Vol. LXIX No. 13 5778
New York City
CANDLE LIGHTING TIME
March 30, 2018 – 14 Nissan 5778
7:00 p.m. NYC E.D.T.
Sabbath Ends: 8:01 p.m. NYC E.D.T.
Sabbath Ends: Rabbenu Tam 8:32 p.m. NYC E.D.T.
Weekly Reading: Pesach Festival (see below)
Weekly Haftara: Pesach Festival (see below)
Daf Yomi: Avodah Zarah 74
Mishna Yomit: Yevamos 16:4-5
Halacha Yomit: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 308:43-45
Rambam Yomi: Hilchos Bechoros chap.5-7
Earliest time for tallis and tefillin: 5:52 a.m. NYC E.D.T.
Sunrise: 6:42 a.m. NYC E.D.T
Latest Kerias Shema: 9:51 a.m. NYC E.D.T.
Sunset: 7:18 p.m. NYC E.D.T.
This Friday Evening is the start of Pesach and the first Seder.
On Thursday evening we searched for chametz – all remaining chametz, including that which might be stuck to utensils, should be sold to a gentile via the rabbi. The sale is to take place no later than the latest time at which one may yet own such chametz before Pesach (at the end of the fifth hour of Erev Pesach – we divide the daylight hours into 12 equal units called sha’ot zemaniyot). This year that time in N.Y.C. is Friday 11:57 a.m. E.D.T. [Gra & Ba’al HaTanya]. We may not eat chametz beyond one sha’ah zemanit before that: this year in NYC it is 10:54 a.m. E.D.T. [Gra & Ba’al HaTanya]. The latest time for burning the chametz, which we have gathered in the search the night before (and which we are now forbidden to own), is 11:57 a.m. N.Y.C. E.D.T. After the chametz is fully burned we recite Kol Chami’a and thus we are me’vatel – we nullify – our ownership of any chametz that might remain in our possessionthat we have not sold.
While we are now forbidden to eat chametz, we are also proscribed from eating matza [on Erev Pesach] until the Seder. It is customary for all firstborn to fast on Erev Pesach in commemoration of their deliverance from the decree of death to the firstborn that afflicted all in Egypt. Today the common custom is for the firstborn to attend a siyum of a Gemara tractate, which then allows them to eat.
It is customary for those who need an eruv chatzeros (to allow them to carry in communal and joint driveways and courtyards) to make this eruv, once a year, on Erev Pesach, putting aside a matza for this purpose.
When lighting candles Friday evening, we bless both Lehadlik ner shel Shabbos ve’ Yom Tov and Shehecheyanu (N.Y.C. candle lighting time is 7:00 p.m. E.D.T.).
Friday Evening: Kabbalas Shabbos (Ashkenaz, begin Mizmor Shir l’Yom ha’Shabbos; Sfard, begin at Mizmor l’Dovid, havu La’Shem… first two stanzas L’cha Dodi and last two stanzas and then Mizmor Shir l’yom ha’Shabbos, usual Maariv tefillah followed by Ve Shamru and Vayedabber Moshe followed by the Festival Amida with all mentions of Shabbos, and Vayechulu (we do not say Magen Avos), Kaddish Tiskabbel at the conclusion. (Nusach Sefarad and even certain Ashkenaz congregations include the whole Hallel both evenings – the first night and the second night – with a beracha). Congregations that usually recite the Kiddush in the synagogue on Friday nights do not do so these two evenings; instead, all wait to recite Kiddush at the Seder.
At home on both evenings we recite the Kiddush of Yom Tov (with all references to Shabbos) and Shehecheyanu on the first cup of wine, and we continue with the Seder ceremony, the dippings, matza, maror, Mah Nishtana, the Haggadah, three additional cups of wine, and the Afikoman.
In Kerias Shema at bedtime, these two evenings only, we say only the blessing of Hamappil and the first parasha of the Shema. We delete the other related paragraphs as this night is leil shimurim, when we are subject to special Divine protection.
