B’nai Israel Congregation

420 Spotswood Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23517 phone: (757) 627-7358 e-mail: [email protected] Parshas Vayikra Shalom March 28 – 3 B’nai Israel Congregation Rabbi Chaim Silver, Rabbi There is very little narrative both mental and spiritual, and Rabbi Sender Haber, Assistant Rabbi that we must be able to accept President Ken Wilson present in the entire Chumash of 1st Vice President Yehuda Griffin Vayikra which we begin to read the fact that we cannot always 2nd Vice President Amy Lefcoe publicly in the synagogue this fathom God’s motives in Treasurer Mike Zelikovich Shabbat. The Chumash of commanding us to behave or not Recording Sectetary Ann Zukerman Vayikra is also called Torat to behave in a certain fashion. Financial Secretary Allan R. Berman Kohanim because of the laws of The Chumash of Vayikra is not Past President Benn Richels Gabbaim - Pesach Schwartz the Mishkan/Temple service, the meant to confuse and unnerve Shmuel Itzhak duties of the kohanim, the laws us. Rather, it is meant to humble of ritual purity and impurity, and us. the detailed descriptions of the Human beings always wish to we were commanded to do so. sacrifices offered in the be in control. But life blindsides Many times the correct answer Mishkan/Temple. at unexpected moments and in to the ubiquitous question of To many people these laws and unpredictable ways. The “Why?” is “Because!” details are anachronistic if not experiences of life only reveal to All parents apply this rule of life even completely not us how powerless and irrational at numerous times while understandable in the context of we really are. There is very little attempting to raise their children our present world and its society. that we are actually able to in a proper fashion. The Lord for Yet all of the words of the Torah control. His own reasons, so to speak, are eternal and all have value to Therefore human beings always employs this same method when everyone at any given moment long for solutions and answers dealing with the Jewish people in human time. that emanate from the occult – who had already previously Therefore I think that it becomes from another world of being, the pledged allegiance to the Torah obvious that the Torah here existence of which we are only and its values. The Chumash shows us that there is a world dimly aware. So here we have Vayikra is a prime example of that requires sacrifices and is the rub. The Torah is unalterably this axiom of Jewish life. opposed to magic, superstitions, influenced somehow by the Shabbat shalom. offering of those sacrifices. It is and appeals to spirits. So how do Rabbi Berel Wein also a world where ritual purity we square that strict approach and impurity matter greatly and with the presence of all of these have profound influence over laws in Vayikra that obviously human life and society. rely for their relevance and In this alternative world that we strength of purpose on the sense exists, and we are existence of another unseen sometimes able to have a world? glimpse of, the Chumash of The answer lies in our Vayikra reigns supreme. In that understanding that all of the Living with the reality that your basically unseen world all of the words of the Torah are to be first child's scholastic success isn't the laws of Vayikra matter greatly. taken at face value and that the only arena of accomplishment. The Chumash of Vayikra comes ultimate reason for obedience to We are often told that we need to to remind us of our limitations, those Torah laws is the fact that

1 be sensitive to the inherent the Bat Mitzvah girl and the undeniable truth will ultimately nature of our children. Not all audience to a two-part quiz. The help you make a paradigm shift. children are going to be first part consisted of three REPROGRAMMING scholars. We must respect and questions: Another fact to consider is that encourage them to develop their 1. Who are the last 5 Nobel prize even in terms of "success" as potential in areas where they winners? understood by our misguided will excel, and these areas may 2. Who received the Academy culture, there is little correlation not be in the scholastic arena. To award for best actress in the last between those of great try to cram a child into a wedge three years? intellectual and scholastic where they don't belong is 3. Who were the heads of the achievement and making money. destructive, and I understand State department in the last In many instances, those who this intellectually. couple of years? founded and built huge financial However I find it very difficult to She turned to the Bat Mitzvah empires had little formal tear myself away from the girl and asked how she had education, and in some cases, ideology that states that fared. Elisheva responded that could barely sign their names. intellectualism is the only she couldn't answer any of the Changing our perspective, attribute that is valued by our questions and would have indeed our very thoughts, is society -- both in and in received an “F”. unquestionably hard work. Our secularism. What are some The second part of the quiz biases and long held beliefs are practical ways that I can release followed: deeply ingrained. We are myself from this destructive way 1. Name three teachers who programmed to a certain way of of thinking? thinking. Nevertheless, choice is were kind and attentive to you in You accurately and articulately a special way. the hallmark of the human being. identify a most common pitfall 2. Name three friends that were We are not hopelessly in contemporary life -- the there for you when you needed condemned to any pattern of disconnect between our heads to talk, share and commiserate. behavior, no matter how deeply and our hearts. 3. Name three family members rooted. It does, however, require extreme effort to drop negative In fact, in our daily prayers we who light up your life by letting thoughts and plug in to true quote the biblical verse, “and you know consistently how reality. you shall know this day and much you mean to them. bring it back to your Again, the aunt turned to It's important to recognize that heart” (Deut. 4). Our sages Elisheva and asked how she had our thoughts are merely a explain that "knowing" is done. “A+!” was the young product of our own making and virtually meaningless unless that lady's reply. have no objective reality or knowledge filters down to and No one remembered the people inherent truth. Nonetheless, they penetrates our hearts. Only then who achieved fame, glory and take over and become the reality does the knowledge become notoriety in our society by virtue of our life and the context in relevant to our lives. Indeed, of their brains, looks or public which we live. Hence, if we so only when our heart is engaged acclaim. At the end of the day, it choose, we can deliberately drop can our knowing affect and is arguably the people who the contaminating thought and modify our behavior. dedicate their efforts to remarkably, in so doing, we allow for truth and positive Easier said than done. How do transcending their own concerns, energy to flow in its place. we do this? wants and needs and reach This process requires identifying Reality checks are critical. At a beyond themselves to notice, the destructive thought as recent Bat Mitzvah celebration, care and give to others that really something we absolutely refuse the aunt of the celebrant, a touch us and make a difference to indulge -- then drop it and school teacher addressed the in our lives. move on. With practice, this group. In her remarks, she My dear reader, constantly proceeded to subject Elisheva, reminding yourself of this (Continued on page 3)

