Pesach Notes for People who cannot stay up for the Seder.

Some Notes on Making a Seder for people who cannot stay up for the Seder and for making a Seder for young children – London, 2008/5768

The General situation
When does the Seder start?
On both Seder evenings, the Seder starts after nightfall[1]. Nightfall for these purposes is the time of ‘tze’ait hacochavim’[2]. This year in London (2008/5768), the earliest time to start the Seder is at 8.56pm.

How does this impact on Seder preparations?
This year, Erev Pesach (Pesach eve) is on Shabbat 19 April. As Shabbat is a day dedicated to Shabbat only, no Pesach preparations take place on Shabbat. Pesach preparations are finished on Friday, other than really final preparations such as laying the table (if this is not possible before Shabbat) or taking out food once Shabbat has ended. Shabbat ends at 8.56pm.

At this time, say the phrase ‘Baruch Hamavdil bein Kodesh leKodesh’ (a mini form of Havdala) and then you can move into Seder mode, including warming up food for the Seder meal within the parameters for warming food on Yom Tov.

Eating Matza is the only Torah based eating mitzva of the year (believe it or not given all the jokes about Jews and food!).

Therefore, we should get Pesach and the Seder right, sticking to this structure.
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The notes that follow apply only for people whose health will not allow them to participate in the proper structure of the Seder, or for young children who are unable to stay up for the Seder. They also pertain to those looking after people in ill health or young children.

People in poor health who cannot stay up for the Seder or have difficulty in eating Matza etc.

Shabbat 19 April and Sunday 20 April 2008

7.35pm[3]
Wash hands ‘Urchatz’; Eat a small amount of celery/parsley ‘Karpas’; Break the middle Matza and hide the larger half for Afikoman ‘Yachatz’.
Eat dinner whilst going through the ‘Magid’ section of the Hagadah, eg sing Dayainu!! Stop at the section beginning ‘Rabban Gamliel used to say’, which is close to the end of ‘Magid’.

8.35pm at the earliest
Recite Kiddush and drink the 1st cup as found at the start of the Hagadah (don’t worry, we’re not playing snakes and ladders so you don’t start the whole Seder again!).
Go back to where you left off before making Kiddush and continue with Magid from ‘Rabban Gamliel used to say’. Drink the 2nd cup and eat Matza, Maror, (if you are able to, eat ‘Korech’ as well), Afikoman. Say Birkat Hamazon / Bensching/ Grace after Meals.
Drink the 3rd cup of wine. Sing as much of ‘Hallel’ as you can and drink the 4th cup of wine.

This completes the Seder for people in poor health who cannot make the Seder at its proper time.

What about people whose health does not permit them to follow this schedule?
Start at 7.35pm as above. Matza may be eaten from 7.50pm but without making a beracha/brocha/blessing. The blessing can only be made after 8.35pm.
Stay up as late as you can and follow the instructions above.

How much Matza and grape juice should be drunk by people whose health makes it hard for them to eat and drink?

Matza
For each Matza eating, try to eat an amount of matza measuring 4 x 3 ½ inches.
If this is not possible, try to eat that amount for the first Matza eating and an amount equivalent to at least 5 grams for the other Matza eatings.
If this is not possible, eat one piece of Matza weighing at least 5 grams for the first Matza eating and at least 5 grams of Matza for as many of the subsequent Matza eatings that you can manage.
If you cannot eat Matza as it is, you can dip it into water to soften it.

Maror
If you can, eat either 20 grams of horseradish or Romaine lettuce measuring 10 x 8 inches. If you cannot eat this amount, then eat as much as you can but without saying a beracha/brocha/blessing on the Maror.

The 4 cups
Use grape juice if you prefer it to wine. Each cup should hold at least 86ml (that is less than half of a standard plastic cup so not very much liquid). Drink at least the majority of 86ml. Do not use leftovers from one cup for the next cup, instead pour out a fresh amount.
If you cannot drink grape juice or wine, drink cups of tea of at least 86ml instead, prepared from a ‘Shabbat urn’ which you filled before Shabbat started (as Shabbat this year is Erev Pesach). Unlike on Shabbat, the urn can be topped up on Yom Tov.


General Points

If you are helping somebody whose health compels them to begin the Seder early, you can join in the songs and discussion with them but you should not start the Seder yourself until nightfall as defined above.

If you need to care for a person in poor health at the same time as you participate in the Seder, make sure that minimally you drink the 4 cups in their proper order, say the major parts of ‘Magid’ (i.e. at least Ma Nishtana, Avadim hayinu, the 4 sons, ‘Rabban Gamliel used to say’ until the end of Magid), eat Matza, Maror, Korech and Afikoman. If possible, share the responsibility with another Seder participant.


Young Children who cannot stay up to participate in the Seder

- Make a mini-Seder for the children
- Depending on the age of the children, start as close as you can to nightfall.
-Involving your children, if possible, get a mini-Seder table ready.
-Sing songs and play Seder games with your children, discuss the story of the Exodus from Egypt and let them present any notes about the Seder that they may have prepared at school or at Cheder.
-Select one section of the Hagadah to discuss with your children.
-Give them some Matza and some lettuce for Maror and then follow that with their supper so that you give them as mini-Seder which is as close as possible to the real thing.
-It is important to understand the Magid section of the Hagada in particular and so read and discuss that in English except for the Berachot/Brochas/blessings.

