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Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday commemorating their exodus from Egypt as cited in the Old Testament. This category is about the conceptual significance of Passover which is central to the understanding of Judaism.
937 Questions
Who were involved in the celebration of Passover?
The protagonists are: God, who took the Israelites out of Egypt, and Moshe (Moses), who led the Israelites at God's command.
Those who celebrate the event are: all Jews in every generation, as commanded by the Torah (Exodus ch.12)
The venue: special prayers in the synagogues, conducting the Seder meal in each Jewish home to recount the Exodus, and not doing the forbidden forms of work on the relevant festival days.
How many days is the festival of Passover celebrated for?
In Israel it lasts seven days, and in the diaspora (out of Israel) it lasts eight days.
Is any brand of Vinegar kosher for Passover?
If you were able to find corn vinegar that is certified kosher for Passover, it would be kitniyot which means that the majority of Ashkenazi Jews would not use it.
Are bean sprouts kosher for Passover?
It depends. If you are of Sephardic or Mizrahi extraction then yes, they are. If, however, you are Ashkenazi, then traditionally no, they're not. This is because they fall into the category of kitniyot, small things - peas and beans from which it is possible to make flour that could become confused with flour made from the Five Grains. If a Jewish person eats any food in which any of these grains has come into contact with water for more than eighteen minutes during manufacture, the food becomes chametz and he or she risks karet - being spiritually cut off from G-d, one of the harshest punishments in the Jewish tradition and consciousness.
However, the ban on kitniyot is a rabbinic tradition aimed at helping people avoid accidentally condemning themselves to karet - it does not have a religious reason and is not included in the Torah. For that reason, many Ashkenazi Jews - especially those who stick to a vegetarian or vegan diet, as I do, for whom legumes are an important source of protein and a major part of what they eat - do now eat kitniyot during Passover, though we take very great care to ensure we are not eating chametz.
What is the Passover from Exodus 12 about?
Passover refers to the final plague sent by HaShem to the Egyptians to convince the Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery - killing of the first born Egyptian males. The Exodus refers to the Israelites leaving Egypt for the promised land after the Pharaoh agreed to let them leave.
How did God institute Passover?
By bringing the Ten Plagues upon the Egyptians (Exodus ch.7-12) and bringing the Israelites out from Egyptian slavery, God demonstrated that He would alter the course of history for their benefit. See Deuteronomy 4:32-34.
How do you wish someone a happy passover in Hebrew?
a zisn Pesach = (Have) a sweet Pesach a koshern Pesach = (Have) a kosher Pesach a freylakhn Pesach =(Have) a happy Pesach
Some Yiddish-speakers offer the wish in Hebrew, saying "KHAG kah-SHARE v'sah-MAY-akh" ... literally "a kosher and joyful festival".
Those more comfortable in the vernacular would more likely offer the wish in Yiddish: "ah KOE'sher'n PAY-sahkh" ... literally "a kosher Passover".
In both cases, the importance of experiencing a proper, kosher holiday is right up there with the importance of pleasure and enjoyment, and his wish reflects that priority.
What is the name of the unleavened bread eaten by Jews?
Matzah; also spelled matzoh. This thin unleavened bread is eaten during Passover. See also:
What is the Jewish Passover about?
The Jewish Passover, or "Pesah" is reminds those observing of the Exodus from Egypt when the Pharaoh at the time finally let the Israelites go after 10 plagues sent from God (Straddfeld, 1985, p. 5).
Michael Strassfeld. (1985). The Jewish Holidays and Customs: A Guide & Commentary. New York: Harper & Row Publishers.
What does matzot bread symbolise during the passover?
When the Israelites escaped from Egypt, they didn't have time to let the dough for their bread rise before baking it because they would get caught by the pharaoh. We eat matzo to remember this.
What do Jews eat during Passover?
There are two main aspects to Shabbat observance: what we do and what we don't do.
What we don't do: we're not permitted to work on the Shabbat (Exodus ch.20). This includes 39 categories of productive interaction with the world, such as planting, writing, kindling fire, etc. (Talmud, Shabbat 73b).
