Hello my friends, Chodesh Tov / A gutn Chodesh
I hope you are all doing as well as you can be.I plan to write some longer emails in the near future. But for now, as the month of Nissan begins, I want to give you a few pieces of news that will hopefully settle your nerves.
First of all, I will be arranging for the sale of your Chometz. We won’t be able to do it in person. But it can still be done. I will be sending out an email with instructions, and it will be taken care of. So please don’t worry about it. Even though we are all used to doing that thing where you pick up my tie, I assure you that the tie is not necessary in order to appoint me to be your agent to sell your chometz. Have no fear. Details will follow in another email well before Pesach.
Secondly, for the firstborn males out there, there are two (three) options available to you. I will also be learning a masechta (Horayos) and I welcome you to learn it with me, starting today. This is not necessary for me, as our Mishnayos shiur is on the cusp of finishing Shas Mishnayos, as we were about to do at the kiddush that was postponed two weeks ago. However, I am looking to push myself in learning more Torah during this time, and I invite you to join me.
The shiurim will be available on https://www.facebook.com/hjcs.613/ You can follow the text online here: https://www.sefaria.org/Horayot.2a?lang=bi For those of you who won’t be able to join me in the learning, we will be having a siyum accessible to you by phone and online on Erev Pesach morning. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach ZT”L paskened that one may be considered a participant in a siyum if joining by phone. While we wouldn’t like to make use of this psak in normal times, the current circumstances warrant it.
If you are not present at a siyum and will only be joining one on the phone or online, then I recommend you also follow the Psak of Rav Henkin ZT”L and “redeem” your fast by donating a significant amount of money to Tzedaka on Erev Pesach morning. I recommend https://matanbsayser.org/donate/.
Thirdly, Maos Chittim, the mitzvah of helping others in their Pesach expenses, is still a Mitzvah. So please donate to https://matanbsayser.org/donate/ now, even before Erev Pesach, and even if you’re not a firstborn.
Fourthly, Chesed is different when you can’t be in the same room as others. But if you know anyone who does not use the internet or email, then please give them a call. We have a list of some shul members and friends of the shul who would appreciate a call. Let me or Rob raltshuler12@gmail.com know if you would like to help out in this manner.
And last but not least certainly, we have to learn Torah. I am most available on facebook, through their Facebook Live videos, which are recorded, so you don’t have to watch them live. You don’t even have to have a facebook account to watch the videos. Simply go to https://www.facebook.com/hjcs.613/ and all the videos are there. I try to add at least one shiur a day.
That’s all for now. Please email me or text me any shailos. Stay safe. Stay at home. I miss you all.
Have a joyous Nissan.
Rabbi Davidovich