As Chodesh Nissan approaches people become full of angst and trepidation at the awesome responsibility of ridding themselves of the last vestiges of chometz. Nearly every Yiddishe Mama breaks into a sweat at the mere mention of Pesach cleaning. Meticulous, strategic planning is invested in how to accomplish this veritable task. When are the cabinets and drawers going to be done? How about the pockets and knapsacks? The walls still have to be washed down! Are we going to change the door handles? Who is going to be chosen to scrape the ovens of the charred remnants of suppers from the past summer?

The Holy Seforim tell us that all stringencies and careful, painstaking attention tended to minute, cleaning details, awaken tremendous merits and serve as protection from any evil plans that our enemies may plan against us.

Reb Levi Yitzchok Berditchover would recite a special tefilah upon witnessing the women involving themselves in their exhaustive preparations for Pesach. He composed the following 'Yehi‘ratzon’. “Yehi ratzon that the Malachim that emanate from SRW”S (aka scrubbing, rinsing, washing, and, scraping) should rise to the heavenly throne and be a successful arbiter for us”. Obviously, the great Berditchever Rebbe was of the opinion that all the nuances and details of Pesach preparations and cleaning have deep meaning.

Reb Meir Simcha of Dvinsk tells us that it may very well be that the origin for the many, diverse minhagim to be scrupulous in our Pesach preparations dates back to our days spent as slaves in Mitzrayim. The Yidden survived in Mitzrayim and thrived in that galus due to their tenacious adherence to our time-honored traditions of maintaining our Yiddishe identities: our names, clothing and language. Although they were not in full observance of the basic tenets of the Torah, their preservation of gedorim and minhagim sustained them as a people with a Jewish identity. Clinging to our traditions, in effect, erected a barrier to survive as a nation even while being enveloped in the impurities of the land of Egypt. On the contrary, during Galus Bavel, where they were not steadfast in their commitment to their self-made gedorim, and allowed themselves to share the foreign tongue and adjust their names to the prevalent culture to gain the locals’ acceptance, they ended up assimilating and intermarrying with the non-Jewish women.

The strength provided by preserving customs and erecting barriers cannot be underestimated. Our survival as a people hinges on dedication to age-old traditions. Let us remember, as we are cleaning our house, that this tedious and, seemingly, menial labor may be the harbinger to the long-awaited geulah.

What is the meaning of the words ishei Yisroel?

As a part of the brocha of Retzei, we daven that Hashem should accept ishei Yisroel u’tfilosom.  How can we daven for the acceptance of ishei Yisroel (the offerings of Yisroel) if we no longer offer korbonos? There are three explanations given for these words: 1) We are praying for the acceptance of our tefillos, which take the place of korbonos. 2) Ishei Yisroel refers to the sacrifices of the neshamos of tzadikim which are brought by the malach Michoel on the heavenly mizbeyach. The words ishei Yisroel refer to these anshei Yisroel/tzadikim. 3) Ishei Yisroel are the last words of the sentence in which we ask Hashem to restore the service in the Beis Hamikdosh and the ishei Yisroel (the korbonos).  U’tfilosom is the first word of a new sentence, in which we ask Hashem to accept our tefillos.

סי' קכ"א ס"ק א'

When is the appropriate time to say Yihyu L’rotzon?

Chazal instituted that one should say Yihyu L’rotzon after completing Shemoneh Esrei. According to the Shulchan Aruch, Yihyu L’rotzon should be said before starting Elokai Netzor. After saying Yihyu L’rotzon one may respond to any devarim shebekedusha which are permissible to respond to while in the middle of Birchos Kriyas Shema. Rema says that the Minhag Ashkenaz is not to say Yihyu L’rotzon before Elokai Netzor. He rules that one may still respond to devarim shebekedusha even if he did not say Yihyu L’rotzon. The Achronim say that if one anticipates that he will have to respond to a davar shebekedusha while he is in the middle of Elokai Netzor, he should preemptively say Yihyu L’rotzon. Some Achronim say that under all circumstances Yihyu L’rotzon should be said both before and after Elokai Netzor.

סי' קכ"ב ס"א ס"ק א'-ד'

May one learn before he takes three steps back?

If a person has already said the final verse of Yihyu L’rotzon and has not yet taken three steps back, he may answer to all devarim shebekedusha including Boruch Hu U’voruch Shmo. If the congregation reaches Aleinu, he may say it along with them. The poskim disagree about whether he may recite Tehillim at that point. Some hold that he may only recite them if the tzibur is reciting them at that time. The poskim also disagree about whether one may learn out loud or whether one is only permitted to do so in his mind. Writing is permitted even if it is not divrei Torah.

ס"ק ד' ביאורים ומוספים דרשו 9

• Shemoneh Esrei is grouped into three categories: the first three brochos, the middle brochos, and the final three brochos. The first three brochos are, to some extent, considered one brocha, and the same is true for the last three brochos. Therefore, if a person makes a mistake or omits a critical addition in one of these brochos, he must repeat the entire set.

• During Chazoras Hashatz on a Ta’anis Tzibur, the chazan adds an additional brocha of Aneinu. This brocha is inserted between the brochos of Geulah and Refuah. If it was omitted entirely, it is not necessary to repeat Chazoras Hashatz.

• In order to say Aneinu during Chazoras Hashatz, ten people in the minyan must be fasting. According to some Achronim, this only applies to a ta’anis which was instituted for a specific calamity. For the four standard fasts, however, it is sufficient if there are just seven people in the minyan who are fasting.

• Why do we take three steps back at the end of Shemoneh Esrei?

• How long must one stand after Shemoneh Esrei?

• Why do we daven for the return of the Beis Hamikdosh at the end of Shemoneh Esrei?