What we do: candles are lit, customarily by the lady of the household, around 20 minutes before sunset on Friday afternoon. We then attend synagogue for the Friday afternoon prayer (mincha), the kabbalat Shabbat (ushering in of the Shabbat), and the Shabbat evening prayer (maariv).
On Shabbat morning, we again attend synagogue. The services are longer than on weekdays and include prayers as well as reading the weekly Torah-portion. There's often a kiddush (refreshments) afterwards, and congregants have a chance to schmooze (to talk). Towards the late afternoon, there's another (short) service (Shabbat mincha).
After Friday night services and on Shabbat morning after services, we come home, often with guests, make kiddush (blessing over wine), and have a leisurely multi-course Shabbat meal including singing and words of Torah. Customarily, that week's Torah-reading (parsha) will be a topic of conversation; and the children of the family will have a chance to speak of what they've learned in school.
After that, Shabbat is a quiet time: no phones, radio or TV (etc.), just schmoozing, taking walks, visiting friends, reading, learning Torah, playing board games, etc. Husband and wife, in particular, finally have a chance to be together after a hectic week.
Is corn on the cob kosher for Passover?
According to most Sephardic traditions they are. However, Ashkenazi traditions forbid it.
What are the 15 stages of the Passover Seder meal?
The Passover Seder meal is a festive meal eaten on the first two nights of Passover. There are 15 steps done in the following order:
1. Kadesh - Recite Kiddush, first cup of wine
2. U'rchatz - Washing of your hands w/o a blessing
3. Karpas - The Appetizer - dip green herbs into salt water, eat
4. Yachatz - Breaking of the middle Matzah
5. Maggid - Tell the story of the Exodus, second cup of wine
6. Rachtzah - Wash your hands, w/ blessing
7. Motzi - Blessing of the unleavened bread
8. Matzah - Matzah is eaten
9. Maror - Bitter herbs are blessed and eaten (horseradish/romaine lettuce)
10. Korech - Matzah is dipped in bitter herbs and eaten
11. Shulchan Orech - The meal is eaten (often lamb)
12. Tzafun - Children search for afikomen, everyone eats a small piece (dessert)
13. Berach - Grace after the meal, third cup of wine
14. Hallel - Praise, read Psalms, fourth cup of wine
15. Nirtzah - Seder is complete, accepted, give thanks
What is done on the night of Passover?
Cleaning the home of regular bread and bread products and shopping for Kosher for Passover foods.
How do you write Kosher for Passover in Hebrew?
"Pesach same'ach" (פסח שמח) or "Chag Pesach Same'ach" (חג פסח שמח).
Can you go to school or work during Passover?
The Torah forbids working during the yom tov part of Passover (except for cooking and carrying). During chol hamoed, some work can be done, but writing and laundering clothes, among many other things, may not be done.
Where did a famine cause the Hebrews to migrate to?
The famine was in the Land of Canaan (later called Israel), and they Hebrews migrated to Egypt.
What is the meaning of baked egg in Passover?
Boiled and then roasted, not baked. Beitzah - A hard-boiled egg (which is then burnt on one side), symbolizes the korban chagigah (festival sacrifice) that was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem and roasted and eaten as part of the meal on Seder night. Although both the Pesach sacrifice and the chagigah were meat-offerings, the chagigah is commemorated by an egg, a symbol of mourning for the eventual destruction.
Pesach (Passover) is important to us since in it we relive the Exodus from Egypt and our birth as a nation, both of which were preparations for receiving the Torah from God. The highlight of Passover is the Seder meal. This meal is of great importance in Judaism. It is a 3325-year old continuous tradition that began on the night of the Exodus from Egypt (see Exodus chapter 12), and is fully detailed in our ancient Oral Traditions (Talmud, chapter Arvei Pesachim).
The Seder meal is one of those occasions, like Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, that Jews all over the world, Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike, observe in common. During the Seder, we keep the essential mitzva and customs of handing Jewish traditions down to the next generation, with the traditional Seder foods and the ceremony of reading the Passover Haggadah which retells the events of the Exodus.
Yes. Even when they do not regularly keep kosher or read Torah, most Jews will attend or participate in a Passover Seder, and eat matzah instead of bread for the 8 days of Passover.