2 mode of behavior becomes a very our walks through life as we meet • Remember that you are a effective tool for substituting different people, it is eminently custodian entrusted with misguided and toxic perceptions clear and discernable which ones diamonds and your task is to with true clarity. were raised on “milk” alone and polish each individual and Needless to say, as the reader has which were privileged to have sacred gem so that its inherent already observed, every child has a been raised on both “milk and unique brilliance will surface uniqueness all their own and every honey.” and shine. parent's mission should be to create My dear reader, our sages state that • Finally, pray to God for a a context that is not only the question of a wise person bestowal of emotional supportive but that celebrates the already comprises half of the maturity, intelligence and differences in each of their answer. The other half is totally strength, that will give you the offspring. doable. Check the following: wherewithal to provide for MILK AND HONEY • When a negative thought your family not only the “milk” Erich Fromm wrote an essay in arises, identify it as a of basic sustenance, but which he espouses the need to contaminant, drop it, banish it perhaps more significantly, the raise children not only with "milk," and move on. affirmation of person that is the which is representative of basic • Remind yourself of the people “honey” of life. nourishment that sustains life, but who warmed your heart and Good Luck! also with “honey” that provides the made a difference in your life. Biography: Rebbetzin Feige Twerski of sweetness of living. A diet of Acknowledge that the Milwaukee, Wisconsin has devoted her life to “milk and honey” is the best gift attributes by which they did so Jewish education and Outreach, giving lectures worldwide on a myriad of Judaic subjects. She is parents can provide for their had little to do with intellect or a mother of 11 children, and many grandchildren children. scholastic sophistication. whose number she refuses to divulge. She serves Honey is articulated in the many • Please note that Betzalel, the as the Rebbetzin along side her husband, Rabbi Michel Twerski, of Cong. Beth Jehudah of ways, verbal and otherwise, that architect of the holy sanctuary, Milwaukee we validate and affirm our children is known and lauded in the and lets them know that we cherish Torah not for his erudition them for who they are -- that we (though that might have been feel blessed by their presence. Eric there as well), but for his Fromm takes God in creation as inspired artistry. King David, (excerpted from www.Torah.org) his reference point. Not only does likewise, is appreciated and God create and sustain us in revered in history for, perhaps A discussion of Halachic topics existence but “God saw that it was more than anything else, the related to the Parsha of the week. For final rulings, consult Rabbi Silver. good.” Following the creation of songs and poetry that comprise man, the Almighty observed us, the beloved, timeless book of HILCHOS PESACH: His newly created beings, and with Psalms. His poignant and QUESTIONS and ANSWERS great pleasure proclaimed that we brilliant articulations of both Is it halachically acceptable to were good -- He took delight in the joys and sorrows of the celebrate Pesach away from home what He had brought into being. human condition have been a after selling one's home with all of its Similarly, we as parents have the source of solace and comfort chametz contents to a non-Jew? ability not only to create and to throughout the ages. There are, Anyone who owns chametz is indeed, many varied and sustain, i.e. to feed, clothe and obligated to get rid of it before Pesach legitimate venues for self provide shelter and basic needs, begins. This can be accomplished in expression. King Solomon, the but additionally to provide ongoing one of two ways: By destroying it, or wisest of all men, exhorts us to expressions of joy and pleasure. by selling it [or giving it away] to a allow each child to go along his This is the “honey” that we all so non-Jew. Either way, one fulfills his path, the road consistent with desperately need and is basic obligation and does not who they are, i.e. their unfortunately so rarely transgress the Biblical injunction particular nature, disposition forthcoming. against owning any chametz. Fromm concludes that indeed in and talents.

