Likutei Halachot: Seder and the Four Cups
When a G-d-fearing person drinks wine, his heart is awakened with a vigorous yearning for Hashem. When one drinks for the sake of the mitzva, wine gladdens the heart…
Translated by Rabbi Dov Grant
Excerpts from Likutei Halachot, by Rebbe Natan of Breslev
The Simanim of the Seder
The Pesach Seder starts with kadesh and concludes with nirtzah
Kadesh corresponds to the force of the great mochin/intellect, termed “kodesh”, that are drawn down during Pesach by way of an unusual and irregular, powerful spiritual illumination from on high. The Seder then proceeds with “urchatz”, “karpas” and so on, and all the awesome tikkunim/rectifications that we make, by way of the Pesach Seder.
The main intention is to merit arriving at the final point of Shavuot, when the “meitzach of ratzon/desire” illuminates in the fullest way. Even now, on Seder night, power is drawn from there, to remove chametz and receive all the holy mochin. This is the meaning of the concluding stage of the Seder – nirtzah (related to the word ratzon). Nirtzah corresponds to the ratzon elyon (Supernal desire). Moshe Rabbenu merits us to be raised there, elevating all from shmad/destruction to ratzon – the essential element in the redemption from Egypt. For the entire redemption process, from beginning to end, hinges on ratzon – until we merit, through the tikkunim of Pesach, to reach there in perfection on Shavuot. Then, the meitzach of ratzon will be revealed, just as it is on Shabbat at Minchah time.
It follows that the entire Pesach Seder is an aspect of nirtzah, corresponding to the ratzon elyon. Therefore, nirtzah is the same gematria (numerical value) as Moshe [345], since everything is achieved through Moshe. (Hilchos Birchas Hashachar 5:19)
The Four Cups of Wine
Wine used for holy purposes is an aspect of revelation of the ratzon/desire, corresponding to (Eruvin 65a) “all that are appeased by wine have some of the da’as/knowledge of his Creator”. Similarly, (Shir Hashirim 7:10) “And your palate is like the best wine, going to my beloved in straightforwardness”, which Rashi explains as referring to the “love of straightforwardness” – an aspect of love and exceptional yearning and desire. This can be seen clearly when a G-d fearing person drinks wine in holiness on Shabbat and Yom Tov, etc. – his heart is awakened with a vigorous yearning for Hashem. When one merits it, wine can gladden the person, as in (Tehillim/Psalms 104:15) “wine gladdens man’s heart”. And happiness is an aspect of the expansiveness of the heart with a vigorous yearning for Hashem, corresponding to (Tehillim 16:11) “the fullness of joys in Your presence” and (Shir Hashirim 1:4): “We recall your love more than wine”. (Hilchos Netilat Yadayim 6:19)
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Rabbi Dov Grant has his own website at http://likuteihalachos.blogspot.com. You may contact him at ravdgrant@gmail.com
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