For years, Rabbi Aryeh A. Frimer “devoured” commentaries on the Haggadah. Now he is presenting his own Haggadah, with commentaries culled from copious notes he has taken over the years.
In Departing Egypt: Passover Haggadah, he quotes a variety of sources, particularly Torah scholar and Modern Orthodox leader Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik.
Below are excerpts from Frimer’s book, chock-full of insights aimed at providing ample food for thought and discussion at the Seder.
The first extract is from his commentary on the arba imahot [four matriarchs] mentioned in the fourth verse of the beloved “Echad Mi Yodea?” (“Who Knows One?”), the Passover song performed at high speed at the end of Seders across the globe. Notably, Frimer – a Torah scholar specializing in women in Jewish law – confronts the issues of matriarchal education, gender equality, and surrogacy.
The second, shorter, excerpt contains the author’s comments about the main aim of the Seder: to teach the next generation to identify as Jews and to connect them to the giving of the Torah, the exodus from Egypt, and the Land of Israel.
WOODCUT BY Gustave Doré depicting the burial of Sarah in the Cave of the Patriarchs. (credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Rabbi Frimer’s commentary on ‘arba imahot’:
In his [eulogy] “A Tribute to the Rebbetzin of Talen” (Tradition 17:2, Spring 1978, pp.73-83), Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik links the three patriarchs with the four matriarchs, as we do here in “Echad Mi Yodea?”
He posits that we have two masorot, two traditions, two communities, and two complementary chains of transmission (shalshalot hakabbalah) – the mesora community of the fathers and that of the mothers.
Hazal [our sages] (Mechilta, cited by Rashi on Exodus 19:3) see this reflected in the verse (ibid.): “This shall you say to the House of Jacob (the women) and tell the Children of Israel (the men), similarly, the wise King Solomon counseled (Proverbs 1:8): “Hear my son, the instruction of your father (mussar avicha) and forsake not the teaching of your mother (Torat imecha).”
What is the difference between those two masorot?
Traditionally, though certainly not exclusively, it is the father who teaches his children Torah; it is, after all, his obligation (Kiddushin 29a). An individual commonly learns from one’s father how to read a text, be it the Bible, Mishna, Talmud, or Halacha, how to comprehend, how to analyze, how to conceptualize, how to classify, how to infer, how to apply, etc. …
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…Father’s tradition… is identified with mussar, which is the biblical term for “discipline.”
What is the Torat imecha? What kind of Torah does the mother pass on?
At this point, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik drew upon his personal experiences. He used to have long conversations with his mother about matters of the day. He watched her arranging the house in honor of a holiday. He used to see her recite prayers, he used to watch her recite the parasha every Friday night in a nostalgic tune. Most of all, he learned that Judaism expresses itself not only in formal compliance with the law but also in a living experience.
She taught him that there is a flavor, a scent, and a warmth to mitzvot. He learned from her the most important thing in life – to feel the presence of the Almighty… Without her teachings, which quite often were transmitted to him in silence, “I would have grown up a soulless being, dry and insensitive.”
The laws of Shabbat, for instance, were passed on to him by his father; they are part of mussar avicha. The Shabbat as a living entity, as a queen, was passed on to him by his mother; it is a part of Torat imecha. The father knew much about Shabbat, the mother lived the Shabbat, experienced her presence, and perceived her beauty and splendor. The father taught generations how to observe the Shabbat; mothers taught generations how to greet the Shabbat and how to enjoy her 24-hour presence…
Rabbi Soloveitchik further argues (Shi’urei Ha Rav, The Covenantal Community, pp. 51-53) that God’s covenant with Israel, therefore, involves man and woman. We can see this through the relationship with Abraham and Sarah – both were equal parties to the covenant with God.
In Genesis (17:18-21), Abraham asks that God pass the covenant on to Ishmael, resigning himself to remain childless with Sarah. The Almighty answers that Sarah, his wife, will bear him a child to be called Isaac, and it is only this child, the product of both Sarah and Abraham, who will be the worthy recipient of the covenant.
Ishmael cannot be the recipient of the covenant because he represented only one side of the covenant – Abraham – but not Sarah. Thus, the arba imahot and shlosha avot [three fathers] are intimately linked and pivotal in perpetuating our covenantal relationship with God…
One fundamental question that needs to be asked is: How do we know that the avot are limited to three: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and do not include the 12 sons of Jacob, [or] Moses, Aaron, or King David? Similarly, why are imahot limited to Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah – what about Bilha and Zilpa, who were also the biological mothers of four of the tribes?
Our response begins with the Talmud’s statement in Berachot (16b, see also Semachot 1:14): “The Sages taught in a baraita: One may only call three people patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, – but not Jacob’s children. And one may only call four people matriarchs: Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.”
