In the year 922 CE, the Jewish world was rocked by controversy, the date of Passover was in question. According to Aaron Ben Meir, an Israel based rabbi, Passover was to start that year on Sunday, April 14th. The Babylonian rabbis disagreed, believing Passover should start two days later, on Tuesday, April 16. This disagreement nearly caused a fissure in the Jewish community. If not for of the intervention of Sadia Gaon, the greatest rabbi of that period and the consolidator of the modern prayer book, insisting on the Babylonian model, the Jewish community might have forever split between the two sides.
This Shabbat at Shir Shalom we have a mini calendar controversy of our own. There are some that hold, in accordance with modern Reform/Reconstructionist tradition, that Passover is seven days long and thus ends this Friday at sunset. There are others that hold like many of our neighboring Conservative and Orthodox congregations that Passover is eight days long, ending on Saturday night. The difference is potentially immense, affecting not only matzah consumption, but the entire Torah cycle. If this is a normal Shabbat, like it is in Israel, we would return to our normal Torah reading, Acharei Mot, from the book of Leviticus. If it is still Passover, we would be reading chapter 12 from the book of Exodus.
What to do? At Shir Shalom we split the difference, generally treating it as a normal Shabbat, but not returning to the normal Torah cycle, instead reading from the Book of Exodus. Confusing, I know? But, somehow right for our community. And, did I say, we serve both Matzah and Challah at services? The perfect compromise.
Shabbat Shalom (and Happy Passover for those still celebrating),
Rabbi Alex