Pesach

[alon]

If you have not already started, you should be planning for Pesach (Passover) and the spring moedim. Erev Pesach is the 30th of March, and Pesach the day of 31 March this year (2018). Unleavened Bread goes until the 6th of April. Counting of the Omer 2018 will begin in the evening of Saturday, March 31 and ends the evening of Saturday, May 19. Erev Shavuot is the evening of May 19th, and Shavuot is Sunday the 20th.

I love it when Shavuot falls on a Sunday! I like to go to the Pentacostal church and ask people if they know what day it is.    Few ever know; and most of them only know because I've victimized them before. I know, I'm going to Hell for doing this. But it is fun!  And sort of a way to open dialogue.

Dan C

[Elizabeth]

Thumbs up for the reminder, not for the last part. 🙂

[alon]

This one always sneaks up on me; but it is probably time we start looking at using up all the leaven on our shelves. Otherwise we end up either throwing it out or being in transgression by keeping it. And the garage or the garden shed is still considered our home. I read labels and eat anything with yeast or sugar first. Some of it may end up in the compost, but I hate waste (and ok, I love to eat) so I try and eat all I can before it is too late!

Dan (growing daily ) C

[alon]

Pesach 2018 starts tomorrow just before sundown. Tomorrow itself is the preparation day for Pesach. So today we should make a final sweep to get leaven out of our houses. For those in divided homes just do the best you can.

Orthodox Jews clean every crevice of their homes, then wrap all surfaces with foil so no leaven from the air may land on them. We do not do that, however it is a picture of how serious the commandment to remove the leaven is.

Since Pesach falls on a Shabbat this year it is important that if we can we should eat the meal on the evening of the 30th, as 14 Nissan transitions into 15 Nissan. But again, we do what we can for many of us. If the meal must be eaten on the 31st (Saturday) then so be it. And many in divided homes may not be able to hold a Seder, including the meal at all. Again, do the best you can. But in some way mark this a special Shabbat. Read the Passover story to yourself and the kids if possible. Eat a special meal with as many of the elements as possible if you can.

For those of us fortunate enough to be able to hold a Seder, please remember to pray for those Meshiachim less fortunate.

For those of you reading this who may still be making the transition into Messianic Judaism, I again urge you to mark this day as special. Study and observe as much a you can. And all of us from the evening of April 30th through March 6th should eat no leaven. Start reading labels if you've never done so. You'll be surprised how many things contain leavening agents. Do searches on the internet and you can find all kinds of innovative ways to eat maza. I love the stuff, personally. I've already been eating it for a while now, though not yet exclusively. And I have enough to keep me going for quite a while AFTER Unleavened Bread is over. So there is no reason to feel miserable eating it. And if your family is not Messianic they may still appreciate the feast days if done with enough flare. Regardless you may be able to eat unleavened bread for seven days without being too offensive to their sensibilities. And they may even be drawn in seeing you enjoy some of the treats. Things like Maza Ball Soup may be served and they won't even know it. They'll just think it's some very good Chicken and Dumplings!

Regardless how much you can do, Pesach is a special feast day, as is the lat day of Unleavened Bread. Please make these as special as you are able to do. for those just starting or in divided homes, don't beat yourself up over what you can't do; just do the best you can. And enjoy the feast day as a day dedicated to The Lord.

Chag Pesach sameach! Have a happy Passover! 

Dan C

[alon]

From R Reuel, 4-5-18:

Don’t forget that tonight begins the 7th Day of Chag HaMatzot. Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:8 states, “Bring an offering made by fire to HaShem for seven days. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work.'" So, tonight we will have an Erev Chag HaMatzot meeting for the 7th day at 6pm. Also, we will have our shacharit (morning) meeting at 10am tomorrow.

Chag HaMatzot Sameach!

Rabbi Reuel Dillon
Chavurat HaMashiach

[alon]

Hope everyone's preparations for Pesach are going well. And I hope this will be a joyous time for you all.

Chag Pesach sameach!

Dan C

[alon]

We are just a week out from Pesach. Because of restrictions on gatherings and travel, as well as quarantine/self isolation this year keeping Pesach may be problematic for many of us. I firmly believe the mitzvoth concerning life and health are the higher ones. So please, do nothing to compromise that. And you may not be able to keep it as you'd like. Still, I urge you all to keep it the best you can.

We have enough food for 2 weeks should there be a lockdown. Normally I would consider the outbuildings to be part of the house, even though they are freestanding. But this year we'll be storing those supplies in one of the shops. That way we won't be part of any "panic buying" should the quarantine order come down. We all need to act responsibly both to our families and communities during this crises. But leaven will be removed from the house itself, and I'll be eating nothing with leaven during Unleavened Bread. My Seder will be done via a DVD. I could just read it myself as I go along, but this has more a community atmosphere about it. Most of us won't really be able to have a regular seder. Just do the best you can. And make sure you have plenty of foods without leavening agents to get you through the week. Read labels. It is surprising how many foods have leavening agents in them.

Think of those just 2 generations ago who held their sederim during the Shoa, either in hiding or in concentration camps. They weren't shomer pesach, but my guess is HaShem honored their efforts during those years far more than in all the years of plenty and freedom when they kept it perfectly.

Everyone stay safe, do what you can, and may the God of Israel smile upon us this year.

Chag Pesach sameach.

Dan