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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
Passover is one of the three pilgrimage holidays mentioned in the Torah (Bible).
Observant Jews observe it for seven days in Israel, eight days outside of Israel.
There are many customs associated with the holiday, primarily not eating bread or other leavened products, celebrating at the Seder with the reading of the Hagaddah, going to synagogue on the first and last days (first two and last two outside of Israel), and refraining from working on those days.
What day and month was Jewish Passover 1957?
In 1957, Passover started on Tuesday April 16 - (actually on Monday evening April 15) and lasted 7 days in Israel and 8 days in the Diaspora.
How do Jewish kids celebrate the Passover?
Pesach (Passover) is celebrated in the home.
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.
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. This is a command in commemoration of the Exodus, when the Israelites were in a hurry to leave Egypt and did not spend time waiting for their dough to leaven (to rise). Exodus ch.12. Certain prayers are added in the synagogue services, and the Torah is read each day of Passover.
Here is the symbolism of the items on the Seder table:
- Matzah - this represents the haste in which the Israelites prepared to leave Egypt.
- Wine - the four cups represent the four expressions of redemption in Exodus 6:6-7.
- The bitter herbs (maror) symbolize the harsh slavery which the Israelites suffered in Egypt. Horseradish and/or romaine lettuce are traditionally used for maror.
- Salt water (see below).
- 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 (which is then burnt on one side), 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.
What were the names of the ten plagues of Egypt?
- Water turned to blood
- Frogs
- Lice
- Flies
- Livestock disease
- Boils
- Flaming hail
- Locusts
- Complete darkness
- Death of the First-born
What Is Date Of This Years Passover?
Passover starts on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. This varies by year since the Jewish year is a luni-solar year and thus differs from the Gregorian calendar. It always falls in the springtime, though (in the Northern Hemisphere).
Also: Jewish holidays always begin at sundown.
No, Passover and Yom Kippur are two completely different holidays observe at completely different times of year. Passover is when Jews recall the exodus from Egypt. Yom Kippur is a fast day when Jews atone for their mistakes of the previous year.
What holidays do Jews celebrate in January?
Generally speaking, there are no major Jewish holidays that tend to fall in January. Hanukkah usually falls in December and the next major holiday, Tu B'Shvat, usually falls in February. However, there may be minor fasts or feast days in January.
Liberal Jews in Western countries may celebrate New Years Day and Liberal Jews in the United States may celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, but neither of these holidays are of Jewish origin or carry any Jewish traditions.
Why do Jews not eat leaven during pesach?
The slaves in Egypt did not have enough time to make leavened bread. As a result, Jews eat unleavened bread (called Matzah or מצה) during Passover.
The rest of the year, Jews eat leavened bread like everyone else.
What do you do after the Passover?
Starting with the 2nd day of Passover, the counting of the Omer begins, which is a count of 49 days until Shavu'ot.
Other than that, the only thing that happens is that the Passover dietary restrictions are lifted.
What food is served at a Passover seder?
The Seder starts with a cup of wine. Then a small piece of legume (parsley, potatoes or radish, usually) dipped in saltwater Then another cup of wine Then the Matzo Then the bitter herbs - usually raw horseradish or lettuce dipped in Charoset. Then the Hillel-sandwich - Matzo and bitter herbs Then the meal. The meal is often started by eating the egg from the Seder plate. No roasted food may be served at the Seder meal. The meal may consist of many courses - usually at least one of them with meat. All food must be kosher for Passover. For dessert the Afikomen is served - another piece of Matzo. Then 2 more cups of wine. In between each of the 4 cups of wine various parts of the Hagada-of-Pesach are recited along with singing and discussions of the Exodus. Sweets, nuts and candies are often distributed to the kids during the recital to pique their interest and get them to ask questions.
What is the main event of Passover?
on passover, actually, it was the last strike that God did on the Egyptions; the one when all Egypt's male firstborns died. at that night of the strike, the Jewish people were eating the passover secrifice. so at that night, God passed over the Jews houses and kill only the Egyption male firstborns.
Why is the first Passover important?
Passover is a holiday in which the Jews commemorate their freedom from slavery in the land of Egypt. It is important because the Jewish people are commanded to remember that they were once slaves, and to work for the freedom of all people.
When did Jesus take Passover with his disciples?
This is a very good question. The truth behind this question remains very controversial until our current times. There are two answers to this questions: One claims that Jesus died on Friday afternoon at 3:00 PM, during which the sun went under eclipse, and an earth quake shook the whole land. Also, a severe thunderstorm took place at the same time. In Mathew 27:50-55 we read how the whole events took place:
50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 52The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"
Now because Saturday was about to begin at 6 PM according to the Laws of the Jews, they hastened to bury all those who were on the cross before the beginning of the Sabbath. This is why most people believe that the incident took place on Friday, April 13. In fact, the concept of Friday the 13th is dealt with with superstition in America originated from the day our Lord Jesus Christ had died!
The other theory that many people and religious groups claim to be more likely the correct timing of Christ's death is on Wednesday April 14. This theory is adopted to confirm Christ's prophesy on the sign he gave to the Pharisees about how long He will stay in the grave and referred to Jonah as stated in Mathew 16: 4, "4A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah". Jonah remained inside the belly of the whale for three days. If we take the date of Christ death to be 3 days and nights, then Friday 13 would not make three days and three nights in the grave.
A Jewish historian made a research on this issue and came up with the following conclusion, which can be verified by Daniel 9:27 where it says Jesus would be crucified in the middle of the week (Wednesday).
