Temple Hillel             

From the Rabbi’s Study

"The more righteousness, the more peace."

....Hillel

From the Rabbi’s Study

 

This year, the first Seder falls on Saturday night, April 19.  Most years, we perform certain rituals the morning before, the night before and the morning of the Seder.  Since Shabbat precedes the seder, we have special rules to follow for Thursday, Friday and Shabbat. 
The Fast of the First Born is usually held the morning preceding Seder night.  Since this year that would be Shabbat, and we don’t fast on Shabbat, the fast is moved back to Thursday morning.  One is permitted to break the fast if he attends a Seudat Mitzvah, a meal connected to a Mitzvah, such as a Brit Milah or a Pidyon HaBen.  A Seudat Mitzvah is also held when there is a Siyyum, that is when a scholar completes his study of a tractate of Talmud.  Our Siyyum is generally well attended.
On Thursday evening we finish cleaning our homes and perform Bidikat Chametz, the search for leaven.  The Temple distributes a kit containing a feather a spoon and a candle to all our Religious School Students and to everyone who sells their Chametz through the rabbi.  On Friday morning, we perform Biur Chametz, burning any leavened foods that will not be needed for Shabbat.  Each year our Sanitation District sends a truck to our Temple driveway so that area residents can bring their Chametz to the truck in order to remove it from their property.  Also, don’t forget to make all the items for the Seder Plate as well as any foods that need hours to cook on Friday so that they will be ready for the seder immediately after Shabbat.
We have to make special arrangements for Shabbat this year because we have to make Motzee at our meals and we are not allowed to eat Matzah until the seder.  Instead, we make Motzee on Challah, making sure that we only have enough Challah that we can finish it on Shabbat and eating it in a designated place so that we do not spread any Chametz in our nice clean homes.  Many people make their Motzee at a separate table with a disposable tablecloth and then eat at another table.  If you do, just remember that you have to do Birkat HaMazon, the Grace After Meals at the place where Motzee was made.  Cook food that contains no Chametz, since you already cleaned the kitchen for Pesach.  Serve dinner on disposable dishes with plastic cutlery.  The same protocol is used for Shabbat lunch.  Seudah Shlishit, the late afternoon Shabbat meal should be served without bread.
When Shabbat is over, any leftover Chametz should be given to a non-Jew, eaten by a pet or flushed in the commode.  If you live within the Eruv, you can dispose of it in a public garbage bin.  If none of the above is possible, pour soap on the food to render it inedible and then, simply throw it out with your own trash.  Now that Shabbat is over you can cook the rest of your meal while the Seder is taking place.
Don’t forget, that we are running a second night seder at the Temple this year.  Last year’s Seder was hugely successful.  I am sure that this year’s seder will be at least as enjoyable.
On behalf of my family and myself I wish you Chag Kasher v’Sameach, a Happy, Kosher Passover.
L’Shalom,
Rabbi Steven M. Graber


Separate article:



The Tarlow Megillah
We recently purchased a new Megillat Esther for the Temple in memory of Ben Tarlow.  Ben was a past president, ritual chairman and gabbai.  He was well loved by the congregation.  I wish to thank those who have contributed to the Ben Tarlow Megillah fund.  I would like to invite others who would like to contribute to the fund to do so soon. Todah Rabbah,
Rabbi Steven M. Graber