When describing the sacrifices, the Torah uses expressions such as "lechem ishe laHashem" "it is the food of the fire of Hashem" (Vayikra 3:11). This does not, G-d forbid, imply that Hashem is in need of our sacrifices for His "daily bread". David Hamelech is very clear on this point: "haochal besar abirim vedam atudim eshte" "Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?" (Tehillim 50:13). All of us know that we cannot speak of Hashem in physical terms! This "bread" is not for Him, but for us - man has a natural need to give. This is especially true when speaking of Hashem, we are totally indebted to Him and thus feel the need, G-d forbid, to somehow remove some of that indebtedness. Although it is far from human comprehension to even begin to understand what Hashem had in mind when commanding us to offer sacrifices, this is how it has been explained. Hashem has created the appearance as if we are actually giving to Him, although we know He has no need for anything. 

A more general question would be, why is it that Hashem places us in this world, would it not have made more sense to have us immediately enter the next world rather than pass through the long corridor of the present world? Hashem placed us in this world with instructions to observe the Torah and Mitzvot in order that we should feel that we have earned our share in the next world. Hashem did not wish us to arrive at the next world with the embarrassing feeling that we were given a handout and were only placed there through His grace. Hashem has no need for our sacrifices or for anything else we do for Him. 

The Messilat Yesharim describes this world as a constant tug of war. For example, too much wealth can lead to improper behavior and having our faith put to test, on the other hand so can poverty. Peace and serenity also come along with their drawbacks, as does pain and suffering. No matter which side one is on, the situation is not ideal - this world is a constant tug of war. In my humble opinion, most difficult of all is trying to understand the relationship between "bitachon", faith and confidence in Hashem, and "hishtadlut", human effort. Man sees that his labor bears fruits, all the while he is told that it is not he who deserves any credit. We are told to give "tzdaka" to the poor, to the extent that failure to give holds us accountable for the poor man's life. On the other hand, we must believe with all our heart and soul that: "kol mezonotav shel adam ktzuvim lo meRosh Hashana" "all of a person's income is fixed from Rosh Hashana" (Beitza 16a). This adage includes the poor person, thus if one does not give to charity, Hashem will find other means to support the poor. "Hayad Hashem tiktzar?" "Is the hand of Hashem limited?" (Bamidbar 11:23), after all (Bamidbar 14:23), "harbei shluchim laMakom" "Hashem has many messengers". 

We are forbidden to rely solely on "bitachon" - would we for a minute think that it is acceptable to sit back, close our eyes and have faith that Shmura Matzah will descend from heaven? We must put in our own effort! All the while realizing that Hashem is providing everything for us, it only appears as if we are accomplishing anything. It is evident from Yeshayahu that we are not in control of anything: "Hashem tishpot shalom lanu ki gam kol maasenu paalta lanu" "Hashem, arrange peace for us, even as You brought about whatever happened to us" (Yeshayahu 26:12). 
David Hamelech collected funds from the people for the construction of the Beit Hamikdash. The people, including David himself, gave very generously, and a celebration was made to honor their generosity. At that celebration David announced: "ki miyadcha hakol umiyadcha natanu lach" "For everything is from You, and from Your hand have we given to You" (Divrei Hayamim I 29:14). We do not have our own gold and silver, the people were given them by Hashem and they gave them back to Him to construct His house. What could He possibly need? If He needed money He could instantly produce more money than existed since the time of creation. What Hashem wants is that in our hearts we desire to give: "Rachmana liba bai". 
Hashem not only provided us with the funds that we used to construct the Beit Hamikdash, Hashem gives us our very existence! Can we lift our arms up without His assistance? The Mishna states: "ratza Hakadosh Baruch hu lezakot et Yisrael lefichach hirba lahem Torah uMitzvot" "Hashem desired to grant merit to Israel" therefore he multiplied for them Torah and commandments" (Makkot perek 3, Mishna 16). As the Mishna states, Hashem does not need our Torah and Mitzvot, through His tremendous generosity He provided us with a way that we can feel that our Torah, Mitzvot, and general acts of "chesed" are what gain us entry into the next world. We do not do anything on our own, Hashem provides us with life as well as with the Torah and Mitzvot. 

