Pesah Guide 5780

Kahal Joseph Pesah Guide

5780/2020

A Message from the President

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Kahal Joseph,

Let us pray for the health, safety and well-being of all people in these very challenging times. Stay healthy and stay safe with your family.

With warm wishes for a healthy & happy Passover,

Yvette Dabby, President

A Message from Rabbi Halevy

Shalom. Pesach is coming! There is a beautiful passage from the Zohar which many have the custom of reciting during the Seder.

“The commandment of the Seder night is to speak about the praise of Hashem in liberating us from Egypt. It is an eternally powerful mitzvah. We have established that any person who feels the joy of this liberation and speaks about the story joyfully will experience joy with the Shechinah [the divine presence of Hashem which dwells in all worlds] when it is revealed.

By feeling the joy of the story we are truly having pleasure with Hashem who wrought these miracles. Hashem enjoys the telling of this story. On Pesach night Hashem gathers all of the highest angels and tells them “Go and hear My story of praise that My children are telling, and how joyful they are with My salvation. These angels gather and join with Israel and hear the praise and see the joy we are experiencing. The angels come to G-d and praise Him for the miracles and wonders in Egypt. They praise Him for this holy nation that is in the world, who is so joyful with Hashem and His wonders.

The joyful singing of the Haggadah and Seder adds a lot of strength and might in the higher realms. Israel through their ‘story’ gives strength to Hashem. This is like a king who receives power and might when he is praised. This increases the honor and awe people have of Him. His glory is uplifted on all. Thus, we should really say the Haggadah with abundant joy and praise.”

Click here to read more

Learn more about Passover with Rabbi Halevy

https://www.facebook.com/kahaljoseph.congregation/videos/2641905412721013/

Passover Haggadah

https://www.facebook.com/kahaljoseph.congregation/videos/252498909221868/

Passover Wisdom

Click here to SELL HAMETZ

Mitzvot of Passover

Selling Hametz

Tuesday, April 7th at Noon

If there is hametz one wishes to keep after pesach, it is able to be sold before the holiday.

Search for Hametz

Tuesday, April 7th after dark

The night before Pesach we do ‘Bedikat Chametz,’ the search for Chametz. We recite the Bracha: Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheynu Melech Haolam asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu al biur chametz. We search in the rooms of the house with a candle.

Burning the Hametz

Wednesday, April 8th by 11:50 AM

We are able to eat chametz through the next morning until approximately 10:45 am. We must burn or throw away any chametz we haven’t sold by 11:50 AM.

Fast of Firstborns

Wednesday, April 8th

Firstborn males have the custom of listening to the finishing of a Talmud tractate or partaking in another mitzvah so as not to fast from dawn to dusk.

Passover Seder Nights

Wednesday, April 8th after dark

Thursday, April 9th after dark

It is a mitzvah to recite the Haggadah during the Seder with great joy. We eat matzah and drink four cups of wine (or grape juice for kids) while reclining to the left to show that we have our freedom. We arrange the Seder Plate with various symbolic foods. Women recite Shehechiyanu blessing when lighting and saying the blessing over Yom Tov candles on the first nights of Pesach. It is a great mitzvah to speak of Hashem’s wonders on this night!

Click HERE for a Sephardic Haggadah

Click HERE for an Iraqi Haggadah

Click HERE for the Library of Congress Haggadah Collection

Passover Food Guides

Pesah Food List from
Rabbi Abadi at
kashrut.org

Freedom of a Nation
Guide from Rabbi
Gavriel Cohen

Seders with Zoom

This year, due to the importance of protecting human life during this time, it is the allowance of the Rabbis to use Zoom calls for people who are alone for the Seder. People should turn on their computers and begin the Zoom link before the holiday begins.