Pesach (Feast of Passover)

. . . celebrates somthing that happened over 3000 years ago.

The Jewsb lived in Egypt as slaves to the Pharaoh (king).  Moses was one of the Jews.  God told Moses he was to rescue the Jews.  He went to the Pharaoh and said "Let my people go!"  The Pharaoh refused but then God sent a series of plagues to Egypt.  There were 10 plagues: hail, locusts, frogs, boils rivers turned to blood, darkness, flies, lice, death of cattle and death of eldest the eldest son.  Each time there was a plague, the Pharaoh said the people could go but when it ended, he said they must stay.  The last plague, the death of the eldest son was the most terrible.  God warned Moses this would happen.  He told Moses to tell the Jews to put lambs' blood on the doorjambs of their houses.  Then Jewish boys would not die.  The Pharaoh was upset by the deaths of the boys and said the Jews could go.  They had to leave quickly and didn't have time for the yeast to rise in the bread.  It was baked as it was.  The Pharaoh changed his mind again and sent his army after the Jews.  They were saved because the water in the Sea of Reeds parted to let them cross then it flooded and Pharaoh's army was drowned.

Passover reminds the Jews 3 things:

                    God is good.  He helped his people.

                    Death "passed over" the houses of the Jews.

                    The Jews passed through the Sea of Reeds (north end of the Red Sea) when they were leaving Egypt.

Before the festival begins the house is cleaned.  Any leaven (yeast, baking powder etc.) is removed.  This is a reminder that when the Jews were leaving Egypt there was no time for the bread to rise.  Nothing that contains leaven is eaten during the festival.

The main part of the Passover celebration is the Seder meal.  The story of how the Jews left Egypt is told as the meal is eaten.  The youngest child at the meal asks 4 questions.  The questions are answered as the story is read.   The person leading the meal talks about things on the Seder plate.  The foods remind Jews of the slavery and how they left Egypt.

Special foods for the Seder:

                    Shank bone: not eaten, a reminder that the lamb was killed so its blood could be put on doorjambs

                    Egg: hard boiled then roasted in a flame, a reminder that animals used to be sacrificed in the

                            Temple, symbol of new life.

                    Green Vegetable: usually parsley or lettuce, a symbol of the way God cared for the Jews when they                              were traveling in the desert.

                    Bitter Herbs: usually horseradish, symbol of the bitterness of slavery

                    Charoset: sweet mixture of apples, nuts, spices and wine, a reminder of the cement used by the

                            slaves when they were building and a symbol of the sweetness of freedom

Other important things on the table:

                    Bowl of saltwater: symbol of the tears of the slaves, the parsley or lettuce is dipped in this

                    Glass of wine for each person: drunk 4 times during the meal, reminder of the 4 promises God made to                              Moses

                    Matzo: flat crackers or unleavened bread, reminder that the bread did not rise

Back to Homepage