By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

We know the four questions of Pesach. But why is there no question asked about all the extra wine?

Also, what parts of the hagaddah were part of the very first hagaddah – the one that Klal Yisroel recited on the very night of the original Pesach?

Which of the questions are actually answered with the response of Avadim ha’inu – we were slaves in Mitzrayim? (p. 29)

Which of the questions have changed? (p. 30)

Should we really be lying about Eliyahu haNavi cming and drinking wine at the Seder table to our children just to keep them up? (page 116). Rav moshe Feinstein (Dibros Moshe Gittin 26:7) indicates strongly not. Especially, Rav Frankel points out, when there is no source to this Minhag.

What does Shehakol Neheyah biDvaro really mean? (page 94)

All these questions and their answers can be found in Rav Yitzchok Frankel’s new Hagadah for Pesach called “machat shel yad.” Rav Frankel is the Rav of the Agudah of the Five Towns, and is a great Talmid Chochom. He was also a Talmid Muvhak of Rav Moshe Feinstein zatzal and, as a Rav, he is a remarkable repository of unique thoughts, perspectives, psakim and lomdus of the Rosh Yeshiva zt”l. Aside from this, Rav Frankel was a powerful force in Chinuch for many many years and is almost single-handedly responsible for thousands of Torah homes that otherwise would not have been – were it not for his influence. I know this because I taught side by side with him at HANC and have been zocheh to teach the fine children of the young men and women that he had influenced to attend Yeshivos and seminaries.

This hagaddah is a serious work and reflects original profound ideas about the Hagaddah.

The Hagaddah has haskamos from Rav Binyamin Elyashiv Shlita, the Novaminsker, Rav Reuvain Feinstein Shlita, Rav Malkiel Kotler Shlita, Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky Shlita and also a reprint from long ago of a letter from Rav Moshe concerning his remarkable Talmid.

The typesetting is beautiful and does not overwhelm us with the commentary on the bottom. Stylistically, Rav Frankel sets up a number of questions – real questions that need to be addressed and resolves them with one fascinating perspective. His ideas are extremely powerful. The Hagaddah is in lashon hakodesh.

The reviewer can be reached at [email protected]