Service Times
Fast of the First Born
Thursday, April 10 7:30am: In person & ZOOM
Tradition requires that the first born of every family fast on the day before Passover. However, this year Shabbat will push this fast to Thursday morning, April 10.
To avoid the requirement to fast, one can participate in a communal study session on the day of the fast, creating an “obligation” to celebrate with food. We invite all members who are their mother’s first child/ren, to join us in person or via ZOOM for a short service and study session on Thursday, April 10, 7:30 am-9:00am. There will be a breakfast served to those attending in person.
Basic Preparations
We prepare our homes for Passover by removing any leavened Biblical grains and grain products (i.e., foods made from oats, wheat, barley, rye, and millet, which has been in contact with moisture for more than 18 minutes). In many Ashkenazic homes, it is also the practice to avoid kitniyot (grain-like) products including lentils, peas, sesame, mustard seed as well as rice and corn. These latter products are allowed in homes that follow the Sephardic tradition (ochlei kitniyot). The preferred way to remove chametz is to consume grain containing items or to give unopened packages away to food pantries. Chametz can also be disposed of or placed out of sight throughout the holiday.
Burning and Selling of Chametz
Traditional Burning of Chametz will be on Friday, April 11 at 10:00am in the Beth Israel parking lot
Jewish law ordains that during Passover any trace of chametz—leavened bread—may not be in the possession of a Jew. The Rabbis, therefore, developed a procedure by which chametz and mixtures of chametz may be sold to a non-Jew for the duration of Pesach, and again become the property of the seller following Pesach.
In most cases, the householder authorizes the Rabbi to sell the chametz for them and to re-purchase it after the holiday. It is customary to include a donation for Maot Chittim (a charitable gift for the poor) with your request.
To sell your chametz use this online form or contact the office.
Rabbi's Handout on How to Prepare when Pesach Starts on Saturday Night
Link to a PDF version of the information below
When the First Seder Is on Saturday Night
When Passover begins on a Saturday night, the timeline leading up to the holiday, and navigating the first Seder itself, gets complicated. This guide, prepared by Rabbi Micah Pelz and emended by Rabbi Safman, is intended to help clarify the preparations for the holiday for those concerned with adhering to traditional practice and halachic guidelines.
Thursday, April 10
· Siyyum Bekhorot (Fast of the Firstborn) – It is customary for firstborns to fast on Erev Pesah (the day before the holiday) to remember how Jewish firstborns were saved from the 10th plague. However, many people have the custom of participating in a siyyum (celebration of the completion of learning a Jewish text), to get out of the fast. Because we do not fast on or directly adjacent to Shabbat, this year’s study session/fast will occur on Thursday. We will meet in the chapel at 7:30am to pray (this replaces the regularly scheduled minyan) and study. After that, everyone is invited for a bagel breakfast. The service and siyyum will also be available on Zoom.
· Bedikat Hametz (The Search for Hametz) – On Thursday evening we perform the search for hametz in our homes. We say a blessing before the search, then take a feather and paper bag to find the 10 pieces of hametz that are traditionally placed around the house.
Friday, April 11
· Biur Hametz (The Burning of the Hametz) – We burn the hametz that was found during the search the previous night before 11:50am. Unlike other years, however, the declaration we normally make for bitul hametz (the nullification of hametz) at this time is not said until Saturday morning (see below). Note: If you will be eating at home on Shabbat, you can purposely set aside some hametz (keep track of it!) for Friday evening and/or Saturday morning. This hametz is exempted from the communal sale, which will take place midday on Friday.
· Finish cleaning for Pesah. Since we cannot thoroughly clean or cook on Shabbat, we strive to be all ready for Pesah when Shabbat begins. We recommend that all of the food eaten over Shabbat is kosher for Pesah. The exception is that you can put aside hallah for Shabbat, which you should eat outside or inside in a way that contains the crumbs. If you would prefer not to use hallah for HaMotzi on Shabbat, you can use egg matzah. However, one should not eat actual matzah until the Seder on Saturday night.