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But there is something else to consider: How extensive does the search for Is it permitted to get a haircut or do The Rabbis obligated each person to chametz have to be? How is it laundry on erev Pesach after midday search for chametz on the night before possible to thoroughly search a whole (chatzos)? It is Rabbinically forbidden Pesach. [If one leaves town before that house in a short period of time? to do melachah, "work," even if it is time, he is still obligated to search for Halachically speaking, an extensive needed for Yom Tov, on erev Pesach chametz the night before he leaves, and thorough search is required in any after chatzos. Two basic reasons are although no blessing is recited for that place where chametz may have been given for this prohibition: 1) When the search.] In the opinion of many brought during the past year. Since it is Beis ha-Mikdash stood, erev Pesach poskim, the search for chametz is almost impossible to properly check an was considered a Yom Tov, since the obligatory whether or not one owns his entire house in a short period of time, Pesach was brought on that chametz by the time Pesach arrives, some people actually spend many day. It retains the status of Yom Tov since once the Rabbinic ordinance was hours checking and searching their today even though the Korban Pesach enacted, it cannot be abrogated houses on the night of bedikas is no longer offered. 2) To give chametz, often devoting a good part of everyone a chance to properly prepare the night to the bedikah. But most for the Seder. THE D ISPOSABLE K ITCHEN people cannot - or do not - spend so Certain forms of personal grooming Sunday Hours much time searching their homes for and certain households chores that are chametz. How, then, do they fulfill this halachically classified as “work” are 10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon obligation? forbidden to be done on erev Pesach Remember you can sched- Several poskim find justification after chatzos. Thus it is forbidden to (limud zechus) for the laxer version of get a haircut or a shave, to sew new ule pickups for orders bedikas chametz, as the house has clothing or to do laundry on erev online, by email or phone. undergone many weeks of meticulous Pesach after chatzos. One must arrange Ask us about BINA pre-Pesach cleaning and scrubbing and his schedule so that these tasks are there is no vestige of chametz around. completed before midday. BUCKS gift certificates, Once the rooms of the house have L'chatchilah, one should even cut his great for hostess gifts! All been cleaned, they may be halachically nails before chatzos. proceeds benefit Bina considered as “a place into which no If, b'diavad, one could not or did not chametz has been brought.” While take care of these matters before High School. checking and searching is still required midday, some of them may still be in order to ascertain that no spot in the done while others may not: sewing or regardless of the circumstances. house was overlooked, the search need completing the sewing of new clothes Consequently, selling the house to a not be as thorough and exacting as if may not be done at all; a haircut and non-Jew does not free one from his no cleaning had been done. shave may be taken only at a non- personal obligation to search for A better suggestion - for those who do Jewish barber; laundry may be done chametz. not do a meticulous search on the night only by a non-Jewish maid or dry A solution to this problem is to set before Pesach - is to do partial searches cleaner. Other chores, such as ironing aside one room in the house, even a earlier. As soon as a certain area in the clothes, polishing shoes, cutting nails, small one, and not sell it to the non- house is cleaned, the area should be sewing buttons and other minor Jew along with the rest of the house. carefully checked for chametz - either mending, may be done with no That room should be cleaned for at night using a flashlight or in the restrictions. Pesach and thoroughly searched for daytime by natural light. The wife or What should be done if a package chametz on the night before Pesach, an older child can be entrusted with containing chametz arrives at one's with the proper blessing recited for the this search. If the house is checked in home or business during Pesach? bedikah. One who will have already stages, then an exhaustive search need One who knows or suspects that the gone out of town by the night before not be repeated on the night before package may contain actual chametz Pesach should follow the same Pesach in the areas that were already may not assume ownership of the procedure on the night before he checked, provided that it is certain that package. If he can refuse to accept the leaves - but he may not recite a no new chametz was carried into those package, he should do so. If he cannot, blessing on the bedikah. areas. he should not bring it into his house or

