English translation — חה"פ

A.

On every festival there are indeed special matters,

with which the festival distinguishes itself from all other festivals.

So it is,

of course,

also regarding the festival of Pesach — whatever its fixed day may be.

And especially in such a year

(as in this year)

when the fixed day of Pesach is on Shabbos,

it is even more noticeable,

how Pesach is distinguished from all other festivals,

as follows.

The Gemara¹

says that that which "Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos" one does not blow the shofar,

because "all are obligated in the shofar blast and not all are expert ..

a decree lest he carry it in his hand and go to the expert to learn and carry it four cubits in the public domain".

And the Gemara there concludes²

: "And this is the reason for lulav and this is the reason for Megillah",

that that which on Sukkos that falls on Shabbos one does not bless the lulav that day and on Purim that falls on Shabbos one does not read the Megillah that day,

it is also because of the same reason — lest he carry it.

Ask in the later authorities³

: accordingly, then apparently it should have turned out,

that also on Passover that falls on Shabbat they should have decreed that one should not eat matzah and maror,

not drink the four cups and not say the Haggadah

(and especially since regarding matzah and maror and drinking the four cups there are <b>several</b> detailed laws — more than regarding shofar and megillah; and all the more so regarding lulav,

where the lack of expertise is regarding "its waving or its blessing"⁴)?

B.

Among the answers to the aforementioned question one answers⁵

On Pesach, the knowledgeable ones went around to the houses of the non-knowledgeable ones in order to perform for them the Seder and recite the Haggadah⁶.

Thus on Pesach there is no concern "lest he go to the knowledgeable one to learn": he does not need to go to the knowledgeable one because the knowledgeable one will come to him in his house⁷.

But the answer is not understood:

a)

There are certainly those who are ashamed to say that they are ignoramuses who do not know the laws

(and especially those who say the Haggadah etc. they can),

and to these people the knowledgeable ones will not come.

Does the concern remain with <b>them</b> that they will go secretly to a knowledgeable one to learn?

b)

According to this, it turns out,

that in the simple sense,

there is also the concern and one must decree,

but because the court used to send messengers etc. they <b>actually</b> had the decree.

Not needed.

But such a thing is indeed a <b>novelty</b> — and such a novelty should have stood in the Gemara or,

at least,

in the early authorities.

And in practice, in the source the question and the aforementioned reason are not mentioned,

only in the later authorities!

3.

Another answer is found in the later authorities⁸

The rabbinic decree that on Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot that fall on Shabbat one should not blow the shofar and not take the lulav,

is not a complete uprooting of the mitzvot of shofar blowing and lulav taking — since even on Shabbat one can <b>study</b> the laws of these mitzvot and "whoever engages in the study of the burnt-offering is as if"⁹

<b>offered</b> a burnt-offering.

And therefore the decree was not made on Pesach,

because in the matzahs of Pesach women are also obligated¹⁰,

and since women are exempt from Talmud Torah¹¹,

it follows automatically that

if one will decree the decree,

then for women the mitzvah will be uprooted entirely.

that what is not stated in the Gemara and Rishonim the "chiddush" that on Pesach that falls on Shabbat the decree of Rabbah is not present,

is it because initially the decree

(also there where the decree exists)

is only in a manner that the decree does <b>not</b> uproot the mitzvah <b>entirely</b>,

and there where the mitzvah is <b>uprooted</b> — it is understood by itself that then the decree is not present].

But also this answer is not understood: why according to this it should have been necessary to stand — in the Shulchan Aruch or at least in other poskim — that on Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot that fall on Shabbat there is an obligation to learn the laws of shofar

and lulav?

4.

Seemingly one could ask another question on the aforementioned answer: also regarding the reading of the Megillah women are obligated,

and nevertheless regarding the reading of the Megillah they indeed made the decree of Rabbah!

In truth, however, it is no question.

