My Own Pesah Story. By Daniel D. Stuhlman. Illustrations by Micha Klugman

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2 My Own Pesah Story By Daniel D. Stuhlman Illustrations by Micha Klugman BYLS Press Chicago

3 Series: My Own Holiday Stories, 2 2 nd edition 1981, 2004 by BYLS Press. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher. If purchased from the Stuhlman Management Consultants web site, this book is distributed on the honor (shareware) system. You do not have to pay before receiving it. This saves the reader and publisher billing and shipping costs. There are two ways to pay your fair share. 1> Send your check payable directly to the author for $3.50 or more per copy to the publisher: BYLS Press 6617 N Mozart Chicago, IL > Make a donation in the author s name to: Congregation Kehilath Jacob Beth Samuel 3701 W. Devon Chicago, IL Cataloging information: Stuhlman, Daniel D. My own Pesah story [electronic resource] / by Daniel D. Stuhlman; illustrated by Micha Klugman. Series: My own holiday stories, Passover--Juvenile literature. I. Klugman, Micha, illus. BM 695.P3 S ISBN: File last revised: January 10, :30 pm 3

4 Deborah and Rissa rushed home from school. Today was the last day of school before the Pesah vacation. Tonight is the search for the hametz (leaven) and tomorrow night is the first seder. Deborah and Rissa opened the door to their house on Colgate Avenue. "Mommy, look at what we made in school today. I colored this seder plate all by myself. It has a place for the harosset, maror, egg, and everything. In class we talked about the cleaning and preparing for Pesah, the seder, and the story of how Moses led the slaves out of Egypt. We know all the special customs. Mommy, did Daddy sell the hametz like my teacher talked about in school?" "Yes. He went to the rabbi at shul (synagogue) and took care of the sale. I like your seder plate. You may use your seder plate while Daddy uses the big one that belonged to my grandfather." "Mom, can we have a snack?" "There are just a few cookies left. We have to finish them before tonight. Uncle Donnie was here and brought this new Pesah book. Here, look it comes with Seder Cards for playing Ten Plagues Rummy and other kinds of games. You and Rissa go read this book or play a game, OK?" "Ok, Mom." "Hey, Deborah what is your favorite Pesah food?" "I like matzah and matzah balls. Maybe Mommy will let us make us matzah balls before seder? Hey I'm getting sleepy. I don't want to read or play any games now. I feel so tired." Soon they both drifted to sleep. "Deborah wake up, Deborah wake up" "Rissa did you call?" "Deborah, Rissa are you listening? I'm here." A man's deep voice called. "Deborah did you call me? Are you imitating the rabbi again?" 4

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6 I didn't call you. I heard the voice, too. "Deborah, Rissa I am Moses. I saw you preparing for the Pesah seder." Deborah and Rissa could hardly believe what they were seeing, and hearing. The picture of Moses came out of the book they were reading and seemed alive. Moses walked toward the beds where Deborah and Rissa were sitting. I saw you when you went to the store to buy all the food for Pesah. I saw how well cleaned the house. I want to tell you the story how the Israelites left Egypt and how we celebrated the very first Pesah. We should get name of the holiday straight. In English it is called Passover. That name reminds us of what happened during the tenth plague. God passed over the houses of the Israelites, while the first born sons of the Egyptians died. The Hebrew word Pesah reminds us of the special sacrifices offered at this season in the Jerusalem Temple. Hebrew name that is used, חג האביב Hag Ha-Aviv is another. It refers to the fact that Pesah occurs during the spring, usually April. Trees and other plants get green and come alive again in the spring. Today is the 13th of Nisan. On the 13 th of Nisan in the year of the Exodus every Israelite household busied themselves with making arrangements for serving the Pascal lamb and the feast of the Pesah. You celebrate the event that changed us from a group of slaves into a nation of free people. Let me start at the beginning of the story since Pesah is a holiday of history. A long time ago, before there was an America, a Europe, or even a place called Israel, the Israelites were slaves to the Pharaoh, king of Egypt. The Israelites were all the children of Jacob and his twelve sons. Jacob brought his large family to Egypt after they ran out of food in their home, Canaan. Jacob's son, Joseph, was a very important man in Egypt. He was second only to Pharaoh himself. 6

