Pesach / Passover

There is no more popular festival than the festival of Pesach or Passover. Originally a spring festival, Pesach has for centuries been celebrated to remember the Exodus, the story of the deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians (c.f. Moses). Although this event took place more then 4,000 years ago, for Jews it remains the most important example of God's power. The festival of Pesach is a reliving of the events of the exodus story. This story is told in the Hagadah.

The Seder meal

Although there are services in the synagogue the most important part of the festival takes place in the home. Before Pesach begins the house will be thoroughly cleaned to make sure that there is no leavened bread in the house. When the Jews left Egypt they had to pack so quickly that they took no yeast. This reminds the Jews that during the time of the Exodus they had only unleavened bread (matzoh). So during the festival of Pesach the Jew will only eat unleavened bread.

On the eve of the Passover the Jew will go to the synagogue and then return home for the Passover meal. This special meal is called the Seder. This meal starts with the blessing of wine, four glasses of wine are drunk to remind Jews of God's four promises to Moses. The Seder plate has seven items all of which have a symbolic meaning. They remind the Jews of part of the Exodus:

Matzah bread. Three loves of Matzoh, or unleavened bread. This helps the Jews feel solidarity with their ancestors, who were slaves. Salt water. Some of the Seder food is dipped into salt water. Salt water calls to mind the tears of the slaves, and also the water of the Red Sea which once crossed meant the Jews were really free. Charoset. This is a mixture of almonds, apples mixed with cinnamon and wine. This represents the mud that the Jews had to make into bricks when they were slaves. Bitter herbs. These represent the bitterness of the slavery, but the green reminds them that after the tears of slavery came the freedom of the escape. Carpas. From a Hebrew word meaning hard labour to remind them of slavery. It is also dipped into the salt water to remind them that the Hyssop was dipped in the blood of the sacrifice that he Lord might Passover their houses when the firstborn were being killed

You can see that many of the items on the Seder plate are reminders of both slavery and freedom, the Seder meal is about the passage from slavery to freedom. The next two items are not connected with slavery in Egypt and recall practices which have long since ceased. Jews have not performed animal sacrifices since the temple was destroyed.

• A roasted shank bone to represent the lamb which was slaughtered in the temple until it was destroyed in 70 CE.
• A roasted egg which recalls the sacrifice in the temple for the Passover.

A fifth cup of wine is poured and stands undrunk on the table. This is for the prophet Elijah who will come just before the Messiah. The door will be left slightly ajar for the same reason.

The four promises of Moses

Say therefore to the people of Israel, 'I am the Lord and I will bring you out from under their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment, I will take you for my people, and I will be your God...' (Seder promises to Moses)

Important words

• Passover or Pesach - The festival to celebrate the escape from slavery in Egypt
• Exodus - The journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the promised land
• Moses - The leader of the Jews during the Exodus
• Hagadah - The special book telling the story of the Exodus, God's delivery of the Jews from slavery.
• Synagogue - The Jewish house of worship
• Matzoh - Unleavened bread eaten during the Passover
• Seder - The word means 'order' in Hebrew and refers to the special order of the service during the Passover.