If you have any questions, please email me

Chag Samayach! Have a Happy Festival of Pesach

[1] Since the Jews left Egypt on the night of 15 Nisan, which is the first night of Pesach (see Shemot/Exodus 12:8). Also see Shulchan Aruch OC 472:1. TB Berachot 27b, Pesachim 120b.
[2] Lit. the coming out of the stars. Often referred to as ‘3 stars’.
[3] As noted above, the Seder must begin at night. The earliest definition of ‘night’ in Jewish law is a time called ‘Pelag Hamincha’. This definition is a minority opinion in Jewish law. In a situation such as a person in poor health who cannot make the Seder at the right time, the minority opinion may be relied upon.

Pesach 5768 / 2008 - Preparation and Seder guides

Until I can figure out how to upload them, email me for some of the Shul's Pesach guides for this year!

Information on the Seder material is summarised in tables for ease of reference (I hope!)

• Mitzvot of the Month of Nisan.


• Mitzvot of the Seder.


• General Pesach Preparations, including notes for this year when Erev (eve) of Pesach is on Shabbat.


• Kitchen and house preparations.


• Timetable of Services and detailed information about Erev Pesach on Shabbat and Pesach logistics.

The Mitzvot (Obligations) of Purim: A brief guide

Fast of Esther (Thursday 20 March 2008) starts 4.24am, ends 6.54pm. For info on the Fast of Esther, please see here

For more in-depth Purim Info see here.

Megila
The Megila (Scroll of Esther) is read on Purim evening and Purim day. It tells of the salvation of the Jews on Purim and explains the basis of how we celebrate Purim. Those who wish to fulfill this obligation correctly listen to every word of the Megila.

Purim Seuda (meal)
We celebrate Purim with a festive meal during the day (this year on Friday). As this year Purim is on a Friday and we also need to prepare for Shabbat, start the Seuda by midday and wrap it up by 5pm at the latest (Shabbat starts at 6.01pm, which is the latest time for candle lighting and the time the service starts in Shul). The meal is enhanced by wine to celebrate the miracles of our salvation on Purim. There are plenty of urban myths about Purim and drinking. Jewish law (halacha) mandates that you follow the instructions on whisky bottles and drink responsibly.

Mishloach Manot
Literally, the sending of gifts. Give at least two different ready to eat foods, eg a tub of chumus and a packet of crackers to another Jew. We give gifts to show our gratitute at the Purim salvation.

Matanot Le'evyonim
Literally, charity to those who need. More should be spent on this mitzva than Mishloach Manot. This money should reach its recipients on the day of Purim. Collection boxes will be available in Shul and the proceeds will be distributed on the day of Purim to help needy families celebrate Purim.

If you have any Purim questions, please email me.

Shemita Update March 08/Adar 5768

Here is a link to the latest Shemita update from the London Beth Din's Kashrut Department.

http://www.kosher.org.uk/shemittaalert.htm

Israeli chocolate is fine though as cocoa beans are not considered to be fruit even if you might wish they would count as one of your 5aday!

Purim Sameach / Happy Purim

Tu Bishvat / Tu B'shvat - the new year for trees

(see the late great Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin's 'The Festivals in Halacha' for more information on Tu Bishvat. It is gratefully acknowledged for its use in preparing this post.)

This Monday night and Tuesday (21/22 Jan 08) is Tu Bishvat (aka Tu B'shvat). Tu Bishvat means 'the fifteenth day of Shevat'. The Hebrew letters 'tet' and 'vav' have the numerical value of 9 and 6 respectively and Shevat is one of the months of the Jewish calendar.

Tu Bishvat is mentioned in the Mishna (Rosh Hashana 1:1) as the new year for trees. According to the Beit Hillel (house of the sage Hillel), the new year for trees is on 15 Shevat whilst according to Beit Shammai (house of his great contemporary Shammai), the new year for trees is on 1 Shevat. The Gemara (Rosh Hashana 14b) decides in favour of Beit Hillel as it usually does in disputes between the two houses.

Why is there a new year for trees and why is there this difference of opinion as to when it occurs? (this is not to do with when it is most convenient for school kids to be able to plant trees or flowers to celebrate Tu Bishvat - so I am told!!)

The signifcance of the new year for trees lies primarily in various laws in the Torah that apply to trees. It is similar to the need for a financial new year for laws for laws which apply to appropriate money laws.

An example of the law that applies to trees is called 'orlah'. Orlah is a mitzva which prohibits using the produce of a tree in its first 3 years. The first year for this purpose ends on the Tu Bishvat following the planting of the tree.

The disagreement as to when the new year for trees occurs is based on disagreements as to when most of the rainy season has passed and when trees will then grow faster again (see the commentaries of Rashi and Tosafot on the Mishna that we cited). The Sages wished to get this time as right as they could.

