Search results for: ""Jewish festivals""
Building or Fixing a Sukka on Sukkot
A Jew may fix or build a sukka on chol ha'moed.
A non-Jew may fix or build a sukka on chol ha'moed or even on the Jewish festival days. A Jew may explicitly tell the non-Jew how to accomplish the repairs or the building of the sukka.
A non-Jew may fix or build a sukka on chol ha'moed or even on the Jewish festival days. A Jew may explicitly tell the non-Jew how to accomplish the repairs or the building of the sukka.
Amida Errors: Chonein HaDaat/Yismach Moshe/Tikanta Shabbat/Ata Echad/Rashei Chodashim/Ata Vichartanu
What: Chonein HaDaat/Yismach Moshe/Tikanta Shabbat/Ata Echad/Rashei Chodashim/Ata Vichartanu
Where: Amida 4th paragraph
Error #1: You Said the Wrong Paragraph on Shabbat or Jewish Festival
Examples
-
You said the weekday version on Shabbat or Jewish festival--or the reverse.
-
You began to say the version for a different Shabbat service (say, it is Shabbat mincha and you said the version for Shabbat shacharit).
WHAT TO DO
1) If you erroneously began the fourth paragraph for weekday on Shabbat or Jewish festival ma'ariv, shacharit, or mincha:
Finish the erroneous blessing and then begin the correct version.
2) If you erroneously began the fourth paragraph for weekday at musaf:
Stop wherever you are and say correct fourth paragraph.
3) If you began to say the fourth paragraph from the wrong Shabbat service:
It is OK, b'di'avad.
Error #2 You Said the Wrong Paragraph on a Weekday or at any Musaf:
Example
You said the weekday fourth paragraph at musaf for Rosh Chodesh.
WHAT TO DO
Stop wherever you are and say correct fourth paragraph.
Passover: Ending Day(s): SheHecheyanu
Do not say she'hecheyanu when lighting candles or saying kiddush on the last two days of Passover outside of Eretz Yisrael or the last day of Passover in Eretz Yisrael.
Note These are the only Jewish festival days on which she'hecheyanu is not said.
Birkat HaMazon: When To Repeat If Forgot Additions
When saying birkat ha'mazon, you must repeat birkat ha'mazon if you forgot:
- Retzei on the first two meals of Shabbat.
- Ya'aleh v'yavo on the first two meals of any Jewish festival day (women only repeat if they forgot it at the Passover seder).
- Rosh Hashana (during the daytime) or
- Rosh Chodesh.
Lulav: Storing: Replacing into Water
You may put the myrtle and willow branches into water after using them only if they were in water before the Sukkot holiday began. You may not add water on Shabbat, but you may on the other Jewish festival days. You may change the water only on chol ha'moed.
Men and Women Must Say/Hear Havdala
The following must each hear or say havdala for themselves:
- Men and boys 13 years old and up, and
- Women and girls 12 years old and up.
Note As on Shabbat, any male Jew above 13 years old and any female Jew above 12 years old may say Jewish festival havdala for himself/herself and for anyone else.
Note A husband's or father's hearing havdala at synagogue does not cover his family's obligation to hear havdala. He may say havdala for his wife and children even if he fulfilled his personal havdala requirement at the synagogue. (Men who say havdala for their families normally intend not to be covered by the synagogue's havdala).
Note A husband's or father's hearing havdala at synagogue does not cover his family's obligation to hear havdala. He may say havdala for his wife and children even if he fulfilled his personal havdala requirement at the synagogue. (Men who say havdala for their families normally intend not to be covered by the synagogue's havdala).
Shabbat: Squeezing, Dabbing, and Smearing Medicinal Creams
You may squeeze a tube of cream on Shabbat, but you might not be able to use the cream on Shabbat for other reasons—consult a rabbi.
Note Smearing creams or ointments is permitted only in life-threatening situations. Otherwise, you may not smear cream on skin on Shabbat (or a Jewish festival) even using a shinu'i such as using the back of your hand or a toe.
Dabbing is permitted, but only when you are permitted to use medicine for that purpose.
ExampleYou may dab cream on Shabbat for a bee sting.
Reason The pain from the sting will affect the entire body.
ExampleYou may not use cream for a mosquito bite.
Reason It is only a local irritation.
Note You may not smear cream for either condition.
Dabbing is permitted, but only when you are permitted to use medicine for that purpose.
ExampleYou may dab cream on Shabbat for a bee sting.
Reason The pain from the sting will affect the entire body.
ExampleYou may not use cream for a mosquito bite.
Reason It is only a local irritation.
Note You may not smear cream for either condition.
Setting the Shabbat Table
Set the Shabbat table with nice tableware and tablecloth. The custom is to have the table set and have bread on the table before Shabbat starts.
The tablecloth should cover the table during Shabbat meals, but you may remove and switch tablecloths. Even if you have a beautiful and valuable table, you should still cover it for Shabbat (and Jewish festival) meals.
The tablecloth should cover the table during Shabbat meals, but you may remove and switch tablecloths. Even if you have a beautiful and valuable table, you should still cover it for Shabbat (and Jewish festival) meals.
