|
Passover is always
observed on the 15th day
of Nissan of the Jewish
calendar.
Passover is the 8 day
observance commemorating
the freedom and exodus
of the Israelites
(Jewish slaves) from
Egypt during the reign
of the Pharaoh Ramses
II.
A time of family
gatherings and lavish
meals called Seders, the
story of Passover is
retold through the
reading of the Haggadah.
With its special foods,
songs, and customs, the
Seder is the focal point
of the Passover
celebration.
About 3000 years ago
the Israelites were
enslaved by the
Egyptians under the rule
of the Pharaoh Ramses
II. According to the
Book of Exodus - Moses,
a simple Jewish
shepherd, was instructed
by God to go to the
pharaoh and demand the
freedom of his people.
Moses' plea of let my
people go was ignored.
In response God
unleashed a series of 10
terrible plagues on the
people of Egypt (Blood,
Frogs, Lice, Wild
Beasts, Blight, Boils,
Hail, Locusts, Darkness,
and the Slaying of the
First Born).
The holiday's name -
Pesach, meaning "passing
over" or "protection" in
Hebrew, is derived from
the instructions given
to Moses by God. In
order to encourage the
Pharaoh to free the
Israelites, God intended
to kill the first-born
of both man and beast.
To protect themselves,
the Israelites were told
to mark their dwellings
with lamb's blood so
that God could identify
and "pass over" their
homes.
The Pharaoh was
unconvinced and refused
to free the Jewish
slaves - until the last
plague. When the Pharaoh
finally agreed to
freedom, the Israelites
left their homes so
quickly that there
wasn't even time to bake
their breads, so they
packed the raw dough to
take with them on their
journey. As they fled
through the desert they
would quickly bake the
dough in the hot sun
into hard crackers
called matzohs. Today to
commemorate this event,
Jews eat matzoh in place
of bread during
Passover.
Though the Jews were
now free, their
liberation was
incomplete. The
Pharaoh's army chased
them through the desert
towards the Red Sea.
When the Jews reached
the sea they were
trapped, since the sea
blocked their escape. It
was then that a miracle
occurred. The waves of
the Red Sea parted and
the Israelites were able
to cross to the other
side. As soon as they
all reached the other
side the sea closed
trapping the Pharaoh's
army as the waves closed
upon them. Then as the
Israelites watched the
waters of the Red Sea
sweep away the Pharaoh's
army they realized they
were finally free.
Taking place the
first 2 nights of the 8
day holiday, the Seder
is the most important
event in the Passover
celebration. Usually
gathering the whole
family and friends
together, the Seder is
steeped in long held
traditions and customs.
Special foods, plates,
silverware are all a
part of the Seder.
Kitchen utensils and
dishware normally used
in the home are not be
used during Passover.
Leading up to the
first night of Passover,
the home is cleaned and
cleared of all yeast
foods, called hametz.
Only foods that are
"Kosher for Passover"
are allowed. No leavened
(containing yeast) foods
or grains are eaten. In
their place matzoh and
foods containing matzoh
are eaten. This is to
commemorate the
Israelites who fled
quickly into the desert
with no time for their
breads to rise and were
forced to bake the dough
into hard crackers in
the desert sun. All
foods prohibited during
Passover must be
disposed of the morning
of the first night of
Passover.
|