Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 483 - The Laws Pertaining to a Person who does not Have Wine [for Pesach]

See sec. 272:10-11 and sec. 472:28-29, where this term is defined.

See sec. 272:11, where the Alter Rebbe mentions the option of reciting the Shabbos Kiddush on bread. However, it should be noted that there is a significant difference between the Seder nights and Shabbasos and other festivals. On Shabbasos and other festivals, a person may choose to recite Kiddush over bread and not over wine. On the Seder night, by contrast, everyone is obligated to drink four cups of wine, the first of which is the cup over which Kiddush is recited (see sec. 472:28). Hence, on the night of the Seder, one may only recite Kiddush on matzah when he does not have any wine or any beverage that is “the wine of the region.”

See sec. 473:35, where the Alter Rebbe mentions this practice.

See sec. 475:4, where the Alter Rebbe mentions holding the matzos in this manner.

In sec. 643:1, the Alter Rebbe rules that on the first night of Sukkos, the blessing Shehecheyanu should be recited after the blessing leishev basukkah, so that the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah is also included in the blessing of Shehecheyanu. It would seem that the same principle would apply on the first night of Pesach, and one should recite the blessing al achilas matzah before reciting Shehecheyanu.

However, in his Haggadah im Likkutei Taamim UMinhagim, the Rebbe explains that it is not necessary to recite Shehecheyanu on the mitzvah of eating matzah. The rationale is that this expression of acknowledgement and thanks is included in the blessing asher ga’alanu, which is recited upon concluding the first part of the Haggadah. (The blessing asher ga’alanu thanks G‑d for “enabling us to reach this night so that we may eat matzah and maror on it.”)

יקנה"ז, YakNaHaZ, is an acronym that stands for the Hebrew words: yayin (wine), Kiddush, ner (a light), Havdalah, zman (Shehecheyanu). The Alter Rebbe mentions this acronym in several other places including sec. 296:11, sec. 299:11, sec. 473:6, sec. 477:9, and sec. 599:1. In this instance, HaMotzi takes the place of the blessing over wine.

As explained in that source, there is a difference of opinion among the Rabbis whether the olive-sized portion of matzah that is eaten for the blessing HaMotzi should be eaten from the uppermost matzah, and the olive-sized portion of matzah eaten for the blessing al achilas matzah from the broken piece of matzah, or if the olive-sized portion of matzah eaten for the blessing HaMotzi should be eaten from the broken piece of matzah and the olive-sized portion of matzah eaten for the blessing al achilas matzah should be from the uppermost matzah. Therefore, it is desirable to eat an olive-sized portion from both matzos.

This is a common principle in halachah (see Berachos 51b, Pesachim 114a, et al.). The Alter Rebbe mentions this principle in many sources, including: sec. 7:7, sec. 25:2, sec. 286:5, sec. 431:6, and sec. 489:16.

In sec. 473:14, the Alter Rebbe explains that the reason for eating the karpas, the vegetablethat is eaten after dipping, is to arouse the curiosity of the children. The rationale is that since vegetables are not normally eaten before a meal, the children will be prompted to ask about this departure from the normal routine. Although in this instance, those at the Seder will already have eaten matzah, the children’s curiosity will be aroused by the fact that no one will eat any more after eating the matzah, except for this bit of vegetable that is dipped.

In that source, the Alter Rebbe lists the criteria used to determine whether or not the blessing HaMotzi covers a vegetable.

Divrei Shalom notes that both here and in sec. 484:3, the Alter Rebbe does not mention reciting the introductory passage Hei lachma anya.

See sec. 473:17 and sec. 475:11, where the Alter Rebbe explains that in a normal situation, this is the required practice.

Shmos 13:8.

Mechilta to Shmos 13:8. See also Pesachim 116b. This interpretation of Shmos 13:8 is included in the text of the Haggadah. See sec. 471:10 and sec. 473:3, 20, where the Alter Rebbe cites this interpretation of this verse.

See sec. 480:1, where the Alter Rebbe mentions both of these blessings as possible interpretations for what our Sages referred to as “the blessing of song” customarily recited at this point of the Seder.

This blessing is recited on Chanukah before kindling the Chanukah lights and on Purim before reading the Megillah.

See sec. 272:11 and sec. 472:28, where the Alter Rebbe mentions this practice.

See the end of subsection 5 below. See also sec. 472:2.

Pesachim 64b, et al., mentions the principle that a person should not bypass one mitzvah so that he can perform another mitzvah. The Alter Rebbe often mentions this principle; see sec. 25:2, 3, 6, 26, sec. 28:8, sec. 274:2, and sec. 473:26, et al.

See sec. 182:2, where the Alter Rebbe rules in this manner. See also the Kuntreis Acharon to sec. 272:11, where the Alter Rebbe states that even though one may recite Kiddush on bread, the optimum manner of fulfilling the mitzvah is to recite it on wine. See also sec. 271:8 and sec. 289:2.

Although the Alter Rebbe mentions saving one cup of wine over which to recite the passage Yehallelucha, his intent is saving one cup of wine over which to recite the blessing of song, either Yehallelucha or Yishtabach depending on the individual’s custom (see sec. 480:1; see subsection 3 above).

A person in this situation may think that he should save his last cup of wine for one of these blessings, because if they are not recited over a cup of wine, they should not be recited at all on the night of the Seder (see subsection 3 above). Nevertheless, as the Alter Rebbe proceeds to state, the importance of not bypassing a mitzvah outweighs this consideration.

Beitzah 4b. The second day of the festivals that is celebrated in the Diaspora was established in an era preceding a set calendar, when those living in the distant Diaspora were unaware of the day on which Rosh Chodesh was sanctified and hence, were uncertain about the correct date for the festivals. However, in the present era, we follow a fixed calendar and hence, know these dates. Thus, as the Alter Rebbe states here, the only reason we continue this practice is out of respect for the previous generations.

See sec. 600:1 where the Alter Rebbe states:

We know which day is appropriate to establish as the first day of [each] month, [the day] from which we calculate the [dates of its] festivals.

[In the present era,] the only reason that even Jews in the Diaspora celebrate [the one-day festivals] for two days is that they are obliged to uphold the custom of their forefathers, who would celebrate [the festivals] for two days during the period when [the day of Rosh Chodesh] was sanctified according to [the testimony of] witnesses. [At that time,] the matter was not dependent on calculations at all, but on the sighting of the [new] moon. The Jews in the Diaspora did not know which day had been established in Jerusalem as [Rosh] Chodesh and would therefore celebrate [the holidays] for two days because of their doubt.

The Jews of Eretz Yisrael who were close to Jerusalem would celebrate [each festival] for only one day, for the Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem would send messengers to notify [people elsewhere] which day had been established as [Rosh] Chodesh for Nissan and Tishrei.

At present, when the sanctification of the month [based on the testimony of witnesses who] sighted [the newborn moon] has been discontinued, we know the calculations according to which the months are determined…… [There is no longer any doubt about the matter.]

We observe all the other festivals for two days only in order that we should not depart from the custom of our forefathers in the era in which the moon was sanctified [based on the testimony of witnesses who] sighted [the moon. The people living in the outlying Diaspora] did not know when the moon was sighted…