Passover

The first and last days.

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. 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. Either horseradish or romaine lettuce is 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 vegetable into salt water (which represents tears) recalls the pain felt by the Jewish 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.

* the cross of Jesus - both the empty cross and the crucifix * the colour purple - denoting royalty (Christ the King) * Easter lilies, with their large, white flowers which denote purity * chicks - symbolising "new life" * Easter eggs * Hot cross buns

Passover is not a time of fasting, so Jewish people can eat during the middle of the day during Passover.

Archaeology is a science, and archaeologists say that the ten plagues never happened. So the rational and scientific explanation is that there never were the ten plagues of Egypt. In fact, the respected Israeli archaeologist, Israel Finkelstein, says that over 90 per cent of scholars believe that the Exodus from Egypt never happened [allowing for those scholars who accept no evidence contrary to a literal reading of the Bible].

Because Passover celebrates the Jews' freedom.

"Zees" is the sound of the Yiddish word that comes from the German "Süss" meaning "sweet". "Zeesen Pesach" is a wish offered to another person for a sweet Passover. That said, it should be mentioned that this particular wish, though graciously and sincerely offered, is not customary for Passover. A "sweet" holiday would be offered far more often at Rosh Hashana. The customary wish at Passover is for a "kosheren Pesach" ... a kosher Passover.

By celebrating it and keeping its laws.

Yes.

The Passover is still the Passover, or Pesach, to the Jews. In the Christian calendar, Good Friday which is observed two days before Easter Sunday, falls at the same time as the Jewish Passover.

they give a 20dollar bill to eachother and buy things

Pesach is a Hebrew word, not ancient Egyptian. It means "Passover".

For Ashkenazim: no, because they have a custom of abstaining from legumes, peas, seeds, rice (etc.) on Passover.

For Sephardim: yes, if the label has a certification of being kosher for Passover.

Yes.

One of the 3 pieces of Matza - usually the middle one is used for Yachatz - the 4th part of the Seder - where the middle Matza is broken into 2 uneven pieces. The larger piece is kept for the Afikomen-dessert and the smaller piece - symbolizing Matza as the bread of affliction is kept on the Seder plate. Every meal on a Shabbat and Jewish festival requires 2 whole loaves of bread to be used during HaMotzi - the blessing over bread. Since on Passover bread is substituted with Matza, so we need 2 whole Matzot on the Seder plate. So we need 3 Matzot on the Seder plate: 2 for the HaMotzi, and one to be broken.

Yes (During the holiday, you can't turn on a light, turn off a light, turn on a car, turn off a car etc. But during The intermediate days, you can.)

Every 6 years.

Sometimes.

Here we must remember when God sent the plaque of frogs which were in a large numbers, when the Pharaohs magician did the same thing the frogs were twice in number.

Exodus 12.1 to 12.2 "The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt. This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months it shall be the first of the months of the year for you." Exodus 12.14 to 12.15 "This day shall be to you one of remembrance: you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD throughout the ages; you shall celebrate it as an institution for all times. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread..." Exodus 12.17 to 12.18 "You shall observe the [Feast of] Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your ranks out of the land of Egypt; you shall observe this day throughout the ages as an institution for all time. In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at the evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at the evening." The first month in the Jewish calendar is Nissan. Which translates to around March-April in the Gregorian calendar. Exodus 12.18 is the passage that describes the dates for celebrating Passover, I included the other passages to give a little context.