B"H
Monday, Adar 18, 5778 / March 5, 2018
There is one month from Purim to Pesach (Passover). Purim is always on the 14th of Adar and Pesach is on the 15th day of the month Nissan. However, on the secular calendar the dates will vary from year to year, as the days in the Hebrew calendar year are not the same as in the secular calendar year.
The first Seder this year will be celebrated Friday night, March 30.
The holidays of Purim, which we just celebrated, and the next holiday, Pesach (Passover) are both holidays which celebrate redemption. On Purim, the Jewish people were redeemed from Haman's terrible decree of annihilation; while on Pesach, we were liberated from the cruel bondage in Egypt.
Each holiday has laws associated with it. This is especially true with the holiday of Pesach which has significantly more laws and customs than any other holiday. In order to be familiar with the laws of the holiday, our sages in the Talmud tell us that 30 days before the holidaywe must begin studying and familiarizing ourselves with the laws of that holiday.
Thus, being less than one month before Pesach, we will, G-d willing, begin discussing the laws, customs and reasons associated with the holiday of Pesach.
Much of the information may have already been covered in previous years. However, it is important to review and refresh our memory.
One of the ancient traditions associated with Pesach is to contribute to the "Maot Chitim Fund."
“Maot Chitim,” literally means "Money for wheat." There was a time when every family would have to buy their special Passover wheat, grind it into flour and take it to the matzah bakery to bake their own matzah. Each community had a “Maot Chitim fund.” The contributions to this fund were used to help the needy to acquire wheat for matzah. Today, “Maot Chitim” is used to assist the needy with all their Passover provisions and requirements. The needs for Passover are more extensive than at other holidays and thus we should make a greater effort to fulfill this great mitzvah of helping the needy.
At the beginning of the Pesach Seder we recite the following passage, "This is the bread of poverty which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Whoever is hungry let him come and eat. Whoever is needy let him come and join in the observance of Pesach."
Pesach is a time when we celebrate our freedom; at the Seder table we all gather together with our loved ones to enjoy all the good G-d blessed us with. It is only right that we make sure that those less fortunate than us will also experience a happy and joyous Pesach with their loved ones.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Tuesday, Adar 19, 5778 / March 6, 2018
Questions & Answers on the holiday ofPesach- Passover
Q. Why is the holiday called Pesach?
A. “Pesach” in Hebrew means to “pass over.” The Egyptians were punished with ten plagues. The last one was when G-d killed every first born Egyptian, but skipped over the homes of the Jewish people. It was this final plague which made Pharaoh and the Egyptians let the Jewish people go. This occurred on the night before the Exodus. It was the night in which we celebrate the Seder.
The word Pesachhas another meaning. Pesach can be made into two words; Pe(mouth) Sach(to speak). In this context, Pe-sach teaches us that, on the night of the Pesach Seder, we must speakand tell the story of the Exodus, in great detail.
Q. Why was Pharaoh afraid of this plague more than the other plagues?
A. Pharaoh was himself a first-born. The other plagues didn’t affect him as much.
Q. When was the first Pesach Seder held?
A. In Egypt on the night before the Exodus.At that Seder they ate Matzah, Maror, and the meat of the Pesach sacrifice. Although they were still not free people, G-d told them to celebrate their freedom. Freedom according to Torah is more of an attitute than a physical condition. One can be in bondage and be free.. while another can be free and be in deep bondage.
Q. How many years did the Jewish people live in Egypt?
A.210 years. Yaakov (Jacob) moved to Egypt in the Hebrew year 2238. The Exodus was in 2448.
Q. How many Israelites left Egypt at the time of the Exodus?
A. The Torah states, “About six hundred thousand men, besides the children.” This count includes men from the age of 20. With the women and children, it is probably safe to say that there were a few million people who left Egypt.
Q. How many names does the Pesach holiday have?
A.Four.1) Chag Ha-Aviv- The holiday of spring. Pesach must always be in the spring; 2) Chag Ha-Matzot- The holiday of matzot; 3) Chag Ha-Pesach- The holiday of Pass-over (as mentioned above); 4) Zman Cheiruteinu- The season of our freedom.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Friday, Adar 22, 5778 / March 9, 2018
This Shabbat we will read the last two Parshiot of the Book of Exodus, Vayakhel& Pekudei. Both tell about the building of the Tabernacle (Mishkan) and the various materials which the Jewish people contributed for the construction of the Mishkan and its contents. With Parshat Pekudei we will conclude the second Book of the Torah, the Book of Exodus (Shmot).
