B"H
Pesach Schedule
All times listed are NY times.
For worldwide times on the web please visit my website:
chabadgn.com/holidays/Passover
If anyone still needs to sell their Chametz, follow the
instructions on
chabad.org/holidays/passover/sell_chometz.htm
The search for Chametz is Thursday night, April 2nd
after 7:54 p.m.
The fast if the firstborn is Friday April 3rd.
Chametz may be eaten until 10:51 a.m. Monday April 3rd.
Chametz must be burnt or sold before 11:55 a.m. Before 11:55 one
must declare “All Chametz (leavening or leavened products) in my
possession are hereby null, void, and ownerless like the dust of
the earth.”
Pesach extends from the night of April 3rd through
April 11th at 8:04 p.m. April 4th, 5th,
10th, and 11th are holidays.
Tefillin are not worn the entire week according to the Chabad
custom.
Candle lighting is 7:04 on Friday April 3rd. The
blessing for Shabbat and Yom Tov (Baruch Attah Adonai Eloheinu
Melech Haolam Asher Kidshanu B’mitzvotav V’tzivanu Lhadlik Ner
Shel Shabbat V’yom Tov) is said when lighting candles and
Shabbat is mentioned in Kiddush and the grace after meals.
Shehechiyanu (Baruch Attah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Haolam
Shehechiyanu V’kiymanu V’higiyanu Lizman Hazeh) is said at
candle lighting and in Kiddush.
Please endeavor to include as many Jews as possible in the
Pesach Seder both nights.
The Kabbalah teaches that the Matzah of the first Seder is the
bread of faith and the second Seder is the bread of healing.
Shabbat during Musaf we stop praying for rain and begin to pray
for dew throughout the summer.
Candle lighting Saturday night is after 8:05 from an existing
flame. Only the blessing for Yom Tov (Baruch Attah Adonai
Eloheinu Melech Haolam Asher Kidshanu B’mitzvotav V’tzivanu
Lhadlik Ner Shel Yom Tov) and Shehechiyanu is said.
Counting the Omer begins Saturday night. Every
night until Shavuot we count the days after nightfall. The
blessing is Baruch Atta Adonai Eloheinu Melech Haolam Asher
Kid’shanu B’mizvotav V’tzivanu Al Sefirat Ha’omer. On Saturday
night we say today is one day of the Omer. May the All Merciful
return to us the Temple service in its place speedily in our
days. Amen. Selah. On Sunday night we say the blessing and count
today is two days of the Omer etc. Next Friday night we count
today is seven days, which are one week of the Omer etc. Next
Saturday night we count today is eight days, which are one week
and one day of the Omer etc. If the Omer wasn’t counted at
night, we count during the day without a blessing. Thereafter,
we continue to count with a blessing. If we miss an entire day,
we continue to count without a blessing.
For a lengthy discussion of counting the Omer, please visit my
website
http://www.chabadgn.com/generic_cdo/aid/130631/jewish/Sefirat-HaOmer.htm
There is a link to subscribe for daily reminders via email.
The Kiddush Saturday night is a combination of Kiddush and an
extended Havdalah, as printed in the Haggadah. There is also a
subtle change in the blessing before the second cup of wine.
The holiday ends 8:06 p.m. Saturday night with Havdalah.
Monday through Thursday are Chol Hamoed, the intermediate days
of Pesach, when it is a Mitzvah to celebrate and a great time to
enjoy the family.
Thursday, April 9th Candle lighting is at 7:11. Only
the blessing for Yom Tov (see above) is said. Shehechiyanu is
not said.
Friday, April 10th Candle lighting is at 7:12 from an
existing candle. The blessing for Shabbat and Yom Tov (see
above) is said in candle lighting and Kiddush. Shehechiyanu is
not said.
Yizkor is recited Saturday after the Torah reading.
There is a tradition from the Baal Shem Tov to eat a festive
meal Shabbat afternoon and drink four cups of wine and share
words of Torah particularly concerning Moshiach. This is known
as Seudat Moshiach, Moshiach’s meal. The Rebbe has strongly
encouraged that everyone participate in Moshiach’s meal, and has
taught that this meal is a great source of blessings.
The holiday ends 8:13 Saturday night. Regular Havdalah is
recited.
Pesach and Shabbat-True Freedom
This year the Seder falls on Friday night.
There is a deep connection between the two. Pesach is the time
of our freedom. In a deeper sense we are celebrating the freedom
of our souls. When we left Egypt we received the Torah, which
connected us with Hashem in His infiniteness and lifted us above
the boundaries of the world. Mitzrayim (Egypt) in Hebrew means
boundaries. Leaving Mitzrayim means going beyond the mundane
world and reaching the infinite.
