RABBI DAVID ETENGOFF: PARASHAT HASHAVUAH
  • Blog: Rabbi David Etengoff: Parashat HaShavuah
  • Sefer Bereishit 5784&5785
  • Sefer Shemot 5784&5785
  • Sefer Vayikra 5784&5785
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5784 &5785
  • Sefer Devarim 5784&5785
  • Sefer Bereishit 5782&5783
  • Sefer Shemot 5782&5783
  • Sefer Vayikra 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5782&5783
  • Sefer Devarim 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bereishit 5780& 5781
  • Sefer Shemot 5780&5781
  • Sefer Vayikra 5780&5781
  • Sefer Bamidbar 578&5781
  • Sefer Devarim 578&5781
  • Sefer Bereishit 5778&5779
  • Sefer Shemot 5778&5779
  • Sefer Vayikra 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5778&5779
  • Sefer Devarim 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bereishit 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bereishit 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bereishit 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bereishit 5771&5770
  • Sefer Shemot 5776&5777
  • Sefer Shemot 5774&5775
  • Sefer Shemot 5772&5773
  • Sefer Shemot 5771&5770
  • Sefer Vayikra 5776&5777
  • Sefer Vayikra 5774&5775
  • Sefer Vayikra 5772&5773
  • Sefer Vayikra 5771&5770
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5771&5770
  • Sefer Devarim 5776&5777
  • Sefer Devarim 5774&5775
  • Sefer Devarim 5772&5773
  • Sefer Devarim 5771&5770

3/30/2021

Shevi’i Shel Pesach 5781, 2021: "Baruch HaMakom Baruch Hu"

0 Comments

Read Now
 
Picture

 Rabbi David Etengoff
  
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Baruch HaMakom baruch Hu. Baruch sheh’natan Torah l’amo Yisrael, baruch Hu (Blessed be the Omnipresent One, may He be blessed. Blessed is He Who gave the Torah to His people Israel, blessed is He).  This is one of the many celebrated and beloved portions of the Haggadah. It is juxtaposed to the Arba’ah Banim (Four Sons), and serves as its hakdamah (introduction). This prompts us to ask, “Why does this section require such a hakdamah?” Our question was addressed by the 9th or 10th century anonymous work, Perush Kadmon, an exegetical analysis of the Haggadah that was utilized extensively by Rashi and many other Rishonim:

One must utter a bracha prior to reciting [and analyzing] a midrashic passage. As we learn [Talmud Bavli, Berachot 11b]: “Many times I stood before Raba to learn a chapter of Midrash Sifra d’Bei Rav from him. Before beginning, he would wash his hands and recite a bracha, at that point he would teach us the chapter.” (Translation and brackets my own. Note: this text follows the version of the Rif)
 
The Perush Kadmon contains two crucial points regarding our question: The Arba’ah Banim is a midrashic passage, and, as such, requires the recitation of birchot haTorah prior to being taught. In some ways, Baruch HaMakom seems to fulfill this role, yet it is missing Hashem’s name and a reference to His universal kingship (shame u’malchut: “Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech HaOlam”), as found in the standard text of birchot haTorah. The editor of the Perush Kadmon printed in the Torat Chaim Haggadah (Mossad HaRav Kook) focuses upon this question and provides us with a fascinating answer:

One might think that the reason why Hashem’s name and a reference to His universal kingship is missing from Baruch HaMakom is because we have already recited the standard birchot haTorah in the morning. This is not the case, however, since Chazal established special blessings before and after one is called to the Torah [that contain shame u’malchut], even though birchot haTorah have already been said. Nonetheless, although they established the recitation of Baruch HaMakom prior to Midrash Arba’ah Banim, it was not enacted as a bracha per se, rather, as a statement [of praise] that is similar [but not the same as] an actual blessing. As such, it does not contain shame u’malchut. (Translation, brackets and underlining my own)
 
In sum, Baruch HaMakom is not, in fact, a bracha; rather, it merely has elements that parallel a standard Torah benediction. As such, Chazal decreed that it be said before the Arba’ah Banim, but without shame u’malchut.
 
