Wednesday, Nissan 4, 5785 / April 2, 2025
B"H
Wednesday, Nissan 4, 5785 / April 2, 2025
Pesach (Passover) will begin Saturday night, April 12. Pesach is a seven-day holiday in Israel and eight days in the Diaspora.
The holiday of Pesach is associated with the number four. Four questions are asked. The Haggadah speaks of Four sons and we drink Four cups of wine at the Seder.
Q. Why is the Seder connected with the number four?
A. When G-d told Moshe to go liberate the Jewish people from Egypt, He used four expressions of redemption. The four cups of wine at the Seder correspond to the four expressions of redemption mentioned in Exodus (6:6-7):
G-d said to Moshe, "Therefore, say to the Children of Israel: 'I am the L-rd, and I will bring you out ("V'hotzeti") from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you ("V'hitzalti") from their bondage, and I will redeem you ("V'ga’alti") with an outstretched arm and with great judgment. And I will take you ("V'lakachti") to Me for a people and I will be to you a G-d.”
The four expressions of redemption also represent the redemptions of the other exiles in which we found ourselves over the past three thousand years.
Q. Why were cups of wine chosen to commemorate our redemption?
A. In Scriptures, wine is associated with happiness, salvation and redemption. Thus, we celebrate our redemption and salvation through four cups of wine.
Q. What is the reason for filling the "Cup of Eliyahu (Elijah)" at the Seder?
A. The four cups which we drink at the Seder commemorate our past redemption. The "Cup of Eliyahu" symbolizes our future and ultimate redemption with the coming of Moshiach. According to tradition, Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijah the prophet) will be the one to inform us of Moshiach's arrival and the ultimate redemption. Thus, this cup is called, “Cup of Eliyahu.” May it occur speedily in our days!
Q. Why do we open the door at the Seder for Eliyahu (Elijah the Prophet)?
A. As mentioned, The "Cup of Eliyahu" symbolizes our prayer for the ultimate redemption with the coming of Moshiach. Opening the door teaches us that it is not enough to desire Moshiach, but we have to actively do something to hasten the coming of Moshiach and to let him in. In a spiritual sense, every mitzvah and good act we do opens the door for Moshiach a bit wider so that we may merit our ultimate redemption speedily in our days.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
Monday, Nissan 2, 5785 / March 31, 2025
B"H
Monday, Nissan 2, 5785 / March 31, 2025
.Yesterday (Sunday) was Rosh Chodesh Nissan – the first day of the new month, Nissan.
“Nissan” comes from the word, “Nissim” which means miracles. The Talmud tells us that if a person sees the word Nissanin a dream it means that G-d will perform miraclesfor them.
Indeed, the greatest miracle which happened to the Jewish people, the Exodus from Egypt, took place on the 15th day of Nissan.
Until the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt, the month of Tishrei was considered the first month, because the creation of the universe and Adam and Eve took place then. However, at the time of the Exodus G-d designated the month of Nissan as the first month for the Jewish people.
This month of Nissan is also known as, “The Month of Redemption.” The miracle of the redemption from Egyptian exile, which took place on Pesach (Passover), was not only for that generation, but, as we recite in the Haggadah at the Seder, that the miracle was also to us, for had G-d not taken our forefathers out of Egypt, we too would still be enslaved.
The Torah tells us that it was on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, two weeks before the Exodus, that G-d commanded the Jewish people about the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh and to prepare for the Exodus.
Also, the erection and dedication of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) took place on Rosh Chodesh Nissan.
Our sages say, “Just as the first redemption from the exile of Egypt was in the month of Nissan, so too the final redemption will be in the month of Nissan.”
At the Seder after reciting the Kiddush and eating the vegetables dipped in salt water, we breakthe middle matzah of the three matzot. The larger piece we hide for the Afikoman, which will be eaten later. The smaller piece we put back between the two matzot.
Q..Why do we breakthe middlematzah?
A.The Torah refers to matzah as "Lechem oni" - "bread of poverty." A poor man, when he has a loaf of bread will always think about the next meal. He fears that he may not have anything to eat later, so before he eats his meal he usually breaks off a piece and saves it for later. Thus, we leave the smaller piece on the table and recite the story of the Exodus over it – representing the bread of povertywhich the Jewish people ate in Egypt.