Dealing with this tug of war is very difficult for man, yet we have no choice but to try to win this battle. It is only when our sacrifices are brought with their proper intention and fulfilled properly, that they are a "reiach nichoach laHashem" "a satisfying aroma to Hashem" (Vayikra 1:13). The term "nichoach" used when commandments are fulfilled properly, means that we have provided a "nachat ruach", satisfaction, to Hashem. 

The sacrifice accomplishes far more than simply bringing an animal on the altar. The term "korban" comes from the word "karov", close. Offering a "korban" serves to bring one closer ("lekarev") to His Creator. The Messilat Yesharim adds that when a sacrifice is brought upon the altar, that entire species is blessed. When one individual brings an ox, all oxen in the world are blessed. This is based on the Gemara that tells us that the reason the Omer was brought on Pesach was: "kdei shetitbarech lachem tevua shebasadot" "so that your produce in the fields may be blessed" (Rosh Hashana 16a). The "shtei halechem" were brought on Shavuot "mipnei sheAtzeret zman peirot hailan hu, amar HaKadosh Baruch Hu haviu lefanai shtei halechem beAtzeret kdei sheyitbarchu lachem peirot hailan" "Shavuot is the season for fruit of the tree, Hashem said: 'bring Me two loaves on Shavuot so that the fruit of your trees may be blessed'" (ibid.). "Nisuch hamayim" was done on Sukkot: "kdei sheyitbarchu lachem gishmei shana" "so that your rains this year may be blessed" (ibid.). The Gemara also tells us that so long as wine was used in the Beit Hamikdash with the sacrifices, the wine in Yehuda did not sour. Yaakov's blessing to Yehuda involved wine, and the portion of Yehuda was where the wine and sacrifices came from. This procedure of "nisuch hayayin" served to prevent any wine from turning sour unless one attempted to do so intentionally. 

Although Hashem has no need for our sacrifices, our redemption from Egypt was a direct result of them. The wicked son asks: "ma haavoda hazot lachem" "what is this service to you" (Shmot 12:26). The Haggadah deduces from there: "lachem velo lo, ilu haya sham lo haya nigal" "for you, and not for him; had he been there he would not have been redeemed". One who did not serve Hashem by performing the Mitzvot of Pesach, Matzah, and Marror was unable to leave Egypt. 

The giving of the Torah at Har Sinai also had a sacrifice associated with it: "kortei briti alei zevach" "sealers of My covenant through sacrifice" (Tehillim 50:5). Moshe took the blood and threw it on the Jewish people in order to atone for the nation and said: "hinei dam habrit asher karat Hashem imachem al kol hadevarim haele" "Behold the blood of the covenant that Hashem sealed with you concerning all matters" (Shmot 24:8). The sacrifices were the means to receive the Torah. Once we understand that the sacrifices are not to proved for Hashem's needs, G-d forbid, but rather a means of attaining a closeness with Him, only then are we able to leave Egypt, receive the Torah, and provide blessing for all species in the world. 
The Bible critics claim to have "discovered" a contradiction in the Tanach. On the one hand the Torah commands us to offer sacrifices, on the other hand the prophets bemoan our bringing them. This, of course, is utter nonsense! The prophet Shmuel was the first to cry out: "hachefetz laHashem beolot uzvachim" "Does Hashem delight in elevation-offerings and feast-offerings?" (Shmuel I 15:22). Hashem's response to him was: "eglat bakar tikach beyadecha ve-amarta lizboach laHashem bati" "Take along a heifer and say: 'I have come to bring an offering to Hashem'" (Shmuel I 16:2). It was said of the same Shmuel who cried out that Hashem does not want our sacrifices: "ki hu yevarech hazevach" "he blesses the offering" (Shmuel I 9:13). There is no contradiction here! Sacrifices are proper when the thoughts that go along with them are proper. It is those offered without the proper intention which are referred to by: "hachefetz laHashem beolot uzvachim". 

Shmuel then asked Shaul whether he truly believes that offering a sacrifice that Hashem did not command him to bring will be to any avail. Shmuel told him that this will not work: "ki chatat kesem meri" "for rebelliousness is like the sin of sorcery" (Shmuel I 15:23). A sacrifice on its own does not accomplish anything unless it has Hashem's approval, otherwise it is no better than sorcery. Sacrifices brought as fulfillment of Hashem's commandment are what takes effect: the exodus from Egypt, the giving of the Torah, the Mishkan was dedicated with sacrifices - the entire function of the Mishkan was to provide a place in which to bring the sacrifices. When the Jewish people entered the land of Israel, one of the first things Yehoshua commanded them was to bring sacrifices in Har Eval and the Korban Pesach in Gilgal. We see that even the land of Israel is acquired via "korbanot". These "korbanot" only serve a purpose when brought for the right reason. 

