Live @ Drisha: Passove‪r‬ Drisha Institute for Jewish Education

What is our understanding of the relationship among the blood of circumcision, the blood of the Passover sacrifice, and the blood of childbirth?

Why do we begin our history as a people with the story of our enslavement? We will explore the role of slavery in the development of our national identity and in our celebration of Passover.

The afikoman plays a central role in the celebration of the Passover seder. What is the history of the afikoman and what is its relevance for both children and adults? We will survey the traditional sources for an halakhic and historical study of this beloved tradition.

The class will focus on the festival amidah and hallel and the prayers for rain and dew. This is part 1 of a 3 part class. Please go to www.drisha.org/podcast/pesach to listen to the other sessions.

The biblical account of the Exodus has been utilized for millennia as the source-text for discussions on central dichotomies in the human experience (death versus life, slavery versus freedom, and a life of meaning versus a life without). In this lecture, we will explore some of the richest of these readings, and ask how the Passover narratives of the past answered the question, What is the real Passover story?

How do midrashic sources reflect on themes raised by the Passover Haggadah and how does the Haggadah uses such sources to tell its story?