ק׳ ק׳ שׁערי תפילה
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On the Shabbat following Purim we read “Parashat Para,” the portion which discusses the Para Aduma, the Red Heifer. The Para Aduma was a sacrificial cow whose ashes were used for ritual purification. One who became impure, such as by coming in contact with a corpse, was required to have himself sprinkled with the ashes of a Para Aduma in order to become pure once more. The sages instituted the reading of the Para Aduma at this time of year in order to remind us of the purification process that was traditionally a part of the Pesach preparations. This is because one who was impure was not only forbidden from entering the Beit Hamikdash but was even forbidden from partaking in the Korban Pesach, as well.
Among the many interpretations for the Para Aduma ritual is that it was intended to serve as an atonement for the sin of the Golden Calf. As a result of having toiled in the service of a cow designated for idolatry, the Jewish people were now required to toil in the service of a cow designated for purity and atonement. Indeed, our sages call the Para Aduma ritual “a mother who comes to clean up the mess that her child made”. Additionally, the Para Aduma was required to be unblemished. This was intended to recall the “blemish” that the Jewish people caused through the sin of the golden calf.
According to a number of authorities, it is actually a Torah obligation to hear the reading of Parshat Para in the synagogue. One reason for this is that in addition to recalling the ancient purification procedure, the reading also serves to recall the sin of the Golden Calf which is a mitzva in its own right. In fact, there are actually six events that one is required by Torah law to always remember and the incident of the Golden Calf is one of them. In many congregations, it is customary for the gabbai to remind the congregation to have kavana, to have in mind to fulfill the mitzva of remembering the sin of the Golden Calf, while Parshat Para is read.
The consensus of most authorities, however, is that the requirement to hear the Parshat Para reading is rabbinical in nature. The only Torah reading that one is truly required to hear by Torah law is Parshat Zachor, which is read before Purim. In fact, there are those who insist that the “opinion” that the Parshat Para reading is a biblical obligation is merely the result of a printer’s error!
It might also just be that those who rule that the Parshat Para reading is a biblical obligation are basing themselves on a completely different consideration. All authorities agree that the Kohanim were required by Torah law to read Parshat Para, as they were the ones who would prepare the Para Aduma. Therefore, it can be suggested that since the reading of Parshat Para was once treated as a Torah obligation – for at least some of the population — it should continue to be treated as such. Although women should make an effort to hear Parshat Para read in the synagogue, there is no true obligation for them to do so. Indeed, it is argued that women should be completely exempt from having to hear the Parshat Para reading because they were not involved in the sin of the Golden Calf.
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לוח זמני תפילה לחורף תשפ״ה
מוצאי שבת | ערבית | שקיעה | מנחה שבת | סוף זמן קריאת שמע | הדלקת נרות | מנחה וקבלת שבת | תאריך | שבת פרשת |
Shabbat Ends | Arbit | Sunset | Minha | Shema before | Candle Lighting | Minha & Kabbalat Shabbat | Date | Parasha |
PM | PM | PM | PM | AM | PM | PM |
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7:16 | 7:11 | 6:25 | 5:50 | 9:11 | 6:09 | 6:09 | 21/22 Mar | ויקהל (פרה) |
שבת
קרבנות
8:45 am
הודו
9:00 am
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Moshe Rabbeinu exhorts the Bnei Yisrael to keep Shabbat, and requests donations for the materials for making the Mishkan. He collects gold, silver, precious stones, skins and yarn, as well as incense and olive oil for the Menorah and for anointing. The princes of each tribe bring the precious stones for the Kohen Gadol's breastplate and ephod. G-d appoints Betzalel and Oholiav as the master craftsmen. Bnei Yisrael contribute so many resources, such that Moshe begins to refuse donations. Special curtains with two different covers were designed for the Mishkan's roof and door. Gold-covered boards in silver bases were connected, forming the Mishkan's walls. Betzalel made the Holy Ark (which contained the Tablets) from wood covered with gold. On the Ark's cover there were two figures facing each other. The Menorah and the table with the showbreads were also of gold. Two Altars were made: a small incense Altar of wood, overlaid with gold, and a larger Altar for sacrifices, made of wood covered with copper.
Ohr Somayach Institutions www.ohr.edu
החמץ בפסח – שנת התשפ”ה
אמרו רבותינו בתוספתא (פסחים פ”ג): שואלין ודורשין בהלכות הפסח קודם הפסח שלושים יום. ועל פי זה נהגו רבני ישראל בכל הדורות, שבימים הללו, מפורים ועד פסח, מלמדים ברבים את הלכות הפסח, מאחר וכל אדם מישראל צריך להיות בקי בדינים רבים הנוגעים לפסח, בכשרות המאכלים והכלים, בסדר ליל פסח ועוד.
