Dvar Torah Continued from page 7 the same in Menachos (96a), where he uses an acronym to prevent errors in the area of measurements of the two loaves used in the Bait Hamikdash. He emphasizes (somewhat similar to Rashi) the importance of this specific order of the plagues being clear, versus the order espoused by David HaMelech. He concludes by writing that it is important, via this technique of acronyms and their value for students, to emphasize this exact order of plagues as found in the Torah. What is the main idea being presented by the Rashbatz? It would seem that both agree about the acronym’s main purpose– it is a kiyum in the re-telling of the events of our exodus from Egypt (sipur yetzias mitzrayim), the primary mitzvah of the seder night. As the Rambam writes in the Mishneh Torah (7:1), it is a mitzvah on the night of the fifteenth to tell the story (mesaper) of the miracles and wonders that were done for our forefathers in Egypt. This acronym serves as an enhancement in the performance of this mitzvah. According to Rashi, the reason for the acronym is to stress the importance of the chronological order of the plagues. In general, one would not be primarily concerned with the order, and would instead focus on each individual plague as an area of study. That is not to say there is no idea in the order itself. However, the necessity of following the timeline would be secondary, at best. Therefore, Rashi is telling us at that the acronym emphasizes the
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need to focus on the plagues in the order they occurred. This makes sense in the context of retelling events – following the chronological order is critical in transmitting historical records. So when reciting this acronym, we are emphasizing the necessity of following the historical order, and how it fits into the theme of retelling the events. According to the Rashbatz, there is a different aspect of the sippur that is being brought to light with this acronym. As he points out, Rabbi Yehudah used acronyms to teach students not to err, and therefore these were used as a method of memorizing. In the case of the seder night, as we all know, there is a pivotal concept involving teaching our children what took place in Egypt. From the very first inquiry via karpas, through the different ideas found in magid, the entire seder night takes on the framework of a back and forth between parent and child. As the theme of education plays such a crucial role, Rabbi Yehuda’s use of this acronym becomes much clearer. It is a simple acronym, but it reflects the importance of the seder in the education of our children. It helps emphasize the prominence of not just studying the plagues for our own benefit, but to ensure we are teaching our children as well. Rabbi Dvir Ginsberg is the founder of Yeshivat Migdal Hatorah, as well as director of Camp Lalechet Ve’Ligdol. He lives in Modiin with his wife and four children. He can be contacted at Rabbi.D.Ginsberg@gmail.com.
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