A Dvar Torah for Nissan from Rav Meir Arnold

Charoses –Sticky and Sweet

I love the taste of charoses!  But should I?  

We know that when eating the maror, we only symbolically dip into the charoses, immediately shaking most of it off.  But many people enjoy eating the charoses during the meal, a practice supported by a number of Rishonim who even mention a brachah or shiur for eating the charoses!  (see Rambam in Peirush HaMishnayos and Mordechai at end of Pesachim)

Why do we have charoses at all?

The Mishnah in Pesachim (10:3) records a debate whether charoses is merely a minhag (due to health concerns) or, as Rabi Eliezer ben Tzadok insists, is actually a mitzvah to eat. 

The Gemara there (116a) entertains two views for the basis of this mitzvah: 

(1)   Rabi Levi says: It is in remembrance of the “tapuach” – the fruit trees [under which the courageous Jewish women gave birth to babies who were then miraculously cared for by angels]. 

(2)   Rabi Yochanan says: The charoses is in remembrance of the cement used by the Jews for their slave labor in Egypt. 

Sounds to me like a machlokes between two diametrically opposed views – a symbol of salvation vs. one of suffering.

Yet, Abaye insists – as all of us recognize from our Seder plate – that we accommodate both these opinions. We include fruit in the ingredients and make sure the consistency is cement-like. 

Perhaps we can appreciate Abaye’s instruction and our own hybrid recipe for charoses in light of one more ingredient, based on the next line in the Gemara. 

The Gemara cites a Beraisa which instructs specifically including spices to remember the straw used to make the building materials (picture cinnamon sticks). 

It’s noteworthy that the Beraisa is brought as a “proof” for the “cement” position.  The Gemara curiously does not pose it as a question against Abaye’s insistence on a hybrid recipe!

Perhaps we can suggest that even the Beraisa’s emphasis on recalling the suffering of the slave labor, does not preclude the inclusion of the fruit tree message. 

Let’s support this by referencing an additional instance of each of these symbols – spices and fruit trees. 

Spices as an ingredient in charoses remind us that when Yosef was tragically sold to Mitzrayim, the pasuk describes the caravan as atypically transporting sweet-smelling spices.  Hashem was demonstrating that, even in Yosef’s suffering, Hashem was still there caring for him.

In similar fashion, the righteous women in Mitzrayim were threatened and unable to safely deliver their babies in the privacy of their own homes.  Instead, the Midrash recounts they gave birth particularly in the orchards of fruit trees and that there Hashem directly cared for the newborn babies. 

Particularly this week, as we head outside to make the once-a-year brachah on blossoming fruit trees, we can appreciate this Midrash even more.  The Aruch HaShulchan (226:1) explains the significance of this brachah – to praise and thank Hashem for giving us not only what is critically essential for our sustenance, but even the extra pleasures of life, like delicious fruit.

Hashem gives us life and even a kiss!

Aside from the miraculous assistance that enabled the righteous women to successfully produce the next generation of Jews in Egypt, Yetzias Mitzrayim is the birth of our nation.  That process is one replete with the intersection of these emotions: Extreme pain and suffering during pregnancy and especially during delivery - coupled with the “Mazal tov” of the sweet baby who is granted a new life. 

Hashem constantly grants us undeserved life and lovingly cares for us. 

It was exactly a year ago, on Motzai Shabbos, the 6th of Nissan – one of the most dramatic nights of my life – that Hashem miraculously saved us from the unprecedented missile attack from Iran.  Even in a year full of Jewish suffering, Hashem sent us a message that he loves us and miraculously cares for us.

Sometimes, particularly the scares and suffering help us appreciate the gift of life.  Thus, the charoses, with its own hybrid character, is the best tool for imbuing perspective on the bitterness of the maror.  It strengthens our hope for a bright and sweet future, just as the bricks and secret births of Mitzrayim gave way to the birth of our nation.

Charoses reminds us – when the going gets sticky, Hashem will make it sweet!

Chag Kasher v'Sameach!

Rav Meir Arnold