Passover Guide 5781

Adath Shalom Pesach Guide 5781 Chag Sameach! It is impossible to overstate how important Passover is in terms of expressing Jewish identity, educating about Judaism’s core values and concretizing and making real the essence of Jewish existence. This very short guide is intended to help break down the holiday into manageable and straightforward steps: Pesach Observance, Pesach Preparation, Pesach Celebration. Pesach Observance The Torah tells us that Passover isn’t just a historical anniversary but a yearly re-launch of the entire Jewish project to create a free and uplifted world based on compassion, justice and brethrenship. The Torah’s genius is that it turns these abstract, universal values into concrete expressions. I. No Chametz! Chametz is what happens when wheat, spelt, rye, oats and barley become mixed with water and sit for over 18 minutes. This rising, Chametz, whether yeast-assisted or not, symbolizes attachment to the material and spiritual inertia. Basically, freedom starts with spiritual freedom. So.. the following foods are forbidden for the Eight Days of the Festival. Bread, flour, any other of the five grains in raw form, cereal, oatmeal, cookies, crackers, whiskey, beer, wines etc. (aside from kosher for passover wine/liquors), breadcrumbs, rolls, cake, pastry, yeast itself and anything else in which these five grains feature that isn’t created and marked as “Kosher for Passover.” All Chametz must be removed from the home this year by Thursday night, 3/25, although Chametz that is to be eaten on Friday/Shabbat morning until 10 AM is kept in a designated spot. II. If disposing of the Chametz would constitute a significant monetary loss, the practice is to place all of the Chametz in a closed and locked cabinet in the basement or garage and sell it to a non-Jew since keeping Chametz not belonging to yourself is not a violation of the prohibition. Traditionally the community Rabbi acts as broker in this sale. III. Food utensils and surfaces in which Chametz has “soaked in” through heat, prolonged exposure or moisture must be cleansed of their Chametz in the same way that the Chametz was absorbed. Utensils in which Chametz foods is heated must be cleaned by heating etc. IV. Kitniyot: Ashkenazi Jews follow the 800-year prohibition of foods that can easily be confused with Chametz. These foods are called “Kitniyot” (legumes) and may be kept in the home, although, to avoid confusion, they are generally stored with the Chametz. They include rice, beans, lentils, peanuts, corn, chick peas, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and oils made from same, soy beans, tofu, peas, green beans, all legumes. The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative Movement recently ruled that considering that it is unlikely that we will mix up Kitniot with Chametz, that Sefardic Jews never banned Kitniot and that it is important to unify the Jewish people, the prohibition on Kitniyot no longer applies. Many Conservative Jews accept this ruling while others do not. Action Items… 1. Buy or order kosher for Passover foods and goodies. These include all packaged food which should be marked, “kosher for Passover”. Fruits and vegetables do not require this marking, called a “hechsher”. 2. If we can’t eat all of the above, what’s left? Don’t worry… plenty! Among the staples of Passover are potatoes, eggs, pasta made from non-Chametz grains or matza meal (ground up Matza), quinoa (a non-grain alternative), portobello mushrooms and of course meat and fish. 3. Remove all Chametz from your kitchen and larder. 4. Kasher your dishes and utensils: a run through the dishwasher is generally enough to do this as long as the water in the dishwasher reaches the boiling point which it generally does. 5. Kasher your oven and microwave: set the oven on full power after cleaning for forty minutes, Place a cup of water in the microwave and run it on high for five-ten minutes. 6. Wipe down all surfaces with hot water if possible. Run hot water in the sink or pour a pot of boiling water in. 7. Do a thorough cleaning of the house emphasizing removing any Chametz. 8. Sell your Chametz by appointing me, your friendly neighborhood Rabbi, to be your agent right here. 9. Timetable: All of the above needs to be done by dawn on Friday, 3/26… but no pressure! Pesach Preparation The Seders are the highlight of the Festival. Make yours a special expression of your family’s unique Jewish identity. Try to focus on the themes of freedom, Jewish history and values, continuity and connection but do so in a way that will be inclusive, fun and above all else, engaging and inclusive for everyone there. The key to a great Seder is one word: prepare. Spend an hour online getting ideas and then create your own special Seders for your family. Add decorations, posters, fun… The investment of a few hours will pay o in memories for a lifetime. It is important to emphasize that the same restrictions and considerations regarding using conferencing software and social distancing continue to apply this year. With the introduction of vaccines we are closer than ever to an end of the pandemic. We must remain vigilant, cautious and continue to observe measures to continue to limit the spread of infection. Using Zoom or other software has an added bonus: you can use the incredible variety of songs, video clips and other resources to supplement your Seder. Pesach Celebration On Thursday night, hide 10 pieces of Chametz around the house and search them out with children or adults. Precede the search with this blessing: Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, Asher Kidshanu B’Mitzvotav V’Tzivanu Al Biur Chametz. Give prizes and then put the pieces in a brown paper bag and say: All leaven or anything leavened which is in my possession, which I have neither seen nor removed, and about which I am unaware, shall be considered nullified and ownerless as the dust of the earth. The next morning before school/work, take the bag out back, dowse it with a bit of lighter fluid and say the paragraph above, “all leaven”. Then, burn baby burn! Try to imagine all of the impure, lowly, couch potatoey parts of ourselves that stop us from achieving true freedom burning away.. The Seder: Yes, there are lots of bells and whistles, games, parodies and fun to be had. But there is something to be said for the traditional Seder as well: it creates the architecture of connectedness from year to year. Here is the briefest of outlines: Section Comment 1. Kadesh Say Kiddush! 2. Urchatz Wash hands without a blessing; be leisurely and kingly and queenly 3. Karpas Snack on veggie Crudités and fend o hunger 4. Yachatz Break the middle Matzah and give half to someone for “safekeeping”. 5. Maggid The longest part of the Seder. Try to incorporate as many of the traditional parts as possible such as the Four Questions, the Four Children, the Ten Plagues, adding contemporary fun, songs and meaning. This year, v’hee she’amda- The Covenant has stood by us and our ancestors; for not one alone has risen to destroy us, but in every generation- seems especially meaningful. Make sure to end with a joyful Dayenu! 6. Rachtza Wash again...we all know... 7. Motzi Matzah Show your family how the taste of Matzah is the taste of freedom, tradition, love and hope. 8. Maror 9. Korech 10. Have fun, have a nice meal… Shulchan Orech laugh, smile, sing, tell jokes.. 9. Tzafun The afikomen saga goes on... 10.Barech and Elijah/Miriam’s Grace after meals expresses cup gratitude and hope 11. Hallel Songs of thanksgiving... 12.Nirtzah Next year in a healed world- in Jerusalem!.

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