In memory of Rabbi Hanoch zts"l

• Author: Rabbi Eliezer Melamed
• Published date: 08 June 2021
• Date: 08 June 2021
• Publication title: Israel National News (Israel)

About a month before Pesach, it became known that Rabbi Hanoch's condition had deteriorated greatly, and his days were numbered. His friends were called to pray for his health. My father and teacher, Shlita, told me sadly that his condition was very bad, but that nevertheless, he was meticulously careful to pray with a minyan in the earliest vatikin Morning Prayer service every day. Since it was very difficult for him to manage, he had to get up an hour and a half before prayers began. On weekdays, R. Musa Cohen, a rabbi in the Mechina, helped him with the preparations, and brought him in a wheelchair for prayer in the yeshiva, and on Shabbatot, his eldest son, Shlomo (the worthy and talented journalist) would do so.

Before Pesach, I had thought that his powers had already faded, and then suddenly I received an email from him: "Shalom Aleichem. In these past months, I have been dealing with the disease in my chest. Unfortunately, the disease got worse. Eating is difficult for me, therefore, I am asking about Seder night. Despite my situation, I very much want fulfill the mitzvah le-chatchila (optimally):

1) How much do I need to drink from each of the four cups? The entire cup or most of the cup? In what amount of time? I am not able to drink all at once; even in normal situations, I drink in gulps.

2) The same question regarding the ke'zatim (olive size) measurement of eating. I would be happy to receive the answer regarding eating parts of matzah – I eat Yerushalmi machine-made matzah. I don't think I will be able to eat hand-made matzah. Thank you very much, and have a joyful and kosher Chag, and may we merit, Be'ezrat Hashem, to have a refuah shleima (a complete healing), and eat from the zevachim and Pesachim (Pesach sacrifices in the Temple)."

My answer: "To the very dear Rabbi Hanoch, Shlita. Regarding the cups, each cup should contain 75 ml, and you should drink most of the cup. Le-chatchila, you should drink this measure in a minute. Be'sha'at ha-tzorech (when necessary), you may drink it in six and a half minutes, and in a sha'at ha-dachak (stressful situation), nine minutes."

"It is better to use a cup that is not much larger than this measurement, but even if the cup is larger, it is enough to drink about 40 ml, which is most of a re'vi'it."

"Concerning eating a ke'zayit of matzah: in order to make the blessing over the matzah, le-chatchila, one has to eat a third of a machine-made matzah (which is the volume of half an egg according to the...