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(Continued from page 4) everybody. Many packaged items are them a moment's thought. insulated by packing pellets that Until they stop working. yard and should have specific halachic protect the contents during transport. When that blue screen appears and the intent not to "acquire" the chametz. In the past, this cushioning was made computer freezes, we hold our breath The package is considered "ownerless" from polystyrene, but recently, some hoping that nothing has failed, that we - anyone who wants it is free to take it. companies have begun using haven't lost weeks of hard work. Only If the package was mistakenly brought biodegradable “peanuts,” which are when we reset the computer and it into the home or business, one must made from edible corn starch or wheat functions properly again, do we let out have specific intent not to “acquire” it. starch. Those that are made from a sigh of relief, return to work... and One may not touch the actual chametz. wheat starch may be halachically take it all for granted again. If the package comes on Chol ha- considered “actual chametz,” since The (Brachot 59b) teaches: they are fit for human consumption. If , the chametz should be He who sees the at its season, the immediately discarded, either by a package insulated with these moon at its strength, the stars in their burning it or by flushing it down the “peanuts” arrives on Pesach, the paths, and the constellations in their toilet. If it comes on Shabbos or Yom halachos stated above may apply. A order, recites "Blessed is the One Who Tov, it should be put aside and covered rabbi should be consulted. performs the act of creation." And until it can be discarded. While it may not always be easy to when does this happen? says: While most people do not expect to differentiate between the different Every 28 years, when the cycle returns receive packages containing chametz types of packing pellets, there is a and the season of Nissan falls in during Pesach, one should be aware of definite difference in appearance , on the fourth day of the week. a recent problem that applies to almost between the polystyrene and the starch ones. The polystyrene ones come in On April 8, 2009, the eve of , random shapes, while the starch ones around the world will rise early, look as though they have been gaze at the sun and recite the least- Over the last few months frequently-recited blessing in Judaism: there have been continuous extruded through the holes of a machine. Each piece is perfectly Birkat HaChama, the blessing on the requests for donations for cylindrical and is water-soluble. sun. We recite this blessing once every the shul. Unfortunately, 28 years, and it's coming to your these requests can’t yet neighborhood very soon. Assuming, of stop. course, that the sun rises that fateful Wednesday the same way it has every We are constantly being day until now... reminded in the news that How-to times are hard and money Ideally, one should recite the blessing as early as possible, and with as large a is tight, but the shul must group as possible. Practically speaking, go on. by Rabbi Reuven Spolter this means that people will get up early and pray right at sunrise, and For all those who have Mark your calendar for Judaism's once- immediately after recite the blessing stepped up to the plate, in-28-year special event. (Baruch Ata… Oseh Ma’aseh thank you. Berashis ). The fact that you're reading this article is a minor miracle. Think of all the Preferably, the blessing should be said For those who are contem- by the third hour of the day. Adjusting plating a donation, please things that needed to fall into place: the computer, the hard drive, the labyrinth for daylight savings time, this time is do so. of the Internet, the web browser -- 9:42 a.m. in New York City, and 9:30 even the electrical power driving it all. a.m. in . If necessary, the For those who haven’t con- blessing can still be said up until There is incredible complexity built midday (12:57 p.m. in New York and sidered it, please look into into the simple act of reading this 12:41 in Jerusalem). [ Here in your hearts and consider it. article. And yet, we sit before these Norfolk, it is 6:15 AM and midday is machines every day without giving

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Kosher News We lack sufficient information to use this hecsher unconditionally, therefore, if you have certain prod- ucts in your possession that are under the KVH hechsher, please call Rabbi Silver or Rabbi Mostofsky and they will answer you on a product by product basis. Supporting our Local Establishments The Kosher Food section at the Market at Ghent continues to be a great hit, especially with their Passover Selections! We urge everyone to support all of our local kosher establishments: VaBel, Little Israel & The Marketplace. We know it’s hard to spend money everywhere (especially in this economy), but a little bit in each place will go a long way. They are putting themselves out for us, so we should do the same for them.

1:07 PM ] completion of another cycle of Were the sun located just a bit further The blessing should be said where you creation, as the solar system resets, away or a bit closer than its distance of can see the ball of the sun, or at least renews, and begins again. 92,960,000 miles, life on planet Earth the silhouette of the sun behind a Spiritual Significance would cease to exist. cloud. If it is a cloudy day and you The blessing on the sun reminds us to As we recite the blessing on the sun, cannot see the sun, you should say the pause and wonder at the miraculous we contemplate the majesty of God's blessing without including God's holy marvel of Creation. One of the great Universal Reset, appreciating God's name. things about the sun -- its reliability -- amazing work that allows us to serve Do the Math also presents a great spiritual problem. Him, as the sun rises, each and every On the Jewish calendar, Creation took It rises and sets every day, like day. place 5,769 years ago. Why recite this clockwork, without fail. So we begin So... Twitter your friends and mark blessing now? Why only once every to take it for granted, and assume that your calendar for the morning of April 28 years? And how can this blessing just like it's always there, it always will 8. Twenty-eight years from now, you'll help us grow closer to God in our daily be. probably be sitting with your lives? Nothing can be further from the truth. grandchildren, reminiscing about In order to understand Birkat Every morning during Shacharit, we where you were when you said the HaChama, a bit of astronomy is describe God as "He who illuminates blessing on the sun in 2009. necessary. The Torah teaches that on the earth... and in His goodness renews Author Biography : Originally from Maryland, Rabbi Reuven Spolter is the director of the fourth day of creation -- that very daily, perpetually the act of Creation." recruiting and special projects at the Orot first Wednesday of world history -- While the sun rises each day, it rises College in Elkana, Israel. He served as the God created the sun (Genesis 1:16). A because God actively causes it and all rabbi of the Young Israel of Oak Park, solar year is 365¼ days long -- i.e. 52 of nature to function according to His Michigan from 2001 to 2008. He now lives with complete weeks, plus 1¼ days left divine and infinite will. In the harried his family in Yad Binyamin, Israel. over. That means each year, the sun rush of our busy lives, we allow returns to its starting point 1¼ days ourselves to forget God's role in the later in the week. The sun resets to its majesty of Creation. We take Him for original starting point -- at the first granted, precisely because He's always hour of Wednesday morning -- only there, running the world in the once every 28 years. (Do the math.) background. We recite the blessing, "Who performs The sun provides so many miraculous by Rebbetzin Tzipporah Heller the act of creation," because as we benefits: Vitamin D and warmth for watch the sun rise that morning, we're our bodies, photosynthesis that The month that moves us out of witnessing the sun aligned at precisely supports all life, and (according to the being enslaved to our egos. the same spot -- and on the same day journal, Nature) more solar energy in Nissan! The name itself evokes a sense and same hour -- where it stood at the one hour than all of mankind uses in (Continued on page 7) beginning of time. This represents the one year. And all with great precision:

6 of freshness and renewal. From the Nissan is referred to in the Torah by January, February, etc. Assigning very beginning of Jewish history, three names, each one of which opens numbers would dull our sensitivity that Nissan has been synonymous with a a door to a deeper understanding: "month number one" is number one is longing for redefinition and hope. 1) "The First Month" -- The month of reserved for that month which leads us The Talmud tells us that Abraham redemption is considered even greater toward national self-definition. observed Passover. Obviously it was than , the month of that the 2) "Aviv" -- This name means spring, not to commemorate the Exodus, universe came into being. The world the time when the physical and which only took place centuries later. was created with a purpose, which is spiritual messages of rebirth meet and Maharal explains that the Nissan that we humans imbue it with purpose, blossom. season 'spoke to him.' The more in order to rectify ourselves 3) "Nissan" -- Although this name is Abraham saw physical evidence of individually and the world at large. technically of Babylonian origin, the God's love and creativity, the more Nissan is the month in which our Aramaic word Nissan is related to the humble he felt. So during the Passover people emerged with this goal as their Hebrew word, nitzan, meaning bud. In season, Abraham chose to eliminate national definition. Song of Songs, King Solomon's epic everything from his life that was Nachmanides, the great 13th century poem in which he depicts the love that puffed up -- a semblance of the over sage and commentator, goes so far as bonds us to God, redemption is inflated ego. to say that when assigning a number to symbolically referred to as "the time This included all leavened food. It was each month, it is a mitzvah to count that the buds were seen in our land," Abraham's way of holding on to his beginning with Nissan, to increase our which means that the inarticulate earth recognition of what renewal really awareness of the miracles that led to gave birth to a people who soon would means and where it comes from. our liberation. From his perspective, flower. Flock of Sheep it's better, when possible, to refer to the Special Days The astral sign of Nissan is the lamb. secular months by their names -- Besides Passover, other days in Nissan Lambs graze in a flock, faithfully carry deep significance. The first day following the shepherd. Being a Bnai Israel’s “Wish List” of Nissan marks the inauguration of follower is sometimes a mature choice, the Mishkan, the portable tabernacle not a passive failure. The Jewish We have decided to start a that accompanied the Jewish people people made the choice to follow God, “wish list” of items and things during 40 years of wandering in the and not our own inflated egos as that have to be done in the desert. The Mishkan served as a visual people. In Egypt, as we seesawed shul: allegory of how the macrocosm and between the twin forces of assimilation microcosm can both be transformed as and oppression, we came to realize that 1. A “new” copier so everyone a sanctuary for God. In the Mishkan, relying on transient humans for our can read the handouts again. each vessel, material and metal was self-definition was national suicide. carefully selected to symbolize specific We chose to follow God. 2. People to mow the lawns dur- ways in which the animal vegetable We also came to realize that no ing the spring & summer and mineral worlds can be uplifted. amount of autonomous political action months. (Robert is now work- Years later, the first of Nissan was would bring us the spiritual freedom ing only on a part-time basis when the Jews of the Babylonian exile we craved. We finally humbled and won’t have the time to do began their return to Israel. The buds ourselves to acknowledge that the only the mowing & everything that had begun to blossom. possible way we'd ever get out of has to be taken care of in the Amazingly, Nissan is the time when Egypt would be by God's mercy. building.) Jews make a special blessing over new Something within us moved, enough 3. Red mulch for the play ground blossoms. Upon the first sighting of the for us to follow God into the desert, “floor.” Over the years, the new blossoms of fruit trees at the start and later accept His Torah. We were mulch is pounded down & it’s of spring, the following blessing is like lambs that finally discovered the recited: important for the safety of the shepherd who cares for them. How kids for there to be padding on appropriate that the liberation from Blessed are You, God, our Lord, King the ground. Egypt took place in the month of the of the Universe, for nothing is lacking lamb. in His universe and He created within