Thursday 8 Nisan - Jesus is anointed by Mary for His death, though she may not have known that, John 12:3
Saturday 10 Nisan - Jesus has separated Himself from the people, Exodus 12:3 , John 12:36
Tuesday 13 Nisan - Jesus tells them to prepare the Passover meal. Their lamb killed before sunset on the 13th, and after sunset has the Passover with His disciples - deduced by the events on the 14th, the day of preparation for the Passover [of which Jesus had already partaken.]
Wednesday 14 Nisan - Jesus is tried early in the morning before dawn, brought before the people by Pilate at 6 am - Day of Preparation for the evening's Passover. Jesus is crucified at 9 am, noon the sun is blackened until when Jesus gives up the ghost around 3 pm and is put into the tomb hastily because the sun is going to set within the next couple hours and that starts the Sabbath. The Lamb of God had been sacrificed just like all the lambs that very day for that night's Passover!
Thursday 15 Nisan - Feast of Unleavened Bread - bread without yeast [life] - because the Bread of Life had died!!! - High Sabbath, also the day the Pharisees asked to have the tomb sealed because they knew of the promise of His resurrection, but thought His disciples would steal the body, Matthew 27:62 .
Friday 16 Nisan - Feast of Harvest - Numbers 28:26 , Leviticus 23:10-12 - then a few hours to prepare for the Sabbath that starts at sunset.
Saturday 17 Nisan - Typical Weekly Sabbath - from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown using Western dating system.
Sunday 18 Nisan - the day Jesus is raised from the dead any time after sundown at the end of the Sabbath on - Western dating system - Saturday night. Three days and three nights, Matthew 12:40 , in the tomb. Mary and the others go to the tomb on the first day of the week, Sunday, and realize that Jesus is risen, Matthew 28:1 , Mark 16:2 , Luke 24:1 , John 20:1
This is by far the hardest to understand because the Feasts and Sabbaths start after sundown, and are completed the next sundown, but during the night, the date changes [i.e. the number].
What holiday follows Passover?
Shevuos is about six weeks after Passover. If Lag BaOmer counts, then about two weeks after Passover is Lag BaOmer.
Wishing another Jewish person happy Passover?
Yes. Passover celebrates the liberation of the Jews from Egypt. It has become a celebration of freedom, and a time for praying for the freedom of all people everywhere.
What are some similarities Easter and Passover share?
Passover is celebrated as a memorial of the Hebrews liberty from Egyptian slavery. It reminds every Hebrew of the day when the Angel of the Lord killed every first born of all the Egyptians starting from Pharaoh to the first born of the beast that lived in the land of Egypt. The Angel of God spared the first born of the Hebrews when He saw the sign of the blood on the lintel and on the two side posts of their homes; the Angel passed over their homes that had the sign of the blood and did not smite the Hebrews' first born. This was the very day when Jesus Christ was crucified as He is the symbol of the first born whom God was pleased to offer Him as a ransom for forgiveness of sin for all mankind not for the Jews alone. Easter is celebrated on Sunday that follows the Hebrews Passover which is the day in which Christ resurrected from the the dead.
What does wine represent in the Jewish Passover meal?
The red wine at the seder symbolises HaShem's four statements of redemption in the Torah:
1. "I took you out"
2. "I rescued you"
3. "I liberated you"
4. "I took you to Me for a people"
The wine represents redemption while the colour of the red wine reminds us of the blood of the children killed for the Pharaoh.
Please see the related link for an explanation of the symbolism behind all the foods eaten at the seder.
What was the first plague to hit the Egyptians at Passover?
The first plague was that God told Moses to raise his staff and bang it on the ground near the Nile. This turned all the water in the Nile to blood.
Can you eat leavened food at Passover?
Jews do not eat leavened bread, pastries, cookies, crackers etc.
Passover must always fall out in the Spring. It is sometimes known as "the spring festival" or "Chag HaAviv"
Why do Jews eat maror on Passover?
The charoset is a sweet mixture representing the mortar used by the Jewish slaves to build the storehouses of Egypt.See also the Related Link.
For the Jews the Passover was a time to remember when God delivered their ancestors from Egypt. The Israelites were told to sacrifice a lamb and paint the lamb's blood on the door posts of their houses, they were saved from God's judgment on the people of Egypt by the blood of the lamb.
Jesus ate the Passover meal with his disciples to remember this time when the children of Israel were saved from God's judgment.
This is important to Christians because Jesus came and died as the "lamb of God" a sacrifice to save people from God's judgment on sin and all who believe will not face God's judgment.
Can Jews travel during Passover?
Passover is 8 days long. The first 2 days and last 2 days(i.e. days 1, 2, 7, 8) are Yom Tov - Festival Days and traveling is forbidden. During the 4 intermediary days (days 3, 4, 5, 6) traveling is allowed, unless one of these days is Saturday. This year - 2008:
- Passover starts on Saturday night 19th April
- Traveling is forbidden on Sunday and Monday 20th and 21st April and on Saturday and Sunday 26th and 27th April.
- Traveling is permitted from Tuesday 22nd to Friday 25th April. Passover is 7 days long. The first day and last 2 day (i.e. days 1 and 7) are Yom Tov - Festival Days and traveling is forbidden. During the 5 intermediary days (days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) traveling is allowed, unless one of these days is Saturday. This year - 2008:
- Passover starts on Saturday night 19th April
- Traveling is forbidden on Sunday 20th April and on Saturday 26th April.
- Traveling is permitted from Monday 21st to Friday 25th April.
What is the name of the festival meal eaten on Passover?
The meal on the first night of Passover is called the Seder. This meal includes drinking 4 cups of wine, eating Matza and bitter herbs and recounting the story of the Exodus from Egypt.
Seder is Hebrew for order the various ceremonies at the meal have to be done in a specific order.
The Seder meal typically takes a few hours to complete