Introduction to Chol HaMoed
The intermediate days of Passover and Sukkot (between the first and last days, which are festival days) are called “chol ha'moed.” Passover has four chol ha'moed days outside of Eretz Yisrael and five days in Eretz Yisrael. Sukkot has five chol ha'moed days outside of Israel and six inside Eretz Yisrael.
The restrictions that apply to the Jewish festival days generally do not apply to the chol ha'moed days (see below for exceptions).
The restrictions that apply to the Jewish festival days generally do not apply to the chol ha'moed days (see below for exceptions).
How To Do Shabbat Daytime Kiddush
There are two requirements for Shabbat daytime kiddush: Say or Hear Kiddush Segments/Blessings and Establish a Halachic Meal (kovei'a se'uda):
1. Say or Hear Kiddush Segments/Blessings
You must say, or hear, the Shabbat daytime kiddush segments/blessings and someone
must drink at least 2 fl. oz. (59 ml) of the kiddush beverage:
2. Establish Halachic Meal (Kovei'a Se'uda)
You must establish a halachic meal (kovei'a se'uda) shortly after saying or hearing
Shabbat morning kiddush by either:
Note If you make, or hear, Shabbat morning kiddush on any beverage except wine or grape juice, you must also eat at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) of bread or mezonot within four minutes to establish the kiddush meal. If you do not want to eat bread or mezonot, only drinking at least 4 fl. oz. (119 ml) of wine (or grape juice) within 30 seconds will fulfill all the kiddush requirements.
Note If you have not fulfilled the kiddush requirements, you may not eat other foods, such as fruit or fish at a kiddush.
Note Once you have heard kiddush and either eaten the required bread or mezonot or drunk the required 4 fl. oz. of wine or grape juice, you do not need to say or listen to kiddush again if you eat your actual meal later (except if you need to say kiddush for other people who have not yet heard or said kiddush).
1. Say or Hear Kiddush Segments/Blessings
You must say, or hear, the Shabbat daytime kiddush segments/blessings and someone
must drink at least 2 fl. oz. (59 ml) of the kiddush beverage:
-
Say or Hear Kiddush Segments/Blessings
- Torah segment(s): V'shamru bnei Yisrael (even beginning from al kein).
-
Blessing over at least 3.3 fl. oz. (99ml) of drink:
- Borei pri ha'gafen (if on wine or grape juice), OR
- She'hakol nihiyeh bi'dvaro (if on other beverage/chamar medina).
Note For Saturday (or Jewish festival) lunch and havdala, you may use
any beverage (chamar medina) commonly drunk for social purposes (not
just for thirst) in the country in which you are saying kiddush. The ideal is to
use wine or grape juice.
any beverage (chamar medina) commonly drunk for social purposes (not
just for thirst) in the country in which you are saying kiddush. The ideal is to
use wine or grape juice.
- Drink at Least 2 fl. oz. (59 ml) of the Kiddush Drink
This amount may be drunk by one person or by several people together.
2. Establish Halachic Meal (Kovei'a Se'uda)
You must establish a halachic meal (kovei'a se'uda) shortly after saying or hearing
Shabbat morning kiddush by either:
- Drinking Wine--at least 4 fl. oz (119 ml) of wine (or grape juice) within 30 seconds, OR
- Eating Bread/Mezonot--at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) of bread or mezonot within four minutes.
Note If you make, or hear, Shabbat morning kiddush on any beverage except wine or grape juice, you must also eat at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) of bread or mezonot within four minutes to establish the kiddush meal. If you do not want to eat bread or mezonot, only drinking at least 4 fl. oz. (119 ml) of wine (or grape juice) within 30 seconds will fulfill all the kiddush requirements.
Note If you have not fulfilled the kiddush requirements, you may not eat other foods, such as fruit or fish at a kiddush.
Note Once you have heard kiddush and either eaten the required bread or mezonot or drunk the required 4 fl. oz. of wine or grape juice, you do not need to say or listen to kiddush again if you eat your actual meal later (except if you need to say kiddush for other people who have not yet heard or said kiddush).
Jewish Man or Woman Making Kiddush
Any adult Jew, male or female, may say kiddush for him/herself and, as long as he/she still needs to say kiddush for him/herself, may include any other Jews of any age or gender.
Any Jewish male, 13 years old or older, may say kiddush for anyone else, either gender and any age, even if he has already fulfilled his personal requirement of saying kiddush.
Any Jewish female, 12 years old or older, may say kiddush for any other females but not for men, except that on the 2 Passover seder nights, a Jewish female who is at least 12 years old may even say kiddush for men, if the men are not able to say it for themselves. (Women may also say kiddush for men on Shabbat evening).
Reason Any person who is obligated to fulfill the mitzva of kiddush may say it for another person. It is questionable whether women are obligated to say (or have said for them) Jewish festival morning kiddush.
Any Jewish male, 13 years old or older, may say kiddush for anyone else, either gender and any age, even if he has already fulfilled his personal requirement of saying kiddush.
