A Mouth Speaks?

The purpose of this blog is to upgrade the chatter at the Shabbat table ....please print, share, and forward.

If you could do only one of the Pesach mitzvot (matzah, marror, 4 cups of wine, telling the story) which would you choose?

Two weeks from tonight is, of course, Pesach.

Question for your table - Why is it called that? 

Scholarly people have been debating the meaning of pesach for decades.

Mystical people have been teaching for centuries that it means peh sach - "a mouth speaks."

What does that mean?

Our holidays tend to focus on specific parts or aspects of the body:

Rosh Hashanah - ears (shofar)
Yom Kippur - negation of entire body (fasting)
Sukkot - affirmation of entire body (sukkah)
Channukah - eyes (menorah)
Purim - hands (gifts of food, gifts to the poor), ears (Megillah)

So what's Pesach's body part?

A: The mouth. It's the only holiday that has a mitzvah to eat specific foods (matzah, marror, wine) and to speak (tell the story).

Hence: peh sach - a mouth speaks.

When I was a child my grandfather showed us that the best Seder is where everyone gets to speak, where everyone gets to help tell and interpret the story.

Word to the wise - to do it well takes some planning.... get busy!

In the meantime, here's a question for your Shabbat table:

Let's ask again: If you could do only one of the Pesach mitzvot (matzah, marror, 4 cups of wine, telling the story) which would you choose?


Shabbat Shalom

PS - If you'd like our 2022 Pesach prep kit (47 mb download), send an email.
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PPPS - Yes, the image above is clickable (as always).

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