Passover Quiz
By RABBI SAMUEL 3. FOX
• * *
•
What is the derivation of the
word "Matzoh?"
"Matzoh," the . name given to
the special form of bread eaten
on Passover, may have its origin
in one of two sources: from the
Hebrew root meaning to "suck
out," and • from a Hebrew root
meaning "to squeeze" or "to
press." In line with either of thse
two definitions it is easy to under-
stand why the Bible (Deut. 16:3)
refers to the "Matzoh" as "Lech-
em Oni" which- means the "Bread
of the Poor" or the "Bread of
Affliction.
*
*
What special preparations enter
into the making of the "Matzoh?"
The raw material, the wheat,
must be carefully watched at
least from the time that it is
taken to the mill. No fresh water
must chance upon the raw wheat
from that time on. After grind-
ing, kneading of the dough is
done with a form of "distilled"
water. All this is so done to pre-
vent the dotigh from fermenting.
*
* *
Is there a special reason for
the perforations in the "Matzos?"
Perforations are made in order
to further guarantee that the
dough will not rise. Our records
contain evidence that these per-
foration were once made in
artistic forms and figures. After
protest from Rabbinic authorities,
this practice was prohibited lest
the real significance of the
meaning be lost.
* * *
Why is it customary to drip
wine off the finger while relating
the 10 plagues and their repre-
sentative symbols
Some persons relate the custom
to the Biblical expression that it
was the "finger of God" which
was b e h i n d the miraculous
plagues. (i.e. hence the use of the
finger). Some regard the custom
as a symbol of the fact that with
each plague the number and the
spirit of the enemy decreased.
*
* *
What is the reason for the "fifth
cup" of wine is placed upon the
table?
There is a debate among the
Talmudists as to whether the
ceremony on Passover eve re-
quires four cups or five. Since
the fifth eup became a debatable
the table. Since all debatable
matter, it was merely placed upon
issues which cannot be solved in
the Talmud are lain aside until
the days of Elijah in anticipation
of the fact that Elijah will appear
and settle all disputes, this cup
was called "The Cup of Elijah."
Along with this, the belief grew
that Elijah was the guest at the
Seder table.
*
* *
Why is the door opened at this
part of the Seder ceremony?
Operiing of the door at the
Seder ceremony originally had
nothing to do with the cup of
Elijah. In the early days it was
customary to open the doors at
the beginning of the Seder as it
was proclaimed, "He that is
hungry, • come and eat." The
humanitarian and universal senti-
ment implied is self-evident. With
this thought in mind the door was
usually left open throughout the
Seder. For . various reasons this
became impractical and the open-
ing of the door was postponed
until the end of the Seder.
Displaced Persons Now May
Fly to the United States
Displaced persons may now fly
to the United States, Harry N.
Rosenfield of the DP Commission
informed George L. Strehike, dis-
trict sales manager of Pan Amer..
ican World Airways.
In a letter to Strehike, Rosen-
feld pointed out that DPs, though
entitled to passage on ships char-
tered by the International Refu-
gee organization (of which the
United States is a member), do
not realize that they may use
other means of transportation to
enter the United States. This is
with the understanding that no
special consideration in obtain-
ing their passports will be al-
lowed them.
Thus Rosenfeld dispelled cur-
rent opinion that all Displaced
Persons must come to the U. S.
on ships chartered by the IRO.
Homes for the Homeless
THE JEWISH NEWS-21
Polish Jews 18 To 45 Given
Okay for German Transit
.•-•'••• •
Neat, dean, spacious settlements in Israel to house newcomers
from the DP camps are major projects supported by American Jewry
Through the $250,000,000 United Jewish Appeal campaign and by
Detroit Jewry through the $6,395,000 Allied Jewish campaign. in
1949, Israel's housing program for immigrants provides for the erection
of a minimum of 50,000 units.
WARSAW, (JTA) American
military authorities in Germany,
who up to now have not allowed
Polish Jews between the ages of
18 and 45 to proceed from Poland
to Israel via Germany have re-
voked this policy and are grant-
ing transit visas to Israel-bound
Polish Jews.
As a result of the AMG's earlier
restrictions, Jews from Poland en
route to the Jewish state Were
compelled to go to France via
Switzerland and Austria by
plane. In some cases, prospective
immigrants were sent from Po-
land to Italy by the Israeli lega-
tion here.
Friday, April 8, 1949
New Science Hall Allows
More Students at Yeshiva
The construction of a new
building — Science Hall — at
Yeshiva University, New York,
will make it possible to increase
the enrollment in the Univer-
..sity's College of Arts and Sciences
in the Fall, it was announced by
Dr. Samuel Belkin, president. In
addition to more classroom space,
this new building has made it
possiblp for the University to in-
stall and equip five additional
science laboratories, Dr. Belkin
said.
Rufus Learsi's 'Israel': Excellent
1-Volume Ht t
Everything Rufus Learsi has
written is marked by excellent
style a n d high scholarship.
Whether he writes under this
pen-name or under his real
name—Israel Goldberg— he al-
ways produces splendid results.
This has been the case with his
poetry, "The Wedding Song," his
books on Jewish humor, his
"Outlines of Jewish Knowledge"
and other works.
His latest book, '`'Israel: A
History of the Jewish People",
just published by World Pub-
lishing Co., 2231 W. 110th St.,
Cleveland 2, O., is one of the
Touch-Me Materials
Enhance Youth Story
- Leave it to Simon and Schuster,
the smart publishers who know
how to attract .attention with the
unusual in publishing. Their
latest children's book, "Mouse's
House," is another proof of their
ingenuity.
This new "Big Golden Book"
again features the touch-me ma-
terials in three colors on 12 pages.
In addition, there are full-color
illustrations on all of the 32
pages.
The story is by Kathryn and
Byron Jackson; the illustrations
by Richard Scarry.
Children who have learned to
love the touch of the super-
imposed materials on the splen-
did illustrations will admire the
duck's downy yellow feathers,
the soft fur of the black cat, the
puppy's red hair. And they will
enjoy the story itself, the mouse's
home-searching and the happy
solution. It is a splendid book
whose atractiveness adds to the
reputation of a great publishing
house.
most fascinating works of its
kind issued in recent years. In
its 700 pages are incorporated all
the important occurrences in the
4,000-year history of the Jewish
people.
Learsi's is a vivid story, ac-
curately told, the thousands of
incidents which make up a long
history related by . a master
writer in a style that will hold
his readers glued to the book.
It is an up-to-date history, lead-
ing up to the very latest happen-
ings in May of 1948. It is com-
plete in its discussion of anti-
Semitism as well as Jewish
creative efforts. Yet the . brevity
of the discussions increases the
book's values.
There are several one-volume
Jewish histories, many of them
of good caliber. But Learsi's may
emerge as the best and most last-
ing because of the clarity of its
style, its completeness, the un-
derstanding with which t h e
author approaches the Jewish
issues.
Rufus Learsi's "Israel: A His-
tory of the Jewish People" is a
book you will be proud to possess,
and it will solve the better-class
gift problem.
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