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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
What happened to the gnats in the ten plagues?
Depending on your translation of the Hebrew word "kinim" (which is translated as lice, gnats, etc.) they were the third plague, spreading disease and uncomfortableness among the Egyptian people.
Why are peanuts not kosher for Passover?
As legumes, peanuts belong to a subcategory called 'kitniyot'. As such, they can be kosher for Passover, however, Ashkenazi Jews will not eat them.
The dates of Passover (or Pesach, as we Jews call it) doesn't need to be calculated like the dates of Easter because it always begins on the same day on the Hebrew calendar - 14 Nisan.
In the Jewish Sedar meal why is a spare seat left?
There is no tradition of leaving an empty seat during the seder. The tradition is to have an extra glass of wine for the prophet Eliyahu. There is a prophecy that Eliyahu will return right before hamoshiach is born.
That depends on one's definition of healthy. Matzah is made from flour and water, that's it so it's neither healthy or unhealthy. Some attempts have been made to make matzah healthier by using whole wheat and/or spelt instead of processed white wheat flour.
What does it mean for the Jews to purify themselves before passover?
In the days of the Great Temple, Jews would traditionally perform sacrifices and/or bathe in ritual waters in order to achieve a state of "tahorah" or ritual purity. While some still do bathe in ritual waters, the offering of sacrifices has not existed since the Destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E.
Why do Jews want to celebrate passover in Jerusalem?
Because that is the center of Judaism, the site of the Holy Temple.
What is the only bread product allowed to be eaten during Passover?
The simple answer is that no bread is eaten during Pesach (Passover). However, during Pesach, matzah (sometimes referred to as unleavened bread) is eaten.
Additionally, matzah is ground into 'matzah meal' (similar to breadcrumbs) and 'cake meal' (the consistency of flour) and these products are used in all kinds of baking including rolls and cakes. Foods made from these products are called 'gebrokts' and some Jews will not eat them
Why is the Passover service called seder?
The word 'seder' means 'order'. In the case of the Pesach seder, this is a religious service with a specific order of steps or stages.
Do you have a picture of Passover?
when God ordered the Israelites to use the blood of lambs or goats to make a sign on their door post so that in the night when HE is passing over Egypt to kill the first borns of humans and animals of the Egyptians the Israelites will be spared
What is the importance of Passover?
It commemorates the Israelites' escape from slavery. Passover demonstrated that God can and will "interfere" in the events of this world, with great miracles when He so desires.
Passover is one of the major underpinnings of Judaism, as a large number of mitzvot (commands) are related to it or commemorate it.
Why is Passover a mixture of sadness and joy?
we rejoice over the fact that we were redeemed from egypt yet we saddened over the fact that the final redemption has not come yet and we are still in exile.
What happened first after the last day of passover?
The Israelites journeyed into the wilderness of Shur (Exodus ch.15).
Can you eat grits during Passover?
Real granola, which contains oats and wheat, is chametz and cannot be eaten during Passover.
Why is no leavening used on Passover?
Before I can answer your question, you need to know the Story of Passover. Here it is:
The Jewish people were all taken into slavery by the Egyptians (Exodus ch.1). They built storage-cities for the Pharaoh and rich families. Their working conditions were very bad. They were whipped (Exodus ch.2 and ch.5) when their speed lagged, or when their work wasn't satisfactory, or even just because the whippers were bored and felt like it.
Moses was a Jew who had been adopted by pharaoh's daughter (Moses in the basket). At one point, Moses saw a Egyptian beating a Jew and killed the Egyptian. He was sentenced to death and fled to Midian (Exodus ch.2).
God, who had become furious with the way His people were treated, commanded Moses to go to the Pharaoh and ask for his people to be freed (the Burning Bush; Exodus ch.3). The Pharaoh refused (Exodus ch.4-5), so God sent ten plagues: the Nile turned to blood, frogs, lice, flies, cattle blight, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness (Exodus ch.7-10). After every plague, Moses went to the Pharaoh and pleaded for freedom. Again, he refused. God knew what the Pharaoh's most treasured possession was: his first born son. God told every Jew who had been faithful to him throughout the time of slavery to kill a lamb and paint its blood above their doors. Then they had to cook the lamb and bake bread to eat with it. There was no time for the bread to rise, so it was flat, or unleavened. After the meal, the Jews put on their travelling clothes and packed their belongings, to be ready to leave in the morning. That night, after the Seder meal, when they were asleep in their travelling clothes, God sent the Angel of Death. It passed over the sons of the Jewish families who had the blood on their doors, but it went into the houses of the families who didn't and killed their first born son. Pharaoh came running in tears, full of grief for his son whom God had killed. "Yes, yes, of course! Take your people and go away!" he cried in anguish (Exodus ch.12). "Go, go now! I don't want to see you again!" So the Jewish people set off, away from the city, led by God (Exodus ch.12-13). But when they reached the Red Sea, and set up camp for the night, someone sighted a cloud of dust on the horizon. The Egyptians were coming after them. The Pharaoh had changed his mind. They couldn't escape. The Red Sea (literally: Reed Sea) was the only thing they could see for miles. But God saved them. He told Moses to stand on the shore and wave his staff over the sea. It parted in two great walls of water, leaving dry land for the Jews to cross on. Just as they reached the other side, the Egyptians had started to cross. God made the sea go back, and they were drowned. The Jews escaped (Exodus ch.14).
That is why there is no leavening on Passover. Jews eat unleavened bread on Passover, as commanded by God (Exodus ch.12), to remember the time when there was no time for the bread to rise, and the Israelites ate unleavened bread with the lamb.
Sacrifice is a religious rite in which an object is offered to a divinity in order to establish, maintain, or restore a right relationship of a human being to the sacred order.
What does the charoset mean in Passover for the Jews?
The charoseth is a mixture commonly made of chopped apples, cinnamon, nuts and a small amount of wine. It symbolizes the mortar used in making the bricks in Egypt.
Is jello pudding okay for Passover?
Jello pudding is generally not considered kosher for Passover because it often contains ingredients like cornstarch and artificial flavors that are not compliant with Passover dietary restrictions. Additionally, many processed foods may contain traces of chametz, which is forbidden during the holiday. It's best to look for specifically labeled kosher for Passover products to ensure they meet the dietary laws for the holiday. Always check the packaging for certification.
What does the apple and nut represent the seder plate?
The apple and nut mixture is called Haroset. Traditionally, the apples and nuts are ground together and mixed with red kosher passover wine. The Haroset is a reminder of the mortar used to connect the bricks that the Hebrews were forced to used to build great monuments while in Bondage in Egypt. The haroset is normally mixed with the bitter herb, often ground horseradish, which is to remind us of the bitterness of being slaves in Egypt. A blessing is said and the haroset and bitter herb are mixed on a small piece of matzoh and eaten.
Can you eat lettuce during the passover holiday?
Any lettuce can be eaten as long as it is thoroughly washed.