7 it good creatures and trees, with which On Shabbat HaGadol, it is a well- Every nook and cranny has to be to provide pleasure to mankind. established custom to read those checked. The examination must be sections of the Haggadah that deal with done by direct light -- i.e. using a The first of Nissan is also the time that the miracles of the liberation -- i.e. candle or flashlight. It is customary to most congregations begin their from "We were slaves" until "You hide 10 pieces of bread (remember fundraising campaign for Kimcha brought us to the Temple to atone for where you put them!), which DiPischa (literally, "flour for our transgressions." It is also a custom symbolize the 10 mystical Sefirot in Passover"). No Jew can fully for the rabbi of every synagogue to reverse. experience the freedom of these days deliver a major sermon on this The kabbalists use the Sefirot to while in isolation. The Exodus was the Shabbat. describe the ways in which God liberation of an entire nation, not of Bedikat Chametz reveals His presence to us, for instance any one individual. No one is free through his continual outpouring of when he knows that his fellow Jew The deadline for removing all leavened goodness. Since we live in a world in doesn't have what he needs. ("inflated") food from one's house is the evening, one day prior to the Seder. which free choice is authentic, we In earlier times, the rabbi of the town The idea of ridding our homes of acknowledge that if it is possible to be had the legal authority to mandate chametz is that it is a tool to good, and we find it attractive, we will contributions. While this is no longer simultaneously rid ourselves of its find doing evil equally as compelling. the case, the underlying premise hasn't spiritual counterpart, egotism. Each one of the 10 Sefirot has a changed: that true freedom comes Egocentricity is the source of all evil. negative counterpart. Passover is a through giving, not taking. God infused these times with the time that all the forces of evil can be Shabbat HaGadol spiritual power to destroy the ego's grip defeated, just as they were in Egypt When God created the world, His plan on our personalities. over 3,000 years ago. was that we choose to know Him. Getting ready for this night requires The timing is critical. Rabbi Chaim When we internalize His presence by quite a bit of physical and spiritual Vital tells us that the first 13 days of choosing goodness, in a certain sense preparation. For some people, Nissan hint at the first 13 years of one's we receive the greatest gift of all: God "Passover cleaning" begins at least a life. When the 13th year is over, and Himself. The kabbalists state this idea month before the holiday arrives. They the 14th year is about to begin, as: "An awakening [of Divine mercy] spend days removing every trace of something crucial happens to us. The from above, must be preceded by an leavened food from the home, yetzer tov (positive impulses) becomes awakening [of commitment] from sometimes getting involved with just as forceful in the battle for one's below." For this reason, God didn't free general spring cleaning and possibly personality as the yetzer hara (negative us from Egypt without challenging us even a tad of redecorating or painting. impulses). It is then that the ability to to make a commitment to Him, so that It is important to realize that the examine and introspect begins, in the we would share in the process of religious requirements are relatively same way that when the 13th day of redemption. simple, and in situations where doing a Nissan ends, we now can search, The way that God challenged us was great deal of cleaning is just not discover and ultimately destroy the by requiring each family to take a feasible, it is best to stick to the basics. actual chametz that is so much part of sheep, an important symbol in the The focus should be on doing God's our lives. pantheon of pagan belief that will -- getting rid of leavened food and Bitul Chametz characterized ancient Egypt. Each negating the ego. The climax of our search for chametz family tied the sheep to their bedposts Indeed, freshness and renewal most is our stating that "whatever chametz is for four days, and then offered it as a easily comes when we let go of the in our possession, is now considered to sacrifice to God. The day they took the heaviness of self-importance and give be as ownerless as the dust of the sheep was Shabbat, the 10th of Nissan. ourselves permission to be simple. For earth." We see this day as the beginning of the the more we open our hearts to God's The next day, the 10 pieces of bread, redemption, for it is on this day that we presence and love, the more ridiculous plus any residual chametz, must be followed God's instructions, to later our pomposity feels. destroyed. slaughter the sheep, even at the risk of The formal act of searching to remove enraging our Egyptian captors. But our As you sit down to the Seder, to relive chametz is called Bedikat Chametz. the enslavement and the Exodus, you trust in God made this act possible. The examination begins at night.

