LAWS AND CUSTOMS FOR PESAH 1. The Hagadah is second only to the Torah in the number of languages that it has been translated into. 2. It is traditional for the husband to buy his wife a new dress for the holiday. Also gifts are usually given to the children. Sweets are traditionally passed out to children at the beginning of the Seder to keep their interest and to keep them awake. 3. The Jewish month of Nisan is a very special month. Aside from being the month in which Pesa? is celebrated, it is also the month in which the Mishqan [Tabernacle] was first erected in the Wilderness. The first twelve days of Nisan, each tribal leader brought a special offering to the Mishqan. In commemoration of that, it is a tradition to read the appropriate passage from Torah each of the twelve days, and on the thirteenth day, to read the adjoining section describing the initial lightning of the Golden Menorah by Aharon. 4. The fourteenth of Nisan is a fast day for all first-born male children in commemoration for the mercy that God showed by sparing the Children of Yisrael from the plague of the First Born. Traditionally, people are encouraged to join a "Siyum Masekhet," a celebration of the completion of a Tractate of Talmud, and thereby being exempt from the fast. While this doesn't work for every fast in the calendar, the rabbis encourage it for this fast so that one will be able to be relaxed and well rested for the Seder. This year, because Pesah begins on Motsei Shabbat (Saturday night) the fast is moved to Thursday, because we aren't generally allowed to fast on Shabbat. 5. It is forbidden to eat matsah on the fourteenth of Nisan (Erev Pesah - the day before the Seder night), so that one will have a taste for it at the Seder. *** This year there are special challenges because Pesah begins on Motsei Shabbat. On the one hand we are required to eat 'pat' that is bread on Shabbat but we are forbidden from eating Matsa before Pesah. Further we must finish all bread and other hamets by 8:30-9:30 am (depending upon local). Several solutions for this difficulty are as follows: *** One, families should eat pita read which makes very little crumbs and only an exact measure should be given to everyone in the family so there will be no left overs. All of the remaining food should all be kosher for Pesah and paper or plastic disposable dishes and utensils should be used, including bringing the food from the Pesah pots to the table. After finishing the meal all remaining hamets should be flushed in the bathroom. *** Another possible solution is to use Matsa Ashira, made with Egg or Fruit juices. Since this is not considered 'fit' for the fulfilling the matsa of the seder night, it is not prohibited. Some considerations with this though is that many Sefardi rabbis declare these to be m'zanoth [cakes] and not bread, requiring one to eat a measure of 240 grams (about eight square matsoth) to consider it a meal. Many Ashkenazi authorities have ruled that this matsa is not fit for Pesah at all and thus it would be no different than the difficulties with bread. Sefardim can use this even for the third meal without a problem. *** Another possibilty is fried or cooked matsa. Matsa that has been recooked or fried in oil is not considered fit for fulfilling the Mitsvah. some Ashkenazim have the same problem with this as with the Matsa Ashira. *** Ashkanazim can be lenient with the third meal and fulfill the mitsvah with fruits and the like. In a time of pressing need Sefardim can rely on this as well, but they should have 'pat' for the third meal. However, this cannot be bread or hamets at all and must be fried or cooked Matsa or Matsa Ashira. *** Hakham Ovadia Yosef, shlita, has ruled that for that if it is a fixed meal, such as a Shabbat festive meal, then one can eat as little as 30 grams of Matsa Ashira to consider it a meal, with hand washing ad Birkat HaMazon [Grace After the Meal]. This opinion can also be relied upon if need be. *** It should be noted that a strict reading of the prohibition of eating Matsa before the seder only applies to Shabbat morning and not Friday night. 6. One is required to search the house for any last remaining crumbs on the night before the Seder (the night after the 13th of Nisan) by candlelight (a single wick wax candle). Ten pieces of bread are hidden strategically around the house (wrapped in protective plastic). The head of the household says the appropriate blessing and begins the search. After the search and collection, he makes a declaration, stating that any hamets that is left in the house is like "dust of the earth." The remaining hamets is burned the next morning and the declaration is repeated. Many have the custom to repeat the phrase three times. *** This year, the search is made on Thursday night and the hamets s burned on Friday morning, even though one can eat hamets all day on Friday. A second declaration is made Shabbat morning after the appointed hour without burning. 