JTS Torah Archive

Why Is This Historic Event Different From All Other Historic Events?

Apr 8, 2014 By Burton L. Visotzky | Short Video | Pesah

The Bitter Truth

Apr 8, 2014 By David C. Kraemer | Short Video | Pesah

This short video details the history of maror and suggests the possibility of a maror tasting to reflect on what best symbolizes slavery at a seder.

Elijah’s Cup: A Time For Family Reunion

Apr 8, 2014 By Daniel Nevins | Short Video | Pesah

Elijah—Families and the End of Days

Mar 27, 2014 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Pesah

Elijah is an enigmatic and beloved figure in the Passover seder, with a myriad of explanations for his appearance and role. It’s worth noting that Elijah appears first in our liturgical texts even before we sit down to begin the seder: the haftarah for Shabbat Hagadol (the Shabbat before Pesah) is from the end of Malachi, and concludes with the haunting words, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of Adonai; and he will return the hearts of parents to their children, and the hearts of children to their parents.”

The Secret of Shmurah Matzah

Mar 25, 2013 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Pesah

One of the centerpieces of seder night is the eating of matzah, the unleavened bread.

The Light of Passover

Mar 25, 2013 By David Hoffman | Commentary | Pesah

Why did the Rabbis use the word light when they intended darkness? The Hebrew word leila (לילה) would certainly have worked. Why did the Rabbis not say what they meant?

Isaiah: Visions and Wellsprings of Salvation

Mar 25, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Pesah

It is often interesting to look closely at the haftarot (readings from the Prophets), and wonder about the juxtaposition of texts, themes, and ideas; what is this text looking to tell us or provoke/inspire within us?

Approaching Pesah, Part 2: Who Are the Children at the Seder?

Mar 20, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Pesah

Let me offer a few thoughts on the part of the seder that has continually enchanted me since I was a child. The Haggadah presents four “types” of children, labeling each and offering directives to the parents on how to respond to each type. This is based upon four verses in the Torah that instruct the Children of Israel to explain (to their children) the rituals of Pesah. The Haggadah assumes that if something is repeated four times, with different language, that there must be a reason: that there are different types of children, each needing a different response.

The Family Story

Mar 20, 2013 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Shabbat Hagadol | Pesah

I asked what part of the seder you most enjoy; whether any aspect of it bothers you; which piece of the Exodus story, if any, means a lot to you personally; and how, or if, you relate to the seder as a religious ceremony. Here’s what I learned from what you told me.

Beyond the Four Questions: Creating Fun and Meaningful Seders for Children

Mar 19, 2013 By Deborah Miller | Video Lecture | Pesah

Ever wonder how to make the seder fun and meaningful for youth and children? Join Dr. Deborah Miller as she explores the rich educational structure of the seder while giving practical tips and advice on how to keep children ages 0 to 15 engaged in this powerful ritual.

Approaching Pesah, Part 1: “Turning the Heart”

Mar 13, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Pesah

Two seemingly disconnected texts offer an insight into the experience of Pesah. On Shabbat Hagadol (the Shabbat before Pesah, this year on March 23), the haftarah from Malachi ends with the powerful words, “before the coming of the great and awesome day of God I will send you the prophet Elijah; he will turn the hearts of parents to [their] children, and the hearts of children to parents” (Mal. 3:23).

Pesah: A Liberating Experience for Women

Mar 4, 2013 By Judith Hauptman | Commentary | Pesah

There is no festival more home- and family-oriented than Pesah. Sukkot may run a close second, but the seder places Pesah way ahead. Although celebrating at home with a lavish family meal should make this holiday a pleasure to anticipate, for many women this is not so. The painstaking conversion of the kitchen from leaven-filled to leaven-free status has turned the Festival of Freedom into an intense period of domestic labor rather than a celebration of personal and national liberation. That was not the intention of the halakhah.

The Laws of Passover

Feb 11, 2013 By Isaac Klein | Pesah

From: A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice

New American Haggadah

Oct 5, 2012

An extraordinary conversation with one of America’s most acclaimed and influential young authors discussing the timelessness of the Passover story, the thinking behind the New American Haggadah, the secret desire of Jewish writers to be rabbis, and more.

Freedom As Process

Apr 14, 2012 By Charlie Schwartz | Commentary | Text Study | Pesah

The last days of Passover take on a relaxed feel for me. With the cleaning done, the four cups of wine, Hillel sandwiches, and bitter herbs a distant memory, I tend to focus on the remaining festival days and the visions of fully leavened bread that are inclined to pop into my head. The midrash above, based on the Torah reading for the seventh day of Passover, creates a sharp contrast to this feeling of relaxation and matzah saturation.

The Last Day of Passover

Apr 14, 2012 By Alan Cooper | Commentary | Pesah

Of all the extra festival days that we celebrate in Diaspora (yom tov sheni shel galuyot), perhaps the most irksome is the eighth day of Pesah. The second day of Sukkot adds to the delight of the holiday when the weather cooperates; the second day of Shemini Atzeret brings us the joy of Simhat Torah as a day unto itself. Even the second seder has its pleasures, except perhaps for those who have to prepare the meal and clean up afterward. But the eighth day of Pesah? Enough already! Bring on the pizza and pasta.

Swallowed in the Ground

Apr 7, 2012 By Abigail Treu | Commentary | Text Study | Pesah

Swallowed in the ground,
Saved from forces stronger than ourselves,
Hooves over our heads.
A miracle occurred.

The Exodus and Einstein

Apr 7, 2012 By Marc Wolf | Commentary | Pesah

As we gather to celebrate Passover this week, the attempts of all those who seek to prove or disprove the Children of Israel’s exodus from Egypt seem to surface anew. Applying the rigors of science to religion is no new endeavor for Judaism. In each generation—a theme these days—there are those who have attempted to reconcile Truths. How could the Torah’s version of history agree with the Truth that we know from philosophy or science?

Sacrifices Seen Through Love and Law

Mar 31, 2012 By David Levy | Commentary | Text Study | Pesah

Every year, the weeks during which the Torah portions of Leviticus are read, many Jews complain about the challenge of finding interest or meaning in such esoteric material. I, myself, also struggle to engage deeply with these texts when I forget that even our ancient Sages felt the need to bolster the relevance of these laws, which largely became defunct after the Second Temple was destroyed.

The Origins of a Nation

Apr 23, 2011 By Marc Wolf | Commentary | Pesah

As we set our tables and prepare for our seders, we cannot help but hear the echoes of our journey from persecution to freedom amplified in the headlines. Our holiday of Hodesh Ha’aviv—the “Month of the Spring”—comes at a time when the ripple effects of what has been dubbed the Arab Spring are just beginning to be felt.