One who brings an offering must realize that there is nothing he can give to Hashem. He should feel that he would go so far as to offer himself upon the altar, yet Hashem already told Avraham at Har Hamoriah that this is not what He wants: "al tishlach yadcha el hanaar" "do not stretch out your hand against the lad" (Bereishit 22:12). We should feel, however, that had Hashem desired that we sacrifice ourselves that we would be willing to do so. This is the desired approach to a sacrifice. The "korban chatat", sin offering, is a statement one makes that it is really he himself who should be brought upon the altar for having belittled the honor of Heaven. Hashem, in His infinite mercy, has decreed that one may bring an animal or at times even flour for a "mincha" in the person's stead. Hashem has no need for our offerings, we need it for our own atonement and to become closer to Him. 

The Mishna states: "al shlosha devarim haolam omed al haTorah, ve-al haavoda, ve-al gemillut chasadim" "On three things the world stands: on the Torah, on the Temple service, and on deeds of lovingkindness" (Pirke Avot 1:2). There are six hundred thirteen Mitzvot, yet it was these three that were singled out as supporting the world. These three are categories of ways to cleave to Hashem. The study of Torah is the way to accomplish this on an intellectual level. A human being cannot begin to understand Hashem's "thoughts". We do not even know what "thought" means when speaking of Him. Some of this wisdom is "clothed" in the Torah in all its many facets, the revealed and the hidden Torah - the various ways of understanding it and deriving from it. Even those able to uncover hidden parts of the Torah do not come close to truly understanding what Hashem is "thinking". The Torah is described: "Elokim hevin darka" "Only G-d understands its way" (Iyov 28:23). Any knowledge amassed by R' Shimon bar Yochai, the Ar"i, the Gr"a, even Moshe Rabenu the master of all prophets, is insignificant compared to what Hashem knows and understands. We must understand that the Torah is completely perfect: "Torat Hashem temima" (Tehillim 19:8) and we were each given it to understand in accordance with our own level. A child in first grade understands the Torah on his level, whereas Moshe Rabenu understood it and taught it on another level. This Torah study is the way in which we intellectually cleave to Hashem. 

Emotionally, we cleave to Him via the sacrifices. An offering is brought as a demonstration of our desire to become close to Him, it is really ourselves that we wish to sacrifice. Today, we do not have the sacrifices, so our prayers fill this role. When we daven we are speaking to Him face to face. We praise Him as a child praises his father and we make requests of Him as a child does his father. It may appear at times that He does not hear our prayers and supplications, this is because a father may feel that what the child wants is not beneficial for him at this time. If a child were to ask his father for permission to play outside, the father may turn down this request because it is currently raining outside. By the same token Hashem does what is truly good for us, we only think we know what is good for us. He certainly hears our prayers. 

The Torah is His way of telling us what He wants from us, our prayers are our way of communicating with Him. Our prayers serve to elevate us as well. It is highly possible that there was something we were not worthy of asking for previously, and our prayers raised us to a higher level that now we are worthy of it. Avraham Avinu began beseeching Hashem on behalf of Sodom, by saying that it would be a tremendous "chilul Hashem" to wipe out Sodom should it contain fifty righteous people. As he continued to pray, he attained the level where he was able to ask for Sodom to be spared on behalf of only forty five righteous people, then forty, and so forth down to ten. Prayer elevates us and each time brings us closer to Hashem. 
Despite the fact that the people at the foot of Har Sinai were dancing before the Golden Calf, Moshe prayed on behalf of the Jewish people, resulting in: "vayinachem Hashem al haraa asher diber laasot le-amo" "Hashem reconsidered regarding the evil that He declared He would do to His people" (Shmot 32:14). Moshe's prayers served to elevate the Jewish people to the extent that they were forgiven despite the gravity of their sin. When Moshe descended he began to deal with those who worshipped the calf, but not before his prayers accomplished: "vayinachem Hashem". 

