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Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Thoughts of Pesach and Peoplehood

Throughout the generations people have defined and redefined the “wicked” child at the seder. I think an interesting question to pose at the seder is – who or what would be the contemporary “wicked” member of our people: Someone who is still at the seder, who we still speak with, even though they really make declarations rather than asking questions. (Take a careful look at the various verses used as proof texts for each of the sons.)
A flip side of the same thought process is, when we say “Elu V’elu divrie Elokim Chaim” (“Both these and these are the living words of God): In our opinion, whose is the OTHER opinion we deem appropriate, or legitimate – even though we disagree? It seems that the definition of the legitimate “other” has become increasingly narrow.
What are the contours of the Jewish community with which we feel comfortable? Whom are we vilifying? Who threatens and scares us? Who do we see as a legitimate other voice?
Pesach is about peoplehood, the formation of a nation. Have we written off some of our people too easily? Do we think they do not have a legitimate voice? Do we see them as “wicked”?

These are some of the questions I would like to raise at the seder. I am not looking for answers, just raising some questions.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Sources for 21 Pesach Shiurim:

Sources for 21 Pesach Shiurim:


הלילה הזה כולו צלי

חד גדיה

"From Arami Oved Avi to Chad Gadya - a mystical journey led by the Vilna Gaon"


המצה של לוט


אין ביעור חמץ אלא שריפה

אלו קרבנו לפני הר סיני ולא נתן לנו את התורה דייני

ארבע כוסות

פסח – הלכה, מנהג, וחומרה

חייב אדם לעסוק בהלכות הפסח כל הלילה

חישב את הקץ

חרוסת

כנגד ארבע בנים  

מַצָּה זוּ שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹכְלִים עַל שׁוּם מָה. עַל שׁוּם מה? -לֶחֶם עֹנִי

מכירת חמץ

מתחיל בגנות ומסיים בשבח

(פֶּסַח,) מַצָּה, (וּמָרוֹר)

קטנית

חג הפסח עד חצות

שיר השירים עם ברכה

ערב תבשילין, קיטניות וחמץ - הבט הלכתי ומחשבתי

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה זכירת וסיפור יציאת מצרים



Sunday, March 22, 2015

Audio and Essays Parashat Tzav


Audio and Essays Parashat Tzav

New Essay: Chametz and Matzah
http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/parshat-tzav-5775-chametz-and-matzah.html

Audio:
Purifying The Mind
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=327

http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/810401/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/Preparing_for_Holiness

No Hesitation
http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/758658/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/No_Hesitation

Essays:
No Hesitation
http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2010/03/parshat-tzav-5770-no-hesitation.html

Of Matzot and Mitzvot
http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2009/03/parshat-tzav-shabbat-hagadol-5769.html

Thoughts of Sin
http://rabbiarikahn.com/writing?id=123

Parashat Tzav 5774 Impetuousness


Friday, March 20, 2015

YUTorah Online - Rabbi Ari Kahn

YUTorah Online - Rabbi Ari Kahn

Torah for Pesach

Torah for Pesach
Lectures and Essays for Pesach and the Omer
Lectures:

Torah Readings for Pesach
http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/811555/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/Torah_Readings_for_Pesach

The Evolving Haggada 
http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/811551/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/The_Evolving_Haggada













Those who helped the Jews leave Egypt - including the righteous women and Moshe.
http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/827056/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/The_Redeemers

http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/828113/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/Miracles_and_Song

The political and theological significance of the plagues

http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/827736/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/The_Moment_of_Freedom



The Exodus and Elusive Perfection

The Leadership Of Moshe
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=394

Shmot - a Brief Overview What Is FREEDOM
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=404

Parshat Shmot / A Sign Of Redemption
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=541

Knowledge In Exile
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=366

The Staff
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=400

Parshat Vaeira / Deserving Freedom (Why did things need to get worse before they got better - before leaving Egypt. The Role of Am Yisrael in the Exodus)
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=543

Parshat Bo / Polemic Against Egyptian Beliefs
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=375

Parshat Bo / Transcending Time Space And Matter
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=401

Parshat Beshalach / Pharaoh's Responses to the Plagues
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=545

Did we Leave Egypt too Soon
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=35

Matzah of Lot
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=38

Seder Night
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=46

Shira
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=47

http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/827422/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/Losing_Our_Religion

http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/759365/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/tazria-Parshat_Hachodesh

Pesach
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=44


Mourning of the Omer

The Law of Chadosh in the Diaspora

One or two days Yom Tov for visitors to Israel?

Chametz (not) fit for man and dog
http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/811164/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/%D7%97%D7%9E%D7%A5_%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%94_%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%95%D7%99%D7%94_%D7%9C%D7%90%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9D_%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9D


http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/791351/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/%D7%97%D7%99%D7%99%D7%91_%D7%90%D7%93%D7%9D_%D7%9C%D7%A2%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%A7_%D7%91%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%97_%D7%9B%D7%9C_%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%94


Essays

Of Matzot and Mitzvot

Shabbat HaGadol

Collecting Straw
http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2010/01/parshat-shmot-5770-collecting-straw.html

The Fifth Cup
http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2010/01/parshat-vaera-5770-fifth-cup.html

Frogs
http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2009/01/vaera-5769-frogs.html

Pharaoh's Heart

Around Midnight

Time for Freedom

The First Born

Rabbi Yehuda gave them Signs
http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2009/01/parshat-bo-5769-rav-yehuda-gave-them.html

The Eleventh Plague

The Wicked Son in the Passover Haggadah

A New Book, An Old Story - Parshat Shmot

Pharaoh's Conundrum - Parshat VaEra
  
The Dignity of Mitzvot - Parshat Bo

The Long Shortcut - Parshat B'Shalach

Parashat B'shalach - Winds of Salvation

Parashat Shmot 5775 Redemption Song
http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2015/01/parashat-shmot-5775-redemption-song.html

Parashat Bo 5775 It’s the Children

Haggadah based on the teachings of Rav Soloveitchik

Regarding Chametz and Kitniot in Israel on Shabbat Isru Chag

http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2012/04/regarding-chametz-and-kitniot-in-israel.html