Shabbat HaGadol
03/29/2023 01:55:32 PM
This Shabbat is called Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Shabbat. Our tradition teaches that back in Egypt, this Shabbat, four days before the Exodus, was when the Jewish people refused to labor any longer as slaves. Instead, they took lambs for offerings as a prelude to their freedom.
In essence, our freedom began as an act of defiance: no longer agreeing to be slaves and instead, offering the sacred animal of the Egyptians, the totem of the sun-god, head of the Egyptian pantheon, as a freedom sacrifice. This, the Talmud teaches, is what made us worthy of the wonders of the Exodus.
An act of becoming is often preceded by an act of rejection. By rejecting the gods of Egypt, the hierarchical ordering of life that placed them at the very bottom, the Israelites learned who they truly were. In the same way, each of us is called to affirm our own identity as compassionate, proud and committed Jews and to reject the false characterizations that are all too often placed upon us, sometimes even from within. Let our Seder tables be places of joy, inclusion and sanctity. Chag Sameach!
As we begin this season of freedom, add meaning, caring and mindfulness to your Pesach by saying the blessing of newly blooming trees (below) and by appointing Rabbi Rudin as your broker for selling Chametz. Please also make a donation of any amount to Mazon, a Jewish organization dedicated to ending hunger in the United States and Israel through advocacy and direct donation. Please see below.
Spring Renewal Blessing for Nisan
Join Rabbi Rudin for the special mindfulness bracha (blessing) said when seeing trees blooming for the first time in spring. Click here
Find your own blooming or soon-to-bloom tree, enjoy this glorious sight and say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא חִסַּר בְּעוֹלָמוֹ כְּלוּם וּבָרָא בוֹ בְּרִיּוֹת טוֹבוֹת וְאִילָנוֹת טוֹבוֹת לֵהָנוֹת בָּהֶם בְּנֵי אָדָם.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam shelo chiseir ba-olamo k’lum uvara vo briyot tovot v’ilanot tovim l’hanot bahen b’nei Adam.
Blessed are You, Our God, Ruler of the Universe whose world lacks nothing and who made wondrous creations and beautiful trees for human beings to enjoy.
Time to Sell the Chametz!
Pesach begins next Wednesday. 4/5/23 18 minutes before sunset which means that in terms of Jewish law, all Chametz (food products containing risen grain) must be either destroyed or locked away and sold for the duration of the holiday. As a public service to our members, your friendly neighborhood Rabbi is happy to broker the sale!
Simply copy the paragraph below and paste it into an email to Rabbi Rudin with subject
Line : Selling My Chametz.
Please include your name and address
Email Rabbi Rudin at
I agree to transfer ownership of all Chametz in my possession to Rabbi Moshe Rudin and to all agents that he appoints, names or designates beginning at 10:00 AM on April 5th, 2023. All Chametz will revert to my ownership on
April 13th at 8:17 PM.
For Ma’ot Chittin (a special donation to help impoverished people celebrate Passover)please make a donation to Mazon, a Jewish organization based in California dedicated to fighting hunger through advocacy and direct assistance. You can dedicate your donation to whomever you like or to Adath Shalom (Put Adath Shalom as honoree and have me as the recipient) to add solidarity and sanctity to your donation!
Here’s how to fill out the form to share with us!