This series is devoted to short but complete Torah morsels that
can be used at the seder. This series is reprinted from
Rashi is Simple with permission of the author, myself.
Complete postings may be found at http://www.shamash.org/rashi/

In todays posting we review the Passover Hagaddah requirement to
        >POINT to the
                >Matzoh
                >Bitter Herbs
                >Pascal Lamb
        >while reciting the Seder





#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Passover is full of symbols. During the seder we
        >cover and uncover various items (matzoh, bitter herbs etc)
        >drip the wine (symbolic of spilled blood)
        >point to the Matzoh, Bitter herbs and Pascal lamb
This is in fact the law. During the recital of the Passover
story you have to
        >uncover the Matzoh and POINT to it
        >uncover the Bitter herbs and POINT to it
        >uncover the Pascal lamb and POINT to it

This requirement of
        >POINTING
can be derived from the Biblical word
        >THIS
which always denotes pointing. Let us look at some examples

Thus for example we have the following Rashis

EXAMPLE 1
---------
        >4-8-4 THIS is the Menorah
                (RASHI: God showed Moses the Menorah)

EXAMPLE 2
---------
        >2-30-13 THIS is the half dollar tax
                (RASHI: God showed Moses a half dollar)
EXAMPLE 3
---------
        >2-12-2 THIS moon is a new month
                (RASHI: God showed Moses the moon)
EXAMPLE 4
---------
        >3-11-2 THESE are the Kosher animals
                (RASHI: Moses showed them the animals)

Hence we have the Rashi and law that we should tell the children
        >2-13-8 Because of THIS God saved me
                (RASHI: Show the children
                        the Matzoh, Maror and Pascal lamb)
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*