B"H
Tuesday, Nissan 1, 5784 / April 9, 2024
Today is Rosh Chodesh Nissan - the first day of the month, Nissan.
As in every Rosh Chodesh the morning service is longer than usual. We recite the Hallel, we read from the Torah and recite the Musaf prayer.
In the five Books of the Torah, the months have no names (the names for the months were given later). In the Torah the months are identified by numbers. The Hebrew calendar begins with Nissan which is called the "first month".
The Torah tells us that the holiday of Pesach (Passover) is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month. Rosh Hashana is on the first day of the seventh month and Yom Kippur on the tenth day of the seventh month. The reason that all the months are referred to by number is also connected with the holiday of Pesach and the Exodus.
The Torah commands us that we must remember the Exodus all the days of our life. It is one of the six remembrances which a Jew must remember each day.
In the Haggadah, after recounting the enslavement and liberation of our people in Egypt, we recite, "In every generationone is obligated to view himself as if he has gone out from Egypt..."
One way to remember and integrate the Exodus into our daily activities is by counting the months by numbers. In this way, each month is in relation to the first month, Nissan. For example, Tishrei is the seventh month from Nissan. Thus, we always remember the month of Nissan and, by implication, its significance, the Exodus from Egypt.
On this day, Rosh Chodesh Nissan, in the year 2448 (in the Hebrew calendar), which was two weeks before their Exodus, Jews in Egypt were given their first mitzvah, the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh. Rosh Chodesh signifies the power of the moon, which becomes visible on Rosh Chodesh. Jews are compared to the moon. We saw the power of the moon yesterday with the eclipse, as it blocked out the mighty sun.
On Rosh Chodesh Nissan in the year 2449, a year after the Exodus, Moshe erected the Mishkan and dedicated it. The month of Nissan is a special month. We do not recite the prayers of supplication (Tachnun) during the entire month.
The word "Nissan" comes from the Hebrew word "Nes" - "miracle". Indeed, this is a special month in which the greatest of all miracles took place for the Jewish people. The Talmud tells us that if someone sees the word "Nissan" in a dream, then miracles will happen to him. May this "Nissan" truly be a month of miracles for everyone, especially for our brothers and sisters in Israel, in all aspects of their lives. May the hostages be freed and return to their families to celebrate Pesach together. Amen.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY & WONDERFUL CHODESH
UNITED WE STAND IN PRAYER FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL
& FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CAPTIVES. MAY THEY BE RELEASED NOW.
B"H
Monday, Adar2- 29, 5784 / April 8, 2024
Questions & Answers about the Pesach Seder
Q. On Shabbat and holidays, we eat the meal right after reciting the Kiddush. Yet, at the Seder after the Kiddush we recite the Haggadah before the meal. Why don't we eat the meal immediately after the Kiddush and then recite the Haggadah?
A. The rabbis instituted this order to make sure that the participants stay awake for the entire Seder. If we eat the meal first, there is a good chance that people will become drowsy and not perform the Seder properly. Performing the Seder and telling the story of Passover is a very important mitzvah, thus, we perform this important mitzvah first and then eat the meal. Many people make the mistake of emphasizing the Seder meal and making the religious part of the Seder secondary. The reverse is the proper way. While the delicious meal is important, the religious park of the Seder is most important.
Q. Why is it customary for the children to hide the Afikoman at the beginning of the Seder?
A. The children are a very important part of the Seder. We encourage the children to hide the Afikoman in order to keep them awake throughout the Seder. The excitement of receiving a reward for returning the Afikoman towards the end of the Seder, will keep them awake.
Q. Why is it important to eat the Afikoman before midnight?
A. The matzah eaten for the Afikoman represents the Passover sacrifice which we had at the time of the Temple. The meat of the Passover sacrifice had to be eaten before midnight.