7 Jacob and his family lived in Goshen, which is in the northern part of the Nile River Valley. They were separate from most of the Egyptians. Other tribes from Canaan also lived in Goshen but, few Egyptians lived there. Many years after Joseph died a new Pharaoh came to the throne. He did not remember Joseph. This new Pharaoh made the Israelites into slaves. He placed guards over them and forced them to build the cities of Pitom and Ramses. This happened a long time before I was born, continued Moses. How did you become so famous? How did you become the leader of the Israelites? What was it like floating in a basket?" asked Deborah and Rissa. Moses continued, My father came from the family of Levi. Shortly before I was born Pharaoh made a law that said all Israelite babies should be killed by throwing them into the Nile River. The Egyptians were afraid that the Israelites would become too powerful. My parents hid me until I was three months old. After then my crying was too strong to hide. My mother put me into a basket that water could not get into. She put the basket into the Nile River to float near the place where Pharaoh's daughter was swimming with her friends. 'Go get that basket. I heard a noise coming from it,' Pharaoh's daughter told a slave girl. 'It's a Hebrew boy. I'll take care of you little one. From now on your name is Moses. ' "Miriam, my sister, came out of hiding. Would you like a Hebrew nurse to help you take care of the baby?' 'Yes, I'll need someone to feed the baby,' said Pharaoh's daughter. me. Miriam went to get our own mother to take to care of 7

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9 After two years my mother took me to live to in Pharaoh's palace as a prince. I had the best teachers from the royal household to teach me to read and understand the ways of the world. I always remembered that I was an Israelite, but Pharaoh soon forgot. One day when I was about 17 or 18 I went to look at the Israelites while they were working. I saw an Egyptian guard hitting a slave. Since no one else was around I told him to stop. When he didn't stop I hit him so hard that he died right there. I hid the body in the sand. The next day I saw two slaves fighting. I asked them why they were fighting. The taller one yelled back at me, 'Who are you, my boss? Are you going to kill me just like you killed the Egyptian guard yesterday?' "I was scared that Pharaoh would find out that I killed the guard and I would also be killed. I ran to the east. Finally, I came to a place called Midian. At the town water well I helped the daughters of Yitro give water to their sheep after some men made fun of them. Later, I married one of his daughters, Zipporah. A long time passed. The old Pharaoh died. I didn't know it but my people were suffering. It was hard to be a slave. One day, while I was taking care of my sheep, I saw a fire. I had seen many bushes burn, but this one was different. Instead of burning up, it got brighter. Then it stayed the same; it didn't burn up. I heard a powerful deep voice calling. 'Moses, Moses' "I answered, 'I m here. But I don't see you.' 'Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals; this place is holy. I am the God of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' I shook. I was afraid to look at the flames. I wondered, was the voice really from God or my imagination? I could feel the heat from the flame and so it must be real. 9

10 The voice continued. 'My people, who are also your people, are suffering in Egypt. It is time to rescue them. You will lead them out of Egypt to a land flowing with milk and honey. You will conquer the land of Canaan and you will live in the land I promised to Abraham, your father. 'You will return to Pharaoh's palace and ask him to free the Israelites. Later you will return here to pray to me.' 10

11 "I was shaking. Who am I?' I asked God. 'I am Just a shepherd. I can't free slaves from Egypt. Pharaoh is too strong.' 'I will be with you. I will help you by giving you two signs. Your shepherd's stick will become a snake and your hand will become white and crusty then become normal again by your command.' 'The Israelites' still will not believe me. They will want to know your name.' 'You will tell them my name is: Eheyeh Asher Eheyeh (I am that I am), the God of your fathers אהיה אשר אהיה Abraham, Isaac, and, Jacob. Tell this to the leaders. They will believe you. Tell them, that soon all the Israelites will return to the land of Canaan, home of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 'If Pharaoh tries to stop you, I will cause wondrous events to happen to the Egyptians. No Egyptian will be spared. After these events they will send you out of their country with much gold and silver.' What if they won't listen? 'They will listen. Aaron, your brother will meet you in the desert. He will help speak for you. "The flames went out, but the bush still looked like a normal brown bush. I wanted to run away because I knew that I couldn't speak very well. As I turned, God ended with, 'You were born to lead your people to freedom. I saved you from drowning in the Nile River so that you would be a great leader and teacher. Return to Egypt!' "I told Yitro, my father-in-law, the story. He was the high priest for his people and understood the ways of God. Yitro told me, You must do what God has told you. Soon Aaron joined me in the desert where God told him to find me. I showed him the signs and immediately he offered his help. Aaron agreed that we should go to see Pharaoh soon. We went to the royal palace the next day. 11