Because

that the mitzvah to read the Megillah was <b>after</b> they decreed the great decree¹⁵,

and consequently the ordinance of reading the Megillah was <b>from the outset</b><b>¹⁶</b>

in such a manner that when Purim will occur on Shabbat,

one should then read the Megillah on a weekday¹⁷

Is besides this: even according to Rashi¹⁸,

that initially "the 14th was established for unwalled cities"

(even when it falls on Shabbat),

and the "Jewish sages after the Great Assembly" instituted that when Purim falls on Shabbat one should read on a weekday]

Since the reading of the Megillah is only rabbinic,

therefore the sages can uproot the commandment entirely¹⁹

— because "they said and they said"²⁰.

But not so shofar and lulav,

since they are biblical,

is if one could not fulfill the commandment at least through the engagement <b>in the study of</b> shofar and lulav — the sages would indeed <b>not</b> have uprooted it.

And therefore they did not decree the decree regarding eating matzah

(a positive biblical commandment)²¹,

because eating matzah is indeed an obligation also upon women,

as above,

and if one were also here to make the decree,

one would thereby uproot <b>entirely</b> a positive biblical commandment <b>from the Torah</b>.

It remains yet difficult

(as above sec. 3)

: from this, that it does not stand anywhere that on Rosh Hashanah and on Sukkot that fall on Shabbat there is an obligation to learn the laws of shofar and lulav,

it is apparently forced that from the concern "lest he carry it etc." they uprooted a positive commandment from the Torah.

Now why did they not make the same decree also in connection with eating matzah etc. on Pesach that falls on Shabbat?

5.

It will be understood

(in the manner of Chassidus)

Prefacing the question that is brought in several discourses of Chassidus on that which on Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbat we do not blow: how did the Sages set aside a positive commandment from the Torah because of the concern "lest he carry it etc."?

And Chassidus compels,

that when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, one must <b>not</b> <b>come</b> to the shofar,

because the matters that are drawn down through the sounding of the shofar

(after the destruction of the First Temple),

are drawn down on Shabbat from itself.

And superficially it is not understood: there is a principle²²

that "the Sages have the power to uproot a matter from the Torah",

so what is the difficulty "it is²³

pushed off" or "it is²⁴

within the power of the Sages to uproot"²⁵?

Only the explanation in this is:

The <b>Supernal One</b> is constantly bringing into existence the creation from nothing to something²⁶

and the intention of the creation is for the sake of Israel and for the sake of the Torah²⁷

— consequently cannot be any reality in the creation

(also not in the fixed times)

that should interfere with Torah and mitzvos

(that the person should <b>not</b> <b>be able</b> to fulfill a mitzvah that he needs to fulfill — even when he will <b>want</b> to fulfill it).

And since that also on Shabbat there is

(according to the simple understanding)

the obligation of the commandment of shofar blowing,

it cannot be that one would need to be concerned for "lest he carry it" — because then it would turn out that the <b>Almighty</b> established the creation in such a way that the commandment of shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbat should <b>necessarily</b> <b>be lacking</b>

(and since this cannot be,

it is necessary to say that there is nothing to be concerned about "lest he carry it").

And from that which the Sages accepted this concern,

and because of it decreed that on Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbat one should not blow the shofar²⁸,

Chassidus compels that on Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbat one need not come to shofar blowing"²⁹,

as above.

6.

From this it is understandable regarding our matter — that what on Passover that falls on Shabbat the Sages did not decree the decree of Rabbah,

it is because of the fact that the matters which are drawn down through eating matzah etc. are <b>not</b> drawn down on Shabbat in itself.

And since that even on Shabbat one must come to eating matzah etc. — from this itself is a proof that here there is nothing to be concerned about "lest he carry it four cubits"³⁰.

Here one also sees the superiority of Passover

(and the matzahs that are connected with it)

over other festivals

(with their commandments),

that in <b>this</b> festival there is nothing to be concerned about even for matters of inadvertence³¹.

The reason for this:

An unintentional sin comes through the overpowering of the animal soul³²,

and since on Passover it is "did not have time to become leavened" — there is no place of giving³³

for chametz

(this is the evil inclination³⁴),

therefore <b>all</b> Jews,

even those "ignorant and light-minded"³⁵,

are on a level that "no³⁶

evil shall befall the righteous",

and even in matters not of eating³⁷.

(From the talks of the night of the second day of Chol HaMoed Pesach and the seventh day of Pesach 5725)