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Passover

 Pesach 5780 Schedule

Tuesday, April 7th
8:44 PM    Bedikat Chametz
            (Search for Chametz)

Wednesday, April 8th
Erev Pesach
5:52 AM    Fast Begins
7:25 AM    Shacharit *
10:52 AM  Stop Eating Chametz
12:17 PM   Burn Chametz
                   (all kashering should be
                   completed before this time!)
1:34 PM    Chatzot (Midday)
Eruv Tavshilin
7:00 PM    Mincha & Inspiration Thoughts *
7:46 PM    Candle Lighting
8:45 PM    Start Seder

Thursday, April 9th
1st Day Pesach
9:30 AM    Shacharit
10:18 AM  Recite Shema
                    before this time
7:40 PM    Mincha/Maariv
8:46 PM    Candle Lighting & Start Seder

Friday, April 10th
2nd Day Pesach
9:30 AM    Shacharit
10:17 AM  Recite Shema
                   before this time
6:25 PM    Mincha/Maariv
6:45 PM    Candle Lighting

 Saturday, April 11th
Shabbat Chol HaMoed
9:00 AM    Shacharit
7:30 PM    Mincha
8:49 PM    Shabbat Ends

Sunday, April 12th
Chol HaMoed Pesach
8:25 AM    Shacharit *
6:30 PM    Mincha/Maariv *

Monday, April 13th
Chol HaMoed Pesach
7:25 AM    Shacharit *
6:30 PM    Mincha/Maariv *

Tuesday, April 14th
Erev Yom Tov
7:25 AM    Shacharit *
6:20 PM    Mincha & L'Chayim *
6:50 PM    Candle Lighting

Wednesday, April 15th
7th Day Pesach
9:00 AM    Shacharit
7:45 PM    Mincha/Maariv
8:53 PM    Candle Lighting

Thursday, April 16th
8th Day Pesach
9:00 AM    Shacharit
7:45 PM    Mincha/Maariv
8:55 PM    Yom Tov Ends
Sold chametz should not be accessed before 10:00 PM

 

Passover Information & Tips from Rabbi Zack

How is this Passover different from every other Passover? 
As we struggle to prepare for Passover this year under abnormal, challenging and limiting circumstances, I want to take advantage of some of the educational opportunities that this provides. My first topic is Mechirat Chametz, the sale of chametz to a non-Jew over Passover.

The Torah commands us to remove all chametz from our possession prior to Passover.  We are forbidden to eat any chametz that was found to be in our possession during Passover. The penalty for this is most severe.  Therefore, we rely on our sale of chametz to a non-Jew for the duration of Passover.

Mechirat Chametz – The sale of chametz for Passover is a legitimate legal transaction that takes place in two stages.  In the first stage, the sellers (you) give the Rabbi (me) power of attorney to sell your chametz to a non-Jew (Jorge).  The second stage is the sale of the chametz itself by me to Jorge.  In order to make sure that both of these stages are halachically valid our sages utilized a system of redundant forms of acquisition known as kinyanim (or kinyan in the singular).  The halacha utilizes these kinyanim to transfer ownership and/or to assume responsibility, liability and commitment from one person to another.  Since owning chametz on Pesach is biblical prohibition with severe spiritual consequences, the rabbis utilize overlapping forms of kinyan so that if one is invalid or invalidated, there are others to fall back on. Generally when a person authorizes the rabbi to be their agent to sell their chametz at least three forms of kinyan are utilized.  One is the use of a document (shtar) which is the Power of Attorney form that lists the kinds of chametz being sold, its location and its approximate value. The second is a verbal statement or acknowledgement that one wishes to appoint the rabbi as their agent.  The third, is what is known as kinyan sudar, which entails the seller taking hold of a personal item from the buyer and raising it up.  This action, in and of itself, is sufficient to transfer ownership of an object or of agency.   When selling the actual chametz to a non-Jew nine different kinyanim are used.

This year, due to the serious health risks involved, the rabbis have decided that it is okay to rely on a reduced number of kinyanim.  Therefore, it is recommended that you either fill out your authorization for power of attorney form online HERE or download a hard copy HERE to fill out and fax or email to the office.  You should also do your best to call me and give verbal authorization.  This year we cannot easily make a kinyan sudar as passing a personal object between us would violate physical distancing rules, etc.  However, there is a work around for this if you wish.   If you are housed with other family members (or other people) you can audio or visual call me and I can appoint another adult in your home to serve as my agent (shaliach) to make a kinyan sudar with you on my behalf. 

Similar adjustments will be made in the actual sale of chametz to Jorge this year as well.

See Below for a series of important halachic adjustments
for this year only 


​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​More tips from Rabbi Zack

  1. You can find every passover guide and a lot of koshering information at www.kashrut.com/Passover/ 
  2. Rabbi Eliezer Eidlitz of kosherquest.org has made a home video this year in place of his annual market tours where he shares information about all of the products that are available without special certification, etc. I have known Rabbi Eidlitz since entering the rabbinate in Oakland, CA. He has been my kashrut rebbe and guru. You can watch his presentation HERE  
  3. Rabbi Hershel Schachter has declared this year a sha'at hadchak an emergency situation and therefore halachot that are usually bedieved, are now considered even a l'chatchitla [Laws that are usually only approved as "ok after the fact" are now fully permitted]. In particular the use of boxed machine matza instead of hand shmura matza is allowed as long as it was made l'sham matza [With the intent to fulfill the mitzvah of eating matza. Rabbi Genack of the OU has affirmed that all OU matza fulfills this requirement. 
  4. You may use any unopened passover products from last year. 
  5. Many poskim have written that this year, even if your minhag (custom) is not to sell real chametz, you may and even should do so to ensure that you have food for after pesach and to save money. 
  6. Click HERE for our online Sale of Chametz form.

What do I do about toveling (immersing in the mikva) new pots and pans for Passover this year?

Rav Hershel Schachter has written the following ruling if one cannot tovel (immerse) new vessels in the mikva for this Passover. 
 
“Since we are facing a unique situation of great need and limited options, it is permitted to use utensils that have not been immersed after renouncing ownership of the utensils (mafkir keilim).
When declaring the utensils as ownerless one must:

  • Have full intent that they are truly declaring the items as truly ownerless and that if someone were to take the item before the original owner were to reclaim them they would be willing to let the item go.
  • The declaration must be to 3 people who live in your neighborhood, so that one of them has the ability to potentially acquire the item and two people could be witnesses to say that the other person did not steal the item. 2 of the people should be valid Halachic witnesses.
  • This doesn’t have to be done in front of 3 people. It can be declared over email or social media to 3 people.
  • After declaring that the items are ownerless you should move the items out of your physical house or apartment and let them remain outside for a few minutes where someone could potentially come and take them.

Because the above approach is due to the difficult and pressing circumstances that we are currently facing, once a Mivkah, or an opportunity for immersing the utensils, becomes available the individual must take the items to be immersed without a blessing before using them again.”

Rabbi Hershel Schachter


Resources Regarding Kashering for Pesach from the RCA

VIDEO


AUDIO

Fri, December 4 2020 18 Kislev 5781