The number "15" is significant in that it correlates to the "15" "Shir HaMa'alos" psalms which were composed to correspond to the "fifteen" steps in the Bais Hamikdash. (Additionally, Hashem created the world with the letters "Yud" and "Hay"; Olam Hazeh with the "Hay" and Olam Haba with the "Yud". Put these two letters together and you get the name of Hashem, "Kah" which add up to "15".)
What does the Bais Hamikdash have to do with Pesach?
Everything!
The first night of Pesach each year always falls out on the same day of the week that Tisha B'Av falls out; the two days are connected.(See Shulchan Aruch Siman428:3)
2) The Jewish people are currently in Galus, exile, and do not have a Bais Hamikdash and until Mashiach's arrival (very soon hopefully) we bemoan this sad reality on Tisha B'Av, the day of its destruction.
Pesach, the celebration of Geulah, redemption, is a day when we commemorate our physical and spiritual redemption from Egypt, and prepare ourselves for the final redemption which Chazal tell us will take place in this time period.
Thus as we sit down to the Pesach Seder it is important to keep in mind that the aura of the evening should be kept sanctified and holy as we have the power in our hands to unleash the final Geulah via our conduct at this table; we can facilitate the necessary zechusim to ensure that Tisha B'Av this year will be a day of dancing and jubilation and no longer be a day of disappointment and tears.
Our "15" steps of the Seder can facilitate the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdash with its "15" steps and thus return the world which was created with the letters that add up to "15" to its intended purpose: The glorification of our "Kah" Hashem.
Over the next few days we will discuss various halachos and minhagim regarding the Pesach Seder.
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers. Taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Yahoo.com
Reader's Question:
I will not be home for Pesach. Am I exempt from Bedikas Chometz?
Answer:
If you will be away for Pesach, ideally it would be best to leave after doing Bedikas Chometz in the proper time on the eve of 14 Nisan.
If that is not possible, the Bedika can be done on an earlier night but without a Bracha.
It is better to do the Bedika on the closest "night" to the 14th of Nisan, rather than do it by day on 14 Nisan, as the Takana of Bedikas Chometz was instituted to be done at night.
If one will be away for the entire Pesach, he can technically sell his entire house and thus be exempt from Bedikas Chometz, but it is best to leave over one room unsold in which to make a Bedikah, as it is a Mitzvah, and we don't want to "get out" of doing Mitzvos.
If one will be at someone else's home for Pesach (e.g. parents or in-laws ) and they have a designated room where they will be sleeping for Yom Tov, if they are there already by the eve of 14 Nisan, they are obligated to do Bedikas Chometz in that room with a Bracha. If they arrive on Erev Yom Tov, if the room was not checked they should check itthen withouta Bracha.
If one is in a hotel for Pesach, the room should be checked without a Bracha, as we assume that hotel rooms are cleaned well and free of all food. (unless they were there from before the 14th of Nisan and ate Chometz in the room, in which case a Bracha should be recited if done on the eve of the 14th)
CHIZUK CORNER
As a Zechus for the Refuah Shelaima of one of the Gedolei HaDor, the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva , HaRav Chaim Stein Shlita, R' Chaim Yaakov ben Chasya Miriam, B'soch Sha'ar Cholei Yisroel, we will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short inspirational thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL FOR THIS SECTION, PLEASE EMAIL IT TO ME.
THANK YOU AND תזכו למצות!
אל תתיאש מן הרחמים
Chizuk Corner
While I was a young man learning in kollel, I found out that Amazon.com
was going public. I had been a fan of Amazon for many years, and I was intrigued by their business model. Every order was delivered on time, every time - exactly as promised. It seemed to be a company poised for success.
Still, my wife and I were newly married and money wasn't plentiful, so when I discussed the idea with her, she was a bit hesitant, but said, "If you feel it's a good idea, go ahead." So we agreed that the next day I would invest two thousand dollars in the initial public offering.
That night, for some reason, my wife turned to the business section of Newsweek and read an article about Amazon. "Jeff Bezos has a million dollars in personal credit card debt...He is asking fifteen dollars a share...The company has nowhere near that market value..." On and on, the article ragged against the stock.
My wife brought the piece to me. "What do you want to do?" she asked.
"What do you want to do?" I responded.
"I think it's just too risky."
"OK, fine."
And I didn't purchase the stock.
Let's imagine for a moment that I had. And let's say that I had held onto those shares till today. The last time I counted, those two thousand dollars were worth 1.4 million dollars. 1.4 million dollars is a tidy sum of money! Not that we lack, but I can think of some clever things to do with 1.4 million dollars. Aw, shucks!
Aw, shucks is a lack of bitachon. Aw, shucks means, "If only I would have convinced her. Why didn't I push harder? I could have, should have, would have ..."
However, if I accept that every Rosh Hashanah HASHEM decrees how much money I will make that year - that means that I accept that HASHEM decrees how much money I will make that year. A lot or a little. A huge fortune or whatever. But that is the point. HASHEM is in charge. He runs the world. He knows what is best for me and He orchestrates events the way He sees is for the best.
And so, for some strange reason, my wife just happened to read that section of Newsweek the very night before I was to buy those shares. Even though she doesn't normally read the business section. And even though Time magazine had a very different take on the situation, and had she read that article, she would have had a different opinion. But she read the Newsweek article at that time, and brought it to my attention because that money wasn't supposed to be part of our future.
This is a critical factor in learning to trust HASHEM. Whether I recognize it as good or not, I trust that HASHEM knows better than I, and HASHEM orchestrates the events of my life for my good.
In this case, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize why a young fellow in kollel might be better off without 1.4 million dollars. But that is the point. One who trusts in HASHEM has no regrets. No could have, should have, would have. "Oh, I should have invested in real estate in the eighties!" "Why didn't I buy gold when it was up!?" "Why didn't I get out of the market a year earlier?" All of these are the words of a person who is in this world on his own - a man who enters the uncertainty of a volatile marketplace, alone. And then he suffers regrets. Regret that he didn't buy more. Regret that he didn't get that lucky break. Regret that he chose what he chose.
If I wasn't sensible or if I didn't do my due diligence, then there is plenty of room for regret. But that regret is because I failed. I wasn't wise. I didn't act as I should have. But assuming that I was judicious and prudent, then I have full trust in HASHEM. HASHEM directs every transaction. HASHEM knows better than I what is for my best, and HASHEM orchestrates events towards that end. And therefore, there is no remorse, no regret.
Submitted by daily reader, A.C., taken from www.theshmuz.com
Important Numbers
