B"H
Friday, Adar 21, 5781 / March 5, 2021
This Shabbat we read the third of the four special Torah readings at this time of the year. Two readings are read before Purim (Shkalim & Zachor) and two between Purim and Pesach (Parah & Hachodesh).
We remove two Torahs from the ark this Shabbat. In the first we read the weekly Torah portion, Ki Tisa. In the second Torah we read Parshat Parah – the laws of the Red Heifer. It is about the spiritual purification process for someone who became impure as a result of coming in contact with a dead body, thus, prohibited from entering the Holy Temple. The Red Heifer was to atone for the Golden Calf.
In the weekly Torah portion, Ki Tisa, we read about the sin of the Golden Calf which the Jewish people made in the desert. Moshe broke the Tablets when he came down Mount Sinai and witnessed them worshipping the idol. Moshe went back up the mountain to pray for their forgiveness which G-d granted. He told Moshe to bring up another set of Tablets and He once again engraved the Ten Commandments.
Q. How long after the Giving of the Torah did they make the Golden Calf?
A. Forty days later.
Q. How many times did Moshe go up Mount Sinai and for how long did he stay up?
A. Moshe went up three times. The first time was when G-d gave the Torah. He stayed on the mountain for forty days. He went up again and stayed for forty days praying for forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf. Then G-d told him to bring up two new Tablets. He went up with the Tablets for another forty days and came down with the Second Tablets. He was up for a total of 120 days.
Q. When did Moshe come down with the First Tablets and when with the Second Tablets?
A. The First Tablets on the 17th day of Tammuz. The Second Tablets on Yom Kippur.
Q. What was the difference between the first and second Tablets?
A. The First Tablets were completely the work of G-d. The Tablets and the engraving were both Divine. The Second set of Tablets Moshe brought up with him and G-d engraved His writing in them.
What’s interesting is that the First Tablets were completely G-d made, yet, they didn’t last. The second ones were a blend of Moshe’s work and G-d’s work and that had an everlasting effect. The lesson is that G-d gave mankind the ability to perfect His work. Our input is very important
Q. What happened to the broken tablets?
A. They were placed in the Holy Ark together with the Second Tablets.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montrealcandle lighting time: 5:29 / Shabbat ends: 6:32
B"H
Monday, Adar 24, 5781 / March 8, 2021
The Pesach (Passover) holiday, when we celebrate our freedom from bondage, begins Saturday night, March 27. In Israel only one Seder is performed and the holiday consists of seven days. In the Diaspora, we perform two Sedarim and the holiday is extended to eight days.
The book used for prayers is called Siddur. The book used Passover at the Seder is called Hagadah.
Q. When was the first Hagadah printed?
A. It is believed that the first Hagadah was printed around the year 5245 (1485).
Q. What is the origin of the name Hagadah?
A. When the Torah tells us to perform the Seder and tell our children the story of Passover, it used the term, “V’higatda L’bincha (“You shall tell your son”). Hagadah comes from the word “V’higadta.”
Q. In many congregations, the Kiddush over wine, is recited in the synagogue, on Friday nights and festive holidays, after the evening service. Why, on Pesach, is the Kiddush not recited in the synagogue?
A. Since the cup of wine, over which the Kiddush is recited, is the first of the four cups at the Seder, the Kiddush cannot be recited in synagogue. It must be done at the Seder table together with the other cups.
Q. Why is the night of Passover different that we drink four cupsof wine (It is not in the four questions)?
A. Several reasons are given for the four cups of wine. According to one opinion in the Talmud, they represent the four expressions of redemptionwhich G-d used regarding the liberation of the Jewish people from Egypt.
In Exodus (6:6-7) G-d tells 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'gaalti") with an outstretched arm and with great judgment. And I will take you("V'lakachti") to Mefor a people and I will be to you a G-d; and you shall know that I am the L-rd your G-d, Who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."
These fourexpressions ("I will bring you out... I will deliver you... I will redeem you... I will take you to Me") represent different stages in the redemption. We commemorate these four expressions and stages of our freedom through the four cups of wine we drink at the Seder.