This Shabbat is also the third of the four special Torah readings before Pesach. Two Torahswill be removed from the ark. In the first we will read the two above mentioned Torah portions and in the second Torah we read Parshat Para(Numbers chapter 19). The reading of Parshat Para is about the laws of the “Para Adumah” (Red Heifer).
In the days of the Beth HaMikdash (Holy Temple), one was not permitted to enter the Temple if he or she had become impure by coming in contact with a dead body. As part of the spiritual purification process, water mixed with the ashes of a Red Heifer had to be sprinkled upon the person. This would render them spiritually clean. The Red Heifer had to be completely red. If it had two hairs of a different color, it was disqualified for this purpose.
According to our sages, since the times of Moshe nine Red Heifers have been used. The tenth one will be used at the time of Moshiach. May it be speedily in our days.
Q. How does the sprinkling of the ashes of the Red Heifer render a person spiritually clean?
A. The Torah refers to this law as "ChukatHaTorah." The term "Chukat" is associated with mitzvot which are beyond the realm of human logic and understanding. G-d didn’t reveal the reason and logic of this mitzvah. Even King Solomon, the wisest of all men, said that the understanding of this mitzvah was beyond him.
Q. Why is Parshat Para read at this time of the year, before Pesach?
A. We read Parshat Para at this time to help us prepare for the month of Nissan, the month of our past and future redemption. Our sages say "In the month of Nissan Jews were liberated from Egypt and in the month of Nissan we will ultimately be liberatedthrough Moshiach.
Readingabout the Red Heifer expresses our strong belief in the coming of Moshiach, when the Holy Temple will be rebuilt and the tenthRed Heifer will be offered and we will once again be purified in order for everyJew to offer the Passover lamb (Korban Pesach) to be eaten at the Pesach Seder.
May we all merit to be this year in Jerusalem. Amen.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montrealcandle lighting time: 5:34 / Shabbat ends: 6:37
B"H
Monday, Adar 25, 5778 / March 12, 2018
Pesach, the holiday in which we celebrate our freedom from the Egyptian bondage, will begin Friday night, March 30.
Jews in Egypt were not only enslaved physically but also spiritually. At that time, they were at their lowest spiritual level. Their Exodus from Egypt, in additon to being a physical liberation was also a freedom from their spiritual condition. They attained even greater spiritual elevation when they received the Torah at Mount Sinai.
With the holiday of Pesach we re-experience the Exodus. Peasch is a time when G-d enables each of us today to free ourselves of our own spiritual limitations which constrict our connection to G-d.
The mitzvah to remember the Exodus applies everyday, morning and night, which is why we mention the Exodus in the dailyservices. Yet, there is more emphasis on remembering it on Passover, especially at the Seder.
Q. Why is remembering the Exodus at the Seder, on the anniversary of the Exodus, more meaningful than remembering it during the rest of the year?
A. The Magid of Dubna gives the following parable: A king traveled with his entourage to visit his subjects. As they were passing through a forest, one of the riders became very thirsty and fainted. No one had any water so the king sent one of the soldiers to the river, a few miles away.
In the meantime, the person's condition became very grave. The king ordered his men to immediately start digging for water. Everyone began digging furiously and before long they hit fresh water and revived him. A while later the soldier returned with fresh water from the river.
A few days later a wayfarer traveled through the forest and passed the same place. The sun was hot and he too became very thirsty and was in great need of water.
Now, if someone would tell him that a few miles further there is a river with fresh water, it may not help him much. Who knows if he could reach the river before he would pass out. However, the well that was dug on this spot will surely help him. All he had to do is bend down and reach for the water.
Explains the Magid of Dubna: During the rest of the year, we are like the one who must walk down the road to the river to get water. It takes greater efforton our part to realize our personal spiritual freedom. But on Pesach, the day when the Exodus actually took place, we are like the man who is standing at the very spot where the well was dug. On Pesach, we re-live the story of the Exodus. It is all within easy reach. All we have to do is realize it and benefit from our spiritual freedom.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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