Shabbat is the same concept. Shabbat is a
day of the week when we are freed from mundane pursuits and can
dedicate ourselves to our souls, Hashem and our family. We
commemorate the creation and celebrate Hashem’s rest, a step
higher than creation. We have a festive family meal like the
Seder. The Seder illuminates the Friday night meal. Just like
the essence of the Seder is the Haggadah, not just the meal, the
essence of the Shabbat meal is the words of Torah and the
singing and rejoicing. The Alter Rebbe writes that just like we
are a composite of body and soul, soul is he Shabbat meal. The
delicacies are the body. The words of Torah are the soul. This
is a lesson when the Shabbat meal coincides with the Seder: let
every Friday night be filled with discussions of Torah and songs
of praise and joy. Then every Shabbat will be imbued with true
freedom.
The Hebrew word Pharaoh is the same letters
as Haoref, the back of the neck. When we don’t truly face
Hashem, that is the root of servitude. When we turn to Him with
our whole being, that is the root of redemption.
An Insight From the Haggadah-Seeking to Be a Participant
The Haggadah begins with a story of a group
of Rabbis who discussed the Exodus the entire evening. The
simple meaning is that the Haggadah should be discussed with
fervor however knowledgeable we are. The Rebbe notes that many
of the scholars could chose to feel excluded from the
experience. Among them there were Kohanim and Levites, whose
forefathers were exempt from slave labor. Among them were
descendents of converts, whose family were never in Egypt. They
still immersed themselves in the Seder. The simple reason is
that the exodus was primarily spiritual, and all of sanctity was
imprisoned until the impurity of Egypt was broken. They offer us
a deep lesson in life. When there is a Mitzvah to be done or an
opportunity for self improvement, many people chose to seek
opportunities to excuse themselves. The Rabbis in Bnei Brak
taught us to immerse ourselves in any opportunity to become
closer to Hashem.
Shevi’i Shel Pesach-Move forward Towards Your Goal!
Shalom and Bracha!
Friday April 10th and Shabbat
April 11th we celebrate the last two days of Pesach.
On the Seventh day of Pesach we celebrate the splitting of the
Red Sea. As the Jewish people fled Egypt, Hashem hardened
Pharaoh’s heart and he pursued them. As the Jews reached the Red
Sea, they found themselves completely surrounded. The sea was on
one side, and the approaching army was on the other. The people
were thrown into a panic, and were divided as to what to do.
Some felt it was better to commit suicide by jumping into the
sea rather than capitulate. Some felt it was better to return to
servitude. Others felt it was better to try their hands at war,
and still others felt they should dedicate themselves to prayer.
Moshe answered the Jewish people “Fear not.
Stand strong and you shall see the salvation of Hashem that He
will perform today. You will never again see Egypt as you have
seen them today. Hashem will battle for you. Be still.”
Thereafter, Hashem told Moshe “Speak to the Jewish people and
they should go forward.” Nachshon Ben Aminadav, the leader of
the tribe of Yehudah, bravely entered the waters and proceeded
forward until they split.
The four approaches mentioned above
represent different reactions to problems in following Hashem’s
direction in life. Suicide represents the inability to fulfill
one’s mission. Although more idealistic than returning to Egypt,
it rejects the principle purpose of our existence, to make the
world a divine place. Returning to Egypt represents a lack of
faith in the ability to fulfill Hashem’s direction. Battle
represents attempting to deal with the world with only our own
finite powers. By only praying, we ignore Hashem’s directive to
accomplish things ourselves.
We left Egypt with the goal to receive the
Torah at Mount Sinai. However great the obstacles were, Hashem
told us not to lose focus on our mission. All of the above
approaches did nothing to advance us towards receiving the
Torah, and as such were wrong. Only by pressing forward with
Hashem’s mission with full faith in success can we progress.
Often, we find it difficult to follow the
Torah while living within society. Challenges lead us to feel we
must either escape the world or forgo certain Mitzvot. The
splitting of the sea teaches us that we must face and overcome
challenges by focusing only on the mission of Hashem and we will
then surely succeed.
Nachshon was the head of the tribe of
Yehudah, from whom Moshiach stems. On the eighth day of Pesach,
we celebrate the coming redemption. May our resolve to follow
the Torah in an unwavering manner hasten his coming and may we
conclude this Pesach in Yerushalayim.
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom to conclude the holiday
with a meal celebrating the coming of Moshiach. Matzah is eaten
and four cups of wine are consumed. The Rebbe added that each
cup should be consumed with the intent to hasten Moshiach’s
coming. This year, when the meal of Moshiach is celebrated on
Shabbat, there is a greater fervor. Moshiach’s time is referred
to as one extended Shabbat, and every Shabbat is a glimpse into
the days of Moshiach. When Moshiach’s meal falls on Shabbat, our
yearning is amplified. May the continuation of this meal be the
great feast Hashem has prepared for the coming of Moshiach!
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Kasher V’Sameach,
Rabbi Biggs
Dedicated in honor of the Rebbe on his 113th
birthday. May we follow his teachings and speedily see the
coming of Moshiach.
There is a great Pesach Website with loads of information,
instructions on selling Chametz and Seder locations throughout
the world at
chabadgn.com/holidays/Passover
A project of Chabad of Great Neck
400 East Shore Rd.
Great Neck NY 11024
516 4874554
fax 516 4874807