The Talmud continues (ibid.) that “the reason the sons of Jacob are not called the patriarchs is… because until Jacob, they are significant enough to be referred to as patriarchs but after that they are not.”
The 13th-century Italian rishon, Rabbi Isaiah di Trani (the Elder), further explains that “four matriarchs” specifically excludes Bilha and Zilpa, but he doesn’t indicate why. The Talmudic discussion cited above suggests that the two were not considered sufficiently “significant.”
Several pieces of evidence confirm this:
Rabbi Hai Gaon confirms that the Talmud’s statement in Berachot is the reason that in Jewish tradition, we find the encomium Sarah imenu, Rivka imenu, Rachel imenu, Leah imenu, but not Bilha imeinu or Zilpa imenu.
Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah are buried next to their husbands in the Cave of the Patriarchs, while Jacob apologized to Joseph for not doing so for his mother, Rachel. We know nothing about the burials of Bilha and Zilpa.
The fundamental reason for their relative lack of significance is that they were shifhot – maidservants, who were given as concubines to Jacob by their mistresses Rachel and Leah for the purpose of procreation. They were never formal wives.
Rabbi Frimer on children and a fascinating Seder:
Children are encouraged to ask questions about novel rituals and to be aware of what is happening in our historical tale.
We keep them awake throughout the long evening via dialogue (the four questions), ritual (dipping the karpas, spilling the wine, and the Hillel sandwich), song (Hallel), and even games (e.g., “stealing” the afikoman).
This is because the ultimate goal of the Seder is to stimulate the children to identify with the Exodus, with Sinai, and with the Land of Israel.
As my father explained: “On Passover, a child’s senses are caught and stirred by the smells, sights, sounds, touches, and tastes of the Seder. Through such sensory stimuli, a young child is conditioned to identify with his people’s past, participate in its present, and share its dreams for a distant yet beckoning tomorrow.” (Rabbi Norman E. Frimer, Horizon, September 1970).
We want to make the Seder fascinating, stimulating, and challenging enough – so that all four children will identify as proud Jews.
Departing Egypt is available online at www.booknet.co.il.
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili"
Please urgently remove this fake hotel from your website. It is a scam and it is deceiving many customers. It is advertised on all social networks as a scam! very important – report on fraud house and scam that in your website and cheat people and customers! – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief
The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili" the name of here company is : Ltd Alpaka
405375419
Located at: Nucubidze St N57, Tbilisi, Georgia/Nucubidze Street 57, 0177 it smells terrible, The walls in the room are peeling, I took pictures, there is mold and dampness throughout the room the beds are really uncomfortable, like in a pre-trial detention center, your whole back hurts when you sleep on them and they almost break because they are so thin! the WI FI doesn't work at all, The room was very dirty and filthy, and when you ask her to move you to a room she says everything is taken, even though all the rooms are empty and open! I arrived at this horrible place, this horrible house, at 1:00 AM, after two hours of sleeplessness, I asked for my money back, a blonde girl of about 50 years old named “Anna” told me that she wanted the money in cash right away, otherwise she would not let me out of the hotel, she told me that I would not be able to sleep in their bed, at 3 AM I went to look for an ATM to withdraw money, because I could not find one, after searching for a whole hour, in the Tbilisi cold, I returned to her at midnight to look for an ATM, but she did not give me my suitcase and passport, so I came back the next day and gave me the money in cash, she did not give me an invoice either, do not come near! They are deceiving the public, booking and all hotel websites! This is not a hotel, it is a very dirty, old house and it smells very bad. Search on youtube "never go there – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City Georgia of Ana Chuchulashvili the house hotel from hell" , don't go " to “Hotel Delisi” on YouTube or "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia " or"HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat" He was caught on tape speaking badly and illegally taking a passport and suitcase.
That she took the suitcase by force, she also stole 3 expensive shirts from me for a total of 250 GEL, I demand compensation of 128 GEL for the two hours of hell I suffered there + 250 GEL for the shirts she stole from me
I have videos where she only wants money in cash so she doesn't pay taxes and doesn't agree that I pay her with a credit card, and she also doesn't want to give me my suitcase and passport.
1. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia
2. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Address
3. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Rooms
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5. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Offers and Deals
სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო, ქურდის „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილის“
მსოფლიოში ყველაზე ცუდი სასტუმრო, საშიშია, ახლოს არ მიხვიდეთ! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის! ეს ძველი, ჭუჭყიანი სახლია, ოთახში ტარაკნები და მწერებია, სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო – ადგილის მენეჯერი თაღლითი და ყოფილი ნარკომანია, სახელად „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილი“, კომპანიის სახელია: შპს ალპაკა
405375419
მდებარეობს: ნუცუბიძის ქ. N57, თბილისი, საქართველო/ნუცუბიძის ქუჩა 57, 0177, საშინელი სუნი აქვს, ოთახში კედლები აქერცლილია, სურათები გადავიღე, ოთახში ობი და ნესტია, საწოლები ნამდვილად არაკომფორტულია, როგორც წინასწარი დაკავების იზოლატორში, მთელი ზურგი გტკივა, როცა მათზე იძინებ და კინაღამ იმსხვრევა, რადგან ძალიან თხელია! Wi-Fi საერთოდ არ მუშაობს, ოთახი ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი და უწმაწურია და როცა ოთახში გადაყვანას სთხოვ, მიპასუხებს, რომ ყველაფერი დაკავებულია, მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ ყველა ოთახი ცარიელი და ღიაა! ამ საშინელ ადგილას, ამ საშინელ სახლში, ღამის 1:00 საათზე მივედი, ორსაათიანი უძილობის შემდეგ, ფულის დაბრუნება ვთხოვე, დაახლოებით 50 წლის ქერა გოგონამ, სახელად „ანამ“, მითხრა, რომ ფული ნაღდი ფულით უნდოდა, თორემ სასტუმროდან არ გამიშვებდა, მითხრა, რომ მათ საწოლში ვერ დავიძინებდი, დილის 3 საათზე ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად წავედი ფულის გასატანად, რადგან ვერ ვიპოვე, მთელი საათის ძებნის შემდეგ, თბილისურ სიცივეში, შუაღამისას დავბრუნდი მასთან ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად, მაგრამ ჩემოდანი და პასპორტი არ მომცა, ამიტომ მეორე დღეს დავბრუნდი და ფული ნაღდი ფულით მომცა, ინვოისიც არ მომცა, ახლოს არ მოხვიდეთ! ისინი ატყუებენ საზოგადოებას, დაჯავშნის და ყველა სასტუმროს ვებსაიტს! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის, ეს ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი, ძველი სახლია და ძალიან ცუდი სუნი ასდის. YouTube-ზე მოძებნეთ "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The worse hotel in the world" , არ წახვიდეთ "Hotel Delisi"-ში YouTube-ზე ან "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia" ან "HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat". ის ვიდეოჩანაწერში მოხვდა, სადაც ცუდად საუბრობდა და უკანონოდ იღებდა პასპორტს და ჩემოდანს.
მან ჩემოდანი ძალით წამართვა, ასევე მომპარა 3 ძვირადღირებული პერანგი სულ 250 ლარად, მე ვითხოვ 128 ლარის კომპენსაციას იმ ორსაათიანი ჯოჯოხეთისთვის, რომელიც იქ ვიტანჯე + 250 ლარი იმ პერანგებისთვის, რომლებიც მომპარა.
მე მაქვს ვიდეოები, სადაც ის მხოლოდ ნაღდი ფულით ითხოვს ფულს, ამიტომ არ იხდის გადასახადებს და არ ეთანხმება, რომ საკრედიტო ბარათით გადავუხადო, ასევე არ სურს ჩემოდნის და პასპორტის მოცემა.
"ב-7.10 נחטפה כל המשפחה שלי, אני, בעלי דוד, ושתי בנותינו אמה ויולי, אז בנות 3 בלבד", פתחה את נאומה שרון, אשתו של דוד קוניו החטוף בעזה. "דוד בעלי, אהבת חיי, והאבא של הבנות שלי, עדיין שם. התאומות ואני חזרנו ביום החמישים ושתיים. אמה ויולי שלנו חגגו חמש, בלי אבא שלהן. בשבוע הבא הן ילכו לגן חובה, והן יודעות שאבא לא יהיה איתן ביום הזה. הן יודעות שאבא שלהן שם. לפני כמה ימים, כשהשכבתי אותן לישון הן שאלו אותי 'אמא, את בטוחה שאבא יחזור?'".
"יש הצעה לעיסקה על השולחן, שחמאס כבר אמר לה כן", המשיכה. "האמריקנים רוצים שהחטופים יחזרו. הרמטכ"ל אומר שחייבים ללכת עכשיו לעיסקה. העם, אתם, כל אחד מכם, כאן בככר, במהלך היום בצמתים, בכל מקום, במספרים אדירים, כולם צועקים איתנו, כולם רוצים את החטופים בבית. אז למה אני לא יכולה להגיד לבנות שלי שאני בטוחה שאבא שלהן יחזור?"
