The Counting of the Omer is the building of anticipation for arriving at Shavuot (Pentecost), commemorating the giving of the Torah at Sinai. We prepare ourselves for the receiving of the Torah during these fifty days by studying and discussing these “48 Ways of Wisdom” which are enumerated in Pirkei Avot as the qualities by which a person acquires Torah. We study one quality each day from the beginning of the Counting of the Omer until Shavuot. Download this pdf to use as a guideline for your family. I pray you will enjoy this as much as we have.

48 Ways of Wisdom (PDF)

Are you planning on attending our first Simchat Torah Passover Seder? If so, you’ll want to be sure to download this sampler of the Haggadah (the booklet that we will use to guide us through the event) and get an idea of some of what’s in store for the evening, including a look into the Messianic implications and insights into the Passover Seder itself. This 29 page sampler will help you get a little familiar with the Seder before you arrive. We look forward to sharing this special night with each one of you!

• Haggadah Sampler (pdf)

Here are both the audio files and the text for most of the songs we will be singing during our Passover seder this year. Please download the files and start working towards learning them so we can all sing together with joy and intent to Hashem!

Pesach Songs 2008 (PDF) 

Kadeish Urchatz (mp3)

Ma Nishtana (mp3)

Dayeinu (mp3)

Eliyahu Hanavi (mp3)

L’shana Habbah Biyrushalayim (mp3)

Grace After Meals (mp3)

Ani Ma’amin (mp3)

 We will be meeting as follows to make use of our long daylight hours:

9:30 am - Morning Prayers & Torah Service

11:45(ish?) - Oneg Lunch

1:00 - Praise & Worship

1:30 - Drash (Teaching)  (Torah Kid’s in the fellowship area)

3:00(ish) - End of service

Here are the notes from last week’s Pesach teaching on the relationship between chametz and sin.

• Pesach - Chametz and Sin

For those wanting to understand rabbinic literature better, I recommend Brad H. Young’s book Meet the Rabbis, as well as other books such as Everyman’s Talmud by Abraham Cohen and The Essential Talmud by Adin Steinsaltz. However, for a very brief overview of the major rabbinic works, I have compiled this basic quick-reference sheet.

•  Intro to Rabbinic Literature

If you’ve been intimidated by the siddur (Jewish prayer book) but want to begin praying from it, this resource is designed to give you a feel for what it is all about in easy-to-understand terms.

• Siddur Overview 

Attached is a PDF containing tips for understanding and searching for chametz (leaven) in preparation for Pesach (Passover).

• Tips for Pesach

The attached PDF files are the notes for my four-part teaching on discipleship.

-Darren

• Discipleship - Part 1
• Discipleship - Part 2
• Discipleship - Part 3
• Discipleship - Part 4