Tu Bishvat has particular application in a Shemita year (see these posts for an explanation of Shemita) as it helps to distinguish between fruit which is part of the Shemita year and that which is not.

Since most of the laws relating to Tu Bishvat concern mitzvot hateluyot ba'aretz (Torah laws which apply only in the Land of Israel), it is a day which has more application in Israel than in the Diaspora. Nonetheless, it is a day which reminds us that the Torah directs us as to how to care for trees and by extension the rest of the environment and should make us pause to consider these ideas (get your recycling ready now!)

Some Sepharadi Jews, basing themselves on mystical sources, say special prayers, sing special songs and make a special feast for Tu Bishvat at which they eat as many different kinds of fruit as they can.

Ashkenazim, according to the Magen Avraham, (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 131:16) also eat many kinds of fruit - some people go for 15 since Tu Bishvat is on the 15th day of the month - but without the same kind of celebrations that are customary in Sepharadi communites, although the Ashkenazim cheer themselves by reciting Tachanun neither on Tu Bishvat nor at Mincha of the preceeding aftenoon.! (see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim, 131:6)

Amongst Chasidim, many have the custom to pray on Tu Bishvat that they should get a beautiful etrog at Succot.

Whatever you do on Tu Bishvat, enjoy some fruit (if you buy Israeli fruit, make sure it is not Shemita produce - see here for info), consider the lessons of the day and look forward to the spring if you prefer it to winter!

Solar and Lunar Calendars

Following Rabbi Shlomo' sermon last Shabbat which dealt with why fixing a calendar is the first Mitzvah taught in the Torah and how the lunar (Jewish) calendar interacts with the solar (secular) calendar, Raphael Langham kindly sent me the following notes:

1. Judaism isn't the only religion that has a lunar calendar adjusted to the solar one. Burmese Buddhism (and probably other branches as well) uses one. They have twelve months each of 28 days and every few years an extra month is added to keep sync. with the solar calendar so that religious festivals are at much the same time each year. Interestingly the extra month has the same name as the previous one but with the number 2 (or the Burmese equivalent of sheni) at the end.

2. I hope it works better than ours. In 20,031 (Gregorian) 23792 (Jewish) Yom Kippur falls on Christmas day. Only just over 18,000 years to go, I just can't wait!

3. One should always try to work by the precept 'The best is the enemy of the good'.

Asara BeTevet - the fast of 10 Tevet

This Wednesday, 19 December 2007, is the fast of 10 Tevet.

What

The Talmud (Rosh Hashana 18b) describes the 4 of the Rabbinically instituted fast days in the Jewish calendar. These are based on the statement of the prophet Zecharia/Zakaria (8:19). The fast not mentioned in Ta'anit Esther/the Fast of Esther, whose source lies in the Megila.

One of the fasts menionted by Zecharia falls on 10 Tevet and is known as 'Asara BeTevet' which is the Hebrew phrase for '10 Tevet'. As with the other fasts, it is linked to the destruction of the First Beit Hamikdash / Temple, specifically commemorating the first breach in the walls of Jerusalem. You can find some of the details of the destruction in Melachim Bet / 2 Kings, chapter 25 which is the last chapter of the Sefer Melachim/the Book of Kings. Sorry for readers from Essex that there is no Seven Kings!

Why

You may ask why we observe Asara BeTevet. Like any other fast, abstinance from food and drink is meant to focus our minds on events. Not only was the destruction of the First Beit Hamikdash a tragedy that still affects Jewish life today, but the events around the destruction sound a salutary warning which should help us to avoid making similar mistakes as those made by our ancestors.

Rambam in his magnum opus "Mishneh Torah" (Hilchot Ta'aniyot / Laws of Fasts 5:1) writes that any calamitous events should engender a stocktaking, which we can suggest should be both personal and national. Furthermore, a fundamental part of being Jewish is identifying with other Jews rather than living as in isolation. A Jew cannot absent him or herself from the Jewish community, to avoid celebrations or, G-d forbid, hard times.

These are some of the reasons that the Rabbis saw as important in Asara BeTevet.

This year's times of the fast and who should not fast

This fast runs from dawn to night (in London for 2007, the fast starts at 6.12am and ends at 4.41pm). Eating and drinking are the only specific prohibitions. Although this is a serious day, it is minor in comparison with the two most serious fasts which are Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av.

Accordingly, somebody who cannot fast for medical reasons, or who may become ill from fasting (such as a pregnant or nursing woman) should not fast although they should not choose this as the day they finally make that amazing stake mignon for lunch!

You'd never believe it but...

Given the specific wording used in Zecharia to describe Asara BeTevet, it cannot be postponed to another day and is the only fast, given the structure of the Jewish calendar, which can fall on a Friday! That is good trivia next time you are doon the pub!

Conclusion

Even if you are not fasting, it is important to take some time out on Asara BeTevet to ponder the significance of the day.

In modern times, the Israeli Chief Rabbinate has declared Asara BeTevet as 'Yom HaKadish Hakelali' - a Yartzeit day for victims of the Holocaust whose date of death is unknown.

Have a meaningful and easy Asara BeTevet.