צִיּ֖וֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט תִּפָּדֶ֑ה וְשָׁבֶ֖יהָ בִּצְדָקָֽה׃
Sião será resgatada pela justiça, e os seus convertidos, pela retidão.
Tevele Bondi
Lechem Oni: The Bread of Miserliness
Why does the Haggadah say, "(This is the bread of poverty which our ancestors ate) in the land of Egypt" instead of "(This is the bread of poverty which our ancestors ate) when they left Egypt?" I learned the following explanation from my grandfather, Rabbi Abraham Naphtali Hertz Sheier. The Zohar explains that the verse, "Do not eat of a stingy man's bread," (Proverbs 23:6) applies to Joseph's brothers. The Egyptians were resentful of them because they were invited to eat at Joseph's table during the years of famine. (They were resentful of Joseph and his brothers for not sharing the great wealth of Egypt.) And so, the Egyptians punished them during the exile by feeding them Lechem ra ayin, "a stingy man's bread." Another term for this is lechem oni. We hint at this explanation when we say, "This is like the lechem oni, the miserly bread, which our ancestors at in the land of Egypt." That is, when the tribes were in Egypt at Joseph's table. (The miserliness of Joseph's brothers) caused the Egyptians to feed us lechem oni. Today we eat lechem oni as a reminder of what happened in Egypt. We must repair our ancestors' sin, and show that we do not act in a miserly fashion. By behaving with hospitality and generosity, we show that we are no longer miserly.
A miserly person invites the needy person to his table but extends the invitation only once. He knows that the needy tend to turn down such an invitation. The miser says nothing more because he is afraid that if he asks again, the poor person might accept the invitation. He is happy when he hears that the needy person has turned down his invitation - his actions are really deceptive and miserly.
This is not the Jewish way. Jews are a compassionate people, children of compassionate people. They coax the needy person to join them at the dinner table. When the needy person turns down the invitation, they asks again and again until he agrees to join the meal. That is why, the language of this passage is doubled: "All who are hungry come and eat; all who are needy come celebrate the Passover." Similarly, we need to coax the needy person with a generous heart and joyfully.
"Now we are here," in exile but (but by showing generosity and hospitality) "next year we will be in Jerusalem in the Land of Israel." It is through the merit of Tzedakah joyfully and purely performed that we will be redeemed, as it is written, "Zion shall be redeemed through justice and her repentant ones through tzedakah." (Is. 1:27) The words of his mouth are truly fine. It is for this reason that the sages decreed that this passage should be in Aramaic, and that it should begin with disgrace, "In Egypt they ate the bread of miserliness," and that it should end with praise, "Next year may we be free."
Let Me Explain:
Lechem Oni first appears in Deuteronomy 16:3. In the NJPS translation, it is translated as "the bread of distress." It is translated in a variety of other ways: the bread of affliction, poor bread and the bread of persecution. Rabbi Bondi understands this expression in a different way: "miserly bread." He connects it to the story of Joseph. Having brought his family down to Egypt during the years of famine, Joseph allowed Jacob and his family to eat at his table. While other people were impoverished by Joseph's economic policies, the children of Israel lived in comfort. It is no wonder that the Egyptians resented Jacob and his family. When Joseph and his brothers died, the Egyptians took vengeance on them and impoverished them, feeding them "miserly bread" as payback for the years of poverty the people of Egypt endured during the famine.
This was the sin to which Rabbi Bondi refers. It is now our obligation to 'repair' the sin committed in Egypt by being especially generous and hospitable in our dealings with others. Rabbi Bondi distinguishes Jewish hospitality from that of their neighbors (we might take exception with this judgment of Jews and gentiles). The Jewish way is not simply to invite someone and leave it at that. One should coax them until they agree to come; one must do so with a joyful heart.
Thus when we say, "This is the lechem oni which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt, we are reminded both of Israel's sin in not being generous in their dealings with Egypt and the way in which the Egyptians punished them for their miserliness. It is a reminder to redeem the world through justice and tzedakah by sharing with others.
Why does the Haggadah say, "(This is the bread of poverty which our ancestors ate) in the land of Egypt" instead of "(This is the bread of poverty which our ancestors ate) when they left Egypt?" I learned the following explanation from my grandfather, Rabbi Abraham Naphtali Hertz Sheier. The Zohar explains that the verse, "Do not eat of a stingy man's bread," (Proverbs 23:6) applies to Joseph's brothers. The Egyptians were resentful of them because they were invited to eat at Joseph's table during the years of famine. (They were resentful of Joseph and his brothers for not sharing the great wealth of Egypt.) And so, the Egyptians punished them during the exile by feeding them Lechem ra ayin, "a stingy man's bread." Another term for this is lechem oni. We hint at this explanation when we say, "This is like the lechem oni, the miserly bread, which our ancestors at in the land of Egypt." That is, when the tribes were in Egypt at Joseph's table. (The miserliness of Joseph's brothers) caused the Egyptians to feed us lechem oni. Today we eat lechem oni as a reminder of what happened in Egypt. We must repair our ancestors' sin, and show that we do not act in a miserly fashion. By behaving with hospitality and generosity, we show that we are no longer miserly.