Q. Why is it customary to use round matzah for the "Seder Plate"?
A.One reason is that the Torah refers to the matzah which the Jewish people baked when leaving Egypt as, "ugot Matzot" (cakes of matzah). The word "ugot" represents something which is round.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Tuesday, Adar 25, 5781 / March 9, 2021
Q. On Shabbat and holidays we eat the meal right after reciting the Kiddush. Yet, at the Seder we recite the Hagadah after Kiddush, before eating the meal. Why don't we eat the meal immediately after the Kiddush, and recite the Hagadah after?
A. Our rabbis instituted this order to make sure that the participants stay awake for the entire Seder. If we would eat the meal first, there is a good chance that people will become drowsy and not tell the story of Passover and not perform the Seder properly.
Q. Matzah is mentioned the first time in the Torah much before the Exodus. With whom?
A. In Parshat Vayeira, (Genesis19:3) the Torah tells us that when the two angels came to Sodom, to destroy the city, Abraham’s nephew, Lot, invited them into his home and he baked matzah for them and they ate. The story with the angels and Lot, which took place 400 years before the Exodus, happened on the same day as the Exodus, 400 years later.
Q. We always wash our hands before eating bread. Yet, at the Seder we wash our hands twice. In addition to washing our hands before making the blessing over the matzah, we also wash our hands before dipping the vegetable into the salt-water. Why?
A. It is a Halachic custom to wash our hands before eating something which we dip into liquid. Thus, before dipping into the salt-water we wash our hands.
Q. How old was Moshe when G-d sent him to command Pharaoh to let the Jewish people free?
A. Eighty years old. He led the people through the desert for 40 years. He passed away at age 120.
Q. How many people left Egypt at the time of the Exodus?
A. The Torah relates that over 600,000 men over the age of twenty left. In addition, there were women, children, the elders and a multitude of people from other nations that went out with them. It stands to reason, that a few million people left Egypt at the time of the Exodus. According to our sages, only one fifth of the Jewish people came out of Egypt. The other four fifths didn’t want to leave. They died during the plague of darkness.
On the lighter side:During an earthquake, Mollie and Hymie got trapped in their basement.
When the rescuers finally reached them, they hit the wall with a hammer.
Who is there? Mollie asked. The Red Cross,” came the reply.
“We already gave!” screamed Hymie.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Thursday, Adar 27, 5781 / March 11, 2021
The first Pesach (Passover) Seder will be celebrated Saturday night, March 27. In the Diaspora (outside of Israel) we also celebrate a second Seder on Sunday night, March 28.
Q. Why do we, in addition to the four cups of wine which we drink at the Seder, also fill an additional cup of wine, called, "The Cup of Elijah"?
A. The four cups of wine represent the four expressions of redemption that G-d told Moshe to tell the Jewish people about their liberation. In addition to the four expressions, G-d also told Moshe, "I will bring them into the land [Israel]... I will give it to you for an inheritance." (Exodus 6:8).
The four cups which we drink at the Seder commemorate our past redemption from Egypt. The "Cup of Elijah" 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. May it occur speedily in our days, thus, this cup of wine is named, Cup of Elijah.
Q. After the Kiddush, we wash our hands, recite the blessing over a vegetable, dip the vegetable in the salt-water and eat it. What is the significance of the salt-water at the Seder?
A. The salt-water is symbolic of the "tears" which the Jewish people shed as a result of their suffering during their enslavement in Egypt.
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.
On the lighter side: In Chelm, there was a wine maker. We'll call him Yankel. Naturally, most of his yearly income came before Pesach, when Jews all over, and Chelm was no exception, buy a lot of wine.
One day before Pesach, Yankel opened a fresh barrel and noticed that it was half empty. How could wine be missing from a newly-opened barrel? He thought and thought, but couldn't figure it out. Finally, he called his wife to the wine cellar and told her about this puzzle. After a quick inspection, she pointed to the bottom of the barrel and exclaimed, "Look there is a small hole here. This is why the wine is missing!"
Yankel carefully inspected the hole, examined the wine in the barrel and looked at the hole again. "That's the silliest thing I have ever heard! How could the hole be the culprit?" he said confidently. "Look, the hole is at the bottom of the barrel and the wine is missing at the top!"
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
In loving memory of Margaret Schwartz Zoldan, Miriam Yitta Bat Avarham, ZL, gone now 14 years.
Remembered with love for all your actions, words, and love which made our lives so much better.
Always in our hearts
Andre, Esther, Zachary, Benjamin Jonah.
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