2020-09-02 – Netilas Yadayim LiSeduah 1 – Para. 1-2a – The Five Grains; Washing for Bread and Matzah; The Importance of Pas Shacharis

Podcast (shiurim): Download (Duration: 52:39 — 48.3MB)

Speaker: Rabbi Nasan Maimon (broadcast from Uman).
00:00 – PARAGRAPH 1. This halakha is based on Likutey Moharan 56. The “table of kings” whenever a Jew eats a meal.
06:20 – The five grains represent daas (Torah wisdom). Stressing the letter “hey” in “hamotzi“.
10:48 – The definition of matzah.
12:11 – Note from Rabbi Rosenfeld z”l. Chita (wheat) b’gematria 22 parallels the 22 letters of the alef-beis. Lechem is begematria 3 times Shem Havaya. Pas (bread) is begamtria talmud. The importance of eating pas shacharais (a morning meal with bread). HaLechem is spelled with the same letters as machalah (sickness), referring to 83 different afflictions. Eating pas shacharis protects a person from 83 different kinds of illness.
15:36 – Biur Halikutim emphasizes the seven blessings possible during a seudah of bread.
16:21 – QUESTION: Is matzah considered pas shacharis? RESPONSE: yes.
17:21 – QUESTION: is it possible to us a mezonos to fulfill pas shacharis. RESPONSE – bdi’eved (only if bread is not available).
17:53 – Is bread made from Spelt considered bread? RESPONSE: yes.
21:00 – The Arizal points out that matzah is begamtria AV – ayin beis, SaG – samech gimmel.
29:18 – Israel had to leave Egypt in a hurry and had to eat matzah specifically to counteract the power of Pharaoh.
33:41 – How does chometz (leaven on Pesach) affect the soul? Why is chometz permitted throughout the year?
36:25 – Heard from Rabbi Rosenfeld z”l: in Shiras HaYam (Parshas BeShalach, Shemos/Exodus 15:1) in the phrase אָשִׁ֤ירָה לַּֽיהֹוָה֙ כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה – the initial letters of the word גאה allude to the “Gimmel Avos HaKadoshim”.
36:54 – Why we were forced to eat matzah when we left Egypt.
39:32 – QUESTION and RESPONSE: the four elements (earth air, fire, water) are all necessary to create bread. But matzah was commanded when we left Egypt because we hadn’t received the Torah yet and couldn’t refine the ruach/air aspect of bread at that point.
41:24 – QUESTION and RESPONSE about the water needed to create bread or matzah is related to chesed – kindness.
41:57 – “Mayim” is chokhmah and binah, just as lechem is AV and SaG.
42:35 – PARAGRAPH 2. Washing hands before eating bread to purify the daas. Lifting up the hands after washing them.
44:15 – Thoughts of teshuvah and taking a deep sigh (אנחה – anacha) before beginning a meal.
44:51 – Why do we need to spiritually purify our hands? If a person can’t feed themselves, he still needs to ritually wash with a blessing before eating bread. While the person who’s feeding them doesn’t.
47:30 – The size of the cup that holds the water for washing has to hold a “r’vi’is” (strictest opinion: at least 5 fluid ounces or 150 ml. of water. [] However, more is preferred by chazal (Sages of the Talmud). [] [48:41]
49:37 – NOTE on malkhus. Reference to Likutey Moharan 49 – sometimes malkhus is in a lower state, an aspect of the letter “dalet”, and when it’s in a higher, more completed state, it’s an aspect of the letter “hey”.
*51:51 – Update on Uman – travel to Uman is being restricted as of today, but for those already in Uman, all is proceeding with safety and order.
60:00 – QUESTION and RESPONSE.
63:00 – NOTE: heard from Rabbi Rosenfeld based on the SheLaH HaKadosh – the importance of contemporary rabbis Torah SheBaal Peh. Written Torah vs. Oral Torah in practice of halakha. M’d’rabonon is roshei teyvos gevurah. What is the definition of a talmud chochom? To find a true rabbi, investigate his chain of mesorah.