12 Aaron spoke to Pharaoh, 'We come in the name of the God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You must let our people go.' Pharaoh didn't let us go out the first time we asked. He was stubborn. Just as God promised, he sent wondrous events on the Egyptians. Now you call the events the Ten Plagues. At your seder you will read the names of the plagues aloud. They were: blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, ruined crops, boils, locusts, darkness, and the tenth plague - the slaying of the first born. The last one hurt the Egyptians the hardest. We were given special instructions before the tenth plague was brought on the Egyptians. 'This month is the first of months,' said the LORD. 'On the tenth day of this month every family will take a lamb or share a lamb with another family. Each lamb should be healthy and without sores. At sunset on the 14th of this month everyone will carefully kill the lamb and use some of the blood to paint on the door posts of your homes. Roast the meat. Do not eat it raw or cooked with water. Eat all the meat that night. If any meat is leftover, burn it in the morning. This lamb is the Passover (Pesah) offering.' God visited all the Egyptian homes that night. Every first born son died, but God passed over the Israelite homes. That 14th of Nisan was the very first seder. During your seder you remember what happened that night. You will retell the story after Kiddush. God commanded us to eat matzah (unleavened bread) for seven days because were in a hurry to leave Egypt. Tomorrow night you can tell this story to your family. Remember these events! We were slaves in Egypt; Pharaoh sent us out after the ten plagues; the Egyptians gave us much gold and silver; we received the Torah; and finally after wandering for 40 years in the desert we conquered the land of Canaan. Moses finished by saying' "I must leave now. Shalom," The picture of Moses faded back into the book. Deborah turned to Rissa and said, "That was an amazing some story. Do you think Moses really told us the story? I felt that I was really there at the burning bush and 12

13 first seder. Do you think David will believe that Moses really told us the whole story of Pesah?" "We'll have to tell the whole story at the seder," added Rissa. "Deborah, Rissa, you must have fallen asleep. Sleepy time is over. Come help Daddy and me with dinner." Deborah and Rissa went to the kitchen. Everything was out of place. Mommy had already put away the yearround dishes and silverware. The counter tops were covered. They ate leftovers for dinner. Mommy wanted to be sure they ate up all the hametz. "Mommy, is Uncle Donnie coming for the seder?" "Yes. David and Zeda Ephraim will be here, too." After dinner Daddy made everything ready to search for the hametz. Deborah, Rissa, here's the feather, the empty bag, the flashlight, candle and haggadah. We're ready to start. Mommy hid several pieces of bread and other hametz so that we could find them during the search, said Daddy. "Mommy, are we playing a game with the bread?" asked Deborah. "The Torah requires us to get rid of all the hametz. All of us helped clean the house. Now we must inspect it be sure we didn't forget anything. We'll gather all the bread and other hametz," said Daddv. "Tomorrow morning I ll burn it." "My teacher said that we sell all the hamatz. Why are you going to burn some?" "Selling the hametz takes care of the dishes, silverware, and hametz we don't know about. We arrange the sale with the rabbi at shul. We are not allowed to keep food that is hametz such as yeast breads, cakes, cookies, or beer. We keep flour, rice and beans but do not use them. Raw fruits and vegetables we can eat all year round. We need special food for Pesah. Are you ready, for the search?" 13