A miserly person invites the needy person to his table but extends the invitation only once. He knows that the needy tend to turn down such an invitation. The miser says nothing more because he is afraid that if he asks again, the poor person might accept the invitation. He is happy when he hears that the needy person has turned down his invitation - his actions are really deceptive and miserly.
This is not the Jewish way. Jews are a compassionate people, children of compassionate people. They coax the needy person to join them at the dinner table. When the needy person turns down the invitation, they asks again and again until he agrees to join the meal. That is why, the language of this passage is doubled: "All who are hungry come and eat; all who are needy come celebrate the Passover." Similarly, we need to coax the needy person with a generous heart and joyfully.
"Now we are here," in exile but (but by showing generosity and hospitality) "next year we will be in Jerusalem in the Land of Israel." It is through the merit of Tzedakah joyfully and purely performed that we will be redeemed, as it is written, "Zion shall be redeemed through justice and her repentant ones through tzedakah." (Is. 1:27) The words of his mouth are truly fine. It is for this reason that the sages decreed that this passage should be in Aramaic, and that it should begin with disgrace, "In Egypt they ate the bread of miserliness," and that it should end with praise, "Next year may we be free."
Let Me Explain:
Lechem Oni first appears in Deuteronomy 16:3. In the NJPS translation, it is translated as "the bread of distress." It is translated in a variety of other ways: the bread of affliction, poor bread and the bread of persecution. Rabbi Bondi understands this expression in a different way: "miserly bread." He connects it to the story of Joseph. Having brought his family down to Egypt during the years of famine, Joseph allowed Jacob and his family to eat at his table. While other people were impoverished by Joseph's economic policies, the children of Israel lived in comfort. It is no wonder that the Egyptians resented Jacob and his family. When Joseph and his brothers died, the Egyptians took vengeance on them and impoverished them, feeding them "miserly bread" as payback for the years of poverty the people of Egypt endured during the famine.
This was the sin to which Rabbi Bondi refers. It is now our obligation to 'repair' the sin committed in Egypt by being especially generous and hospitable in our dealings with others. Rabbi Bondi distinguishes Jewish hospitality from that of their neighbors (we might take exception with this judgment of Jews and gentiles). The Jewish way is not simply to invite someone and leave it at that. One should coax them until they agree to come; one must do so with a joyful heart.
Thus when we say, "This is the lechem oni which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt, we are reminded both of Israel's sin in not being generous in their dealings with Egypt and the way in which the Egyptians punished them for their miserliness. It is a reminder to redeem the world through justice and tzedakah by sharing with others.
Tze'enah Ure'enah
There was also on the Merkavah how the person should behave. There are many people who boast about their strength. Therefore, he was shown a lion that is very strong, but is in the hands of the Holy One. That is to say, no mighty warrior should boast, since it is all with the help of the Holy One. There are also some people who boast about their wealth. Therefore, an ox is shown in the Merkavah. That is to say, the ox plows and causes much grain to come in to the world and this brings wealth. Therefore, the person should not boast about wealth, since it is all in the hands of God. There are some people who desire to steal, just like the birds, one steals from other. Therefore, the eagle was among the creatures. The person should see that everything is in the hands of the Holy One. The thief will not have luck, since the Holy One hates thievery. One should behave properly with money and give charity. The Messiah will come as the verse says, “and those who repent by righteousness” [Isaiah, 1:27]. Amen.
Malbim
It means to say, "when it is yet still morning." Meaning, before the trouble and darkness, judge the law, as it says "Zion will be redeemed through justice (Isaiah 1:27)" for the destruction of Jerusalem was caused by theft, corruption and lack of civil law (As it writes, " And now murderers... your princes have become rebellious (Isaiah 1:21, 1:23) Lest My rage burn forth like a Fire: You will have no refuge(es)
From David to Destruction
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and with loving-kindness and with mercy which will come to you from Me because of them. Concerning our father Abraham, it is written (Gen 18:19): “For I love him since he commands etc. to perform righteousness and justice.” And, corresponding to them, He bestowed upon his children loving-kindness and mercy, as it is said (Deut. 13:18): “And He shall grant you mercy”; (ibid. 7:12) “And the Lord your God shall keep for you the covenant and the loving-kindness.” When they ceased to perform righteousness and justice, as it is said (Amos 5:7): “Those who turn justice into wormwood, and righteousness they leave on the ground,” also the Holy One, blessed be He, took away from them the loving-kindness and the mercy, as it is said (Jer. 16:5): “for I have gathered in My peace from this people, says the Lord, the loving- kindness and the mercies.” And when they will return to perform righteousness and justice, they shall be redeemed immediately, as it is said (Isa. 1:27): “Zion shall be redeemed through justice, and her penitent through righteousness.” And the Holy One, blessed be He, will add mercy and loving- kindness to them and make a crown of all four of them and place it on their head.