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From the Rabbi:
Sell Your Chametz HERE
Ahh.. ויקרא Vayikra
The moment we've been working towards for the last month. For the entire month of Adar we've been reading about the construction of the Mishkan, culminating in the dedication ceremony beginning on the First of Nisan. We've done our part and "built Him a Sanctuary" and now He will come to dwell within us.
And what does is the description of that indwelling? What does it feel like? How is it experienced? As a call. A summons. ויקרא Vayikra. "And He called". With a little aleph.
The miniature aleph is one of the great mysteries of the Torah. Vast amounts of ink has been spilled exploring this remarkable iconic feature of scripture. For example, one of my ancestors, Rabbi Natan Neta Shapira of Krakow wrote a book called Megaleh Amukot 'Revealer of the Depths' in which he gave seventy explanations of the mini-aleph. He said he had a thousand, but only wrote seventy. That itself is a miniaturization!
One of the wonderful things about when The Torah presents us with such fruitful mysteries is the attitude of our sages is "דרש ורבל שכר - Add your own interpretation and receive reward for it". The Torah provides us with input but doesn't give us the meaning. Tell us a joke and leaves us to finish the punch line. Offers us a mystery without 'solving it' and instead asks - or perhaps calls to us, inviting us to share in the conversation. Making space for us to have something to offer.
In this way, the little aleph with all its symbolism is the perfect introduction to the entire subject of korbanot - the sacrificial offerings. What could we possibly have to offer Hashem that we didn't get from Him? Nevertheless He increased His manifold kindness to us by calling out to us with a miniature silent letter and affords us the privilege of being givers. Givers of life, givers of wealth, givers of heart and givers of Torah. That is the call, the invitation to give.
So, What does God's call of silence mean to you? What a perfect introduction to prepare us a night in which the most precious offerings are themselves questions!
Shabbat Shalom,
Shlomo
Pesach Schedule
Thursday April 10
Ta'anit Bechorot
5:07 am Fast Begins
6:45 am Shacharit and Siyum
8:21 pm Nightfall - Bedikat Chametz
Friday April 11
12:10 pm Latest time to burn Chametz
Chametz will be sold
6:34 pm Earliest candle lighting
7:00 pm Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat
7:35 Candle Lighting
Shabbat April 12
9:00 am Shacharit
9:45 am Kiddush/Brunch outdoors
10:45 am Torah reading and Mussaf
11:02 am Last time to eat Chametz
12:15 pm Shabbat Hagadol Shiur
12:09 pm Last time for eliminating Chametz
7:15 pm Mincha
7:54 pm Sunset / Maariv
8:38 pm Shabbat Ends, Candle Lighting, can make Kiddush
Sunday April 13
9:00 am Shacharit
7:45 pm Mincha & Maariv
8:39 pm Candle Lighting, can make kiddush, 1 La'Omer
Monday April 14
9:00 am Shacharit
7:45 pm Mincha & Maariv
8:41 pm Havdalah, 2 La'Omer
Friday April 18
7:00 pm Mincha & Maariv
8:31 pm Havdalah, 6 La'Omer
Shabbat April 19
9:00 am Shacharit
7:45 pm Mincha & Maariv
8:47 pm Candle Lighting, can make kiddush, 7 La'Omer
Sunday April 13
9:00 am Shacharit
7:45 pm Mincha & Maariv
8:48 pm Havdalah, 8 La'Omer
9:30 pm Sold Chametz re-purchased
Classes This Week
- Shabbat after Kiddush - Preparing for Pesach
- Shabbat 6:45 PM before Mincha
- Tuesday at 12:30 PM - Parsha Conversations at Cheryl's office
♫Check out these Soundbites about each step in the Seder.♫
Here's an instructional video I made several years ago on how to Kasher for Pesach without going crazy.
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