Other questions for Pesach

ELIZABETH NIDER

By the end of the Pesach seder, and by the end of the fourth cup of wine, many of us are questioned out. But I have another one. Why four cups?

The most well-known source is the Book of Exodus, where G-d uses five terms of redemption to describe the Exodus and our becoming a nation. The first four, “I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt,” “I shall rescue you from their service,” “I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments” and “I shall take you to me,” have taken place and we are, in essence, drinking a toast to commemorate each stage of redemption.

But the fifth expression, “I shall bring you to the land which I promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and I will give it to you as an inheritance,” has not yet happened because the Jewish people haven’t been brought to Israel on a permanent basis, which is meant to occur with the coming of Mashiach (the Messiah). Our fifth cup is, therefore, set aside for the prophet Eliyahu, because he is the one who will usher in the Messianic era. Since we’re not there yet, we are supposed to pour the wine back into the bottle after the seder (as opposed to drinking it when your kids aren’t looking, ahem).

Rabbi Lipa Dubrawsky gives another reason for five cups. “There are five levels [to a Jew’s soul] and three of them come to the surface daily,” he explained. “On Shabbat, there is an additional dimension that manifests itself. The fifth level surfaces in unique moments, [on Yom Kippur] or when, G-d forbid, someone gives his life in the name of Hashem.... The fifth level can never be destroyed. When this level surfaces, every Jew is forgiven. No misdeed or sin can affect the bond with Hashem. [This fifth level is] called Yechida, the oneness with Hashem.” Dubrawsky noted that we, as a nation, have not collectively reached the fifth level, the unbreakable bond with G-d, and that this will only occur after the coming of Mashiach, which is why we do not drink the fifth cup.

We’ve all heard of the four sons, but there is a fifth. The fifth son is not even present at the seder. He is totally unaffiliated and has no connection to G-d nor to the Jewish people. It is this son and all Jews, no matter where they live or how they practise, according to Dubrawsky, who will be fully reconnected to Judaism when Mashiach comes. When this last level of connection is made, everyone will be united.

The theme of four is everywhere on Pesach, and Dubrawsky related a passage with four well-known points of advice. “Turn away from evil, do good, seek peace and pursue it,” he said. “What does this mean? Evil [refers to] real, true evil, open and blatant. The next level is a lack of doing good.” He gave the example of a person who doesn’t actually commit a forbidden act, but neglects to do a mitzvah. Likewise, someone who does good deeds, but is lacking in the pursuit of Torah learning, is not complete.

Dubrawsky continued, explaining that “seeking peace, a higher level, is referring to Torah. Torah is the force that brings peace to the world. The highest level means total dedication to Hashem.” He said the seder is an opportune time to realize that, when we were in Egypt, we were surrounded by negativity and it was impossible to live a life dedicated to G-d and to goodness.

According to kabbalah, there are four forces of impurity. On Pesach, while we are celebrating our physical freedom, we are also celebrating our liberation from these spiritually impure forces. Our physical departure from Egypt was representative of our spiritual departure as well, because we were brought out of a world filled with impurity and we began our journey to becoming a nation and receiving the Torah, which is what helps bring us closer to G-d. The Exodus from Egypt is a perfect example that wherever we are, no matter how dismal it may seem, G-d can bring us out of it and show us the path of goodness.

I often find that my kids do all the asking at the seder and I do all the answering, leaving little room for me to ask. Pesach is about teaching children, but it’s also about teaching ourselves. Maybe it’s time for all of us to ask a question at the seder this year.

I have one more before then, though. Why wine? Why not four cups of orange juice? Dubrawsky explained that wine symbolizes inner transformation. Matzah has limited taste and experience. Matzah is flat, it’s not a vessel. Cos (cup) implies becoming a vessel. If you imagine yourself a vessel, you are open and you allow the seder experience to be internalized. This internalization allows a transformation. So, this year, I am going to try and become a vessel, to not rush through the seder, but to truly internalize the lessons we learn in the Haggadah and the ideas that my guests will bring to the table.

Elizabeth Nider is a freelance writer living in Vancouver. Her blog, where you can find recipes and more, is wholesomekids.ca.

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