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Pesach is rapidly approaching. Use the links and information below to get organised, the hassle free way
To book a place at either the first night Seder (especially for travellers) or the highly popular Bnei Akiva Community Seder, please email the office.
The mitzvah of preparing for Pesach begins thirty days before the festival - exactly the interval between Purim and Pesach. Preparations go beyond the spring cleaning (autumn cleaning here in NZ!), stocking up on Matzah and seasonal goodies. All residents of a town are supposed to give "Kimcha dePischa" charity to help the local needy finance their Matzah and four cups of wine for the festival.
In the Torah, Nisan is described as the First Month. The very first Mitzvah given to the whole Jewish People, who were still enslaved in Egypt, was to set their calendar around Nisan, the month of their freedom.
Bedikat Chametz is the search for leaven by candlelight on the night prior to Seder Night. This should be done with a feather to dust in the small places and traditionally a wooden spoon, which is burned with the Chametz the following morning.
Chametz of value that will be wanted after Pesach can be sold to a non-Jew. Sale of Chametz forms are available through the AHC Office, will be printed in Kesher and are available on-line.
The Fast of the Firstborn (Ta'anit Bechorot) reminds the firstborn that their lives would have been forfeit too at the time of the Exodus; that each is indebted to G-d for his mercy on Israel. Many avoid the fast by celebrating a Siyum, the completion of a Talmudic Tractate at Shacharit.
Chametz may not be eaten from the end of the 4th hour of the day (dividing the interval between first light and 3 stars by 12 gives one halachic hour). All Chametz must be sold or destroyed (Biur Chametz) by the end of the 5th hour.
The Seder must begin after nightfall (fulfilling the verse to commemorate the Exodus "on that night").
The Seder Plate is prepared in advance with bitter herbs, parsley, charoset, a burnt egg, shankbone, lettuce and saltwater. These are consumed with the Matzah or indicated according to the order of the Haggada.
Four goblets of wine are drunk, representing the four expressions of redemption in G-d's promise to Moses. A fifth cup of wine is poured (for Elijah to determine when Messianic redemption is at hand).
The Seder Service is a lively interactive experience, where the idea is to stimulate questions, discussion of and to praise G-d's role in our history and destiny.