Yachatz

Yachatz is a point in the seder that is often overlooked. Many do it "on the sly" with the host breaking the matza and hiding it quickly before anyone notices, as everyone is still busy munching on their potato or parsley from karpas and chatting and trying to get more potatoes. I hope to make a point of it this year rather than try to sneak it through in the rush of activities before Magid begins...

Yachatz. 

We break the matza in half. Half is hidden away, and we search for it to make the matza whole again.

Our nation is broken in half. This year in particular has been a difficult one for the nation. We were broken in half. Before the last holiday we were broken in half by politics, with each side screaming at each other. It had gotten so bad there was serious concern it could lead to civil war, God forbid. Then Hamas broke us further, murdering and raping and kidnapping so many in a brutal attack. And since then, with an ongoing war and fallen soldiers and hostages still sitting in dark tunnels without decent food and water, worried about being killed at any time or doomed to remain there forever or until death comes before they get sent home. We are broken in half. 

We have to search for the pieces to put ourselves, our nation back together, to make us whole. Though with matza once you break it you can never make it whole again. There are always missing pieces. We might or might not be able to make ourselves and our nation whole again, but we have to look, to seek out, the ways and possibilities, and we have to try.

And when we find the afikomen, we bring it back to the table, we put it back together with the other piece, we make it as whole as we possibly can. We have to seek out the pieces of our nation that we pushed away, that are not with us, whether politically or physically like the hostages and our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, who have been away at war for so long, and find a way to put us all back together again, to be able to break bread with each other, to be whole and working towards our common goals, even if we dont agree on many things.

Porush reached out to Tor Wennesland, the UN representative to the Middle East asking to send matza and wine as humanitarian aid to the 133 hostages being held in Gaza. Porush stressed the aid should be sent before Monday evening to ensure the hostages will be able to use it to commemorate the Pesach holiday, even if only in a symbolic way. Receiving such aid would also raise their spirits and help them withstand these difficult times while being held captive until they are released.

Porush did say that we are hoping and praying the hostages will be released by then, before the holiday, but in the case that they aren't, this aid should be supplied.

source: Hamechadesh

Even if the request should be accepted, they will get it like they got the medications that were sent in a few months back... and how likely is it that Hamas will give wine to the hostages? But at the end of the day, all we can do is try, so good on him for requesting it. 

And hopefully the matza will be the bread of freedom for them and be the harbinger for their release quickly and in the very near future.

With that caveat, I was surprised to see the following news item. Not because of what was said, but the fact that it was said at all.

The news is reporting that the Haredi representatives in the government have been polling the various leading rabbonim as to what the government should do regarding Iran and what they, the Haredi MKs and Ministers, should support or oppose.

A rundown brought by Kikar shows that MK Moshe Gafni is opposed to an attack on Iran by Israel, at least if not coordinated with the United States. Gafni says this is the opinion of Rav Dov Landau, and was also the opinion of Rav Shach. It seems the Gerrer Rebbe, the Viznitzer Rebbe also agree with this position. MK Aryeh Deri is also opposed to an attack on Iran. 

While I havent seen Sefardi rabbonim quoted in this matter, other news media reported that Rav Moshe Maya when asked refused to give an opinion saying he does not understand these matters enough nor have enough information to offer guidance. In my opinion that is more impressive than the various rabbonim who are offering opinions (though maybe they have more information or understand on defense matters)..

So what is surprising about this?

The Haredi MKs used almost completely stay out of defense matters. They used to say that without them sending their kids to the army, they cant comment on these things. it is wrong, and it will also look bad that they are helping decide matters of defense and security that will mostly affect others but not them. It looks like that policy has changed.

What does Biden love about Haifa so much that he feels he must intervene to protect it? And why is Israel attacking Haifa?

Maybe it is because Yona Yahav, the mayor of Haifa, just said the other day that he is planning on naming a new neighborhood in Haifa after Joe Biden - Ramat Biden or something like that. That was a smart move by Yahav, a strategic maneuver to protect Haifa from Israeli attack! by naming a neighborhood after Biden, he has guaranteed that Biden will help protect his city from Israel!

BIDEN: "I made it clear to the Israelis — don't move on Haifa!"

Haifa is a major city *IN* Israel. pic.twitter.com/BdNgoDlGkM

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 18, 2024

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Rachel Goldberg-Polin was included in Time Magazine's list of 100 most influential people of 2024.

Hopefully it will increase awareness even more and help bring her son Hersh home from his captivity, being held by by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

A storm or other severe weather in the Iranian island of Hormuz caused the Hormuz River to turn blood red.

This is pretty cool happening right as Pesach begins, and just after the Iranians shot rockets and drones at Israel. They should take it as a warning...

Not to be a killjoy but this seems to happen not too infrequently. The beach there is called Red Beach because of the red soil and sand. the sand/soil washed into the river because of the storm, turning it red. Despite all that, it is still cool, especially because of the timing.

And for the humorous perspective, perhaps the Mossad (hey, the Jews control the weather!), caused the storm and the subsequent event of the river turning red to send a warning to the Iranians...

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