Vol. LXVIII No. 14 5777
New York City
CANDLE LIGHTING TIME
April 7, 2017 – 11 Nissan 5777
7:09 p.m. NYC E.D.T.
Sabbath Ends: 8:10 p.m. NYC E. D.T.
Sabbath Ends: Rabbenu Tam 8:41 p.m. NYC E. D.T.
Weekly Reading: Tzav
Weekly Haftara: Ve’Arva La’Shem (Malachi 3:4-24)
Daf Yomi: Bava Basra 75
Mishna Yomit: Shabbos 16:2-3
Halacha Yomit: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 151:4-6
Rambam Yomi: Hilchos Temidin u’Musafim Chap. 6-8
Earliest time for tallis and tefillin: 5:38 a.m. NYC E.D.T.
Sunrise: 6:29 a.m. NYC E.D.T.
Latest Kerias Shema: 9:43 a.m. NYC E.D.T.
Sunset: 7:27 p.m. NYC E.D.T.
This Sabbath is Shabbos HaGadol. Many congregations say the Yotzros of Shabbos HaGadol in the Reader’s repetition of the Shacharis Amida. We do not say Av Harachamim or Hazkaras Neshamos. It is customary to recite this Shabbos afternoon the Haggadah from “Avadim hayyinu” until “lechapper al avonoseinu.” It is a Minhag Yisrael that the Rav delivers a special sermon this Shabbos, the Shabbos HaGadol Derasha, combining Halacha and Aggada as they relate to the laws of Pesach.
On Motza’ei Shabbos at the conclusion of Maariv we do not say Viy’hi No’am and Ve’ata Kadosh.
On Sunday evening we search 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 Monday 11:52 a.m. E. D.T. We may not eat chametz beyond one sha’ah zemanit before that: this year in NYC it is 10:46 a.m. D.S.T. At the later time (when we are forbidden to own any chametz) we burn the chametz which we have gathered in the search the night before and recite Kol Chami’a and thus we are me’vatel – we nullify – our ownership of the chametz.
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. If one is unable to fast and has attended a Seudas Siyum of a Gemara tractate, then one may 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 Monday evening, we bless both Lehadlik ner shel Yom Tov and Shehecheyanu (N.Y.C. candle lighting time is 7:12 p.m. E.D.T.). We recite the usual Festival tefilla for Maariv with inclusion of Vayedabber Moshe before the Amida and Kaddish Tiskabbel at the conclusion. (Nusach Sefarad 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 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.
Tuesday morning: Shacharis for Festivals with Festival Amida. Some say the Yotzros as found in the Machzor, followed by whole Hallel, and we then remove two Sifrei Torah from the Ark. We recite the 13 Middos, Ribbono shel Olam, Berich Shemeih, etc. In the first Torah scroll we read Parashas Bo (Shemos 12:21-51) from “Vayikra Moshe, Mish’chu…” until “Tziv’osam” and call five 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 (5:2-6:1, 6:27), Vayomer Yehoshua. In the blessings of the Haftara we mention the Festival. The chazzan then chants Kah Keili.
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 the nusach of the Yamim Nora’im. The Chazzan then continues with Kedusha. After Retzeh, we recite Ve’se’arev and the Kohanim duchan (as it is not Shabbos, with the Ribbono Shel Olam tefilla included). We conclude the service as usual.
At Mincha we say the usual Festival Shemoneh Esreh.
Tuesday evening: candle lighting is delayed until the first day of Yom Tov has concluded (8:13 P.M. NYC E.D.T.). We then bless Le’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov and Shehecheyanu. Some wait 60 minutes after Shekiah (8:31) and some wait even longer – 72 minutes after shekiah (8:43) to light the candles. 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 (Nusach Sefarad 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.
Wednesday morning: Shacharis of Festivals (Shalosh Regalim) like the preceding day. Some say the Yotzros as found in the Machzor. We remove two Sifrei Torah from the Ark. 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 8:14 p.m. E.D.T. NYC; 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. No Viy’hi Noam or Ve’Ata Kadosh. This is followed by Kaddish Tiskabbel, Aleinu and Kaddish Yasom, and we count Sefiras Haomer. Havdala at home as usual.
Thursday 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 Maftir we call an additional aliyah and 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.
Friday morning: 2nd day Chol HaMo’ed. The prayers as on Thursday, with the exception of the Torah reading: we call up three aliyos in Parashas Mishpatim (Bamidbar 22:24-23:19) from “Im kesef talveh until Lo sevashel ge’di ba’chalev immo.” Maftir and all other tefillos as yesterday.
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.
