"Hashata Hacha...," now, we are here, in Chicago..."L'Shana Ha'Ba B'ar'a D'Yisrael...," but next year, in the land of Israel. Jews around the world said these words on the night of Pesach at the Seder. THIS year, these words took on an entirely new meaning. As I sat there at the Seder (and again at the second Seder), I thought about these words at the beginning of the Haggada and the "L'shana Ha'ba'a Birooshalayim," at the end of the Haggada, and I smiled to myself. Finally, after all of these years of yearning and waiting, B'ezrat Hashem these words that I was saying were coming to fruition. But at the same time, it was a moment that was bittersweet as well. I looked around the Seder table at my parents' home and looked at my parents, at all my siblings, nephews, nieces, brother-in-law and sister-in-law and realized that this would be the very last time we would (in all likelihood) be sitting together at a Seder. That surely is a sad thought. Yes, as I said before there will be things that I will miss, and the Seder night with my Chicago family will be one of those things. But...I WILL NOT MISS A SECOND SEDER!!!!!!!!!! To me, for the last many years, the Second Seder presented a major challenge for me. It was the most "Galut" feeling I could experience the entire year, yet I needed to be involved in the Seder no different than the night before.
As soon as Shabbat was over, I also realized that this was the VERY LAST 3-day Yom Tov that I would have for the rest of my life IY"H (Of course, when Rosh Hashana falls on Thursday, even in Israel it will be a three-day event. This will occur in 5771 and, yes, I have already checked!)
[One last thing...the other day, I posted about Birkat HaChama and said that the next one will occur on the day after Pesach in 2037. Someone pointed out to me (and correctly!) that this happens the day after Pesach outside of Israel, but IN Israel it will be two days after Pesach. I wouldn't want you writing down the wrong date!]
Showing posts with label Birkat Hachama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birkat Hachama. Show all posts
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
When "Sunday" Occurs on Wednesday
While techincally this is not a post about Aliya, I am including here in any event as its subject is the rare event of Birkat HaChama...
What a day today has been! For the past few days, in anticipation of the once-in-28-year Bracha of Birkat HaChama, I checked the weather forecasts almost on an hourly basis. At one point, there were reports that it would be storming in the morning, but as the week wore on, the forecast became more and more optimistic.
And then the big day came. I was so excited that by 5:00am I was up looking out the window to see if i could see stars to indicate that the day would be sunny. With trepidation and through sleepy eyes, I looked and saw the stars. YES! There would be Birkat HaChama!!
As our Shacharit wound down, I found my personal sense of excitement growing as the opportunity for which we had waited 10,227 days had finally arrived...the time to make the Bracha commemorating the exact moment that corresponded to the Sun and the Earth being the same relative position as at the time they were created.
We began by reading four Pesukim one at a time, one kapitel Tehillim and then...we all made the Bracha together--in unison---K'ish Echa, U'blev Echad. It was magnificent! The blue sky, the bright sun, the cool morning air...all combined to make this a most memorable Erev Pesach. We numbered some 70 people including some young children who will have the Zechut (IYH) to make this Bracha a few more times in their lives, as well.
It is with clear Shevach and Hoda'a (praise and thanks) to Hashem, that we had this opporunity to stand and make this Bracha!
May we all have the zechut (merit) to live to see the next time we make the Bracha on April 8, 2037, corresponding to the day AFTER Pesach, 5797. Pencil it in now...you wouldn't want to miss it.
A Chag Kasher V'Sameach to all
What a day today has been! For the past few days, in anticipation of the once-in-28-year Bracha of Birkat HaChama, I checked the weather forecasts almost on an hourly basis. At one point, there were reports that it would be storming in the morning, but as the week wore on, the forecast became more and more optimistic.
And then the big day came. I was so excited that by 5:00am I was up looking out the window to see if i could see stars to indicate that the day would be sunny. With trepidation and through sleepy eyes, I looked and saw the stars. YES! There would be Birkat HaChama!!
As our Shacharit wound down, I found my personal sense of excitement growing as the opportunity for which we had waited 10,227 days had finally arrived...the time to make the Bracha commemorating the exact moment that corresponded to the Sun and the Earth being the same relative position as at the time they were created.
We began by reading four Pesukim one at a time, one kapitel Tehillim and then...we all made the Bracha together--in unison---K'ish Echa, U'blev Echad. It was magnificent! The blue sky, the bright sun, the cool morning air...all combined to make this a most memorable Erev Pesach. We numbered some 70 people including some young children who will have the Zechut (IYH) to make this Bracha a few more times in their lives, as well.
It is with clear Shevach and Hoda'a (praise and thanks) to Hashem, that we had this opporunity to stand and make this Bracha!
May we all have the zechut (merit) to live to see the next time we make the Bracha on April 8, 2037, corresponding to the day AFTER Pesach, 5797. Pencil it in now...you wouldn't want to miss it.
A Chag Kasher V'Sameach to all
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