Saturday, March 31, 2007

13 Nisan - Nasi & Yahrzeits

The last reading from the Neseim, Zos Chanukas Hamizbeach.

The reading of each day corresponds to another month of the year. Today’s reading corresponds to Adar Sheini, which is an added thirteenth month in a leap year, which we will have this year. Therefore, one should daven for all their needs, material and spiritual, for Adar Sheini of the coming year.

See Day 1 for more on the Neseim.

 

Yahrzeits

R' Yosef ben R' Ephraim Karo, the Beis Yosef (1575)

R' Moshe ben R' Chaim Alshich, Toras Moshe (1593)

R'  Menachem Mendel Schneerson of Lubavitch ben R’ Sholom Shachna, Tzemach Tzedek (1866)

 

Zchusom Yogen Aleinu

Friday, March 30, 2007

12 Nisan - Shabbos HaGadol - Nasi & Yahrzeit

Shabbos is the Nasi of Naftali, Achira ben Anon
See Day 1 for more.
 
Yahrzeit
 
R' Shimshon Dovid Pincus ZY"A ben R' Chaim Avrohom shlita, Rav in Ofakim and Johannesburg (2001) Was tragically killed in a car accident together with his wife and a daughter.
 
 

Segulas For Pesach

The Arizal says one who stays completely away from the slightest amount of chometz the whole Pesach is assured they won’t sin a whole year. (Chometz is an allusion to the sitra acher. It is brought down from Reb Chaim Vital that any aveira one does on Pesach is worse than if done the rest of the year. We could assume that the reward for staying away from sin is also greater than the rest of the year. Putting these together, perhaps what the Arizal means is, if one stays away from the sitra acher, not sinning at all on Pesach (including not eating any chometz), then he has this assurance.)

Reb Naftali of Ropshitz in Zera Kodesh says that Pesach is a segula for parnasa since on Pesach the crops are judged. The Chidushei Harim says the same thing and adds another reason; because earning a living is considered as difficult as Krias Yam Suf, the splitting of the sea, which occurred on Pesach.

Erev Pesach

It is a good to burn arovos leftover from Hoshana Rabbah (though some aravos should be kept as a shmira) together with the chometz. This destroys “evil forces”. (Kav Naki to Kav Hayosher, based on Yesod Yosef)

There is a segula from Reb Shimson Ostropolier ZY”A (great-grandfather of Toldos Yaakov Yosef & R’ Lieber of Berdichev) to read a fascinating letter he wrote on the Arizal’s sefer about the 10 plagues of Egypt. The best time to read it is Erev Pesach in the afternoon, after reciting the order of the Korban Pesach (found in most siddurim & machzorim). He writes at the end that anyone who studies this, even once a year, especially Erev Pesach, will be saved from calamities for the year and you will have success in all your endeavors. Here is a link to this letter translated into English and here it is in the original Hebrew. Many hagadas have this letter printed. There are miraculous stories of people who read this and were saved during the holocoust.

Seder Night

Reb Nachman of Breslov says that a kezayis of maror on Pesach is a segula for parnasa. (Sefer Hamidos) Reb Nachman of Tcherin explains this is because it says in Masechta Eruvin that the dove sent by Noach said: Ribbono Shel Olam yehiyu mezonosai marorem kezyais beYodecha – “Master of the universe may my food be as bitter as an olive but dependent on You” (rather then sweet as honey but dependent on flesh and blood).

The Kav Hayoshor says that matza is a shmira like a mezuzah. There is a minhag to save a piece of the afikomen as a segula for shmira. The Orchas Chaim says that it protects from robbers and from “bad forces” because MaTzaH stands for M’kol T’zarah H’atzileinu (from all suffering save us), and it is even better if you save a piece from the matza that you recited 2 brochos on by Motzei Matzah.

Before the Mah Nishtanah it says in the hagada (and this is also what it says in Talmud Yerushalmi)v’kan haben shoel. This can be read as: “and here ask for a son”. This is a time that is mesugal for someone who has no children or only daughters to ask Hashem for a son, so that he can fulfill the mitzvah of v’higadita l’bincha, telling over to your son the story of the Hagada.

It is brought down in Sifrei Chasidus that the seder night is mesugal to speak to children about the Hagada and emunah even if they are little babies, since it goes into their neshama.

Meor V'Shemesh says that the eating of matzah on Pesach protects the neshama from being damaged by chometz during the year.

