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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 are 4 reasons why the Passover is observed now?
Because it is commanded in the Torah (Exodus ch.12)
Because of gratitude to God
Because it is a major pillar in handing down the national traditions
Because it is one of the important parts of Jewish identity.
Can Jews use the phone during Passover?
Religiously observant Jews will not use phones on the first night (Israel)/first two nights (outside of Israel) and the last two nights of Passover. The exception being if there is an emergency - medical, fire, etc. where lives are at risk.
On the Chag and Shabbat days of Passover Jews are Biblically prohibited from writing.
During the Chol-HaMo'ed intermediary days you can write if your job depends on it, or if your festive enjoyment will be enhanced by writing, or if you risk forgetting something if you don't write it down.
The custom is to write the first line at an angle - if possible - when writing on Chol-HaMo'ed.
In Israel:
The first and last day of Passover are Chag and you cannot write.
Days 2 - 6 are Chol-HaMo'ed and you may write when needed, as above, if it's not Saturday.
Outside Israel - in the Diaspora:
The first 2 days and last 2 days of Passover are Chag and you cannot write.
Days 3 - 6 are Chol-HaMo'ed and you may write when needed, as above, if it's not Saturday.
How did passover impact the way of life for Jews?
It was and is one of the many occasions to express the relationship with God, and gratitude to Him.
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.
Can you make a passover apple cake with matzo meal?
Yes, but it's more common to use matzo cake meal.
Why is Passover eaten at night?
The Jewish calendar goes by the moon instead of the sun, so when it's sundown, it's a new day.
What does the holiday of Passover celebrate?
It celebrates the birth of the Jewish nation. =)
it is the celebration of the Jews being freed from being slaves in Egypt
Where can you buy horowitz- margareten matzoh?
If you Google the brand, it comes up with different places the matzah can be purchased at including through the Amazon site.
What are 4 things traditionally used for chametz cleaning before Passover?
One must use whatever possible to clean for Passover. The Halacha (law) is that anything is considered chametzas long as it is suitable to eat for a dog. Bleach is a strong enough substance that it makes any food it comes in contact with to no longer be suitable for a dog, thus many people use it to wipe down chairs, tables and floors.
Why is 50 days after passover significant for hebrews?
The fifty days after the first day of Passover include the forty-nine days of counting the Omer; and the fiftieth day itself is the holiday of Shavuot (see Leviticus ch.23 and Deuteronomy ch.16).
How did the holiday Passover get its name?
When the Pharaoh refused to let the Lords people leave Egypt he placed upon the Egyptians ten plagues. The last being that all of their firstborn would die. The Israelite people were told to sprinkle the blood of a sacrificed animal on their door frames and lintel. When G-d would come to smite the Egyptian firstborns, he would see the blood on the doorpost and skip over that house. That's why it is called passover. That is the same idea of the Hebrew name, Pesach, which means door.
What Jewish feast is held 50 days after the passover?
There is no holiday 15 days after Passover.
Answer:15 days after the first day of Passover, is the first of Iyar (the first day of the Jewish month of Iyar). The first day of every Jewish month is a minor holiday.What are the countries of origin for Judaism?
Some believe that Judaism originated with Abraham, while others say Moses, giving a range of possibilities for the country or region of origin for judaism. However scholars say that monotheistic Judaism was really introduced by King Josiah of Judah, during the Deuteronomistic reforms of the seventh century BCE.
Yes, like all beans, vanilla beans are considered kitniyot and not permissible for Ashkenazic Jews to eat on Passover. (whoever gave this answer, gave no source and I doubt it is true- ask your local Rabbi)
Is granola kosher for Passover?
Though some brands of granola are kosher for non-Passover use, no granola is kosher for Passover. For Passover, you can get fake 'granola' that is made from matzo. Or, it may be fun to research ingredients and try to make some on your own.
What are the 6 foods eaten at Passover?
(1) Maror and (2) Chazeret - Bitter herbs, symbolizing the bitterness and harshness of the slavery which the Hebrews endured in Egypt. Either horseradish or romaine lettuce may be eaten in fulfillment of the mitzvah of eating bitter herbs during the Seder.
(3) Charoset - A sweet, brown 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. Sephardi recipes call for dates and honey in addition to chopped nuts, cinnamon, and wine.
(4) Karpas - A vegetable other than bitter herbs, which is dipped into salt water at the beginning of the Seder. Parsley, celery or boiled potato is usually used. The dipping of a simple vegetable into salt water (which represents tears) mirrors the pain felt by the Hebrew slaves in Egypt. Usually in a Shabbat or holiday meal, the first thing to be eaten after the kiddush over wine is bread. At the Seder table, however, the first thing to be eaten after the kiddush is a vegetable. This leads immediately to the recital of the famous question, Ma Nishtana - "Why is this night different from all other nights?" It also symbolizes the spring time, because Jews celebrate Passover in the spring.
(5) Z'roa - Also called Zeroah, it is special as it is the only element of meat on the Seder Plate. A roasted lamb or goat shankbone, 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. Since the destruction of the Temple, the z'roa serves as a visual reminder of the Pesach sacrifice; it is not eaten or handled during the Seder. Vegetarians often substitute a beet, quoting Pesachim 114b as justification.
(6) 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 (as eggs are the first thing served to mourners after a funeral), evoking the idea of mourning over the destruction of the Temple and our inability to offer any kind of sacrifices in honor of the Pesach holiday. Since the destruction of the Temple, the beitzah serves as a visual reminder of the chagigah; it is not used during the formal part of the seder, but some people eat it with saltwater as the first course of the meal.
Virtually any large supermarket will have it in the Kosher food section, usually close to Passover (from March).
What does wine mean at Passover?
The Four Cups of wine used in the Passover Seder represent the four distinct redemptions promised by God to the Hebrews as told in Exodus:
"I will bring you out from under the burdens of Egypt." (Exodus 6:6) "I will deliver you from under their bondage." (Exodus 6:6) "And I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments." (Exodus 6:6) "And I will take you to be my people and I will be your God." (Exodus 6:7)
In Hebrew those are: "V'hotzeiti etchem mitachat sivlot Mitzrayim." "V'hitzalti etchem mei-avodatam" "V'ga-alti etchem bizro-a n'tuya uvish'fatim g'dolim" "V'lakachti etchem li l'am v'hayiti lachem leilohim."
Specifically wine is used because it represents freedom.
The wine represents redemption while the colour of the red wine reminds us of the blood of the children killed for the Pharaoh.
How can you clean your laptop for Passover?
You can vacuum the keyboard and wipe down the rest of the laptop with a computer safe cleanser.
Why do Jews lean when they eat during Passover?
The Jewish nation celebrates its birth as a nation and its redemption from slavery in Egypt on Passover (Pesach). In the distant past, eating while leaning was a luxury for royalty, and on these nights, Jews pamper themselves by emulating that royal tradition.
