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PASSOVER RITUALS

Pre-Passover

Ta'anit Bekhorim and Siyum- Fast of the Firstborn and Learning Celebration
Thursday, April 10, in the CBS Beit Midrash
Minyan: 7:00-7:40am
Siyum &  Breakfast: 7:40-8:15am
The fast applies to the firstborn child of a mother or a father, and begins at dawn (4:50am this year). It is customary, after Shacharit, to have a siyum, completion of study of a section of rabbinic literature, followed by a seudat mitzvah, a meal accompanying the performance of a mitzvah. All firstborn in attendance are then permitted to eat for the rest of the day. This year, Rabbi Mark Greenspan will lead us in completing his learning of Abudraham's Commentary on the Haggadah and Laws of the Seder, composed in 14th century Seville.  Afterwards, stick around for breakfast; it's a mitzvah!

Mekhirat Chametz - Selling of Chametz
Thursday, April 10, by 3:00pm
Any chametz not consumed, burned or otherwise disposed of prior to Passover must be sold to a non-Jew who will own it during Pesach. In order to ensure compliance with the details of the law, Rabbi Borodin will act as our agent for the sale. If you would like Rabbi Borodin to serve as your agent, you must complete the “Sale of Chametz” form and return to Ellis Engbar or Rabbi Borodin by Thursday, April 10 at 3:00pm.

Bedikat Chametz - Search for Chametz
Thursday, April 10, after dark, at home
The search is usually performed the night before Pesach, but this year because of Shabbat it is performed a day earlier. It is customarily done with a candle, feather and wooden spoon.  Chametz which is found (except that which may be specifically set aside for use before Pesach), is put aside until the morning for burning.  (See the beginning of the Haggadah for the liturgy for bedikat chametz).

Biur Chametz - Destroying Chametz
Friday, April 11, before 12:02pm
Dispose of the chametz found the previous night during bedikat chametz and recite the formula for nullifying chametz (found in the beginning of the Haggadah).

Bitul Chametz - Nullifying Chametz
No later than Saturday, April 12 at 12:01pm
Recite the formula for nullifying chametz (found in the beginning of the Haggadah).

Passover Home Rituals

Birkat Hamazon during Passover
It is traditional to use either your haggadot or benchers only used at Passover (not the rest of the year) for birkat hamazon during Passover to avoid being exposed to possible chametz in the regular bencher. We add ya’aleh v’yavo for every day of Passover.  On days 1, 2, 7 and 8 we also add the harachaman for Yom Tov.

First And Second Days Of Pesach

Candlelighting
On the first and second nights of Pesach (Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13), we recite the blessings “Baruch atah...le’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov” and “shehecheyanu”.  On the first night, candles should not be lit until the end of Shabbat (after 8:37pm), and we do not light a match but transfer the fire to the candles from an existing flame. On the second night, candles should not be lit until the end of the first day of Yom Tov, and we do not light a match but transfer the fire to the candles from an existing flame. Therefore, when you light Shabbat candles on  Friday, April 11, make sure that you have a fire burning that will last until after dark on Sunday.  A burning candle that lasts for more than 49 hours (or two 24-hour ones) or a pilot light on a gas range (not a gas range with an electronic starter) works well for this purpose.  

Kiddush
There are festive meals for dinner (i.e. seder) and lunch on each of the first two days of Pesach. At each meal, 
kiddush is recited and hamotzi is made over matzah. Details regarding evening kiddush are fully set forth in the Haggadah; please note that kiddush for first seder includes havdalah.  The daytime kiddush consists of the verse beginning "vayedaber Moshe..." and continues with "borei pri hagafen."

Seventh And Eighth Days Of Pesach

Candlelighting
On the seventh night of Pesach (Friday, April 18) we recite "Baruch atah...le’hadlik ner shel Shabbat v'shel Yom Tov”, and we do not recite "shehecheyanu."  On the eighth night of Pesach, (Saturday, April 19), we recite "Baruch atah...le’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov”, and we do not recite "shehecheyanu."  On the eighth night, we do not light a match but transfer the fire to the candles from an existing flame.  When you light candles on Friday, make sure that you have a fire burning that will last until after candlelighting time on Saturday.

Kiddush
There are festive meals for dinner and lunch on each of the final two days of Pesach. At each meal, kiddush is recited and hamotzi is made over matzah.  On the seventh and eighth nights we recite the evening festival kiddush with the insertion for Pesach (and on the seventh night, for Shabbat).  The daytime kiddush consists of the verse beginning "vayedaber Moshe..." and continues with "borei pri hagafen."  On Shabbat, we include the verses for Shabbat as well.