8 will eat the matzah and drink the wine. the distance?” In order to reassure the Salt is the sublimation of all the These are tools to help you write your seas that they had not been abandoned elements dissolved in the water. It is own personal story of redemption, or rejected, the Creator granted them the very essence of the entire sea added to the millions of stories that are the privilege of providing salt for all reduced to a tiny pinch. By providing part of our unwritten history. May we sacrifices brought in the Temple. salt for the sacrifices, the sea would be all merit to see the buds of Nissan But the questions still remain. How reaching with all its being out across blossom into full and genuine could a minuscule drop of salt added to the vast distances to the center of redemption. And may we spend the a sacrifice appease the overwhelming spirituality, and this reaching out itself next Seder together, in a free and desire of the sea to be closer to would bring it close to Hashem. rebuilt Jerusalem. Hashem? How was that adequate A king had two sons. One of them compensation for being distant from lived in the palace and served as the Hashem? chief minister of the kingdom. He met The commentators explain that we are with his father daily and conferred often all too dependent on our with him on a wide variety of state and environment for our level of other matters. The second son served spirituality. If only we could live in as the king’s ambassador to an more sheltered surroundings, we tell important but very distant kingdom. ourselves, we would be such spiritual Every other year, he returned to the palace for a short visit, but for all the What do all the sacrificial offerings people. If only we could isolate rest of the time he remained in the that comprised the Temple service ourselves from the hubbub of the faraway land. have in common? Each class of mundane world we could draw closer offering had its own specialized set of to the Creator and the fulfillment of the After a number of years, the king grew detailed instructions, calling for a transcendent aspirations of our inner old and feeble, He decided to address certain species and gender of animal or souls. In the meantime, however, we the question of the succession to the bird, for various kinds of cakes, for resign ourselves to the reality of our throne. He called in his ministers and libations, spices or condiments of a existence and the futility of aspiring to informed them that he had chosen a particular sort, and so on. No two high levels of spirituality. successor. sacrifices were identical, and no But this is not what Hashem expects of “The son who is closer to me,” he said, requirement was universal. Except for us. He does not want us to make our “shall sit on my throne.” one. Every sacrifice required salt. spiritual growth dependent on what we The ministers nodded sagely. It was as Furthermore, the requirement of salt consider ideal conditions. In any they expected. The chief minister was not simply a minor instruction. setting, no matter how distant, no would make a good king. There is a specific positive matter how difficult, He wants us to “Send for my son right away,” the king commandment in the Torah mandating yearn to connect with Him. Moreover, continued. “He must travel a great the addition of salt to all sacrifices, and it is this very yearning which will bring distance to come back here to the to add emphasis to emphasis, there is us closer to Him and forge that palace.” also a specific prohibition forbidding powerful spiritual connection. The The ministers were baffled. “But you aching desire in our hearts spans any the omission of salt from any sacrifice. just said that you had chosen the closer chasms of time and space and brings Clearly, the addition of salt is critical. son, your majesty!” Why salt? us right into Hashem’s enfolding embrace. “Indeed I have,” said the king. “The The Talmud sheds light on this chief minister is a good, loyal son, but In this light we can understand puzzling question. At the time of he is with me all the time. He is not Hashem’s words of consolation to the creation, the Talmud explains, the excited when he comes to see me. The waters of the seas. True, they would Creator parted the lower world from ambassador, however, may live far have to remain in the lower world the firmament, separating the waters of away, but he yearns to see me with all while the waters of the heavens rose to the heavens from the waters of the his heart. No distance can affect our the upper world. But this did not seas. The seas were mortified. “Master closeness.” of the Universe!” they cried out. “We necessarily mean that they would be estranged from Hashem. The solution In our own lives, we can all reach deep want to be close to Your heavenly within ourselves for that pinch of salt throne. Why have You placed us off in was in the salt.

9 that represents our very being and use a service vessel to apply the Therefore, G-d regards it as if he identity. If we dedicate that salt to our blood on the mizbe'ach. For which had offered his nefesh (soul). relationship with our creator, we can korban may he apply the blood 12. 2:1 - The kometz (fistful). gain untold spiritual riches no matter using only his finger? 13. 2:11 - Any sweet fruit derivative. where we find ourselves. 17. Who is obligated to bring a chatat? 14. 2:12 - On Shavuot. Text Copyright © 2007 by Rabbi Naftali Reich. 18. Where were the remains of the bull 15. 3:7 - Because they differ regarding Article copied from www.Torah.org burnt while in the wilderness? the alya (fat tail). The lamb's alya Where were they burnt during the is burned on the altar but the goat's Parshat Vayikra time of the Beit Hamikdash? is not. (from www.ohr.edu) 19. What two things does a voluntary 16. 3:8 - The chatat. Questions have that a minchat chatat 17. 4:2 - One who accidentally 1. Who does the word "eilav" in lacks? transgresses a negative verse 1:1 exclude? 20. What is the minimum value of a commandment whose willing 2. Name all the types of animals and korban asham? violation carries the karet