Acts of "gemillut chasadim" are ways in which we cleave to His actions. As much as we are able to comprehend, Hashem created the world in order to do "chesed" with His creations. If there were no creations there would not be anyone in the world to do "chesed" with. Hashem's creations take on many forms: inanimate, animate, growing, living creatures, those able to speak, non-Jews, and "lehavdil" Jews, with the express purpose of performing acts of "chesed" in accordance with the needs of each group. Although we cannot study the Rambam with a school of fish, we can give them bread crumbs. With our fellow Jews we can study the Rambam. Thus acts of "chesed" are done in response to the need. Chazal in the Zohar tell us that all attributes are rooted in that of "chesed". Even the attribute of judgment, which we sometimes witness in its most terrible form, is rooted in "chesed". This is because the world cannot function with anarchy: "laasot kirtzon ish vaish" "to do according to each man's pleasure" (Esther 1:8). Many evil people wish to ruin the world, Hashem therefore created the attribute of judgment as an act of "chesed" for the world as a whole. Everything Hashem does for us is a favor: "tov lehodot laHashem" "it is good to thank Hashem" (Tehillim 92:2). Even death is ultimately good and is rooted in Hashem's "chesed" for the world. The three categories mentioned, are three areas in which we can cleave to Hashem. 

The Messilat Yesharim describes the world according to the Braita of R' Pinchas ben Yair. Torah brings us to "zehirut", caution, and so forth. There are several versions of this Braita, the Messilat Yesharim has as the highest level - Kedusha, sanctity. Kedusha means having one's thoughts only on Hashem even when involved in worldly matters. The Rambam in the Moreh Nebuchim claims that only four were able to attain this level: Moshe Rabenu and the forefathers. The Rambam does tell us, however, that every prophet attained some degree of having his thoughts concentrated in the the upper hemispheres and freed from the vanities of this world. 
Mitzvot are the method in which we cleave to Hashem, each and every Jew on his level. Those who cannot reach such a level should cleave to Talmidei Chachamim who follow in the attributes of Hashem. The Messilat Yesharim states that we should yearn for total "dvekut", cleaving to Him. This is a very difficult level to attain. Only one on the level of "Kedusha" is able to sanctify the material world. On our levels, we should only hope and pray that the materialism of the world does not contaminate us, how can we even begin to think of sanctifying the material world? 

"Dvekut", the level we should strive for, means to be totally "davuk", clinging to Hashem. If an object is resting on a table, I can remove it whenever I wish. If, however, it has been glued on to such an extent that it is permanently stuck then I am unable to separate it. "Dvekut" does not mean to stand before Hashem while reciting Shmone Esrei take our three steps back, and all the "dvekut" is forgotten (if we haven't forgotten it during the Shmone Esrei!), this type of cleaving is very shaky indeed. Our "dvekut" must be as two things stuck together that cannot be separated. I am of course not speaking of myself, I am only repeating what is written in the Messilat Yesharim - what our ultimate goal should be. If the army wished to wage war and capture a particular place, it is important to first know what the destination is whether it be Beirut or Damascus. This is important information even prior to our arrival, for if we are planning to go to Beirut we may wish to enlist the assistance of the navy, more so than had we planned to go to Damascus. Our goal and destination is to become close to Hashem, each in accordance with his own level: "lefum darga dilei". The Mishna provides us with three methods of attaining that goal: Torah, Avoda, and Gmillut Chassadim. 

The purpose of learning the Torah is not only to attain "dvekut" with Hashem while in the midst of learning. Our study of the Torah must serve to influence us even at times we are not engaged in learning. Our bodies require food and sleep, and there are times and situations in which learning is forbidden, yet in essence learning must provide a way in which we constantly cleave to Hashem and thus perfect our souls. Acts of "chesed" are not something that are only to be performed sometimes. We, of course, cannot be exclusively involved in acts of "chesed", after all we must learn, eat, and sleep as well. The idea of "chesed", however, should be so ingrained in us that we should always seek the opportunity to do so - the "chesed" should constantly cling to us. 

The Avoda must be such that we feel: "shiviti Hashem lenegdi tamid hu klal gadol baTorah" "I have set Hashem before me always (Tehillim 16:8). It should not only be when I daven that I feel as if I am standing before Hashem, I must feel this way always. The Rama begins the Shulchan Aruch with this pasuk, though we must realize that this is not simply an Ashkenazic "chumra". The pasuk was first said by David Hamelech and the continuation of the Rama is taken from the Rambam in Moreh Nebuchim: "hu klal gadol baTorah uvemaalot hatzadikkim" "this is a great rule of the Torah and of the positive attributes of the righteous". Our goal is to feel that Hashem is constantly opposite us. 

