Charoses
Is it a mitzva or not?
Based on mishna Pesachim
The Rambam says mitzva
The Arizal says not
As a mitzva
The Rambam provides a recipe
Halachically
But according to him
Why is charoses not a step of the seder?
And why not get a brocho of it’s own?
The Arizal provides his own recipe
But why bother
If it’s not a mitzva?
Leil Seder’s Four Fours
Four Cups
Four Questions
Four Sons
Four Matzos
Each has a fifth
Wanting to be discovered
Since we know of four fours
There must be a fifth four
What is it?
Chatzos Kollels have become popular in recent years. Only the Zohar emphasizes the importance of this practice. It’s repeated there dozens of times.
With the haskama of Rav Moshe Shapiro zt”l I encourage people to learn this way themselves whenever possible.
When we can’t, next best is to sponsor someone who can. The ideal subject of learning after chatzos is Kabbala.
$1500 will sponsor a talmid chochom learning kabbala in Yeshivas Rashbi for a month.
Twenty years ago a colleague in the Mir discovered a number of talmidei chachomim struggling financially who refused to receive tzedaka. He outsmarted them.
They were invited to join a Shabbos kollel paying them nicely for learning they were doing anyway wherever they want. Donors don’t know the recipients, and the recipients don’t even know they’re receiving tzedaka. This is the Stealth Kollel.
Stealthily supporting thirty world class talmidei chachomim learning in Yerushalayim. The most ideal form of tzedaka, as stipulated in Bava Basra 9a.
There are no expenses and no advertising. 100% tzedaka.
Sponsoring one avrech for a month is $1000. But donations of any size are warmly welcomed.