The Weekly Shtikle - Shevi'i shel Pesach

A special mazal tov to Weekly Shtikle reader David Farkas and family on the recent engagement of their son, Avi, to Shoshi Feld of Cleveland.

I thought it would be apropos to share a thought I recently heard at a vort which relates to the last day of Pesach, as well as the beginning of meseches Sotah which was started by the daf yomi cycle under two weeks ago. On the very first amud (2a) we encounter the famous passage asserting that bringing a husband and wife together is as difficult as keriyas Yam Suf, the episode of the splitting of the sea which is the highlight of the last day(s) of Pesach. In truth, the conclusion of the gemara is that this refers only to a second marriage. Nevertheless, this particular line has been analyzed and sermonized almost as much as the haggadah.

Still, the chasan at this vort presented an idea I hadn't heard before. Tosafos (Arachin 15a) suggests an intriguing geographical perspective on the "crossing" of the sea. In fact, it is suggested that the sea wasn't crossed at all. Rather, the Jews entered the sea and emerged on the very same side, further north. However, many a child will tell you, based on midrashim, that each tribe had its own lane and traveled together. This means that an overhead view of the Jews marching through would not look like 12 parallel lines but rather, more like 12 concentric semi-circles. Furthermore, the distance traveled by each tribe would vary significantly. The tribe stationed furthest to the north would have the inside track and end up as the southernmost camp while each subsequent tribe would travel a bit more on a longer track.

This is the lesson that this chasan wished to glean from the gemara. Part of the difficulty of the matchmaking process is that everyone has a unique experience with his or her own challenges – some few, some many. Accepting these challenges becomes a challenge unto itself. Truthfully, this lesson can easily be applied to nearly all aspects of life but perhaps it is more greatly accentuated in this specific chapter of life.

Have a chag samei'ach!

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:
Al Pi Cheshbon: Omer Counting in Different Bases

Dikdukian: Exceptions Ahoy!

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