What Jewish festival occurs around the same time as Easter?
SHAVOUT, occurring on Sivan 6, is 50 days after the Hebrew calendar day Nisan 16.
Note the 40 days of lent has its roots in paganism, which was originally a 40-day period of weeping for Babylonian sun god, Tammuz. This practice is not Biblical.
Shavout represents a new revelation of God's will, the giving of God's Law. Leviticus 23:21 states that it will be a statute forever.
About 1491 BC, God gave the 10 Commandments to Moses on Mt. Sinai on the holy day of Shavout (Exodus 19 - 20).
Tradition says that during the night of Shavout, Heaven opens up for a brief instant, and men keep a vigil of study that evening, perhaps in hopes of seeing it.
About 33 AD, God sent the Holy Spirit on Shavout (Pentecost) thereby writing the Law on human hearts and empowering the Church to accomplish His will on Earth (2 Cor 3:3, Heb 8:10, 10:16).
Paul continues observing Shavout after Christ's ascension (Acts 20;16, 24:11, 16:8).
How do Jews celebrate Passover?
Pesach (Passover) is important to us since in it we relive the Exodus from Egypt and our birth as a nation, both of which were preparations for receiving the Torah from God.
The highlight of Passover is the Seder meal. This meal is of great importance in Judaism. It is a 3325-year old continuoustradition that began on the night of the Exodus from Egypt (see Exodus chapter 12), and is fully detailed in our ancient Oral Traditions (Talmud, chapter Arvei Pesachim).
The Seder meal is one of those occasions, like Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, that Jews all over the world, Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike, observe in common. During the Seder, we keep the essential mitzva and customs of handing Jewish traditions down to the next generation, with the traditional Seder foods and the ceremony of reading the Passover Haggadah which retells the events of the Exodus.
During the Seder meal, other traditional foods are eaten in addition to the matzah: bitter herbs, parsley,wine and haroset (see below). Salt water, a roasted egg, and a bit of roasted meat are also on the table.
During all the days of Passover, matzah (unleavened bread) is eaten; while leavened foods such as bread, cake, cookies, cereal and pasta are forbidden. Certain prayers are added in the synagogue services, and the Torah is read each day.
Here is the symbolism of the items on the Seder plate:
The bitter herbs (maror) symbolize the harsh slavery which the Israelites suffered in Egypt. Horseradish and/or romaine lettuce are traditionally used for maror.
Charoset - A sweet mixture representing the mortar used by the Jewish slaves to build the storehouses of Egypt. In Ashkenazi Jewish homes, charoset is traditionally made from chopped nuts, grated apples, cinnamon, and sweet red wine.
Karpas - A vegetable other than bitter herbs, traditionally parsley, which is dipped into salt water at the beginning of the Seder. The dipping of a simple herb into salt water (which represents tears) recalls the pain felt by the Israelite slaves in Egypt.
Beitzah - A hard-boiled egg, symbolizing the korban chagigah (festival sacrifice) that was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem and roasted and eaten as part of the meal on Seder night. Although both the Pesach sacrifice and the chagigah were meat-offerings, the chagigah is commemorated by an egg, a symbol of mourning.
Z'roa - A roasted lamb or goat shank-bone, chicken wing, or chicken neck; symbolizing the korban Pesach (Pesach sacrifice), which was a lamb that was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem, then roasted and eaten as part of the meal on Seder night.
See also:
What 6 items are on the seder plate?
There are 6 food, or items on the Seder Plate:
Maror-Bitter herbs, symbolizing the bitter treatment of the Jewish slaves.
Charoset- A sweet brown mixture, symbolizing the mortar the Jewish slaves used to build warehouses.
Karpas- A vegetable (other than bitter herbs), usually parsley dipped in salt water, the salt water representing tears from the pain of the slaves.
Beitzah- A hard boiled egg symbolizing the mourning of the slaves.
Z'roa- A roasted lamb or shankbone, chicken wing, or chicken neck symbolizing the Korban Pesach
Chazeret- Another form of bitter herbs, usually lettuce, symbolizing people of the lower status.
