Schedule of Passover Services 2008 (5768)
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Thursday, April 17
Service for First Born ..................7:00 a.m.
Friday, April 18
Burning of Chametz....................11:30 a.m.
(while toasting marshallows)
Saturday, April 19 (Erev Pesach)
Shabbat Service..........................8:30 a.m.
Minchah Maariv...........................7:30 p.m.
First Seder
Sunday, April 20 (First Day)
Festival Service...........................9:30 a.m.
Youth Services........................11:00 a.m.
Minchah Maariv...........................7:30 p.m.
Second Seder
Monday, April 21 (Second Day)
Festival Service...........................9:30 a.m.
Mincha Maariv.............................7:40 p.m.
Friday, April 25 (Fourth Intermediate Day)
Shacharit....................................7:15 a.m.
Shabbat and Festival Service........7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 (Seventh Day)
Shabbat and Festival Service........9:35 a.m.
Youth Services........................11:00 a.m.
Mincha Maariv.............................7:40 p.m.
Sunday, April 27 (Eighth Day)
Festival Service...........................9:30 a.m.
(includes Yizkor)
Minchah Maariv...........................7:45 p.m.
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How To Prepare for Passover:
Rabbi Ruberg's Guidelines
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There are in our congregation varied levels of Jewish ritual observance. On Passover, Jews almost universally eat matza and many of us stay away from bread and bread products. I am publishing this, a full set of Passover guidelines, for those who are looking to observe the holiday fully and according to the principles of Jewish law. To some reading this complete list, the practice of keeping Passover may seem daunting, hard to follow, and harder to keep. For others, the scrupulous observance of these rituals gives the holiday meaning. Regardless of whether you follow all or only a few of these guidelines, I welcome questions about the religious practices of how you and your family can best observe a meaningful Pesach.
These Passover guidelines center around two primary areas of attention:
PREPARING THE HOME and PROCURING APPROPRIATE FOODS FOR PASSOVER.
READYING THE HOME
Thorough Housecleaning - The home should be thoroughly cleaned with particular attention paid to ridding all traces of Hametz (bread and leavened products). On Thursday evening, April 17, a symbolic search for last remaining Hametz is conducted in a ceremony called "Bedikat Hametz."
USE OF PASSOVER-APPROPRIATE UTENSILS – During Passover, we cook and eat with utensils that are either used only on Passover or can be made fit for Passover (kashered). The following regulations apply to the use on Passover of different categories of utensils.
-SILVERWARE: metal flatware used all year can be used on Passover if scoured and immersed in boiling water.
-GLASSWARE: can be made kosher for Passover either by scouring and rinsing in a dishwasher or rinsing in water for 72 hours, changing the water every 24 hours.
-METAL POTS AND PANS: can be made kosher for Passover use by scouring and cleaning in boiling water.
-FINE CHINA: can be used for Passover only if it has not been used for a year and then cleaned in boiling water.
-PORCELAIN AND EARTHENWARE: cannot be used on Passover if used during the year.
-OVEN: can be used on Passover after thorough cleaning, use of self cleaning procedure or cleaning with conventional oven cleaner.
-STOVE OR RANGE: Every part that comes in contact with food must be thoroughly cleaned. High heat should be turned on for half an hour.
-DISHWASHER: may be used on Passover if scoured, not used for 24 hours and then running a wash cycle without soap.
-MICROWAVE: may be used after following this procedure – thorough cleaning, placing a cup of hot water in it, bringing to a boil so that it is full of steam for three or four minutes. It should then be wiped out with a commercial glass cleaner.
-KITCHEN SINK: A metal sink can be kashered by cleaning and pouring boiling water over it. A porcelain sink should be cleaned and sink rack used.
-TABLES, CLOSETS, COUNTERS: if used for Hametz, should be cleaned and covered for Passover use.
-TOASTER OVEN AND HAMETZ APPLIANCES: should be put away and removed from view during Passover.
BRINGING IN PASSOVER-APPROPRIATE FOODS
Torah and Rabbinic Law prohibit these general categories of foods: leavened bread, cake, cookies, cereals, wheat, barley, oats, and liquids containing derivatives of grain alcohol. Ashkenazic rabbinic authorities have traditionally added to the above list: rice, corn, legumes, (beans and peas, although string beans are permitted). Some Ashkenazic authorities permit, although others prohibit, derivatives of legumes (i.e., corn sweeteners, corn oil). I endorse the position which prohibits those derivatives.
