to control his use of fire, its essence
is directed more towards physicality. Conversely, the essence of
unleavened bread - matzah - since its preparation requires a
minimal amount of air and fire, cultivates belief in Hashem's direct
control over everything that transpires in the world. The Egyptians
promulgated belief in the forces of nature. In order to liberate their
minds from these negative energies, the Jews ate matzah.
Matzah possesses the spiritual forces of faith which enables one
to return to Hashem. Once they were liberated from the evil essence of
the Egyptian mentality, they were able to reconnect to Hashem and access
His powers of redemption."THIS NIGHT WE MAY EAT ONLY MATZAH
The Hebrew words chametz and matzah are spelled exactly
the same except that chametz contains the letter "chet"
whereas matzah has a "hay". "hay" has the numerical
value of five which alludes to the five books of the Torah. Torah
contains the spirit of eternal life that Hashem Himself placed within
it. Studying Torah enables one to purify himself from the negativity
absorbed by involvement with the four basic elements of the material
world - water, air, earth and fire.AND I [HASHEM] SAID TO YOU [THE JEWS], 'THROUGH YOUR BLOOD, YOU SHALL LIVE'
Just prior to their departure from Egypt, the Jews were given two
commandments that were associated with blood, the commandments of
circumcision and the sprinkling of the blood of the Pascal lamb. As a
result of Adam's sin, all blood became spiritually polluted. The blood
strongly influences and stimulates a person towards animal behavior, but
by fulfilling the mitzvoth of circumcision and the Pascal lamb, the
blood becomes purified. So the Jews were able to rid themselves of the
animal urges influenced by the impurity of Egypt, facilitating their
departure from there. (Lekutai Halachoth: Orach Chaim; Hilchoth Pesach
4:4)."AND THEY PLACED DIFFICULT LABOR UPON US."
The labor in Egypt was so crushing because of its devastating mental
impact, for the intensity of pain is determined by how much it is felt
in the recesses of the mind. The reason that the pain became so
overwhelming is that the Jews were unable to properly understand the
Torah that had been transmitted to them by the three Patriarchs,
Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'akov. The verse says, "They [the Egyptians]
embittered their lives with difficult labor." (Exodus 1:14) The Hebrew
word for difficult is ka'shaw which can also mean question. [So
the verse could be read to mean that the Egyptians embittered their
lives with questions. The only type of questions that can embitter a
person are those for which he does not have faith enough to accept the
fact that they may have no answers - at least none that are
understandable by humans in the physical world - questions such as why
Hashem ultimately created the universe. This type of faith comes from
learning and understanding the Torah.] Rabbi Nachman says that if a
person has faith in Hashem and can understand the Torah well enough to
derive the proper guidance from it, he will not feel the pain of his
afflictions. A person suffers only when he lacks the proper faith and
guidance."AND I [HASHEM] WILL SLAY EVERY FIRST-BORN IN THE LAND OF EGYPT"
The Jew's release from bondage was contingent upon the death of the first-born Egyptians which happened precisely at midnight. Midnight is the darkest part of the night, the furthest point in time from both sunrise and sunset. It is the time when the forces of evil are at their strongest. The Egyptian magicians were able to draw forth spiritual darkness from the energies of midnight to
Block out Hashem's great light, causing them to err in the belief that the forces of nature and the zodiac control of the world.THE TEN PLAGUES
The Egyptians experienced each act of Hashem as a plague and the Jews experienced it as an uplifting revelation which drew them closer to Him (Sefer Ba'al Shem Tov; Va'aera 6,7).
(Segments adapted from the Breslov Haggadah; Breslov Research Institute; POB 537-, Jerusalem, Israel)."THE PASCHAL LAMB THAT OUR FATHERS ATE WHEN THE HOLY TEMPLE STOOD __ WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR IT?"
The only way the Jews could break the negative spiritual energies that held them captive and enslaved them to Egypt was to offer the Paschal lamb. The Egyptians had descended, through their immoral behavior, to the level of the animals, enabling them to access and derive their negative spiritual from the animal realm. Part of the soul of the owner of any material item is contained in that item. Therefore, when the Jews slaughtered and roasted the Pascal lamb, (which the Egyptian worshipped and from where they derived the power to enslave the Jews both spiritually and physically) they were able to destroy the impure animal spirit of the Egyptians that became attached to the soul of Jews. (Lekutai Halachoth: Orach Chaim; Hilchoth Pesach 3:10)"THIS MAROR [BITTER HEARB] THAT WE EAT - WHAT IS THE REASON FOR IT?"
The majority of the urges of the body are spiritually connected to the stale blood that passes through the spleen. Initially, one feels great pleasure when indulging in the pleasures of this world. However, the satisfaction quickly wears off, becoming stale, like the stale blood, leaving the body and soul feeling bitter and unhappy. The Egyptians embittered the live so the Jews, causing them to call away from the spiritual sweetness of following in Hashem's ways, resulting in the Jews becoming immersed in the immoral, hedonistic and corrupt Egyptian lifestyle. The same could be applied to our present encounter with Western Culture. Unfortunately, we too have become tainted and influenced by the bitterness of Western hedonism. We have exchanged the sweetness of the ways of Hashem for values that leave us empty and bitter. Eating bitter herbs on the night of Pesach in a holy manner gives us the spiritual power to break the bitterness caused by a hedonistic lifestyle."THIS MARROR [BITTER HERBS] THAT WE EAT - WHAT IS THE REASON FOR IT?"
The verse says, "I [King Solomon] find [a corrupt and immoral] woman more bitter than death." (Eccl. 7:26) Allegorically, this refers to the bitterness of living a materialistic lifestyle, someone who has become trapped by the urges of his body such that his urges rule him. We must all contend daily with our bodily urges. The struggle can be very hard, painful and bitter. At the seder table, we eat the maror in a holy manner to remind ourselves that only by confronting the bitterness of the struggle to keep our physical desires from dominating us, can we attain the sweetness of being connected to Hashem. (Lekutai Halachoth: Orach Chaim; Hilchoth Pesach 7:9)"IN EVERY GENERATION, ONE MUST REGARD HIMSELF AS THROUGH HE PERSONNALY HAD GONE OUT OF EGYPT.
The spiritual impurity that Egypt created lingers for all time, in every generation. When Moshiach come, he will do away with it forever. [The Apta Rav says that any action we make creates a spiritual light that has an impact on future generations and remains until it is changed ot rectified through some other action. (Ohave Yisroel: Va'eschanan 81c)] The Egyptian's major idolatrous ceremonies and festivals were held in the Spring. The spiritual pollution they created was stored in a spiritual time-capsuel and is unleashed every year at springtime, the same time they conducted their ceremonies. This is one reason why the Torah commands us to celebrate Pesach in the Spring. Spring is a time when the world becomes strongly influenced by bodily urges. This is partly due to the negative spiritual energies of Egypt unleashed at that time of year as explained above. Therefore, on the spiritual level, every year, we must leave the harmful Egyptian energies of bondage to materialism.