OHR SOMAYACH'S ASK THE RABBI
Issue #273 April 8, 2000
Parshat Tazria
=====================================
In this issue:
SEA-ING RED
FOUR AT THE FORE
DROPS OF WINE
BAFFLE WACS HOLD FIB
FLOUR POWER
STOCKS AND BUNS
ECHAD MI YODAYA? (Who Knows One?)
=====================================

SEA-ING RED

From:  Stephen Tenzer in Germantown, MD
<tenny222@aol.com>

  Dear Rabbi,
  I recently read a book which claimed that the Israelites did
  not cross the Red Sea, as is commonly believed, but rather
  crossed the Sea of Reeds.  "Red Sea," according to the
  author, is a mistranslation.  This was news to me.  My
  English translation of the Bible refers to the Red Sea,
  while the Hebrew refers to "yam suf."  I remember from
  Hebrew School that "yam" means "sea."  What does "suf" mean?
  Did the Israelites cross the Red Sea, the Sea of Reeds, or
  some other sea?

Dear Stephen Tenzer,
"Soof" means "reeds."  The Jews crossed the "Yam Soof" which 
means the "Sea of Reeds."

There are several views in our commentaries as to what the Yam 
Suf is.  It may have been the Gulf of Suez, which branches up 
from what is today called the Red Sea.  Others identify it 
with the large delta at the mouth of the Nile in the North of 
Egypt; interestingly, in ancient Egyptian, the swampy Delta 
districts were called "sufi."

Sources:
* "The Living Torah" by Rabbi A. Kaplan, Exodus 10:19, 13:18
* Artscroll Chumash Stone Edition, Exodus 13:18

=====================================

FOUR AT THE FORE

From:  Laurie in Toronto, Ontario
<lauriein@yahoo.com>

  Dear Rabbi,
  I am responsible for answering questions at Pesach, but one
  that was asked of me I can't answer.  Why is there so much
  significance to the number four in the Haggada:  For
  example:  Four questions, four sons, four glasses of wine.

Dear Laurie,
The "four" concept relates to the four promises G-d made to 
Moses in the verse:  "I will take you out of the forced labor 
in Egypt, and free you from their slavery; I will liberate
you ... and I will take you to be My own nation." (Exodus 6:6-
8).  Each of the four phrases in this verse describes a unique 
stage of redemption.

Four represents exile, being scattered to the "four corners of 
the earth."  Correspondingly there are four levels of 
redemption from exile.

Four also represents growth, spreading out in all four 
directions.  Pesach is the time of the birth of the Jewish 
nation, who are to fulfill G-d's blessing to Yaakov to "spread 
out to the west, east, north and south."  (Genesis 28:14)  
Pesach is also in the spring, a time when G-d's blessings are 
seen to increase in the world.

=====================================

DROPS OF WINE

From:  Myron Chaitovsky In Teaneck, NJ
<mchait@brooklaw.edu>

  Dear Rabbi,
  While mentioning the ten plagues, we spill out a drop of
  wine for each plague.  In looking through various haggadot,
  I see that most say to refill the wine cups after this.  I
  have heard that some do not replenish their cups at this
  time.  What's at work here?  Why do some people (including
  my family) not refill their wine cups at this time?  We seem
  to be in a distinct minority.

Dear Myron Chaitovsky,
When my brother was a little boy, and I was even littler, our 
dad asked us:  "Why do we spill out drops of wine when we 
mention each of the ten plagues?"

"Because blood was spilled," my brother answered, and my dad 
approved.

While we rejoice at our salvation, we nonetheless retain our 
sensitivities to the suffering of the Egyptians by diminishing 
our joy, if only in the mildest extent.  This may be why some 
people don't refill the cup, in order to drink a bit less 
wine, and thus reduce the enjoyment by that amount.

On the other hand, there is reason to refill the cup so that 
it should be full to the brim when we say the blessing over 
it.  The prevailing custom is that the cup is refilled.

=====================================

BAFFLE WACS HOLD FIB

From:  Lequida Jennings in Sulphur Springs, TX
<jethro@koyote.com>

  Dear Rabbi,
  Is there an easy way to teach kids to memorize the ten
  plagues?

Dear Lequida Jennings,
An easy way to memorize the ten plagues is to make a song out 
it.  That's how they teach it to kids in my community.  
Perhaps use the tune "Ten Little Indians."

In the Haggada we read the night of Passover, there is an 
acrostic, the first letters of the plagues in Hebrew:  Datzach 
Adash B'achav.  You could do the same in English:  For 
example, in the nonsense phrase BaFLle WaCS HoLD FiB, the 
capital letters represent the plagues, in order:  Blood, 
Frogs, Lice, Wild animals, Cattle disease, Skin disease 
(boils), Hail, Locusts, Darkness, First Born (slaying of).

=====================================

FLOUR POWER

From:  Debbie in Canada

  Dear Rabbi,
  A woman in synagogue told me that I need to give "kimcha
  d'pischa" (or something like that).  Rabbi, would you tell
  me what she was talking about?  Thanks a million!

