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pp. 1342-1343
Gates to Prayer

Guide to the Jewish Year

הלכות למועדי השנה

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שושן פורים

Shushan Purim (15th of Adar)

195 Both Taḥanun and לַמְנַצֵּחַ are omitted [שו"ע או"ח, תרצז:א].
שבת פרשת פרה

Shabbat Parashat Para (Shabbat preceding Shabbat Parashat HaḤodesh)

196 On the penultimate Shabbat of the month of Adar (Adar II in a leap year), a second Torah scroll is taken from the Ark, from which Parashat Para (Num. 19:1–22), the third of the four special Maftir-Haftara units, is read. Haftara: Ezek. 36:16–38 [שו"ע או"ח, תרפה:ג]. אָב הָרַחֲמִים is omitted.
שבת פרשת החודש

Shabbat Parashat HaḤodesh (Mevarkhim Ḥodesh Nisan)

197 On the Shabbat preceding Rosh Ḥodesh Nisan, a second Torah scroll is taken from the Ark, from which Parashat HaḤodesh (Ex. 12:1–20), the fourth of the four special Maftir-Haftara units, is read. Haftara: Ezek. 45:16–46:18 [שו"ע או"ח, תרפה:ד]. אָב הָרַחֲמִים is omitted.
198 When Rosh Ḥodesh Nisan falls on Shabbat, three Torah scrolls are taken from the Ark. Six men are called up to the first scroll and the portion of the week is read. A seventh man is called to the second scroll for the reading of Num. 28:9–15. Half Kaddish is said. Maftir (Ex. 12:1–20) is read from the third scroll. Haftara is Ezek. 45:16–46:18. אָב הָרַחֲמִים is omitted.
ניסן

NISAN

199 During the month of Nisan, Taḥanun is omitted on weekdays, and אָב הָרַחֲמִים (page 595) and צִדְקָתְךָ (page 689) are omitted on Shabbat [שו"ע ורמ"א או"ח, תכט:ב].
200 Many have the custom not to eat matza from Rosh Ḥodesh Nisan [משנ"ב, שם:יב]. Some refrain from eating matza from Purim.
201 One may not eat matza on Erev Pesaḥ [רמ"א או"ח, תעא:ב]. On Erev Pesaḥ it is permissible to eat certain kinds of matza which are not considered proper matza, such as matza made with juice instead of water, or which was cooked or fried after it was baked [שו"ע או"ח תעא,ב].
שבת הגדול

Shabbat HaGadol (Shabbat preceding Pesaḥ)

202 The Shabbat preceding Pesaḥ is known as Shabbat HaGadol [שו"ע או"ח, תל:א]. A special Haftara is said: Mal. 3:4–24. It is customary for the rabbi to deliver a sermon relating to Pesaḥ.
ערב פסח

Erev Pesaḥ (14th of Nisan)

הלכות בדיקת חמץ

LAWS OF BEDIKAT ḤAMETZ

203 As soon as possible after dark, one is required to do Bedikat Ḥametz in one's home (page 805) [שו"ע או"ח, תלא:א]. It is customary for a household member to hide ten pieces of ḥametz to be found during the search [רמ"א או"ח, תלב:ב]. Before beginning the search one says the blessing עַל בִּעוּר חָמֵץ [שו"ע או"ח, תלב:א]. The custom is to conduct the search at night by the light of a candle, but use of a flashlight is also permitted. If Pesaḥ falls on Motza'ei Shabbat, the search is made on Thursday night. Those who plan to be away on Pesaḥ should conduct the search the night before their departure, but without making a blessing. After completion of the search, one says כָּל חֲמִירָא (page 805), an Aramaic formula disclaiming one's ownership of any ḥametz the whereabouts of which are unknown.
204 Shaḥarit: for weekdays. מִזְמוֹר לְתוֹדָה and לַמְנַצֵּחַ are omitted [רמ"א או"ח, נא:ט].
205 First born males are required to fast (תענית בכורות), unless they attend a siyum (celebratory meal to mark the completion of a unit of Torah study), which is traditionally held immediately following Shaḥarit [שו"ע או"ח, תע:א].
206 One is forbidden from eating ḥametz from the end of the first third of the day, [שו"ע או"ח, תמג:א]. There is a dispute between halakhic authorities whether the day is measured from daybreak to nightfall (Magen Avraham), or from sunrise to sunset (Vilna Gaon). One should follow local communal practice in this regard.
207 One is forbidden from owning ḥametz from the end of the first 5/12 of the day, by which time one should burn or otherwise destroy any ḥametz remaining in one's possession [שם]. One should say כָּל חֲמִירָא (page 805) a second time before the end of the first 5/12 of the day [שו"ע או"ח, תלד:ב].
208 If the first day of Pesaḥ falls on Thursday, each household must prepare an Eiruv Tavshilin (page 805); this makes it permissible to prepare food on Friday for the Shabbat meals [שו"ע או"ח, תקכז].
209 After Minḥa, some have the custom to say the biblical verses describing the sacrifice of the Pesaḥ lamb (Ex. 12:1–13) [משנ"ב או"ח, תעא:כב].
210 If Pesaḥ eve falls on Motza'ei Shabbat, the Fast of the Firstborn is held on the preceding Thursday [שו"ע ורמ"א או"ח, תע:ב]. Bedikat Ḥametz is done on Thursday night, and the ḥametz is burned (see law 207) on Friday morning without saying כָּל חֲמִירָא, while leaving enough ḥametz for Shabbat. On Shabbat morning, after eating the last of one's ḥametz, any leftovers must be given to a non-Jew