wine 2k and beyond

4CUPS OF WHAT?

The 4 cups are said to be expressions of G-d redeeming us . For every way that G-d

promised to deliver us we drink to that with a full cup of wine. These are called the 4 expressions of geulah!

The question we all pose is “WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL “?

So what if these 4 ways G-d expressed the redemptive process. What difference does it make for us ?

Among the answers are that the 4 expressions indicate that G-d was predicting 4 more exiles and that there would be 4 more redemptions! For each of these we drink a cup of wine. In truth however ,we should drink 5 cups of wine as we also survived Egypt. That’s the reason we also have the fifth cup of Elijah on the table because in essence , we should really have 5 cups. Only since the redemption from the last exile hasn’t been fulfilled we must wait for Elijah to herald in the coming of Moshiach.

There are other symbolisms of the wine cup. Just as there is a cup of blessing so to is there a cup of wrath

to be poured out for the wicked .Thus there is a cup of life and blessing for those participating in the seder , there is another cup for those who want to harm us. In the future , the enemies of Israel will drink 4 cups of anger.

There are 4 letters to the Holy Name of G-d , 4 holy Worlds and 4 forms of physical existence. On each level we drink a cup of blessing!

On a mystical note , the word for wine is yayin which is a 3 letter word with a numeral equivalent of 70.

The same number are in the word sod or secret . This is also the association of wine with spilling secrets . As the Rabbis say ,when yayin enters it expels secrets! Ordinarily this means get someone drunk and secrets will be told. However it could also imply that wine is the medium for the revelation of G-d’s secrets. Thus, as we enjoy the seder, we should be open to receiving mystical insights.

Interesting that the word cup has a numerical equivalent of 86 . Together with wine’s 70 that makes 156 for a cup of wine .

This is equal to the number for Yosef=Joseph who was a master at unraveling secret information. It also is the number for Zion which is the essence of our souls. They both equal 156.

On another note the number 156 equals the number of windings on the 4 tzitzit in our Tallis . This number

Is 4 times 39 which represents the comprehensive expression of G-d’s mercy ! G-d’s mercy is invoked whenever we seek salvation or revelation . Thus the seder cups are chanells for receiving new wisdom.

This tells us that what we have learned until now isn’t enough . We need to broaden our horizons and the most enjoyable way to do so is with a glass of wine!