May we merit in this month of Nissan to experience our final redemption with the coming of Moshiach. Amen.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
Friday, Adar 28, 5785 / March 28, 2025
B"H
Friday, Adar 28, 5785 / March 28, 2025
This Shabbat we bless the new month Nissan. Rosh Chodesh is one day, beginning Saturday night and Sunday. This Shabbat we again take out two Torah’s from the ark. In the first Torah we read Parshat Pekudei. With this Parsha we conclude the second Book of the Torah – the book of Exodus.
As always when we conclude one of the Five Books of the Torah, the entire congregation rises for the last verse. When the reader finishes the verse everyone calls out the following three words, “Chazak, Chazak, VeNischazek.” It means, “Strengthen, strengthen and we shall be strengthened.” The great mitzvah of concluding a Book of the Torah gives us great strength to continue studying more Torah.
In the second Torah we read Parshat HaChodesh. Parshat HaChodesh is read each year on the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Being that Rosh Chodesh Nissan is Sunday, we read the special reading of Parshat HaChodesh this Shabbat. Parshat HaChodesh is the reading about the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh. From this Shabbat to Pesach is exactly two weeks.
Q. Why do we read about the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh on the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nissan?
A. The mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh, which is celebrated on the beginning of each month, was given to Moshe to relate to the Jewish people, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Rosh Chodesh Nissan was when G-d spoke to Moshe and showed him the reappearance of the new moon. G-d told him that each month when the moon becomes visible again, after being invisible at the end of the month, Jews shall celebrate Rosh Chodesh. In the time of the Holy Temple, special sacrifices were offered on Rosh Chodesh.
G-d told Moshe that the month of Nissan shall be the first of all the months of the year. The reason that G-d made the month of Nissan the first of the months is because in Nissan we were liberated from our Egyptian bondage.
Q. Why do we need to take out two Torahs? We can roll the same Torah from one reading to the other.
A. The law says that when possible we have to minimize wasting the time of the congregation. Thus, we use two Torahs, which have been prepared before to the right place, so as not to have the congregation sit idly at the time of the rolling. If there is no second Torah in the synagogue, then we roll the Torah from one reading to the next.
Q. Is there any significance to the name Nissan?
A. Nissan comes from the word, NES, which means MIRACLE. Indeed, the greatest miracle was when G-d liberated us from Egyptian bondage and the many miracles He performed which led to our Exodus.
“Ness” also means to be lifted on HIGH. In this month, with the Exodus, we were lifted from the lowest of low to the highest of high, when G-d chose us as His people and His nation.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 7:00 / Shabbat ends: 8:03
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
Thursday, Adar 27, 5785 / March 27, 2025
B"H
Thursday, Adar 27, 5785 / March 27, 2025
The holiday of Pesach will begin Saturday night, April 12th.Due to the fact that this year the day before Pesach is on Shabbat, we do things differently this year than in other years when the day before Pesach is on a weekday.
In a regular year we search for the Chametz with a candle or flashlight on the night before the Seder and burn it the next day. However, this year, because the night before the seder is Friday night (Shabbat) when handling fire or electronics is prohibited, we search for the Chametz on Thursday night and burn it on Friday morning.
Also, the fast of the first-born, which is usually on the day before Pesach, is moved up from Friday to Thursday. In order for the first born not to have to fast, we attend a “Sium.” A Sium is when someone finishes learning a tractate of the Talmud. One who is a first-born, should attend a Sium in shul on Thursday morning, April 10.
Q.Why is Chametz on Pesach different than all other non-kosher products. Other non-kosher products which are forbidden to eat, one can still own them, while Chametz we have to get rid of before Pesach by burning, destroying or selling to a non-Jew?
A.All other non-kosher products are non-kosher ALL year long, thus a person remembers to be careful not to eat them. Chametz is kosher all year long but is only forbidden on the seven days of Pesach in Israel, or eight days in the Diaspora. Our sages were concerned that if one is in possession of Chametz during the Pesach holiday, they may forget and eat it on Pesach, just as they eat it all year long. Therefore they decreed that we must get rid of it and make sure it’s not in our possession and out of sight.
Q.What is the reason for the fast of the first-born before Pesach?
A. This is in commemoration of the great miracle that when G-d killed every first-born Egyptian, all first-born Jews were spared the plague.
Q. What is the significance of the threematzot on the Seder Plate?
A.1) They represent the three categories of the Jewish people: Kohen, Levi and Yisrael.
2) They also represent the three patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Q. Why do many prefer to use roundmatzot for the Seder Plate?
A. The Torah refers to the Matzot as, “Ugot Matzot” – “Ugah” is a description of something that is round. Thus, many will use round matzot for the Seder plate.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
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