בס׳ד

"Where does it say that you have a contract with G-d to have an easy life?"

the Lubavitcher Rebbe



"Failure is not the enemy of success; it is its prerequisite."

Rabbi Nosson Scherman



4 Apr 2010

Kadesh Urchatz

Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis asked the following question at a lecture that I attended the other day.
The first two events at a Passover seder are kadesh and urchatz (to make kiddush on wine and then wash your hands-without a blessing). A simple observation reveals an obvious inconsistency. Out of all fifteen, only urchatz has a Vav (which means "and") preceding it. Why this Vav, and what is its connection to kadish?
She explained that she conducts Hineni lectures at night in which she speaks about the parsha. After the lecture, many in the audience ask personal questions to her, keeping her up till all hours of the night. Some people had asked her to schedule a meeting with her before the Torah lecture. But, she told them that when a person comes to purify themself, first they must be sanctified and only then can they become cleansed. Thus, she insists that they first hear a devar torah before asking her soul searching questions.

Some other answers to the above question are found at the following link.
http://www.bnaiavrahambrooklynheights.com/parshas/passover.html

The phrase 'kadesh and urchatz' is a hint to the Third Holy (kodesh) Temple. When Moshiach will come, the Holy Temple will descend from heaven spontaneously, and many people will not have washed and cleansed themselves. We will then immediately afterwards wash (urchatz) ourselves in purity.
...When eating wet fruits or vegetables, one should first wash their hands ritually. Though this is a stringency and not commonly done, on Pesach night, when we are all kadesh-holy and living on a higher plane, after Kiddush, we immediately wash our hands.
Alternately, halachicaly, there is a question of how many times one should pour the water on one's hands. Some say two on the right, then two on the left, totaling four, and some say three on the right, then three on the left, totaling six. The additional Vav of urchatz is the gematria of six, teaching us that tonight (at least), we wash six times.

...When looking at others to inspire them and bring them closer to G-d and Torah, what should you look for? The answer: you must look at their soul, a part of G-d that is pure, pristine and kadesh-holy. After seeing one's great qualities, only then can you urchatz, help them to wash off their soiled garments and chose a better loftier path for themselves.

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