Zli at the Seder 1

Given in the days of our Holy Temple, we were commanded to Roast a Lamb with some very strict restrictions as to HOW.  E.G. there could be no liquid, a special skewer or spit was required etc.  Roasted had to be 100% roasted without any liquid whatsoever and the meat could not touch anything except its embedded pomegranate skewer.

Since the destruction of the Temple two divergent Minhaggim evolved

1. To EAT roasted meat in commemoration of the Paschal Offering
2. To AVOID EATING roasted meat in commemoration of the LOSS of the Temple and the Paschal Offering

This is not such an unusual phenomenon, i.e. that the same event or cause triggered diverse reactions all with the same underlying intent.

These diverse Minhaggim have legal weight wherever there is a bona fide "Minhag Hamaqom"  For someone to eat Roasted Meat where the local Minhag prohibits that can incur Rabbinical lashes - Makkat Mardut!  So this is no trivial matter at all. The Minhag haMaqom is tantamount to local LAW more than it is to be considered a mere custom.

In a future post, we will examine some of the parameters of the this Minhag.

Kol tuv

RRW

Previously Published on Yahoo on  Tue Apr 7, 2009 12:02 am