Shabbos After Pesach

It is a segula for parnasa to bake shlisel (key) challah for this Shabbos. The Ohev Yisroel explains one of the reasons is because it’s Shabbos Mevarchim Iyar, and Iyar is when the mon started to fall. There are customs as to how this is done including putting a key into the challah before baking, making the challah in the shape of a key, making a key out of dough and placing it on the challah or putting sesame seeds on the challah in the shape of a key. Reb Pinchos of Koritz says to make the challah flat to look like matzos. There will be a separate post about shlissel challah after Pesach. Here is that posting.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

11 Nisan - Nasi & Yahrzeits

Nasi of Asher, Pagiel ben Achron
See Day 1 for more.

Yahrzeits

R' Moshe ben Nachman, the Ramban (1270)

R' Yeshaya ben R' Avrohom Halevi Horowitz, the Shelah (1630)

R' Shlomo Zalman Lipschitz, Chemdas Shlomo (1839)

R' Betzalel Hakohen of Vilna, Mareh Kohen

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

10 Nisan - Nasi & Yahrzeits

Nasi of Shevet Don - Achiezer ben Amishadai.
See Day 1 to learn about the Neseim.

 
Yahrzeits
 
Miriam Hanevia (1270 B.C.E.)

R' Shalom Mashash, Sephardic Rav of Yerushalayim, passed away Shabbos Hagadol 5763/2003

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

How To Destroy Mazikim

I have a kabbala (tradition passed down) that every effort that one exerts themselves with in honor of the Yom Tov of Pesach, and you are tired and worn from that exertion - through these efforts you destroy all the Mazikim(damaging angels) called "nigei bnei adam".

(Kav Hayosher, Chapter 90)

(Just thinking out loud - maybe we shouldn’t complain about the women cleaning beyond the halachic requirement.)

One should not say: "Pesach is so difficult" (Rokeach, Hilchos Pesach), because it says in Talmud Yerushalmi Pesachim 10:4: "Rasha mah hu omer - mah ha'avodah hazos - What does the rasha say? - What is this (grueling) work? - this toiling that we bother with each and every year" (preparing for Pesach).

(Kav Naki commentary on Kav Hayosher)

9 Nisan - Yahrzeits & Nasi

Nasi of Shevet Binyamin, Avidon ben Gidoni
See Day 1 to learn about the Neseim.

Yahrzeits for 9 Nisan

R' Chaim Meir ben R' Yisroel Hager of Vizhnitz, the Imrei Chaim (1972)

R' Aryeh Leib ben R' Binyamin Beinish Levine, Mashgiach of Yeshiva Eitz Chaim. (1969)Known as "the tzadik of Yerushalaim". Stories about him are legendary. See Heichal HaNegina for more.

R' Yosef Yoska Han Nargolin ben Pinchos, Yosef Ometz

Monday, March 26, 2007

8 Nisan - Nasi & Yahrzeits

Nasi of MenasheGamliel ben Pedotzur

See Day 1 for more on the Neseim.

Yahrzeits for 8 Nisan

 

R' Mordechai ben Dov Ber Shapira of Neshchiz, Talmid Muvhak of R’ Yechiel Mechel of Zlotchov

R' Eliyahu of Prague ben Binyamin Wolf Shapiro, author of Eliyahu
Rabba (1712)

R' Yechiel Michel Tikochinsky, author of Gesher HaChaim

 

R’ Eliyahu Hakadosh of York, Rabbeinu Yom Tov and several other of the English Baalei Tosafos. They were killed  al Kiddush Hashem” at Clifford's Tower, in York, during the Crusades 1146. This is where the Cherem of York, forbidding Jews to never sleep in the City of York overnight, started.

Reb Yaakov Tzvi Yales of Premezyln, author of Melo Haroim and Kehillas Yaakov, 1825

 

Birchas Ilanos

See Rabbi Lazer Brody's posting on the Blessing of the Trees.
Also see more here at Heichal HaNegina.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

7 Nisan - Nasi & Yahrzeits

Nasi of Ephraim, Elishomo ben Amihud

See Day 1 for more on the Neseim.

