What's your favorite Haftarah of the Year?

Mine was from the last day of Pesach.

Hag Kasher VeSame'ah

...to all of Kelal Yisrael.

May we be merit Hakadosh Baruch Hu coming to slaughter the Malach Hamavet, as we say in Had Gadya.

May we be telling the truth when we say "לשנה הבאה בירושלים" and when we say "ונאכל שם מן הזבחים ומן הפסחים".

May we not forget what Hazal say:

בניסן נגאלו ובניסן עתידין להגאל

based on:

כימי צאתכם מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות

May we be saved from transgressing the laws of Hametz, and may we not get sick of eating Matzah so we can perform the Mitzvah with Simha.

Wishing everyone a Hag Kasher VeSame'ah!

Shabbat Hagadol Shalom

Instead of the usual "Shabbat Shalom" that Sephardic and some Ashkenazic Jews wish each other every Shabbat, for this Shabbat of the year, one is supposed to wish each other "Shabbat Hagadol Shalom".

Of course, one of the reasons it's called Shabbat Hagadol is because of the use of the word "Hagadol" in the verse read in this week's Haftarah:

הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ לָכֶם, אֵת אֵלִיָּה הַנָּבִיא--לִפְנֵי, בּוֹא יוֹם יְהוָה, הַגָּדוֹל, וְהַנּוֹרָא.

Eliyahu Hanavi, according to tradition based on this verse, is supposed to herald in the Ge'ula, among other End of Days tasks. Here is Aharit.com's (Hebrew) great list of what Eliayhu's role will be during the Ge'ula - complete with footnotes.

Hashem1.net Recap

This is a recap of Hashem1.net from the past week or so:

• #1: Rav Binayahu Shmueli describes the punishment for those who hate the Jewish people in the time of the Geula. Video



• #2: The Kaliver Rebbe did something only done once in the past 23 years - i.e., he opened up the Aron Kodesh and said Tehillim and Keriat Shema. Video



• #3: Rav Daniel Zer quotes the book "Yalkut Moshe" (written hundreds of years ago) which says that when a solar eclipse happens on Erev Rosh Hodesh Nissan, 4 things will happen:
  
  • Damage in the kings of the East (Iran via the Americans)
  • Animals will die (bird flu)
  • Rulers will fall, the mighty ones will fall
  • A stormy strong wind will come
Video


• #4: A tornado hit the Galil. This may explain the fourth item above from "Yalkut Moshe", the Gemara in Sanhedrin that says הגליל יחרב, and the Zohar that says "In 66, the King Mashiah('s spiritual light) will appear in the Galil." Video of the tornado

Mystical Paths: Eli Slated for Destruction

Akiva from Mystical paths writes:

R. Nati called me this morning from his home in Yishuv Eli, the Jewish town of Eli in the 'West Bank' named for and the physical home location of the biblical priest Eli in the book of Samuel I.

Police are going door to door right now, informing the residents that the Givat Tet neighborhood of Eli, 21 large single family homes built on Jewish land, bought and purchased by the residents, will be evacuated with force (the warning actually says that) on Monday, their owners and families force-ably removed (right before Passover), and bulldozed to rubble the following Monday. As well as this neighborhood, the Jewish town across the valley, Givat Ro-eh, will be evacuated and destroyed on the same schedule (about 30 small family caravans I think).

Any other resident of the town is warned that if they do not confine themselves to their homes during this event, they face arrest and a very long jail term (yes the warning specifically says that as well). Note this from an on-the-spot call, we're working on verification now.

Ribono Shel Olam! Master of the Universe! Once again Jews will be thrown out of their homes, homes they built, homes they paid for, for nothing, and with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

No Tahanunim the Whole Nissan - Why?

Halacha Yomit answers that it has to do with the past, present, and future.
Past - the Nesi'im would bring their Korbanot on days 1-12. Day 13 was their Isru Hag.
Present - the 14th is Erev Pesah. Days 15-21 are Pesah. Day 22 is Isru Hag of Pesah.
Future - The third Beit Hamikdash will be built on the first day of Pesah (via Heaven), and the dedication of the third Beit Hamikdash will last 7 days (days 23-29) since one may not hold the dedication of the Beit Hamikdash on Pesah because of the Halachic dictum of "אין מערבין שמחה בשמחה" (we do not combine one joyous occasion with another).

(And, of course, day 30 is Rosh Hodesh.)

So, it comes out that the entire month is dedicated for days of joy for Israel. It is therefore not a month for supplications or fasting.

Wouldn't it be nice if the third Beit Hamikdash were built this Pesah?

Correction to Rav Kanievski Story

Re: Rav Kanievski buying a new suit to greet Mashiah, Rafi G. writes:

There was a story that happened last week that caused all the ruckus. A young girl who had recently died reportedly came to her father in a dream saying that on Thursday, the day after a solar eclipse, Mashiach would come. The father went to Rav Kanievsky to relate the story and Rav Kanievsky supposedly told his family (after) to purchase a new suit for Thursday (presumably with which to greet Mashiach). This created the ruckus.

The story was later denied by the family of Rav Kanievsky and explained as a misunderstanding. Rav Kanievsky was asked by an avreich about purchasing a new suit for a wedding, and he answered with a smile and a joke that maybe Mashiach will come and he will also be able to use the suit for that.

That is the source for the balagan, as reported by Mishpacha magazine (Hebrew edition).

Another version of how this rumor got started is mentioned by poster devorah here:

That story about the baby has already been exposed as a total exaggeration. What actually happened was that a newborn baby died, and the rabbi said to the parents "in the merit of your suffering, Moshiach should come".

I regret the error.