וענין ה”חימוץ” שאסרה התורה, הוא שבהתחבר קמח דגן עם המים, ושוהה כך זמן מתאים, משתנה ההרכב הפנימי של הקמח ומתחיל להחמיץ, ומרגע שהחמיץ, אסור אותו החמץ בפסח באכילה ובהנאה, וכן אסור ליהודי להחזיק ברשותו חמץ בימות הפסח.
אולם הדבר פשוט שמאחר ומצויים לעתים שיתערבו מיני דגן בקטניות, לכן יש להזהר לברור היטב את האורז וכיוצא בו, לבל יהיו מעורבים בו חטים או שעורים וכיוצא בזה ממיני דגן, כי מצוי לפעמים במקומות שמגדלים ומייצרים בהם את האורז, שמייצרים בקרבתו גם מיני דגן, וכן בבתי האריזה של האורז, אורזים גם כן שאר מיני דגן, והם מתערבים בתוך האורז ועלולים לאסור את כל התבשיל. ולכן נוהגים לברור את האורז לפסח בתשומת לב רבה ובכובד ראש, שלש פעמים, ובשעה שילדים קטנים אינם נמצאים בסביבתם של הבודקים.
אמנם ישנם כמה מיראי ה' הספרדים שנהגו להחמיר כמנהג האשכנזים שלא לאכול אורז בפסח. ובפרט נפוץ הדבר בקרב המערבים, יוצאי מרוקו ושאר מדינות צפון אפריקה. אולם אף הם אינם מחמירים בדרך כלל, אלא באורז, אבל בשאר קטניות נוהגים היתר. ויש שנהגו לאסור אכילת חומוס גם כן.
The Laws of Chametz and Kitniyot (Legumes) on Pesach- 5785
Our Sages taught (Tosefta, Pesachim Chapter 3): We begin inquiring about and expounding the laws of Pesach thirty days before Pesach. As such, rabbis throughout the Jewish nation use the days between Purim and Pesach to teach the vast laws of Pesach to their congregations, for there are many laws everyone must be proficient in, including, the Kashrut of foods, koshering the kitchen, and the Seder night.
The Essence of Leavening
The Torah (Shemot 13) tells us regarding the holiday of Pesach: “Matzot shall be eaten for seven days; neither leaven nor sourdough shall be seen in all of your borders.” The leaven that the Torah prohibits is produced by the combination of grain-flour and water remaining in this state for a long enough period of time; this causes the internal composition of the flour to leaven (rise). From the moment the mixture begins to leaven it is considered “Chametz” which is prohibited for consumption or benefit on Pesach and it is also prohibited for a Jew to retain Chametz in his property on Pesach.
Kitniyot
Rice and all other legumes, including peas and beans, are permitted on Pesach, for the prohibition of Chametz only applies to grains and legumes are not classified as “grains”. One must nevertheless take care to check the grains of rice well to make sure that no kernels of wheat or barley are mixed inside, for it is fairly common that in some places where rice is grown or packaged, other grains are also grown or packaged in close proximity as well and some kernels of these grains can easily become mixed into the rice and indeed make one’s entire dish prohibited for consumption (for even one tiny crumb of Chametz can prohibit a large pot of food). Thus, it is customary to check through rice three times before Pesach with all due concentration and seriousness, at a time when small children are not present to disrupt the individual checking.
The Custom of Ashkenazi Jewry and Some Sephardic Communities
Due to fear that kernels of various grains may have become mixed into the legumes, Ashkenazim customarily prohibit the consumption of legumes on Pesach. Indeed, the greatest Ashkenazi authorities enacted that it is completely prohibited to eat any legumes on Pesach. However, this prohibition was not accepted at all by most Sephardic and Middle Eastern communities. A Sephardic individual should not act stringently regarding this matter for several reasons.
However, there are several G-d-fearing Sephardic communities who are stringent and customarily abstain from eating rice on Pesach. This is especially common among Moroccan and other North African communities. However, even they are customarily stringent only with regards to rice, but they do eat other forms of legumes. Some customarily abstain from eating chick peas on Pesach as well.
The Issue This Year
This year, 5785, there is an additional halachic concern that arises since Erev Pesach coincides with Shabbat, a phenomenon which occurred twice in the past five years and will not occur again for twenty years (until the year 5805/2045). There are many laws regarding such an occurrence, and we shall discuss everything in due time, G-d-willing.