Celebrate Passover at Country
Spice
Celebrate Passover at Country
Spice
Passover, important Jewish festival commemorating the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt and their safe flight across the Red Sea. This flight, described in the Book of Exodus, was led by Moses.
The name of the festival (Pesach, Hebrew for "passing over" or "protection") is derived from the instructions given to Moses by God (see Exodus 12:3-17). In order to encourage the Egyptians to allow the Hebrews to leave Egypt, God intends to "smite all the first-born , both man and beast" in the land. To protect themselves, the Hebrews are told to mark their dwellings with lamb's blood so that the Angel of Death can identify and thus pass over them.
The celebration of the holiday begins after sundown on the 14th day of Nisan, the first month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, about the time of the vernal equinox. In accordance with rabbinic law ), Jews living outside the limits of ancient Palestine ) celebrate the holiday for eight days and partake of a ceremonial meal, known as the Seder, on the first two nights. The Seder consists of prescribed foods, each of which symbolizes some aspect of the ordeal undergone by the Hebrews during their enslavement in Egypt. For example, horseradish signifies the bitterness of the experience, and a mixture of chopped nuts and apples in wine symbolizes the building mortar used by the Hebrews in their forced labor. During the Seder the narrative of the exodus is recounted and prayers of thanksgiving are offered up to God for his loving protection. The readings, songs, and prayers of the Seder are contained in the Haggadah, copies of which are available for all at the table. Jews living within the limits of ancient Palestine celebrate Passover for seven days, conducting a Seder only on the first night.
Throughout the holiday the Orthodox Jew must abstain from eating leavened bread, substituting unleavened bread, usually in the form of matzo. These matzoth recall the unleavened bread eaten by the Hebrews during their flight because they had no time to prepare raised bread. Orthodox Jewish tradition prescribes that, during Passover, meals be prepared and served using sets of utensils and dishes reserved strictly for that festival.
At a Passover seder usually the youngest child will ask "the four questions".
Why is this night different from other nights?
On all other nights we eat leavened and unleavened bread. During Passover we eat only Matzoh and unleavened products because it reminds the Jews when they left Egypt and had no time to bake their bread. The raw dough was baked in the hot desert sun and turned into hard unleavened bread called Matzoh.
On all other night we eat all kinds of herbs. Why on this night do we eat bitter herbs?
The bitter herbs remind the Jews of the terrible way the Pharaoh treated them. He made them slaves in Egypt.
On all other nights we don't even dip once, but on this night we dip twice?
We dip bitter herbs into Charoset (chopped apples and nuts and some wine) to remind us how hard the Jewish slaves worked. The Charoset looks like the clay used to make the bricks for Pharaoh. We dip parsley into salt water. The parsley reminds us of Spring and that all life is renewed. The salt water reminds us of the tears shed by the Jewish slaves.
On all other nights we either eat sitting or reclining, but on this night why do we eat reclining?
We lean on a pillow or soft cushion to remind us that once we were not free and were slaves, but now we are free.
The Items on the Seder Plate
Hard boiled
egg
Roasted
shank bone
Charoset
Bitter Herbs
(usually horseradish)
Karpas (parsley,
celery, lettuce, onion or potatoes)
The Seder Plate is placed on the table in front of the leader. A special Seder Plate or a regular large platter maybe be used.
Other items on your Seder table are:
Three matzohs: Place them separately in Matzoh covers, or fold them separately in one or two large napkins.
Wine: Place a wine goblet or glass in front of each setting, and a filled win decanter near the center of the table.
Salt Water: All celebrants will use salt water and a dish of it should be easily available to all at the table.
Cup of Elijah: Use a large goblet, filled with wine and placed near the center of the table.
Pillow: Put
a pillow or cushion on the left arm of the leader's chair or on another
chair close to it.
Passover Links
I would like to wish you a very
Happy Passover and Easter season. May peace, joy and love be with you throughout
your lifetime.
Story of Passover from Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, © Microsoft Corp. The four questions and other information are © 2000 Country Spice