Pesach: Letter of Rav Shimshon Ostropoli

AI summary (may contain mistakes)

How do we decode the Arizal's hidden words on the makkos? The letter of Rav Shimshon of Ostropoli, a mekubal, printed in many Haggadahs, finds the 3,280 malachei chabala, their rakiim of tumah and their sarim hinted in the Haggadah's own words and gematrios. The makkos were a blow to Mitzrayim and a refuah for Klal Yisrael. The letter calls learning it once a year a segula for protection and success.

Key points

• Rav Shimshon's letter matches the 3,280 destructive malachim to the gematria of all ten makkos.
• The count uses the Torah's spelling: kinim without yud, arov and choshech without vav.
• The makkos' rashi teivos equal 501, the gematria of the sar's name and of asher.
• In the letter, each Tanna's count of makkos follows a name matching his own name's gematria.
• One sefer has Hashem Himself bring the makkos, since Rashi says a malach does one shlichus.

In this shiur

1. 0:00Rav Shimshon of Ostropoli's letter
2. 7:17A Seder mashal
3. 10:023,280 malachim and the makkos' gematria
4. 12:34Third, fourth and ninth missing letters
5. 15:05Rakiim of tumah and their sarim
6. 20:20Rashi teivos and the word asher
7. 22:38Gematria of the Tannaim's names
8. 30:16Blow and healing in the makkos
9. 38:53Mashal of the lottery winner

Topics

• Makkos
• Haggadah
• Gematria
• Pesach