Like the Perush Kadmon, my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as the Rav by his students and followers, views Baruch HaMakom as a modified form of birchot haTorah. In addition, he emphasizes that these brachot connote the concept of masorah (the passing on of Torah knowledge from generation to generation), a theme that is alluded to in the placement of Baruch HaMakom immediately before the Arba’ah Banim:

We repeat it at the Seder because the concern of the Seder is masorah and kabalah [acceptance of the Torah]. When we are about to proclaim the idea of masorah — “The Torah speaks about four kinds of children” — we offer thanks to the Almighty in the same manner as we do every morning. The blessing is related not only to talmud Torah but to the masorah of Torah as well. (The Seder Night: An Exalted Evening, commentary based on the teachings of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Rabbi Menachem Genack, editor, pp. 45-46, brackets my own)
 
Since, in the Rav’s view, Baruch HaMakom, like birchot haTorah, is strongly connected to the idea of masorah, we must ask ourselves which specific Torah principle should be highlighted during the masorah process? The Rav’s poetic analysis of Pesach night helps us formulate a response:
​
And on Pesach night, man, free, hopeful, and courageous, enhanced by fulfillment, exalted by independence, surges forward, expands, grows, ready to accomplish all that is related to his blessedness and freedom. All selfishness renounced, he forgets himself, rising like the mighty river to do, to practice, and to immerse himself in hesed [acts of kindness]. (Festival of Freedom: Essays on Pesach and the Haggadah, Joel B. Wolwelsky and Reuven Ziegler eds., page 31, brackets my own)
 
For the Rav, Pesach night confers upon the Jewish people a sense of freedom and independence that enables us to recognize the inextricable bonds that join us together. In turn, this recognition produces a powerful desire within our very souls to help others through acts of hesed. As such, hesed emerges as a key element of our masorah that we share on Seder night. After all, the Almighty, Himself, is described by Michah the prophet as “chafetz hesed Hu” (He who desires kindness, 7:18). With Hashem as our guide, may we ever do heartfelt hesed for one another. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Chag Sameach and Shabbat Shalom, and may Hashem in His infinite mercy remove the pandemic from klal Yisrael and all the nations of the world.
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

Share

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

Details

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

    Author

    Talmid of Rabbi Soloveitchik zatzal

    Categories

    All
    Parashat Hashavuah

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Blog: Rabbi David Etengoff: Parashat HaShavuah
  • Sefer Bereishit 5784&5785
  • Sefer Shemot 5784&5785
  • Sefer Vayikra 5784&5785
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5784 &5785
  • Sefer Devarim 5784&5785
  • Sefer Bereishit 5782&5783
  • Sefer Shemot 5782&5783
  • Sefer Vayikra 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5782&5783
  • Sefer Devarim 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bereishit 5780& 5781
  • Sefer Shemot 5780&5781
  • Sefer Vayikra 5780&5781
  • Sefer Bamidbar 578&5781
  • Sefer Devarim 578&5781
  • Sefer Bereishit 5778&5779
  • Sefer Shemot 5778&5779
  • Sefer Vayikra 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5778&5779
  • Sefer Devarim 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bereishit 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bereishit 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bereishit 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bereishit 5771&5770
  • Sefer Shemot 5776&5777
  • Sefer Shemot 5774&5775
  • Sefer Shemot 5772&5773
  • Sefer Shemot 5771&5770
  • Sefer Vayikra 5776&5777
  • Sefer Vayikra 5774&5775
  • Sefer Vayikra 5772&5773
  • Sefer Vayikra 5771&5770
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5771&5770
  • Sefer Devarim 5776&5777
  • Sefer Devarim 5774&5775
  • Sefer Devarim 5772&5773
  • Sefer Devarim 5771&5770