Passover
Passover celebrates the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. Its essential message is one of freedom in every connotation – not only freedom from slavery but also freedom to think, believe, and pray as one chooses. Today, Passover remains the most widely observed Jewish holiday.
The name "Pesach" (PAY-sahch) means to pass through, to pass over, to exempt or to spare. It refers to the fact that G-d "passed over" the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborn of Egypt.
Chametz
Steamroller Tractor to Collect Chametz
by Avi BiranFor seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove the leaven from your homes ... you shall guard the unleavened bread, because on this very day I will take you out of the land of Egypt; you shall observe this day for your generations as an eternal decree. --- Exodus 12:14-17
Probably the most significant observance related to Pesach involves the removal of chametz (leaven; sounds like "hum it's" with that Scottish "ch") from our homes. This commemorates the fact that the Jews leaving Egypt were in a hurry, and did not have time to let their bread rise. It is also a symbolic way of removing the "puffiness" (arrogance, pride) from our souls. Chametz includes anything made from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water.
The grain product we eat during Pesach is called matzah. Matzah is unleavened bread, made simply from flour and water and baked very quickly so it does not rise. This is the bread that the Jews made for their flight from Egypt.
The grain product we eat during Pesach is called matzah. Matzah is unleavened bread, made simply from flour and water and baked very quickly so it does not rise. This is the bread that the Jews made for their flight from Egypt.
Passover Seder
Seder Plate by Garson Pakele
On the first night of Pesach we have a special family meal filled with ritual to remind us of the significance of the holiday. This meal is called a seder, and it originates from a Hebrew root word meaning "order," because there is a specific set of information that must be discussed in a specific order. The text of the Passover seder is written in a book called the Haggadah.
In order to follow the Haggadah, we prepare in advance by setting the seder table. Most of the objects present on the seder table are highly symbolic and play a ceremonial role in the dinner.
They include:
- Seder plate
- Matzah and matzah cover
- Kiddush cups for everyone
- Elijah & Miriam cups
- One Haggadah per person
- Cushioned chairs or pillows
The seder plate contains the five symbols of the seder which include: karpas (a green vegetable), charoset (mixture of nuts, apples, wine, and cinnamon), maror (bitter herbs or horseradish), a hardboiled egg, and a roasted shankbone. The seder follows the order of the Haggadah.