14 "I've got the haggadah open to the page with the blessing," said Rissa. 14

15 ברוך אתא ה" אלקינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על ביעור חמץ. Barukh ata adonai elohenu melech haolm, asher kidshanu bi-mitzvotav v tzivanu al be-ur hametz. Blessed are you, the LORD, our God, King of the Universe, who has made us holy by His commandments and commanded us to remove the leaven. Deborah and Rissa followed Daddy as he searched each room. Mommy followed. She made sure they found all the pieces of bread that she hid. They returned to the kitchen to recite the paragraph from the Haggadah making the hametz like the dust of the earth. כל חמירא וחמירא דאיכא ברשותי דלא חמיתיה ודלא היערתיה לבטיל ולוי הפקר כעפרא דארעא. All bread and other leaven in our house which we have not seen, removed, or know should be considered as it no owns it. It is now considered like the dust of the earth. Tomorrow I ll take care of this bag of hametz and burn it. The next day everyone was busy. Mommy and Daddy were busy preparing food for the seder. Daddy set the table, cleaned the house, prepared the things for the seder plate, and studying the haggadah. Rissa, I m glad you re here. Mommy said that we could make the matzah balls now. We need eggs, oil, matzah meal, salt, and boiling soup. Mommy is getting everything ready for us. 15

16 Deborah, Rissa, time to come into the kitchen. The soup s ready, Said Mommy. We re coming, Deborah and Rissa shouted together. I want to use the recipe from the book Uncle Donnie gave us yesterday. The recipe has my name on it, Deborah s Easy Matzah Balls. I like mixing the eggs and matzah meal and making the mushy balls. Soon the matzah balls will be done cooking in the pot of soup. That was fun. Mommy, I can hardly wait for the seder. I m going to take the afikomen and ask for a doll before I return it. Rissa and I are going to tell the whole story just like Moses told us yesterday, exclaimed Deborah and Rissa. Ding-Dong! Deborah, Grandma s here. Hello Deborah. Hello Rissa. How are you? Hag Sama-ah (Happy Passover), Grandma said as she gave them both a kiss. Grandma, tonight will be the best seder ever. Moses told us the whole story, Deborah and Rissa said as they helped Grandma hang up her coat. חג שמח וכשר Hag Kasher v sama-ah Happy Passover Holiday. 16

17 Deborah s Easy Matzah Balls 2 large eggs 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil 2 Tablespoons soup or water ½ cup matzah meal ½ teaspoon salt (optional) ½ teaspoon pepper (optional) ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional) ½ teaspoon parsley (optional) 1. Beat the eggs until light yellow. 2. Add rest of the ingredients except the matzah meal. 3. Mix well. 4. Stir in the matzah meal. Make sure all the liquid is absorbed. 5. Put into refrigerator for minutes. 6. Here's the fun part. Wet your hands. Take some of the mixture in your hands and form into balls that are about ¾ inches big. 7. When you finish making the balls let an older person help you drop the balls into boiling soup or water. 8. After all the balls are in the liquid, cover the pot and let boil for minutes. 9. Remove the balls from the water and keep separate from the soup until ready to serve. 10. Warm in soup then serve. Yields about balls. serves 3-4 Rissa s Matzah Meal Pancakes 3 eggs 1/2 cup water ½ cup matzah meal ¼ teaspoon salt (optional) oil for frying cinnamon and sugar, jelly or sour cream for topping 1. Beat eggs until light and fluffy. 2. Add water, matzah meal and salt. Mix well. 3. Heat oil in large frying pan. 4. Drop by spoonfuls into frying pan. Let brown and then turn to brown on the other side. 5. Serve with cinnamon and sugar, jelly, or sour cream. 17

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19 My Own Brownies 2 eggs ½ cup oil 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup cocoa ½ cup cake meal ½ cup chopped nuts (prefer walnuts) 1. Beat eggs until light and fluffy. 2. Add sugar and oil. Beat well. 3. Stir in cocoa, cake meal and nuts. 4. Grease a 9 x 9 inch pan. Pour in mixture. 5. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes. 6. Cut into squares while warm. 7. Beware: If you want to use these brownies at your seder hide them. Better yet make a double recipe. Hide one and offer the second to your cookie monsters.. 19

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