Pesach and Parashas Tzav - Praise the Lord !

Planes are wonderful things. They help you get where you want to go when it seems almost impossible. I'm not talking about getting from one part of the country to another, like traveling from New York to California. I am talking bigger than that; flying over seas!

In the past, people weren't able to go from America to Israel in their horses or bicycles, they needed to travel by boat. There was always that body of sea water stopping them from making that trip. With the convenience of a plane in our day and age, it doesn't get easier than that.

In Parashas Tzav the posuk says, “If he shall offer it for a thanksgiving offering...” [1] The Gemara says there are four situations which require one to bring a korban todah. I will mention two out of four: (a) a person who safely crossed a sea or an ocean and (b) a person who safely crossed a desert. [2]

A korbon todah has a special din where it must be eaten within one day and one night, where other korbonos have more time than that to be consumed. Sounds simple, but it isn't; a korbon todah is made up of a whole animal plus 36 loaves of matzohs and challas (after 4 have been given to the kohen who does the korbon service). I don't remember the last time I had to eat that much in twenty-four hours.

By necessity, the person bringing the korbon will be forced to make a large seudah to which he will invite his family and friends. At the meal, he will have an opportunity to explain the reason for this seudah, publicizing the greatness of Hashem and all He had done for him.

Walking through a body of ocean water is a much bigger miracle than crossing over it via an airplane. You want to talk about Hashem's greatness, here it is! Hashem performed the miracle of splitting the sea for the Jews to walk through while being pursued by the Egyptians. Once every Jew crossed the Yam Suf safely onto the sea shore, Hashem caused the oceans to cave in and swallow the Egyptians alive.

During the seder, a huge chunk of the Haggada is Maggid. It is the section where we tell over the greatness of Hashem and the wonderful miracles He performed for us while leaving Egypt. The word Maggid means to 'say over' as in to tell over the stories of yetzias mitzrayim. Included in the seder is Hallel- a praise to Hashem for saving us from Egyptian hands.

Now's our time to take the opportunity to explain the reason for this seudah, Pesach night.

May we all be zocheh to witness the miracle of the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash, bimheira b'yameinu.

Chag Kasher v'Sameach,
Nisso

[1] 7:11
[2] Brachos 54b