Torah Calendar
4-10 Nissan 5780
March 29-April 4, 2020
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Attributes of the month of Nissan: Ruling permutation of the letters of HAVAYAH is the first in the order of permutations: YOD KEH VAV KEH, contained in the initial Hebrew letters of Yismechu Hashamayim Vetagel Ha'aretz -- "Let the heavens rejoice and the earth exult" (Psalms 96:11). The month's corresponding letter is: HEH; Human attribute: SPEECH; Body Part: RIGHT FOOT; Tribe: JUDAH; Constellation: RAM (Aries).
Sunday 29 March / 4 Nissan
We are now in the count-down to Pesach. As we work to clean out the Chametz and make our other preparations for the festival, let's remember to cleanse ourselves inwardly and offer our personal prayers from the heart for all that we need personally and collectively.
The first ten days of Nissan correspond to the letter Yod of A-D-N-Y; the four days of checking the Paschal lamb from 11-14 Nissan correspond to the Dalet The fifty days from the first day of Pesach to the eve of Shavuot correspond to the Nun and Shavuot itself corresponds to the Aleph, signifying our complete acceptance of the kingship of G-d through our service in this period.
Wednsday April 1 / 7 Nissan
On this day in
the Wilderness, the Prince of the tribe of Ephraim,
Elishama ben Amihud (grandfather of Joshua)
brought his inaugural sacrifices to the Sanctuary.
From 7 Nissan onwards it is proper to avoid defilement
from the dead where possible so as to be ritually pure to offer
the Pesach sacrifice when the Temple is rebuilt.
Friday
night-Saturday 3-4 April / 10 Nissan
Shabbat HaGadol, the "Great" Shabbat
Torah
reading: TZAV (Leviticus
6:1-8:36), setting forth the laws of
the sacrificial rituals in the Temple.
Special Haftara for Shabbat HaGadol,
the last Shabbat before Pesach: Malachi
3:4-24 prophesying G-d's
coming Day of Judgment.
It is customary for
the rabbi of the community to give a
special sermon on themes relating to
the coming festival of Pesach. It is also
customary to read the main narrative
portion of the Pesach Haggadah on
Shabbat afternoon in preparation for
the Pesach Seder night.
Today, 10th Nissan, is the anniversary of (1) The taking of the paschal lamb by the Children of Israel in Egypt without the Egyptians daring to attack them even though the lamb was their god; (2) Death of Miriam in the 40th year of wandering in the Wilderness; (3) Miracle of the splitting of the River Jordan when the Israelites entered the Land under Joshua.
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