PASSOVER FOOD REGULATIONS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THESE FOUR CATEGORIES:
-Requiring no KOSHER FOR PASSOVER label at any time:
Fresh fruits and vegetables (excluding legumes listed above), eggs, fresh fruit, fresh meat and poultry.
-Requiring no “For Passover” label when purchased before Passover.
Sugar, pure tea, non-iodized salt, pepper, natural spices. Frozen uncooked vegetables (excluding legumes), milk, butter, cheese, cream cheese, frozen fruit, baking soda.
-Requiring a “For Passover” label when purchased at any time.
All baked products, matzah, matzah products, (farfel, meal, etc.), canned or bottled fruit juices, canned tuna, wine, vinegar, dried fruits, candy, chocolate, chocolate milk, ice cream, yogurt, soda.
-Requiring a “For Passover” label only when purchased during the holiday itself.
Milk, butter, juices, coffee, tea, fish, as well as foods in category immediately above.
ALL OTHER FOOD PRODUCTS should be eaten before Pesach or placed in a closed off area or sold (see “selling of Hametz” below). Note on detergents: Detergents appropriate for use during the year may be used on Passover.
ADDITIONAL CUSTOMS AND PRACTICES.
SELLING OF HAMETZ – While we clean out our refrigerators prior to Pesach, removing all non-Passover products, there are always some non-Passover items, which we keep during the duration of the holiday in closed cupboards. Since we are not permitted to own hametz during the holiday, a legal transfer is arranged by which these items are technically “sold” to a non-Jew until the end of the festival. Rabbi Ruberg will arrange to sell the hametz kept in your home and place of business. Please fill out the coupon on page 6 of the Bulletin or call in your name to the Temple office by Wednesday, April 16 or come to one of our daily non-Shabbat minyanim to sell your hametz.
MAOT HITIM – GIFTS TO THE NEEDY – Passover is the time to provide for the less fortunate of our society who cannot enjoy the bounties of a Pesach Seder. Synagogues have traditionally collected Maot Hittim for the poor at Pesach time. Contributions may be made to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund or to MAZON, the Jewish organization that combats world hunger.
FAST of the FIRSTBORN - A religious service exempting the firstborn from a pre-Passover fast; it will be held Thursday morning, April 17 at 7:00 a.m.
SEARCH FOR HAMETZ – On the evening of Thursday, April 17, the search for leaven, Bedikat Hametz is conducted in the home. The appropriate prayers for the search and destruction of the last hametz may be found at the beginning of every Haggadah.
BURNING OF HAMETZ – On the morning of Friday, April 18, the hametz found in the previous night’s search is customarily burned outside the home. This is the final act of preparing the home for Pesach. If you come to Beth El at 11:30 a.m. that morning, Beth El will arrange for it to be burned along with Beth El’s hametz.
LAST MINUTE EATING – No matzah should be eaten from the day before the Seder until the Seder. Lunch at home on Friday, April 18, should consist of Passover food, but not matzah, using Passover utensils.
When Pesach falls immediately after Shabbat, as it does this year, the rules are different. More info is on this page.
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When Passover Falls on Saturday Night
Special Rules and Instructions
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It is unusual for Pesach to fall on a Saturday night. There are changes in the ritual necessitated by making the home almost entirely Passover-ready a day early, prior to Shabbat. Without going into detail about the intricacies of Jewish law, here is how this year’s calendar quirk impacts on those who wish to observe Passover in adherence with those laws and customs.
HOME OBSERVANCES
Search for Chametz:
Usually done the night before Pesach, this year done Thursday night, April 17
Burning of leaven:
Usually done the day before Pesach, this year on Friday, April 18. All are welcome to bring any last Chametz to Beth El by 11:30 a.m. and give it to us to burn. We will be toasting marshmallows as we burn Chametz.
Shabbat Dinner:
Should be almost entirely of Passover-appropriate food. Since it is not the custom to eat matzah until Seder, Hamotzi should be made either with challah (the crumbs and left over bread then either taken outside or disposed of down a toilet) or egg matzah, which is not exactly matzah.
AT BETH EL
Shabbat Services Erev Pesach: April 18
Will begin at 8:30 a.m. in order to finish the eating of Chametz challah for Hamotzi by the appropriate hour.
Hamotzi:
Will be made on two challot in the Atrium, then its remnants disposed of immediately.
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