Shabbos morning: Shacharis for Festivals with Festival Amida (with all Shabbos references). Some say the Yotzros as found in the Machzor, followed by whole Hallel, and we then remove two Sifrei Torah from the Ark. In the first Torah scroll we read Parashas Bo (Shemos 12:21-51) from “Vayikra Moshe, Mish’chu…” until “Tziv’osam” and call seven Aliyos. In the second scroll we call the Maftir. We read in Parashas Pinchas (Bamidbar 28:16-25), “U’Vachodesh Harishon” until “Kol meleches avoda lo sa’asu.” We read the Haftara in Yehoshua (3:5-7; 5:2-15; 6:1; 6:27), Vayomer Yehoshua. In the blessings of the Haftara we mention the Festival and The Sabbath. Being that it is Shabbos we omit Kah Keili, we continue with Yekum Purkan (no Av Harachamim), Ashrei.
Musaf: The Chazzan dons a kittel and intones the half-Kaddish to the special Nusach for Tal. Some have the Gabbai announce Morid HaTal before the silent Shemoneh Esreh and thus Mashiv Haruach Umorid Hagashem is not recited from this day and on. (Others do not announce it before the silent Shemoneh Esreh and thus they stop saying Mashiv Haruach from the Mincha tefilla and on). The chazzan recites the prayer for Tal (dew) in its special nusach. The Chazzan then continues with Kedusha. After Retzeh, we recite Ve’se’arev and the Kohanim duchan (as it is Shabbos, we omit the Ribbono Shel Olam tefilla, while some don’t duchan at all). We conclude the service as usual.
At Mincha Ashrei u’Vah L’tzion , half kaddish, we remove the Torah from the Ark, we read from Parshas Shmini, we call three aliyos (Kohen, Levi, Yisrael) we say the usual Festival Shemoneh Esreh, with all references to Shabbos (we omit Mashiv Haruach, Sfard say Morid HaTal). After the Readers repetition, (we omit Tzidkoscha) Kaddish Tiskabel, Aleinu and mourner’s kaddish.
Motza’ei Shabbos: Candle lighting is delayed until Shabbos has concluded. It is wise for women who light the candles and have not recited havdala in the Maariv tefilla to recite Boruch Hamavdil bein Kodesh l’kodesh, before they light the candles or do any other necessary labor for Yom Tov. We then bless Le’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov and Shehecheyanu. Some wait as long as 72 minutes after shekiah (N.Y.C. 8:33 p.m. E.D.T.) to light the candles, while others light at the earliest 45 minutes after shekiah (N.Y.C. 8:06 p.m. E.D.T.) At that same time we are allowed to begin cooking preparations for the Seuda of Yom Tov Sheni.
We delay Maariv as well in order to begin [the counting of] Sefiras HaOmer. Otherwise Maariv is the usual Festival text, in the Shemoneh Esreh we add Vatodieinu (Nusach Sefarad and even certain Ashkenaz congregations add whole Hallel at the conclusion of the Shemoneh Esreh). We count the Sefira, preceded by the blessing Al Sefiras HaOmer). At home we repeat the Seder procedure of the previous night (obviously, we do not include any references to Shabbos) we include havdala (yaknehaz – yayyin, kiddush, ner, havdalah, zman) in Kiddush.
Sunday morning: Shacharis of Festivals (Shalosh Regalim). Some say the Yotzros as found in the Machzor. We remove two Sifrei Torah from the Ark, as we recite , the 13 Middos and Ribono Shel Olam the 13 In the first we read in Parashas Emor (Vayikra 22:26-23:44), from “Shor o’ kesev” until “Mo’adei Hashem el Bnei Yisrael” and call five Aliyos. We place both Torah scrolls on the Bima and the Reader recites half-Kaddish. We then call the Maftir to read in the second Sefer in Parashas Pinchas (Bamidbar 28:16-25), from “U’Vachodesh Harishon” until Kol meleches avoda lo sa’asu.” We recite the Haftara (II Kings 23:1-9, 21-25) from “Vayishlach Hamelech” until “Va’yetzav Hamelech” (we delete 12 verses) and conclude with “Lo kam kamohu.” We conclude with Musaf of Festivals in which the Kohanim duchan.
