#93: Machshavah

One year in the town of Posen, the Seder of the great Rabbi Akiva Eiger was getting underway. As Kadesh began, a guest accidentally spilled her cup of wine, splattering all over the pristine white tablecloths. Without missing a beat, Rabbi Akiva Eiger immediately bumped the table, causing his cup of wine to overflow and spill as well, thereby saving the guest from the sheer embarrassment of ruining the white tablecloth of the Gadol Hador. Legend has it that from then on, it became Rabbi Akiva Eiger’s custom to always begin the seder night with a spill, in order to prevent any chance of an embarrassment from the inevitable splash of one of the four cups of wine (adapted from meaningfulminute.org/garlic-breathe-and-spilled-wine/).

It is certainly important to properly fulfill all of the halachot of Kiddush that we have been studying. However, as we mentioned in last week’s Machshavah piece, we must remember that it is equally important, if not more so, to consider the sensitivity of others and make sure that no one is embarrassed during the course of Kiddush or the Shabbat meal.

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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.