Firstborns and Non-Firstborns, Fathers and Mothers: Bring your sons and daughters

Please join me in a Siyum Bechorim celebrating the conclusion of my study coinciding with the Fast of the Firstborn*.

Thursday, April 17, 2008
7:00 a.m. Minyan (bring Talit/Tefillin if you have them)
7:30 a.m. Siyum/Study
7:45 a.m. a light chametz breakfast will be served
8:00 a.m. adjournment

Rabbi Eliezer Havivi

                * The fast of the firstborn, on the morning preceding the first Seder, commemorates God's saving of the Israelite firstborn in Egypt, when the Egyptian firstborn was slain. It is customary for the Rabbi to conclude his/her study of a tractate (volume) of the Talmud on that day, and make a siyum - a "concluding" party, so the firstborn of the community can share in the joyous occasion, and be released from their obligation to fast on that day.

Memorialize Your Loved Ones - Come to Yizkor

Yizkor will be recited on the Eighth Day of Passover, Sunday, April 27.  Services will begin at 9:30 a.m. and Yizkor will be recited.

Yizkor is a brief service, held four times a year, during which individuals ask for God's blessing and formally recall the memories of their loved ones who are no longer alive. It is appropriate to quietly recite the names - Hebrew names particularly, or in English, of the loved ones we recall. It is recited for immediate family, but also for grandparents, cousins, and dear friends. You may wish to prepare a list of names to bring with you to synagogue. I will be happy to assist you in compiling such a list, or in determining Hebrew names, if you wish.

It is also customary to light a yahrzeit candle the previous evening in memory of your deceased relatives.

I hope you will join us in synagogue on Yom Tov.

Rabbi Eliezer Havivi

Bedikat Chametz The Search for Leaven

 Bedikat Chametz is an important Jewish childhood memory which you can create for your children. It is a brief, simple ceremony that can potentially form an important component of your family's Jewish consciousness and identity. You can do it! It goes like this:
              
On Thursday evening, April 17, about 8:00 PM, after you have cleaned the house and isolated and stored away your chametz, take one slice of bread, divide it into sections. (Some families wrap up each piece.) Place one piece in each room in the house. Take a candle, feather and wooden spoon (you can just use a baggie, too), light the candle and say the following blessing:
               
Baruch Ata Adonay Elohaynu Melech Ha'olam asher keedshanu b'Mitzvotav v'tzeevanu al biyur chametz.
Praised are you, Adonai, our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who sanctified us with your Mitzvot and commanded us to remove all chametz.
              
Then, with a minimum of talking, everyone goes room to room, "finding" and sweeping the chametz bread crumbs. When you have collected it all, return to the kitchen and recite the following declaration: "Kol Chamira v'Chamiya - All chametz and leaven which is in my possession, which I have not seen or removed, or of which I am unaware, is hereby nullified and ownerless as the dust of the earth."
               
Keep the chametz in a bag overnight and on Friday morning, before 11:00 AM, burn it in your backyard, or come to the Public Chametz Burning (Biyur Chametz) at the Kimberly Susan Bates Building parking lot at 9:00 am sharp and burn your chametz with other families. While the chametz is burning, recite the following formula: "Kol Chamira v'Chamiya - All chametz in my possession whether I have seen it or not, whether I have removed it or not, is hereby nullified and ownerless as the dust of the earth."

The full text and explanation of the Search for and Burning of Leaven is found in the beginning of many Haggadot. Don't forget to sell your chametz through Rabbi Havivi before 9:00 am Friday, April 18.

What to do when Pesach begins on Saturday night
April 19, 2008

Siyum Bechorim - The Fast of the Firstborn is moved back a day to
Thursday, April 17, services from 7-8 a.m.  Chametz breakfast served.

Bedikat Chometz - The Search for Chametz, is moved back to Thursday night, April 17.

Biyur Chametz - The burning of the "found" chametz takes place on Friday morning, April 18.  Beth David public chametz burning at 9:00 a.m. in the Kimberly Susan Bates Complex parking lot.

Cook for Shabbat and First Seder on Friday (all Pesachdige food and pots).

No real matza may be eaten before the Seder!

Friday night Shabbat meal, April 18 - no real matza!
1. Eat a pesachdige meal, on Pesach plates, no challah, use Kosher for Passover egg matzo to say motzi.
or... for those who like to live on the edge......
2. Pesachdige meals cooked in pesach pots.  Eat Challahs, kept away from any pesach utensils.  All on paper or plastic.  Be careful of crumbs.

Options for Shabbat morning meal/kiddush after synagogue -
April 19
1. If challahs, finish and bench by 10:20.  Throw out all plastic and paper utensils and leftover chometz.  Recite "Kol Chamirah".
2. If egg matza, eat Pesachdige meal at regular time.  NO real matza until Seder! (Beth David will follow this practice this year).

Mandatory naps on Saturday afternoon.

Make Havdala during Kiddush at Seder after 8:47.

Second Seder Sunday night, April 20

* Pesach will again fall on Saturday night in 2020.