Mincha is the usual Festival prayer.
Maariv: Yom Tov concludes at 8:07 p.m. E.D.T. NYC; some wait as long as 72 minutes after shekiah (N.Y.C. 8:34 p.m. E.D.T.). Usual weekday Tefilla with inclusion of Ata Chonantanu, Ya’aleh VeYavo. This is our first weekday Shemoneh Esreh and we now substitute Ve’ten Beracha for Ve’ten Tal Umatar in Mevarech Hashanim. This is followed byKaddish Tiskabbel, Aleinu and Kaddish Yasom, and we count Sefiras Haomer. Havdala at home on wine [only – no ner or besamim] as usual.
Monday morning, first day of Chol HaMo’ed, Shacharis – some don tefillin and others do not, each according to his custom – but without a beracha – and yet others recite the blessing in a whisper (see Rema, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 31:2; also Mishna Berura ad loc. s.v. She’ein Mevarchim, for advisable procedure.) In Pesukei De’zimra we omit Mizmor Le’Toda. Usual weekday Shemoneh Esreh with Ya’aleh VeYavo and again in chazzan’s repetition we say Ya’aleh Veyavo. We then say half-Hallel followed by the chazzan reciting Kaddish Tiskabbel. We remove two Torah scrolls from the Ark. In the first we call up three Aliyos and read in Parashas Bo (Shemos 13:1-16) from “Kaddesh li kol bechor” until “Hotzianu Hashem mimitzrayim.” For the fourth aliyah we read from the second scroll in Parashas Pinchas (Bamidbar 28:19-25) from “Ve’hikravtem” until “Kol meleches avoda lo sa’asu.” We put down both Torah scrolls and the Ba’al Keriah says half-Kaddish. We return the scrolls to the Ark. We then say Ashrei, Uva LeTziyyon, half-Kaddish.
Musaf of Festivals we say Ve’hikravtem in the Shemoneh Esreh. Following the repetition the chazzan says Kaddish Tiskabbel, Aleinu, Shir shel Yom (Nusach Sefarad add Ein K’Eilokeinu) and their respective Kaddish recitals.
Mincha is usual weekday Shemoneh Esreh with inclusion of Yaaleh VeYavo. At conclusion of repetition, Kaddish Tiskabbel, Aleinu, Kaddish Yasom.
Maariv is usual weekday Tefilla with inclusion of Ya’aleh VeYavo in the Shemoneh Esreh, concluding with Kaddish Tiskabbel, Aleinu and Kaddish Yasom and counting of the Omer.
Tuesday morning: 2nd day Chol HaMo’ed. The prayers as yesterday, with the exception of the Torah reading: we call up three aliyos in Parashas Mishpatim (Shemos 22:24-23:19) from “Im kesef talveh until Lo sevashel ge’di ba’chalev immo.” Maftir and all other tefillos: Musaf, Mincha and Maariv as yesterday and counting the Omer.
Wednesday morning: 3rd day Chol HaMo’ed. The prayers as yesterday with the exception of the Torah reading: we call up three aliyos in in Parashas Ki Sisa (Shemos 34:1-26) Maftir and all other tefillos: Musaf, Mincha and Maariv as yesterday and counting the Omer.
Thursday morning: 4th day Chol HaMo’ed. The prayers as yesterday with the exception of the Torah reading: we call up three aliyos in in Parashas Ba’halo’secha (Bamidbar 9:1-14) Maftir and Musaf tefillah as yesterday. As today is Erev Yom Tov and the last days of Yom Tov are Friday and Shabbos, we make all the necessary preparations, including an Eruv Tavshillin in order to allow cooking on Friday for Shabbos. Mincha is usual weekday Tefillah with inclusion of Ya’aleh ve’Yavo. Candle lighting (l’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov) 7:06 E.D.T. NYC.
Thursday evening: Maariv is Yom Tov Tefillah, Kiddush at home is Yom Tov Kiddush.
Friday morning: See next week’s Luach.
The following chapters of Tehillim are being recited by many congregations and Yeshivos for our brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisrael: Chapter 83, 130, 142. –Y.K.