Today’s daf TB Pesakhim reminds us that we must rejoice on our holidays. When the Temple stood people celebrated and rejoiced through the three special sacrifices that were offered up. They were the Olah Re-eyah, (עולה ראיה-a whole burnt holiday offering), Shelahmay Haggigah (שלמי חגיגה-a holiday peace offering), and Shelahmay Simkha (שלמי שמחה-a peace offering of rejoicing). People rejoiced by eating the meat of the peace offerings. How should a person rejoice now that the Temple is destroyed is the question today’s daf TB Pesakhim 109 answers.
“It was taught in a baraita that
Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says: When the
Temple is standing, rejoicing is only through the eating of sacrificial meat,
as it is stated: “And you shall sacrifice peace-offerings and you shall eat
there and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 27:7). And
now that the Temple is not standing and one cannot eat sacrificial meat, he
can fulfill the mitzva of rejoicing on a Festival only by
drinking wine, as it is stated: “And wine that gladdens the heart of man”
(Psalms 104:15).
“Rabbi Yehuda says: One should
enable each member of his household to rejoice with an item that pleases them, men
with what is fit for them and women with what is fit for them. Rabbi Yehuda
elaborates: Men with what is fit for them, i.e., with wine. And
as for the women, with what should one cause them to rejoice? Rav Yosef
teaches: One should delight them with new clothes, in Babylonia with
colored clothes and in Eretz Yisrael with the pressed linen
clothes that are manufactured there.” (Sefaria.org translation.)
I think that Rabbi Yehuda was teaching us a very important principle. What makes a person rejoice is subjective. What makes me happy may not be what makes you happy. A person should do whatever makes him/her happy on the holidays. Nevertheless, Rambam teaches us what true happiness is. He starts with our daf and then qualifies what happiness is.
“The children, for example, should be given parched grain, nuts, and sweetmeats; the womenfolk should be presented with pretty clothes and trinkets according to one's means; the menfolk should eat meat and drink wine, for there is no real rejoicing without the use of meat and wine. While eating and drinking, one must feed the stranger, the orphan, the widow, and other poor unfortunates. Anyone, however, who locks the doors of his courtyard and eats and drinks along with his wife and children, without giving anything to eat and drink to the poor and the desperate, does not observe a religious celebration but indulges in the celebration of his stomach. (my emphasis) And about such is it stated (Hosea 9:4), "their sacrifices are like the bread of mourners, all who eat it will be contaminated; for their bread is for their own appetites." Such joy is a disgrace for them, as it is stated (Malakhi 2:3), "I will spread dung on your faces, the dung of your festivals."” (Mishnah Torah, Rest on Holidays, 6:18, Sefaria.org translation)
Selfish indulgence is the opposite of happiness and the opposite of a true spiritual and religious life. True happiness lies in helping others less fortunate celebrate the holiday in a dignified and appropriate manner. Nobody should go hungry especially on Passover for don’t we begin the Seder by saying, “This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry, neat; but whoever is in need, and conduct the Seder of Passover.”
Because of Covid 19 we still can’t
gather around the Seder table like we use to. We can’t invite guests who may be
alone or unable to make a Seder this year. We can make special Passover donations
called Ma’ot Hittim (מעות חטים) to the many organizations that feed the
hungry so they too can rejoice during this season. Need advice where to donate?
Just ask your local rabbi.
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