 

Yahrzeits for 7 Nisan

 

R’ Pinchos Zelig, Rav of Lask and author of Ateres Paz (1670)


R’ Yitzchok of Drohbich (1758) ben R’ Yosef, father of R’ Yechiel Mechel of Zlotchov


R’ Aryeh Leib Yellin of Bialystock, author of Yefeh Einayim (1884)


Dr. Moshe Wallach, founder of Shaarei Tzedek Hospital (1957), known for his tzidkus.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

6 Nisan - Sunday - Nasi of Gad - Elyasaf ben De'uel

 
For more on the Neseim see Day 1.

6 Nisan - Yahrzeits

R' Aharon ben R' Shmuel Yaakov Roth, Shomer Emunim (1947) The Shomer Emunim, Toldos Ahron and Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok dynasties come from him.

R' Meir Don Plotsky, author of Kli Chemda (1928)

R. Hillel ben Zev Tzvi HaKohen Klein, Buried in Brooklyn's Washington Cemetery. See here for more.

R' Meir ben Yaakov Schiff, the Maharam Schiff (Some sources say 20Adar)

Friday, March 23, 2007

Shabbos 5 Nisan - Nasi of Shimon - Shlumiel ben Tzurishadai

Here is a link to the reading of the Nasi for 5 Nisan. (Make sure to print before Shabbos if you need it. You can find it in most siddurim. )

For more on the Neseim see Day 1 here.

5 Nisan - Yahrzeits

R' Avrohom Yehoshua Heschel ben R' Shmuel, the Apta Rov, Ohev Yisroel (1825) buried next to Baal Shem Tov. See here for more.

R' Tzvi Elimelech Shapira of Bluzhov ben R' Dovid of Dinov, wrote Tzvi Latzadik

R' Moshe ben Shlomo Rokeach(1939) Kiev-Zlotchover Rebbe. He is a descendent of R' Elazar of Amsterdam. He is buried in Mount Judah Cemetery in Queens, NY.

R' Reuven Yosef Gershonowitz, the Tzaddik of Ofakim (1995) See here for more.

Matzos- Tzedaka Saves From Death

צ׳דקה ת׳ציל מ׳מות - Tzedaka saves from death. The first letters spell מצת, Matzos. (Likutei Mohoran 201)
See A Simple Jew's Maos Chitim campaign for Eizer L'Shabbos here.
They help our needy Jewish brothers in Tsfas.
Tizku L'Mitzvos!

4 Nisan - Sehevet Reuven - Elitzur ben Shdeiur

Here is a link to the reading of todays Nasi. (Thanks to ASJ for this.)

For more on the Neseim see Day 1 here.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

4 Nisan - Yahrzeits

R' Yochonon Twersky of Rachmastrivka, son of R' Mordechai, the Magid of Chernobyl (1895)

R' Yaakov Tzvi ben R' Gamliel Mecklenberg, author of Haksav V'hakabolah (1865)

Zchusom Yogen Aleinu

Segula for Parnasa - 3 Nisan - Nasi of Zevulan - Eliav ben Chelon

Today, 3 Nisan is the Nasi of Shevet Zevulan, Eliav ben Chelon. R’ Chaim Elazar of Munkatch, known as the Minchas Elazar, says he heard from R’ Yechezkel Shraga of Shiniva (Divrei Yechezkel), that today is mesugal, auspicious, for the flowing of livelihood and wealth. This is because Zevulan was the tribe that supported Yisachor learning Torah.

You can read it here.

For more on the reading of the Neseim see Day 1 here .

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

3 Nisan - Yahrzeits

R' Aryeh Leib Grossnass, author of Lev Aryeh

R' Eliyahu Meir Finkel, (father of the current Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva, R' Nosson Tzvi Finkel) Nasi of Mirrer Yeshiva, Yerushalayim

R' Levi Yitzchak Slonim, was the son of Rebbetzin Menuchah Rochel, daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe
Zchusom Yogen Aleinu

2 Nisan - Nasi of Yissachor - Nesanel ben Tzuar

Today is the second Nasi, Nesanel ben Tzuar of Shevet Yissachor. Today should be a good day to daven for hatzlacha in Torah, since Shevet Yissachar represented Torah. I base this on what the Minchas Elazar said he heard from R' Yecheskel Shraga Halberstam of Shiniva, the Divrei Yecheskel, that tomorrow, 3 Nisan, is mesugal for Parnasa and Ashirus since we read the Nasi of Zevulon (and Zevulon supported Shevet Yissachor). For more information on the reading of the Neseim see Day 1 here.