Rabbi Blog

Chodesh tov,

I apologize in advance, but as Pesach appraoches, I want to share helpful information in as timely a fashion as possible. I will try to limit emails as much as possible.

1) It was wonderful to see those of you who attended the shiur with Rav Moshe Taragin. If you missed it, an audio recording is available on YUTorah. A video recording is available here. The sources are available on YUTorah.

2) If you would like to see visual demonstrations of kashering a kitchen, the Chicago Rabbinical Council has videos, attached here.

3) Biur chametz - on Friday, March 26, we will have a fire available throughout the morning until noon (exact times to be determined) for people to destroy their chametz. We are asking that people bring a minimal amount to be detroyed in order to expedite the process and to avoid any potentially dangerous congregating. Everyone must wear a mask.

A halachic reminder that while you should make a bracha when burning your chametz, the paragraph "kol chamira v'chamia" is not recited until Shabbos morning when you finish your remaining chametz, unless you intend to have no chametz on Friday afternoon/Shabbos.

4) If you missed the Pesach Q&A, here is the link to watch it. I am also attaching my slideshow (I will bli neder make an easily printable version summarizing these points this week).
One point I want to clarify: if eating alone on yuntif, women can say shehechiyanu at candle lighting but then should not repeat it at kiddush. Men should say shehechiyanu at kiddush but not at candle lighting.

Please be in touch with any questions.

Kol tuv,

Judah kerbel
Rabbi, Queens Jewish Center