A few months before Pesach, my wife was already looking for toys and presents to buy for our grandchildren for their Afikomen presents. I remember always looking forward to visiting my grandparents because I always left with a cash gift, toys and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies from one grandmother, and cinnamon buns from my other grandmother. Parents enjoy giving their kids presents, but grandparents get even more pleasure from giving presents to their grandchildren since they want them to be happy. It’s part of what cultivates their relationship with their grandchildren.
This past Sunday was Acharon Shel Pesach, the last day of Pesach. By now, all the Pesach items have hopefully been packed away and stored for next year. All the preparation and hard work that each person invested in Pesach is in the past. The cleaning, cooking, baking, divrei Torah, zemiros and uplifting davening are all happy memories. The family and friends have returned home. Pesach is behind us. We gave it our all…and there’s much to be grateful for from our Pesach experiences.
On the last day of Pesach, we read from Parshas Re’eh which discusses the mitzvah of going to the Beis Hamikdash on each of the three Yom Tovim. The pasuk says, “V’lo yiraeh es panei reikum — You shall not see my face empty-handed.” It would seem more correct for the pasuk to have said, “V’lo tireh”— you shall appear (show up), instead of saying “yiraeh”— you will be seen.
The Chasam Sofer answers that the Gemara says when we come to the Beis Hamikdash for Yom Tov, we are not just coming to present ourselves to Hashem. We are also coming to be seen by Hashem. Although we currently don’t have the Beis Mikdash, we still have the shalosh regalim and on each regel (holiday), we still present ourselves and our cumulative deeds to Hashem. In so doing, we all want to present ourselves to Hashem in good fashion as we prepare for the Yom Tov.
Sometimes, however, we fall short and don’t have much of a positive record to show for ourselves. The Torah specifically uses the word yiraeh — “You will not be seen before my face empty-handed.” Hashem is saying that even if you present yourself empty-handed, you will not leave empty-handed. Whether you have something positive to present to Hashem or not, everyone will receive a gift from Hashem!
We should especially appreciate this past yom tov of Pesach because we did not leave empty-handed – we all left with an “afikomen present” from Hashem. How so? Hashem gifted us with increased levels of emunah and simcha that we achieved over Yom Tov. On top of that, Hashem lifted us up on Yom Tov with a gift of life, peace, simcha (a consistent feeling of happiness) and sasson (a burst of joyous energy). In addition to fulfilling our requests to sanctify us while we perform Hashem’s mitzvos, we also receive our individual ability to be proficient in the Torah, being satiated by Hashem’s good, rejoicing in Hashem’s salvation and the purification of our hearts.
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato says that every Pesach is not a repeat of the previous year, but rather it strengthens and increases one’s spiritual advancement in emunah (faith in Hashem). One can refer to his age to determine how many Sedarim he has experienced. Those in the diaspora who keep two days of Yom Tov have the advantage of having double the number of Pesach Sedarim!
Although Pesach is behind us, we are left with a truly great gift: a level of emunah that uplifts all areas of our lives. As we are counting Sefira, which began on the second day of Pesach, we focus daily on improving our good character, counting upwards over a seven-week period to reach the great day of Shavuos—the day Hashem gave us the Torah.
Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim is the Rosh Yeshiva of Passaic Torah Institute (PTI)/Yeshiva Ner Boruch. Rabbi Bodenheim can be reached at [email protected]. For more info about PTI and its Torah classes, visit www.pti.shulcloud.com