Q. Why do we eat the Afikoman matzah after the meal?
A. As mentioned before, the Afikoman represents the Pesach sacrifice which was brought in the time of the Temple. It had to be eaten at the end of the meal, in order that the taste of the Pesach meat would remain in the person’s mouth. This is symbolic of the fact that the experience and message of the Seder should stay will us long after we have finished the Seder. For this we eat the Afikoman at the end, so that the taste of the Afikoman, which represents the Pesach sacrifice, stay with us.
Q. What is the significance of the hard-boiled egg on the Seder plate?
A. One reason is that the egg is a sign of mourning. It is the first meal that a mourner eats after a funeral. At the Passover Seder the egg reminds us that, although we are celebrating our freedom, we still mourn the loss of our Beth Hamikdash (Holy Temple). This is especially significant in light of the fact that the first Seder night is always on the same night of the week as Tisha B'Av (9th of Av) - the day of the destruction of the Holy Temples. May we merit the coming of Moshiach immediately. Amen.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
UNITED WE STAND IN PRAYER FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL
& FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CAPTIVES. MAY THEY BE RELEASED NOW.
B"H
Friday, Adar2- 26, 5784 / April 4, 2024
Each month, on the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh, we recite a special prayer and a special blessing for the new month. We also announce which day Rosh Chodesh will be. The Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh is called, “Shabbat MeVarchim – “Shabbat of blessing.”
This Shabbat, being the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nissan, we recite the special blessing for the new month, Nissan. Rosh Chodesh will be Monday night and Tuesday.
Nissan comes from the Hebrew word, NES – miracle. In the month of Nissan G-d performed the greatest miracle for our people – the Exodus from Egypt, which took place on the 15th of Nissan. Each year on the 15th of Nissan we celebrate the holiday of Passover, to commemorate this great miracle.
This Shabbat is also a special Shabbat in that we read from a second Torah, Parshat HaChodesh. On the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nissan, we remove a second Torah from which we read about the special mitzvah which G-d gave the Jewish people – Rosh Chodesh. The beginning of each Hebrew month we celebrate Rosh Chodesh. Some months we have one day Rosh Chodesh and others, two days Rosh Chodesh.
Q. On Shabbat and holidays, after reciting the blessing over the first cup of wine, we can drink as many cups of wine as we want, without reciting another blessing over each cup. Why, Passover at the Seder do we make a separate blessing for each of the four cups of wine?
A. The reason we drink four cups at the Seder is to commemorate the fourexpressions of redemption which G-d used for the Exodus. Each cup is anothermitzvah, expressing another expression of redemption, thus a separate blessing is required for each cup.
Another reason is that the lengthy passages of the Hagadah and the discussions we are encouraged to have about the story of the Exodus constitute an “interruption” between the cups of wine and thus necessitate an individual blessing for each cup.
Q. At the Seder, when we eat the matzah and drink the four cups of wine, we are required to sit in a recliningposition. What is the reason for this?
A. In ancient times, noblemen would eat in a reclining position. A servant did not recline when eating. At the Seder, when we celebrate our freedom from slavery, the Rabbis instituted that we demonstrate our freedomby reclining as noblemen, when performing the special mitzvot.
Q. What is the significance of placing threematzot on the Seder plate?
A.They represent the threecategories which make up the Jewish people: the Kohen (priestly family), the Levi and Israelite. They also represent our forefathers: Abraham, Isaac & Jacob.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 7:10 / Shabbat ends: 8:15
UNITED WE STAND IN PRAYER FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL
B"H
Thursday, Adar2- 25, 5784 / April 3, 2024
Pesach (Passover) will begin Monday night, April 22. 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 Hagadah 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.”
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.
Another reason for opening the door is that the Torah calls the night of the Seder "Leil Shimurim" - "The night of guarding". On this night, G-d takes special care to guard the people of Israel. Opening the door expresses our belief that we are not afraid, for G-d is watching over us.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL, HAPPY DAY & HAPPY CHODESH/MONTH
UNITED WE STAND IN PRAYER FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL
& FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CAPTIVES. MAY THEY BE RELEASED NOW.
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