The Yeshiva in Kfar Chasidim, as was customary in many Yeshivot today, would daven Shacharit at 6:30 or 7:00. Despite this R' Eliyahu Lopian zt"l would arise each morning before Alot Hashachar. The students inquired as to why he felt the need to awaken so long before davening, to which he replied that the Shulchan Aruch begins with "sheyehi hu meorer hashachar" "that he should awaken the morning". R' Eliyahu feared that after one hundred twenty years when reaching the "olam haemet", the World of Truth world, the heavenly court will go through every paragraph in Shulchan Aruch and asked whether or not he fulfilled it to his utmost. He felt that it would put him in a very uncomfortable position to be caught not fulfilling the very first paragraph of the Shulchan Aruch! 

The same can be said for us regarding "shiviti Hashem lenegdi tamid". It is hard for us to fulfill the "tamid", but we should do our utmost to feel as much as we can the "shiviti Hashem lenegdi" - that we are His servants and are facing Him. This is especially true here in the land of Israel, the land of: "eretz asher Hashem Elokecha doresh ota tamid eini Hashem Elokecha ba" "a land that Hashem, your G-d, seeks out; the eyes of Hashem, your G-d, are always upon it" (Devarim 11:12). Hashem is constantly thinking of us and watching us, we should try to think of Him as much as we can. 

The goal of eating Matzah and retelling the story of the exodus, is not that we should only remember the exodus at the seder. The Torah in fact tells us: "lo tochal alav chametz shivat yamim tochal alav matzot lechem oni ki bechipazon yatzata meEretz Mitzrayim lemaan tizkor et yom tzetcha meEretz Mitzrayim kol yemei chayecha" "You shall not eat leavened bread with it, for seven days you shall eat Matzot because of it, bread of affliction, for you departed from the land of Egypt in haste - so that you will remember the day of your departure from the land of Egypt all the days of your life" (Devarim 16:3). My Rebbe, HaRav Shlesinger zt"l founder of Kol Torah, once said that the pasuk is telling us that the eating of the Matzah should enable us to remember the exodus all the days of our lives. The halacha of "ein maftirin achar haPesach Afikoman" "one may not eat dessert after the Pesach offering" (Pesachim 119b), aids in insuring that we remember the exodus our entire lives. The story of the exodus is not something that we recite once a year and then go to sleep. The halacha requires us to remember the exodus every day and night of our lives. We must recognize the great hand of Hashem that was involved, the "mida keneged mida" "measure for measure" (Shabbat 105b) that was used when punishing the Egyptians. We witnessed for ourselves that nature means nothing. Water can be turned to blood, what is water for a Jew is blood for an Egyptian. If water is not water then a "shtender" is not a "shtender". It is only when it is Hashem's wish that it be a "shtender" that it is indeed one. If Hashem were to decide that it no longer be a "shtender" then it would cease to be one. The material world is not the real world, the real world is that of of Torah and Mitzvot. 

We recite daily: "velo taturu acharei levavchem ve-acharei eineichem" "do not explore after your heart and after your eyes after which you stray" (Bamidbar 15:39). How is it possible not to follow our eyes? Should we close our eyes, and risk G-d forbid, crossing on a red light? We must follow what our eyes tell us, while at the same time realizing that there is a world beyond what our eyes see. The spies saw the land of Israel as one with "arim betzurot gedolot meod vegam yelidei haanak" "the cities are very greatly fortified, and also the offspring of the giant" (Bamidbar 13:28). This, however, is meaningless for Hashem can make these fortified cities desolate. We know that the walls of Yericho in fact collapsed. The mistake of the spies was to follow the dictates of their eyes without realizing that in the Heavens, these cities are as nothing. 

We are about to begin our "Bein Hazmanim" recess. The winter "zman" was long and our bodies need a rest, in addition our parents need our assistance in getting the house ready for Pesach. With all this in mind, we must not lose sight of all that we have gained while in the Yeshiva. To cleave to Hashem does not mean to do so for five months and then suddenly forget about Torah, Mitzvot, and davening. We know that "uledavka bo" "and to cleave to Him" (Devarim 11:22) is not a "Mitzvat asei shehazman grama", a Mitzvah that is time dependent. It must remain with us throughout the "Bein Hazmanim" period. We may need a break but our rest will not suffer if we spend a bit of time learning - to be "kove-a itim leTorah", set aside time for Torah study. 

