כּוֹרֵךְ כל אחד מהמסבים לוקח כזית מן המצה השְלישית עם כזית מרור, כורכים יחד, אוכלים בהסבה ובלי ברכה. לפני אכלו אומר. זֵכֶר לְמִקְדָּשׁ כְּהִלֵּל. כֵּן עָשָׂה הִלֵּל בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיָה קַיָּם: הָיָה כּוֹרֵךְ מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר וְאוֹכֵל בְּיַחַד, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרוׂרִים יֹאכְלֻהוּ.
Wrap All present should take a kazayit from the third whole matsa with a kazayit of marror, wrap them together and eat them while reclining and without saying a blessing. Before he eats it, he should say: In memory of the Temple according to Hillel. This is what Hillel would do when the Temple existed: He would wrap the matsa and marror and eat them together, in order to fulfill what is stated, (Numbers 9:11): "You should eat it upon matsot and marrorim."
#1) The Missing Middle
דַּבְּר֗וּ אֶֽל־כָּל־עֲדַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֶּעָשֹׂ֖ר לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וְיִקְח֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם אִ֛ישׁ שֶׂ֥ה לְבֵית־אָבֹ֖ת שֶׂ֥ה לַבָּֽיִת... וְלָֽקְחוּ֙ מִן־הַדָּ֔ם וְנָֽתְנ֛וּ עַל־שְׁתֵּ֥י הַמְּזוּזֹ֖ת וְעַל־הַמַּשְׁק֑וֹף עַ֚ל הַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־יֹאכְל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ בָּהֶֽם׃ וְאָכְל֥וּ אֶת־הַבָּשָׂ֖ר בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַזֶּ֑ה צְלִי־אֵ֣שׁ וּמַצּ֔וֹת עַל־מְרֹרִ֖ים יֹאכְלֻֽהוּ׃
Speak to the whole community of Israel and say that on the tenth of this month each of them shall take a lamb to a family, a lamb to a household...They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they are to eat it. They shall eat the flesh that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs.
#1) Korech is a sandwich that is missing its central component! The experience was designed around the Passover sacrifice, which is no longer a part of our Seder night routine. You could imagine a world in which this ritual might have been cast aside in the wake of destruction and change, but instead, it was reinvented.
- What components might be missing from your Seder, this year or in past years? What have you had to change or reinvent?
- If you had to pick the food that most epitomizes Passover for you and put it in the center of your sandwich, what would it be, and why?
#2) A Flavor to Savor
מַאן תַּנָּא דְּשָׁמְעַתְּ לֵיהּ מִצְוֹת אֵין מְבַטְּלוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ? הִלֵּל הִיא. דְּתַנְיָא, אָמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל הִלֵּל שֶׁהָיָה כּוֹרְכָן בְּבַת אַחַת וְאוֹכְלָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרוֹרִים יֹאכְלוּהוּ״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: חוֹלְקִין עָלָיו חֲבֵירָיו עַל הִלֵּל. דְּתַנְיָא: יָכוֹל יְהֵא כּוֹרְכָן בְּבַת אַחַת וְאוֹכְלָן כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהִלֵּל אוֹכְלָן, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרוֹרִים יֹאכְלוּהוּ״, אֲפִילּוּ זֶה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ וְזֶה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ. מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב אָשֵׁי: אִי הָכִי, מַאי אֲפִילּוּ? אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי, הַאי תַּנָּא הָכִי קָתָנֵי: יָכוֹל לֹא יָצָא בְּהוּ יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן כּוֹרְכָן בְּבַת אַחַת וְאוֹכְלָן כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהִלֵּל אוֹכְלָן — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרוֹרִים יֹאכְלוּהוּ״ — אֲפִילּוּ זֶה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ וְזֶה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ. הַשְׁתָּא דְּלָא אִיתְּמַר הִלְכְתָא לָא כְּהִלֵּל וְלָא כְּרַבָּנַן, מְבָרֵךְ ״עַל אֲכִילַת מַצָּה״ וְאָכֵיל, וַהֲדַר מְבָרֵךְ ״עַל אֲכִילַת מָרוֹר״ וְאָכֵיל, וַהֲדַר אָכֵיל מַצָּה וְחַסָּא בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה זֵכֶר לַמִּקְדָּשׁ, כְּהִלֵּל.