Any Jewish female, 12 years old or older, may say kiddush for any other females but not for men, except that on the 2 Passover seder nights, a Jewish female who is at least 12 years old may even say kiddush for men, if the men are not able to say it for themselves. (Women may also say kiddush for men on Shabbat evening).
Reason Any person who is obligated to fulfill the mitzva of kiddush may say it for another person. It is questionable whether women are obligated to say (or have said for them) Jewish festival morning kiddush.
Public Festivities for Mourner for Parent
A mourner may not generally enter a hall of joyous celebration and may not eat at any public meal. During the year of mourning for parents, you may not join any public festivities (even if it is not a simcha) that have a meal, including any meals celebrating a mitzva (se'udat mitzva) such as for a brit mila, wedding, or redemption of a son (pidyon ha'ben). After 30 days, you may attend a bar mitzva or a siyum meal, since a bar mitzva is similar to a siyum since the child's parent's commandment to educate his/her child in Jewish education has been completed.
ExceptionA mourner whose child is getting married, does attend the wedding and does eat at the meal with everyone else, even if mourning for a parent. He or she does not need to leave the room when music is being played. To attend the wedding of anyone other than one's child, regardless of who died, a mourner must eat alone and outside the main dining area.
Note An intervening Jewish festival partially truncates the 30 days of mourning and so you may attend a bar mitzva or siyum even before the end of 30 days.
NoteIf you work at weddings (caterer, musician, etc.), you may attend weddings even before 30 days are up, but you may not join the meal.
NoteIf you work at weddings (caterer, musician, etc.), you may attend weddings even before 30 days are up, but you may not join the meal.
Introduction to Passover
Introduction to Passover: Passover Names
Passover celebrates the seven or eight days starting with the 14th of Nisan, when God took the Israelites out of Egypt about 3300 years ago. The holiday has several names:
Passover celebrates the seven or eight days starting with the 14th of Nisan, when God took the Israelites out of Egypt about 3300 years ago. The holiday has several names:
- Chag HaPesach--Holiday of "Skipping Over" (reflecting that God passed over the Jewish homes and did not kill the first-born sons, unlike those of the Egyptians);
- Chag HaAviv--Festival of Spring (the Jewish calendar is based on the moon and is adjusted to the solar cycle so that Passover always comes in the spring);
- Chag HaMatzot--Holiday of Unleavened Bread; and
- Zman Cheiruteinu--Time of our Freedom.
Introduction to Passover: Passover Observance
Passover observance includes removal of chametz, the Passover sacrifice and its reminders, and the Passover seder:
However, the chametz in food acquired before Passover can be nullified before Passover, but ONLY if:
Destroying chametz is not a violation of “do not destroy” (bal tashchit) since it is done to perform a commandment.
Chametz
Chametz Gamur and Ta'arovet Chametz
The Five Grains, once fermented into items such as bread or beer, are genuine chametz (chametz gamur) and are forbidden on Passover by the Torah (d'oraita). Ta'arovet chametz (a mixture containing chametz) includes foods such as breakfast cereal and are also forbidden on Passover.Rules for Chametz
- You may not own or see (your own) chametz during the entire period of Passover.
- You may not benefit in any way from chametz during Passover, whether it belongs to a Jew or to a non-Jew. If the chametz was owned by a Jew during Passover, you may not benefit from that chametz even after the holiday has ended.
What To Do with Chametz
Ideally, any chametz should be used up before Passover, given to a non-Jew, or destroyed. But if the chametz has significant value, the custom is to sell that chametz to a non-Jew. You do not need to sell kitniyot, but you must sell any genuine chametz and any mixtures of chametz (ta'arovet chametz).Passover and Nullification by 1/60th
During the year, 1/60th or less of an undesired substance is considered to be inconsequential and nullified by the other substances. But on Passover, any amount of leaven mixed in food is forbidden.However, the chametz in food acquired before Passover can be nullified before Passover, but ONLY if:
- It is 1/60th or less of the total volume of food,
- The food is liquid mixed in other liquid, or solid in other solid, AND
- The chametz/non-chametz elements cannot be easily separated from each other.
Four Steps To Eliminating Chametz
There are four means of eliminating chametz:-
Bedika: Searching
You try to find any chametz. -
Bitul: Verbal and Intentional Nullification
Since you may have overlooked some chametz during bedika, declare that any chametz in your possession is not important to you and has no value. -
Bi'ur: Burning
By burning and therefore destroying the chametz, we fulfill the Torah
commandment of “tashbitu” (making it cease to exist). -
Mechira: Selling
By changing the ownership, we no longer own chametz on Passover and we create the opportunity to re-acquire the chametz after Passover has ended if the non-Jewish buyer agrees.
Chametz Symbolism
Fermented grains represent (among other things) arrogance and pride: the puffing up of fermented grains is symbolic of people puffing up themselves. In Judaism, one way to get rid of a bad personal trait is to utterly destroy it and so we symbolically remove and destroy any fermented grain foods from our houses and ownership.Destroying chametz is not a violation of “do not destroy” (bal tashchit) since it is done to perform a commandment.