The requirement to learn is particularly true during the seven days of Pesach. There is a requirement of "chetzyo lachem", half of it for yourselves, but there is also a requirement of "chetzyo laHashem", half of it for Hashem. The Rambam seems to say that literally half the day must be spent in learning, not simply the five minutes between Mincha and Maariv. 

A young man once asked the Chazon Ish whether one should learn as much during Bein Hazmanim as during the zman itself. The Chazon Ish answered no! Just twelve hours a day would be sufficient! I am not only referring to Pesach itself, but the entire Bein Hazmanim period. The Mitzvah of davening is not limited to times when the Yeshiva is in session. One must not forget to daven at the appropriate times and with a Minyan. Our Pesach davening can be one in which we strengthen the feeling that we are standing face to face with the King of kings. Although the entire year we recite: "MiMitzrayim ge-altanu umibeit avadim peditanu kol bechoreihem haragta uvechorcha gaalta" "from Egypt You redeemed us, Hashem, our G-d, and from the house of slavery You liberated us. All their firstborn You slew, but Your firstborn You redeemed", on Pesach we live it. On the Seventh day, our reciting of the Shira should not simply be quoting of psukim said by Moshe Rabenu many years ago. We must feel as if we are now crossing the sea, Chazal tell us that whoever recites the Shira as if he is actually crossing the sea is very meritorious. 

Although this is not completely related to this sicha, once we are speaking of the Shira, I would like to offer a "pshat" in it. The Torah tells us: "az yashir Moshe uvnei Yisrael et hashira hazot laHashem vayomru lemor" "Then Moshe and the Children of Israel chose to sing this song to Hashem, and they said the following" (Shmot 15:1). Why did the Torah feel the need to refer to the song as "hazot", this song, it would have sufficed to tell us that Moshe and the Children of Israel sang the following ("hazot", this song, implies that it is as opposed to another song)? Secondly, the song contains the phrase "amar oyev erdof asig" "The enemy declared, I will pursue, I will overtake" (ibid. 9). Is there nothing else to attribute to the enemy? Why is there no mention of the years of bondage and all the terrible decrees against the Jewish people? Chazal tell us that the Jewish people recited the Hallel in Egypt: "hallelu avdei Hashem," "Give praise, you servants of Hashem (Tehillim 113:1), they were thankful that they were servants of Hashem: "velo avdei Pharaoh" "and not servants of Pharaoh" (Megillah 14a). From these words of Chazal we can answer our questions. This Shira was as opposed to the one said while in Egypt, and is only a celebration of fleeing the enemy while being pursued, the Hallel was sung to celebrate freedom from the many years of bondage. 

The halacha dictates that at the Seder: "bechol dor vador chayav adam lirot et atzmo keilu hu yatza miMitzrayim" "In every generation a person is obligated to look at himself as though he departed from Egypt" (Pesachim 116b). The Rambam adds: "keilu hu _ata_ yatza miMitzrayim" "as if he has just now departed from Egypt", this is not an event that occurred long ago. We must work at strengthening these emotions and feelings. During Bein Hazmanim we have more opportunity for acts of Gemillut Chassadim. If we strengthen our Torah, Avoda, and Gemillut Chassadim then with Hashem's help we will merit that our "dvekut" via Avoda will be by offering sacrifices: the Tamid, Musaf, Pesach, Omer, Re-iah, Chagiga, Simcha, and other obligatory sacrifices that are missing from our lives. 

What would happen to the land of Israel if the entire nation would make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. What would the army do? The Torah insures us that we need not worry: "velo yachmod ish et artzecha baalotcha leraot et pnei Hashem Elokecha shalosh pe-amim bashana" "no man will covet your land when you go up to appear before Hashem, your G-d, three times a year" (Shmot 34:24). If we merit ascending for the festival then we will have peace and security. What is most important is "dvekut" to Hashem. Pesach, after all is the festival with the great song of "dvekut" - Shir Hashirim which some recite following the Seder and some on Shabbat Chol Hamoed. This song refers to the "dvekut" between Hashem and the Jewish people. May we merit seeing this great "dvekut" come true and the Divine Presence shall return to Zion speedily in our day. Amen.