Passover
Pesach is a Jewish holidays, it is the most commonly observed even by non observant Jews. According to 1990 National Jewish Population Survey more than 80% of Jews have attended a Pesach Seder.
“Passover begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month Nissan. It is the first of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance. Agriculturally, it represents the beginning of the harvest season in Israel, but little attention is paid to this aspect of the holiday. The primary observances of Pesach are related to Exodus from Egypt after generations of slavery. This story is told in Exodus, Chronicles 1-15. Many of Pesach observances are instituted in Chronicles 12-15”. (http://www.jewfaq.org)
“The name Pesach comes from the Hebrew root Pei-Samekh-Cheit, it means to pass through, to pass over, to exempt or to spare. It refers to the fact that God “passed over” the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the first born of Egypt. In English, the holiday is known as Passover. “Pesach” is also the name of the sacrificial offering a lamb that was made in the Temple on this holiday. The holiday is also referred to the spring festival. The most significant observance related to Pesach involves the removal of chametz (leaven; sounds like “hum” It commemorated 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 the souls”. (http://www.jewfaq.org)
Jewish cannot eat chametz during the eight days of Passover. They may not own it or receive benefit from it. They cannot give it to their pets or cattle. All chametz, including utensils used to cook it must be disposed of or sold to a non Jew. They can be repurchased after the holiday. The grain product that they eat during Pesach is called matzah. Matzah is unleavened bread, made from flour and water and cooked very quickly. This is the bread that the Jews made from their flight from Egypt.
Leave a Reply