Dear Debbie,
Kimcha D'pischa means "flour for Pesach."  In other words  
"Kosher for Passover Flour."  This refers to the age-old 
custom of giving charity before Pesach to the city's poor so 
they will be able to afford all their Passover needs.

This custom is ancient, first mentioned in the Jerusalem 
Talmud.  The idea behind it is that it was hard to find 
"Kosher for Passover" flour to buy during the holiday.  So 
poor people who live on a day to day basis would not have food 
to eat on Pesach, because there would be no flour to buy to 
bake matzot with.  Hence began the custom to distribute flour 
before Pesach.

Today, most people don't bake their own matzot, so kimcha 
d'pischa has been adjusted to meet the needs of the poor 
people of today.  All over the world Jewish communities give 
money to the needy before the holiday so they can prepare.  In 
many communities food supplies are distributed for free or at 
great discount.  In my community, charity organizations give 
money to the supermarket to credit the accounts of needy 
families, in addition to food distribution and cash donations.

It is said that before Pesach there are two types of people:  
Those who give kimcha d'pischa and those who get.  In other 
words, anyone who can is obligated to help the needy meet 
their holiday expenses.

You should make a donation to the kimcha d'pischa 
organization, in your community if possible.  If there are no 
needy in your city, or no existing organization, you can 
choose to help out the poor of Jerusalem by sending a donation 
via Ohr Somayach, POB 18103, Jerusalem 91180 Israel.

There is a wonderful story about how charity money is 
distributed before Pesach.  A woman once approached the Rabbi 
of the city of Brisk, Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, with a 
strange question.  She wanted to know if one could use milk 
instead of wine for the four cups of the Seder.  She explained 
that she could not afford wine.  He answered her by giving her 
a large amount of money.  Asked the Rabbi's wife, "I 
understand you gave her money because she can't afford the 
wine, but why so much?"

Answered the Rabbi, "If she wants to drink milk at the Seder, 
it is obvious she has no meat for Pesach (as there is a 
prohibition to eat meat and milk at the same meal).  So I gave 
her enough to by wine and meat for the entire Holiday."

=====================================

STOCKS AND BUNS

From:  Email@Withheld

  Dear Rabbi,
  Is there any problem owning chametz stocks on Pesach, i.e.,
  with regards to (leavened products)?  Must one include in
  the "document of sale of chametz" to include chametz in the
  stock that is owned?  And regarding chametz, may one buy and
  sell stocks during Pesach?

Dear Email@Withheld,
Stocks and shares should be included in the "document of sale 
of chametz" and sold with all the chametz before Pesach.  I 
asked Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, shlita, whether it is permissible 
to deal in stocks over Pesach and he said that one should not.

=====================================

ECHAD MI YODAYA? (Who Knows One?)

Everyone is familiar with the song traditionally sung at the 
conclusion of the Pesach Seder in which we describe the significance 
of every number from one to thirteen as they relate to Jewish life and 
thought.  "Three are the Fore-fathers, Four are the Fore-Mothers11 
are the stars of Josef's dream, 12 are the Tribes of Israel"

What about the next 13 numbers?  And many more numbers after those?  
What significance do they have in Jewish tradition?   This week we 
challenge you to provide us with an answer to "Who Knows 14?"

Your answer can be based on dates, numbers (and even gematriot) in the 
Torah, Talmud or Siddur.

We're waiting to hear your responses for possible publication in 
future issues!  Write to info@ohr.org.il

=====================================
Our scholars answer over 100 queries every day.
For donations click on:
https://www.virtual.co.il/secure/ohrsomayach/donate/donate.htm
or write to us at info@ohr.org.il
=====================================
If you like this e-mail, share it with a friend.
=====================================
Submit your questions to "ASK THE RABBI" at:
http://www.asktherabbi.org
Or E-Mail: info@ohr.org.il
=====================================
EVERY question EVER published in ASK THE RABBI
is available on-line in an easy-to-use index!
http://www.ohr.org.il/web/index/askidx.htm
=====================================
Ohr Somayach's other e-mail publications:
Ohrnet, Torah Weekly, Parsha Q&A, Ask the Rabbi,
The Weekly Daf, Seasons of the Moon,
OS-Special, Torah and Nature, Judaismo,
Judaismo-p, Light Lines, Ohrnews, Simcha, OS-Alum.
To subscribe, write to info@ohr.org.il
=====================================
IF YOU WANT TO UNSUBSCRIBE from this list,
send the message:
unsubscribe ask to: listproc@vjlists.com
=====================================
Dedication opportunities available for ASK THE RABBI!
Please contact us for details.
=====================================
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Eli Ballon
=====================================
ASK THE RABBI is written at
Ohr Somayach Institutions / Tanenbaum College
22 Shimon Hatzadik Street, POB 18103
Jerusalem 91180, Israel
Tel: 972-2-581-0315 Fax: 972-2-581-2890
E-Mail:  info@ohr.org.il   Home Page:  http://www.ohrnet.org
=====================================
(C) 2000 Ohr Somayach International - All rights reserved.


