Rabbi Blog

Good evening to everyone,

First, I want to mention that I've increased my communication via email because I want to be able to stay in contact as best as I can and to guide everyone through Pesach and the pandemic. I hope you won't find that I'm sharing too much, but at the same time, I want people to feel that there are resources available for you.

I meant to include this in a previous email - I wrote a blog post about the ways we can relate each beracha of Shemoneh Esrei to our lives during coronavirus. I hope you find it meaningful.

Thank you to all of those who attended the shiur last night. While I had expected that both an audio and video recording was going to be created by Zoom, I only have the video recording. That can be found here.

There were a few things that I shared that you may want to have handy at the table - including the Ha Lachma for this year, the story of the Rebbe having seder alone, and the story of Rabbi Yosef Mendelovich in the gulags. Those are attached here.

A few points to clarify and additional materials:
a) One thing I should have mentioned last night is that while I recommend making brachos in Hebrew, the maggid portions may be said in English. For those who do not understand everything being said in Hebrew, it is perfectly reasonable to read it in English. In fact, I think the mitzvah of telling the story of the leaving Egypt is better fulfilled when we understand what happened.

b) For those who are alone: women should say shehechiyanu at candle lighting and do not repeat at kiddush. Men should say shehechiyanu at kiddush but not at candle lighting.

c) I am once again sharing this guide to making Pesach, as a reminder of what you need in time for Pesach.

d) Please see YU Torah-to-Go and HaMizrahi for additional Torah for Pesach. We would normally distribute these in shul.

e) Finally, here are two websites that are devoted to spreading Torah during the coronavirus:  https://covid19.ou.org/ and  https://www.kolcorona.com/.

Just a reminder to fill out mechirat chametz forms. Please fill it out by Monday night, so that I can ensure that they will be included in the sale.

Also a reminder to please fill out the census, as it is census day, if you have not already!
 
Warmly,
 
Rabbi Judah Kerbel