The Gemara asks: Who is the tanna that you heard say that mitzvot do not nullify each other? It is Hillel, as it was taught in a baraita: They said about Hillel that he would wrap matza and bitter herbs together and eat them, as it is stated: “They shall eat it with matzot and bitter herbs” (Numbers 9:11), which indicates that these two foods should be consumed together. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Hillel’s colleagues disagree with him, as it was taught in another baraita: I might have thought that one should wrap matzot and bitter herbs together and eat them in the manner that Hillel eats them; therefore the verse states: “They shall eat it with matzot and bitter herbs,” meaning that one may eat even this, the matza, by itself, and that, the bitter herbs, by themselves. Rav Ashi strongly objects to this proof: If so, if the Sages disagree with Hillel and maintain that mitzvot nullify each other, what is the meaning of the word even in this baraita? This wording indicates that Hillel’s opinion is not rejected entirely, but that one fulfills his obligation even if he eats the items without combining them. Rather, Rav Ashi said: This is what this tanna is teaching: I might have thought that one fulfills his obligation with them only if he wraps matzot and bitter herbs together and eats them in the manner that Hillel eats them. Therefore, the verse states: “They shall eat it with matzot and bitter herbs,” i.e., one fulfills his obligation even if he eats the matza by itself and the bitter herbs by themselves. The Gemara comments: Now that the halakha was stated neither in accordance with the opinion of Hillel nor in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis, one recites the blessing: Commanded us over eating matza, and eats matza to fulfill his obligation. And then he recites the blessing: Commanded us over eating bitter herbs, and eats the lettuce as bitter herbs. And then he eats matza and lettuce together without a blessing in remembrance of the Temple, in the manner of Hillel in the days of the Temple, who ate matza and bitter herbs together with the Paschal lamb.
#2) Korech is a culinary experience designed to help you experience a blend of flavors and experiences. This is the central insight of Hillel’s position that we must eat these components together. Each represents a different aspect of the Exodus, and there are moments throughout the night when we experience each one. Yet, Hillel insists, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
- How does reflecting on a sad or bitter experience feel different when you are currently in a happier frame of mind?
- Can you think of other examples, in Jewish life or beyond, when combining several elements transforms your experience of one or all of them?
#3) A Sandwich for your Spirit
(ח) מרור כורך ואף אם יבער בלבו איזה קנטור ומרירות לב. אזי יכריכנו ר"ל על כל פשעים תכסה אהבה וידין כל אדם לכף זכות...והכוונה כי יש מי שטבעו להאריך אף. אבל בשרו עליו יכאב וכאש תוקד בקרבו הרוגז והכעס וזה קשה לגוף מאוד כי הכבד כועס והמרה זורקת בו טיפה ונולד כמה תחלואים ממרה ירוקה...אמנם יש בני אדם שמזגו טוב ואינו נותן אל לבו כלל הבזיון והקצף ואינו מזיק לגוף כלל והוא דבר גדול ולאו כל אדם זוכה לכך...
(8) Maror Korekh: Even if some disagreement or bitterness burns in his heart, let him ‘wrap up’ (hikhrikh) any hurts with love and let him judge all people favorably...There are those who remain calm even when their body is aching, a fire is burning in them and bitterness is dripping within them – such people are subject to terrible diseases...Others, however, remain completely calm and do not allow their hearts to become angry. This is a great quality – greater than conquering a city, and not everyone merits this quality.
#3) Korech is a chance to hold on to the pain and bitterness, wrapped and cushioned by other emotions, and transform the impact it might have on our souls and our behavior.
- We often think it is best to forget anger and hurt, but it isn't always possible. Can you think of a source of pain that will always be a part of you? How have you grown and cushioned that part of yourself?
- How is it important to the experience of liberation that we remember the bitterness of Egypt, but also surround it with other symbols and emotions?