Passover 2009 Your Pesach Guide

This section of the holysparks website is your Passover 2009 guide.

Before the Passover 2009 Festival

Passover 2009 Date: Tuesday, April 7 – Nissan 12
Fast of the Firstborn.
To be exempt from fasting, one must participate in a meal marking the fulfillment of a mitzvah; such a meal is generally held in a synagogue after morning prayers on this day.

If you haven't already done so, sell your chametz.
Your local Chabad rabbi can help. You can download your

Before the Passover holiday

The Day Before PassoverLaws & Customs:

Fast of the Firstborn. To be exempt from fasting, one must participate in a meal marking the fulfillment of a mitzvah; such a meal is generally held in a synagogue after morning prayers on this day.

This morning we do the Birkat Hachamah ("Blessing on the Sun")--a once in 28 years mitzvah!

Have you sold your Chametz? Final call! Your local qualified halachic authority can help.

Stop eating Chametz before the end of the fourth seasonal hour Burn your remaining (unsold) Chametz before the fifth seasonal hour.

Since Shabbat occurs immediately following the festival, an "eruv tavshilin" is prepared prior to the festival, so that it should be permitted to prepare food for Shabbat during the festival. (Click here for local Shabbat candle lighting times.}

The First Passover Seder Meal

The First Passover 2009 Feast
and Passover Seder Meal

First Passover Seder: The Jewish Passover Seder meal contains many Mitzvot, including: eating the special Passover Matzah, eating Marror (bitter herbs), drinking four cups of kosher for Passover wine, relating the story of the exodus to our children from the Haggadah, reclining as a symbol of freedom, etc. To locate a public Passover seder meal near you, click here.

The Second Feast of Passover Seder

Passover 2009: Thursday April 9 or Nissan 15
First day of the Passover Festival
There is a Passover Festival meal but not a seder meal.

Following the evening Passover service we begin the “Counting of the Omer.” We count the 1st day of the Omer. The counting of the Omer is recited during each of the next forty-nine days, leading up to the holiday of Shavuos on the fiftieth day.

Light candles for the second day of the Passover holiday after dark, using an existing flame, and recite the Passover blessings.

The feast of Passover 2009 on the second night begins with the seder meal and reading of the Haggadah

Second Passover Seder Meal

The Second Day of the Passover Festival

There is a Passover Festival meal but not a seder meal.
Before sunset, light the Shabbat candles (using an existing flame). Count the 2nd day of the Omer.

Enjoy a relaxing Shabbat meal with Passover food (no Challah of course -- use two matzahs instead).

April 11 – 17 Nissan
3rd day of Passover
1st day of Chol Hamoed (intermediate day)

Enjoy a festive lunch meal.

After nightfall, perform the Havdalah ceremony, omitting the blessings on the spices and on the candle flame.

Celebrate the remainder of Passover’s intermediate days. Between now and the last two days of Passover, we may resume much (not all) of our regular, workday activities; but, of course, we continue to eat Kosher for Passover foods exclusively. It is customary to drink a glass of wine or grape juice each day, in celebration of the festival.

The Intermediate Days are observed with limited work restriction.The entire Passover week is a festive time. Many families spend the entire Passover week at special kosher for Passover resortsor go on relaxing Passover vacations to interesting places, enjoying many fun activities together.

Seventh day of Passover — Shevi'i Shel Pesach
April 14 – 20 Nissan 6th day of Passover
4th day of Chol Hamoed (intermediate day)
There is a Festive lunch meal.

Light candles for the 7th day of Passover.
It is customary in many communities to remain awake all night, studying Torah, in commemoration of the great miracle of the Splitting of the Sea, which occurred on the 7th day of Passover.

Final Day of Passover — Acharon Shel Pesach

Thursday, April 16 – 22 Nissan
Morning Passover service.
The Yizkor memorial service is recited following the Torah reading.
There is a festive Passover meal.

On this final day of Passover we strive for the highest level of freedom, and focus on the Final Redemption. Following the Baal Shem Tov’s custom, we end Passover with “Feast of Moshiach” — a festive meal complete with matzah and four cups of wine, during which we celebrate the imminent arrival of the Messiah. The feast begins before sunset and continues until after nightfall with inspiring stories and encouraging words of Torah.Count the 8th day of the Omer during the evening Passover service, after the Amidah.After nightfall, perform the Havdalah ceremony, omitting the blessings on the spices and on the candle flame.

Nightfall is the official end of the Passover Festival.Wait an hour to give the rabbi enough time to buy back your Chametz before eating it.

Isru Hag

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