Passover
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After many decades of slavery to the Egyptian pharaohs, during which time the Israelites were subjected to backbreaking labor and unbearable horrors, G‑d saw the people’s distress and sent Moses to Pharaoh with a message: “Send forth My people, so that they may serve Me.” But despite numerous warnings, Pharaoh refused to heed G‑d’s command. G‑d then sent upon Egypt ten devastating plagues, afflicting them and destroying everything from their livestock to their crops.
At the stroke of midnight of 15 Nissan in the year 2448 from creation (1313 BCE), G‑d visited the last of the ten plagues on the Egyptians, killing all their firstborn. While doing so, G‑d spared the children of Israel, “passing over” their homes—hence the name of the holiday. Pharaoh’s resistance was broken, and he virtually chased his former slaves out of the land. The Israelites left in such a hurry, in fact, that the bread they baked as provisions for the way did not have time to rise. Six hundred thousand adult males, plus many more women and children, left Egypt on that day and began the trek to Mount Sinai and their birth as G‑d’s chosen people.
The Passover Calendar—2021
Please note: 5781 (2021) is one of the relatively rare years when the day before Passover falls on Shabbat. Please pay close attention to the following schedule, because many details are different than other years.
Thursday March 25 – 12 Nissan
Fast of the Firstborn. Since one is prohibited to fast on Shabbat (this year, the day before Passover), the fast is held on Thursday. All firstborn males are required to fast. To be exempt from fasting, one can participate in a meal marking the fulfillment of a mitzvah; such a meal is generally held in the synagogue after morning prayers on this day.
Did you remember to sell your chametz?
Search for the chametz after dark. Recite the blessing prior to the search (before starting the search, the following blessing is recited: Blessed are You, Lord, our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the removal of chametz), and the nullification of the chametz (All leaven and anything leavened that 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.) following the search.
Friday March 26 – 13 Nissan
Have you sold your chametz? Final call!
Burn your remaining (unsold) chametz before the beginning of the sixth seasonal hour. Leave behind challah loaves or rolls to be eaten during tonight's and tomorrow morning's Shabbat meals. Though it isn’t forbidden to eat chametz until the end of the fourth seasonal hour tomorrow morning, since it is impossible to destroy chametz on Shabbat – the chametz must be destroyed today.
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This year, when burning the chametz, we do not recite the passage wherein we declare all chametz in our possession to be null and void. Instead this passage is recited tomorrow morning. (The Yehi Ratzon, however, is recited while burning the chametz.)
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The Seder plate items and the Seder dinner food should be prepared today, the food can be warmed up after Shabbat has ended, using a flame that has been lit from the onset of the holiday. We suggest lighting a 24 or 48 hour yahrtzeit candle before Shabbat candle lighting to be used to light candles or a gas flame on the holiday.
Both Shabbat meals should be completely kosher for Passover with the exception of two ounces of bread per person per meal. (It is forbidden to eat matzah on the day before Passover.)
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Light Shabbat candles, reciting blessing (Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm ah-sher ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nayr shehl shah-baht koh-dehsh.
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The challah is carefully consumed over a paper napkin or tissue. Afterwards, the paper, together with any remaining chametz crumbs, is flushed down the toilet. Extra care should be taken that no chametz crumbs should fall on the floor.
Shabbat March 27 – 14 Nissan
Day before Passover, Shabbat Hagadol
Morning service.
Torah reading: Leviticus 6:1–8:36.
Haftorah: Malachi 3:4–24.
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Services are recited early in the morning in order to allow enough time to start the Shabbat meal and eat the challah before the end of the fourth seasonal hour.
Festive lunch meal. Once again, the challah is carefully consumed over a paper napkin or tissue. Afterwards, the paper, together with any remaining chametz crumbs, is flushed down the toilet. Extra care should be taken that no chametz crumbs should fall on the floor. After the fourth seasonal hour, it is forbidden to consume any chametz.
During the fifth seasonal hour of the morning (before 12:00Pm) the nullification of the chametz (Kol Chamira) — the one normally recited while burning the chametz — is recited.
It is customary to recite “The Order of the Passover Offering” after the afternoon Minchah prayers. Since it is "Shabbat Hagadol," a large section of the Haggadah is traditionally read after Minchah, too.
According to Chabad custom, complete Hallel is recited during Maariv evening prayers. Yaale veyavo is also said.
After dark, light candles for the first day of Passover, using an existing flame, and recite blessings 2 & 4 (Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm ah-sher ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nayr shehl yohm tohv.} (Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm sheh-heh-kheh-yah-noo veh-kee-mah-noo ve-hig-ee-yah-noo liz-mahn hah-zeh) candle-lighting time 7:58 PM.
First Seder: The Seder contains the observance of many biblical and rabbinical mitzvot, including: eating matzah, eating maror (bitter herbs), drinking four cups of wine, relating the story of the Exodus to our children, reclining as a symbol of freedom, etc.
Sunday March 28 – 15 Nissan
1st day of Passover-Yom Tov
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Morning service. Full Hallel is recited. Two Torah scrolls are taken out of the ark.
Torah reading: Exodus 12:21–51 and Numbers 28:16–25. Haftorah: Joshua 3:5–7, 5:2–6:1, 6:27.
We start saying the prayer for dew during the Musaf prayer. The priests bless the congregation with the priestly blessing during the Musaf prayer.
“Yaaleh Veyavo” is inserted during all prayers and in the Grace After Meals. Festive lunch meal.
Complete Hallel is recited during Maariv evening prayers, followed by the “Counting of the Omer.” We count the 1st day of the Omer. The counting of the Omer is recited during each of the next forty-nine days, leading up to the holiday of Shavuot on the fiftieth day. The 49 days embody the 49 steps of self-improvement — beginning with the departure from our “personal” Egypt, until our arrival at Mount Sinai, when we are ready to accept the wisdom of the Torah.
Light candles for the 2nd day of Passover after dark, using an existing flame, and recite blessings 2 & 4 (Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm ah-sher ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nayr shehl yohm tohv.} (Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm sheh-heh-kheh-yah-noo veh-kee-mah-noo ve-hig-ee-yah-noo liz-mahn hah-zeh), light candles after 7:59 PM
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Second Seder: The Seder contains the observance of many Biblical and Rabbinic Mitzvot, including: eating Matzah, eating Marror (bitter herbs), drinking four cups of wine, relating the story of the Exodus to our children, reclining as a symbol of freedom, etc.
Monday March 29 – 16 Nissan
2nd day of Passover-Yom Tov
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Morning service.
“Yaaleh Veyavo” is inserted during all prayers and in the Grace After Meals. Half-Hallel is recited.
Two Torah scrolls are taken out of the ark. T
orah reading: Leviticus 22:26–23:44 and Numbers 28:16–25.
Haftorah: II Kings 23:1–9, 21–25. The Musaf Amidah is recited.
After nightfall, count the 2nd day of the Omer.
