Vol. LXVI No. 14 5775
New York City
CANDLE LIGHTING TIME
April 3, 2015 – 14 Nissan 5775
7:04 p.m. NYC E.D.T.
Sabbath Ends: 8:05 p.m. NYC E.D.T.
Sabbath Ends: Rabbenu Tam 8:36 p.m. NYC E.D.T.
Weekly Reading: Pesach Festival (see below)
Weekly Haftara: Pesach Festival (see below)
Daf Yomi: Kesuvos 60
Mishna Yomit: Ohalos 5:1-2
Halacha Yomit: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 561:3-5
Rambam Yomi: Hilchos Nedarim chap.4-6
Earliest time for tallis and tefillin: 5:46 a.m. NYC E.D.T.
Sunrise: 6:36 a.m. NYC E.D.T.
Latest Kerias Shema: 9:48 a.m. NYC E.D.T.
Sunset: 7:22 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 11:55 a.m. E.D.T. We may not eat chametz beyond one sha’ah zemanit before that: this year in NYC it is 10:51 a.m. E.D.T. 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 11:55 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 7:04 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.