When the Pharaoh had finally agreed to freedom, the Israelites left their homes so quickly that there wasn't even time to bake their bread. They had to eat the unrisen dough. They all left the clutches of the Pharaoh together but soon enough, Pharaoh changed his mind.
When the Israelites got the Red Sea, they began to lose hope, for the armies were fast on their trail and they could never cross the sea to escape.
It was then that a miracle occurred. The waves of the Red Sea parted and the Israelites were able to cross to the other side. As soon as they all reached the other side the sea closed trapping the Pharaoh's army as the waves closed upon them.
It was then that the Israelites realised they were free from the Egyptians.
This is the story of the Passover and Pesach celebrates this history. It was the single most important thing that ever happened to them, as it marks the beginning of a new era and the start of the Jewish nation.
Pesach is the first of three Pilgrim festivals that celebrate this time in history. The Torah requires Jews to travel to the Promised Land during this time to offer sacrifices but since most Jews now live in the Diaspora, it is increasingly hard to meet the demands of the Torah. The festivals are however extremely important because they mark such significant events in Jewish history:
Peasch- This is to celebrate the liberation from slavery in Egypt.
Sukkot- This festival marks the moulding of the Hebrew slaves into God’s chosen people in the desert.
Shauvot- This commemorates to delivery of the Torah, which was to be the framework for worshipping and living.
Pesach is therefore a festival to celebrate the beginning of the Jewish people when God delivered them from slavery. It celebrates God’s omnipotence as well. His power to control all living things and nature itself.
“that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth” Exodus 9:14
Peasch celebrates the sense of belonging the Hebrews had when God saved them. They were God’s chosen people.
The Celebration of Pesach
The focus of the Festival of Passover is the Seder meal in which the story is retold through symbolism of food, cutlery and the order in which the meal takes place.
The preparation however, plays a very important part in the symbolism of the festival.
Most of the preparations for the festival take place at home. All chametz -leaven- must be removed from the house. Chametz is a product where any of grains, wheat, barley, rye and oats comes into contact with water for more than 18 minutes.
There are two ways in which chametz can be got rid of:
- Biur- Burning. The food is destroyed and every room of the house is cleaned to ensure that no chametz is present.
- Bitul- Renouncing. The food is sold to a non-Jew and then bought back when the festival has passed.
The whole of the kitchen must be fit for Passover. Most Jews will have separate sets of crockery and kitchen utensils for the festival, which are kept locked away for the rest of the year.
The food for the Passover must be bought carefully and must have a label saying “food for Passover” or “food for Pesach”. These have stamps on them for the Rabbinical authority and are specially made for the festival.
On the night before the Passover, the house is searched by candlelight (usually by a child) for any remaining chametz. The mother will usually have hidden ten pieces (symbolic of the ten commandments and the ten plagues) and the pieces are collected into a bag and renounced.
“All leaven and all chametz which is in my possession, which I have not seen or destroyed, nor have the knowledge of shall be null, void, ownerless, and as dust of the earth.” Kol Chamira
The following morning the last meal of chametz is eaten and then the remainder is burnt and the Kol Chamira is repeated.
The day before Passover is a time of fast for the first-born son of Jewish families and this is to remember and give thanks for the saving of the Hebrew first-born sons on the night of Passover.
The Seder Meal
Components of the Seder Meal
- The Haggadah is the book from which the youngest child asks questions about the history of Pesach and it also contains the instructions for celebrating the Seder.
- Elijah’s cup symbolises the return of Elijah to herald the return of the Messiah.
- The three matzahs represent the unleavened bread on the night of the Passover when the yeast had no time to rise. It also symbolises the banning of yeast because of its connections with pride.
- The candles are lit by the mother of the household to welcome Passover into the home. They also symbolise the spirit of God in the home.
- The four glasses of wine symbolise the four promises God made to Moses about setting the Israelites free.
- The betzah is korban chagigah, which is the temple sacrifice that can no longer be offered.
- Karpas are parsley. They represent spring – a new life – new hope.
- Maror are bitter herbs. They are the reminder of the bitterness of slavery.
- Salt water is a symbol for the tears f the Israelites.
- Haroset is a paste made from almonds. It sweetens the bitter herbs and represents the mortar that the Israelites used to build with under the lash of the taskmasters.
- Z’roah is roasted shank bone, which symbolises the Passover sacrifice. “Zeroah” also means arm – God’s arm stretched out to deliver the Jews from the slavery.
- Lettuce is also used to represent the bitterness of slavery. It is one of the Maror.
- The Seder Plate. Seder means “order”.
Other Symbolic Rituals associated with the Seder meal
- The youngest child asks four questions about the Passover Story and the Symbolism for the father to answer. The questions and answers retell some of the history and a picture book called the Haggadah is used for reference. Throughout Pesach, each Jew must feel as if they have just escaped from Egypt.
- The ten plagues are commemorated with ten drops of wine. This is to remind the Jews that their freedom came at the price of the lives of the Egyptian first-born sons.
- Half a matzah is hidden and must be found by the children of the household. Whoever finds it keeps it and holds it to ransom. This remembers the Pharaoh that would not let the Jews go. Only when the matzah has been found can the meal continue.
- Jews consider the Egypt of modern times e.g. Nazi Germany- their exodus finally came when the State of Israel was finally declared in 1948. Egypt is wherever Jews are enslaved or treated badly.
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At the end of the Seder meal, the Jew’s thoughts turn to Israel. A glass of wine is raised and the Jews say “next year in Jerusalem”.
- For the Orthodox Jews, this expresses a hope that all Jews will be reunited in the State of Israel next year.
- For progressive Jews, that Jews shall be able to travel to Israel if the should wish to next year.
- The final act is to pour a glass of wine for Elijah and leave the front door open in the hope that he will return to herald the arrival of the Messiah and the Messianic age- a time of peace and justice.