7. It is forbidden to eat any hamets (leaven) from the fourth (halakhic) hour from sunrise on the fourteenth of Nisan (in most places approximately between 8:3 and 9:30 in the morning), but one may benefit (that is, sell etc.) through the fifth hour. 8. One is required to rid his entire house of Hamets. Some communities have a tradition to sell the hamets to a non-Jew. Most rabbis recommend that this not be done for items considered "complete hamets" but only items, which have non-edible hamets in them. In any event, this sale usually takes place through the community rabbi. Once sold, these items really belong to the non-Jew and he has rights to them, albeit he most likely will not claim them. The Ben Ish Hai teaches that one must receive money for the sale and must provide keys to the shop or place where the buyer can access the hamets. Most authorities do not require these strictures. The idea of selling the hamets was primarily intended for the shop owner or merchant who would suffer a tremendous loss should he have to dispose of all of his hamets. 9. Oner may not use a vessel or a utensil that had been used for Hamets without making it kosher for Pesah first. 10. One is required to lean to the left side (whether one is left or right handed) when drinking the four cups of wine and eating the matsa and the Apikomin. 11. One is required to drink a minimum of 86 milligrams of wine (Ashkenazim that follow the rulings of the Hazon Ish must drink 150 mg) for each of the four cups, or if one is using a large cup, he is required to drink the majority of the cup even if it is more than 86 milligrams. 12. According to the Shulhan Arukh, one is required to drink wine and not grape juice for the four cups. Initially the wine should be red and not sweet. Children may drink grape juice. One who medically cannot drink wine should also drink grape juice. If it is very difficult for someone to drink wine, some rabbis say it is permissible to mix it with some grape juice, though there are some authorities that suggest that this does not fulfill the obligation. In any event, it is not advisable to add grape juice to sweet wine, and even with dry or semi dry wine, one should add a little water instead of juice in a time of need. 13. One is required to eat a total amount of matsah equivalent to four zetim [olives. One zeit is equal to approximately one ounce or thirty grams]. One eats one measure for the blessing of matsah and one for the blessing of the meal (hamotsi). Then another zeit is eaten for the koreck [the Hillel sandwich]. Finally, another zeit is eaten for the Apikomin. For sick or elderly people the measure of a zeit can be reduced to as low as 2/3 of an ounce or twenty grams. 14. There is a Syrian tradition, based on the Kabbalah, to break the middle matsa in the shape of the Hebrew letter dalet and the Hebrew letter waw. These represent the numerical value of ten (four and six respectively). This demonstrates symbolically that the matsa is the physical counterpart to the Ten Sefirot. 15. The Moroccan custom is to break the matsa into the shape of the Hebrew letter hey. 16. There is a Moroccan custom that upon arriving home from the evening service on Seder Night, that the Seder Plate, is passed over everyone's head. 17. There is a Syrian custom for the seder after the father/leader of the Seder breaks the middle matsah, leaving the smaller portion on the seder plate and wraps the larger half in a Tallit cloth or napkin. He then stands and places/slings this package over his shoulder. Everyone asks, "Where are you coming from?" and he answers, "From Mitsrayim!" Everyone asks, "And where are you headed?" He answers, "Yerushalayim! (Jerusalem)" They ask, "And what are your provisions?" He answers, "Matsah and Maror!" In some families the sack is then passed around the table and everyone is asked these same questions. 18. On the last night of Pesah, immediately following the evening prayers, it is a Syrian custom for the men to take several stalks of wheat and symbolically beat each other with them, greeting each other with "Santa Hadra! (May you have a green and fruitful year)." The ceremony is called Leil hamets (the Night of Hamets), and is an expression of hope for a year of plentiful produce. 19. The night after the Pesah festival is a Moroccan feast known as Maimuna, a festive colorful feast. In Israel, the entire country joins the Moroccan community for this festive picnic. Traditionally, the table is set with white tablecloths and adorned with stalks of green wheat, flowers, plates of sweets and yeast cakes. It features dairy products, as Moroccans traditionally don't eat dairy during the week of Pesa?. There are several traditions as to the origins of the festival. Some say that it is to bring about wealth and good fortune, which is a translation of the word in Arabic. Another tradition says that the festival derives from the Hebrew word, "Emunah" meaning "faith. Still others link it to the name Maimon, since the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon) died on this day in Fez, Morocco. Another possibility is that it is a variation on the word, "sh'monah," meaning eighth, for the "eighth day of Pesah.

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