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Today, don’t eat chametz after 10.27am and burn/dispose of chametz by 11.24am. Make an eruv tavshillin.

Pesach starts tonight Wednesday 5th April, light candles at 5:50pm. On Thursday 6th, light candles after 6:46pm from a pre-existing flame. Shabbat follows immediately after the first days. On Friday 7th, light candles at 5:47pm from a pre-existing flame. Shabbat ends on Saturday night 8th at 6:43pm. Show some self control and wait an extra couple of minutes before checking your phone.

The second days of Pesach start on Tuesday night 11th April, light candles at 5:41pm. On Wednesday 12th, light candles after 6:37pm from a pre-existing flame. Pesach ends on Thursday 13th at 6:36pm.

Shabbat starts on Friday 14th April at 5:37pm and ends on Saturday at 6:33pm. Torah portion is Shmini and Shabbat Mevarchim IyarRosh Chodesh is on the following Friday and Shabbat.

Mincha will resume at Ainsworth Property – 7/459 Collins St (North Tower), on 17 April at 1.00pm and we use the WhatsApp group to confirm numbers.

The weekly lunch & shiur will resume on Wed 19 April at 1.10pm at A-P 7/459 Collins – and via zoom, following mincha. Current topic: disputes between buyers and sellers.  Details here and on the WhatsApp group.

Thought of the Week with thanks to David Prins.

The Pesach Haggada speaks of four sons.  One is wise, one is wicked, one is simple, and one does not know how to ask.

I have a theory that all questions, at all times, can be categorised as in the Haggada. I have tested this theory on many occasions and it has not let me down. I find it particularly appropriate when members of an audience are invited to address questions to a guest speaker.

My theory is that there are four types of questions that people ask on these occasions:
1.     The clever question: The purpose of the clever question is to show how clever the person asking the question is.
2.     The wicked question: The purpose of the wicked question is to find fault in what the speaker has said.

3.     The simple question: While clever questions and wicked questions can be heard very frequently, the simple questions are the ones that speakers would really like to hear. Simple questions are to the point and ask for relevant clarification or further information on the speaker’s area of interest.  What could be simpler than the Haggada’s question: “What is this?”
4.     The one who does not know how to ask: I have observed that most questions are asked by people who do not know how to ask a question, for what they do, instead of asking a question, is to make a speech.
 
I suggest that readers will find that their views on future Q&A sessions will be enlightened if they try to categorise questions in this way.

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