Pesach Festival

Photo Credit: Jewish Press

Mincha is the usual Festival prayer.

Maariv: Yom Tov concludes at 8:08 p.m. E.D.T. NYC; some wait as long as 72 minutes after shekiah (N.Y.C. 8:35 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 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: 2^nd 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: 3^rd 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: 4^th 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) 7:10 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.