birds mentioned in this week's (excision) penalty. Parsha. Answers 18. 4:12 - a) Outside the three camps. 3. What two types of sin does an olah All references are to the verses and b) Outside Jerusalem. atone for? 's commentary, unless otherwise stated 19. 5:11 - Levona and oil. 4. Where was the olah slaughtered? 1. 1:1 - Aharon. 20. 5:15 - Two shekalim. 5. What procedure of an animal- offering can a non-kohen perform? 2. 1:2,14, 3:12 - Cattle, sheep, goats, turtledoves (torim), and doves 6. Besides the fire the kohanim bring (bnei yona). on the altar, where else did the fire come from? 3. 1:4 - Neglecting a positive command, and violating a negative 7. At what stage of development are command which is rectified by a torim (turtledoves) and bnei yona positive command. (young pigeons) unfit as offerings? 4. 1:5 - In the Mishkan Courtyard 8. What is melika? (azarah). 9. Why are animal innards offered on 5. 1:5 - Ritual slaughter. the altar, while bird innards are Please visit our newly not? 6. 1:7 - It descended from Heaven. 10. Why does the Torah describe both 7. 1:14 - When their plumage turns designed website the animal and bird offerings as a golden. At that stage, bnei yona are (after Shabbos!) at "satisfying aroma"? too old and torim are too young. 11. Why is the term "nefesh" used 8. 1:15 - Slaughtering a bird from the www.bnaiisrael.org. A regarding the flour offering? back of the neck using one's fingernail. new feature is the link 12. Which part of the free-will mincha offering is burned on the altar? 9. 1:16 - An animal's food is to KosherWine.com. provided by its owner, so its 13. The Torah forbids bringing honey innards are "kosher." Birds, with the mincha. What is meant by however, eat food that they They have graciously "honey"? scavenge, so their innards are agreed to donate a 14. When does the Torah permit tainted with "theft." bringing a leavened bread 10. 1:17 - To indicate that the size of percentage of your offering? the offering is irrelevant, provided purchase to 15. Concerning shelamim, why does your heart is directed toward G-d. the Torah teach about sheep and 11. 2:1 - Usually, it is a poor person Bnai Israel. goats separately? who brings a flour offering. 16. For most offerings the kohen may

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Upcoming community events...

This week’s Kiddush is partially sponsored by Passover Newsletter, please contact Rabbi Sholom Kevin Lefcoe in memory of his father, Sanford Mostofsky. (Sonny) Lefcoe and Rivka & Odie Brown in B. Passover Kashering honor of Dovid’s first birthday. This week’s Sha- As in the past, the Vaad HaKashrus will be offering losh Seudos is not sponsored. The 8th students of Kashering of your items for Passover. If you have Toras Chaim are conducting the services and 20 or less small items that can fit in a large kasher- contributing items towards the Kiddush. ing pot, please bring them to the kitchen door of the Foundation Video : shul on April 2nd starting at 5:30 PM. All items be- “ The Inner Meaning of the Birkas HaChamah ” ing kashered must: a) be thoroughly cleaned, b) not Sunday, March 29th at 8:00 PM be used for a period of 24 hours before they are Rabbi Avraham Chaim Feuer and Rabbi Paysach kashered, c) the 24 hour period begins from the mo- Krohn, two world renowned speakers, will provide ment you finish cleaning the item. deep, inspiring insights into the inner meaning of the Crafting with Corrin & Helen brocha, and the unique, vital role in Creation that Starting April 19th, 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM Hashem assigned to the sun. Girls: ages 10 and up First Project: Jewelry Making I: Each person regis- Important Passover Information tered will learn how to create a beautiful bracelet of A. Milk her own taste. Base Price for this class: $25.00 per Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Vaad Hakash- child. Discounts are available for families. The rus of Tidewater will not be supervising Kosher for price includes the cost of supplies for the completed Passover milk. Regular Milk can be purchased be- project. Please contact Helen Schloss-Griffin for fore Passover only, but not during Passover. For information and registration those who did not receive the Va’ad HaKashrus’s The Coming Week in a Glance Davening Times Shabbos 3/28 Tuesday 3/31 Friday 4/3 Shacharis 9:00 AM Shachris 7:00 AM Shachris 7:00 AM Mincha 7:00 PM Mincha 7:10 PM Mincha 6:30 PM

Maariv/ 8:03 PM Candle Lighting 6:50 PM Wednesday 4/1 Sunday 3/29 Shachris 7:00 AM Shachris 8:00 AM Mincha 7:10 PM

Mincha 7:10 PM Thursday 4/2 Monday 3/30 Shachris 6:45 AM

Shachris 6:45 AM Mincha 7:10 PM Mincha 7:10 PM

Class Times

Daf Yomi: Sunday Wednesday Shabbos 5:20 PM Gemara 9:00 AM Partners in Torah (M) 7:45 PM Halacha Class: Borer 8:00 PM Sunday 7:00 AM Mon. - Fri. 6:00 AM Monday Thursday

Parsha class: 8:00 PM Cantorial Class 7:45 PM Shabbos Bnos 3:30 PM Tuesday Sefer Shmuel I 6:20 PM Ladies Class: 12:00 Noon Boy’s Learning 6:30 PM

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