Passover

Passover, also called Pasch or Pesach, is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. According to the Book of Exodus, the holiday remembers when the Israelites were freed from Egypt after many difficulties.

During Passover, Jewish families come together for a special meal called a Passover Seder. At the Seder, they read from a book called the Haggadah, which tells the story of the Exodus. One important tradition is not eating any leavened foods, called chametz, during the holiday. Instead, they eat bread made without yeast called matzah.

Passover begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan. Because the Jewish calendar is set to match the solar calendar, the holiday can start on different days of the week. It always begins at sunset the day before, so families gather together for special meals and ceremonies to remember this important event in their history.

Etymology

The word "Passover" comes from the Hebrew word Pesach. This word is linked to the story of the Exodus, when the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt.

According to the Bible, God told the Israelites to mark their doors with the blood of a lamb. When God passed through Egypt to punish the Egyptians, He "passed over" the houses marked with the lamb's blood. This saved the people inside.

The lamb was an important part of the Passover celebration. The Israelites chose a lamb four days before they left Egypt. They checked the lamb for any flaws. On the night they left, they cooked and ate the lamb together as a family.

Origins and theories

Passover began as a mix of two traditions: a ritual to protect homes and a celebration of the barley harvest in the Land of Israel. The Passover sacrifice marked homes with lamb’s blood, possibly to keep evil spirits away. Over time, this joined with the story of the Israelites leaving Egypt and became a spring festival for the barley harvest. These traditions together created the Passover we know today.

Biblical narrative

In the Book of Exodus

Further information: Plagues of Egypt

In the Book of Exodus, the Israelites were slaves in ancient Egypt. Yahweh, the God of the Israelites, spoke to Moses from a burning bush. Yahweh sent ten troubles, called plagues, to the Egyptians. One of these plagues was the death of the firstborn child in each family.

God told Moses to have the Israelites mark their doors with the blood of a lamb. This would keep them safe from this plague. The Israelites were told to eat the lamb that night with unleavened bread, called matzah, and bitter herbs, called maror. They were to eat it quickly, ready to leave.

The Passover in other biblical passages

The Passover is also called the "festival of unleavened bread" in the Hebrew Bible. The Book of Leviticus says how the Passover should be remembered. It is to be kept every year to honor God for saving the Israelites from Egypt.

In extra-biblical sources

Other old writings, like letters from Elephantine and works by writers such as Josephus and Philo, tell us more about how Passover was celebrated. They talk about the meal and when the lamb was eaten.

Date and duration

See also: Hebrew calendar and Yom tov sheni shel galuyot

Passover starts on the 15th day of the month of Nisan. This usually falls between March 26 and April 25 on the Gregorian calendar. The holiday begins in the evening after the 14th day of Nisan, with a special meal called a seder. Passover is a spring celebration. It often starts on the night of a full moon after the northern vernal equinox.

In Israel, Passover lasts seven days. Jews living outside of Israel celebrate for eight days. Some groups, like Karaites and Samaritans, follow different calendar traditions. This can change the exact dates of the holiday.

Prohibition of chametz

See also: Chametz § Removal of chametz, and Bedikat Chametz

Leaven, called chametz in Hebrew (Hebrew: חמץ ḥamets), is made from grains mixed with water and left to rest. During Passover, Jewish people cannot eat, keep, or own chametz. This means no foods with yeast or anything that has fermented.

Before Passover starts, Jewish families clean their homes to remove all chametz. They use special dishes and utensils that have never touched leaven. On the night before Passover, families do a search called bedikat chametz for any chametz left. They use candlelight, a feather, and a wooden spoon. After the search, any chametz found is burned the next morning.

Morning of 14th of Nisan

Note that if the 14th of Nisan is Shabbat, many of the below will be celebrated on the 13th instead due to restrictions in place during Shabbat.

Fast of the Firstborn

Main articles: Fast of the Firstborn and siyum

On the day before the first Passover seder (or on Thursday morning if the seder falls on Motza'ei Shabbat), firstborn sons are asked to take part in the Fast of the Firstborn. But, many synagogues hold a siyum (a ceremony finish part of Torah learning) after morning prayers. The celebratory meal that follows means the firstborn do not need to fast.

Burning and nullification of leaven

On the morning of the 14th of Nisan, any leavened food left in the home, along with 10 small pieces of bread from the night before, are burned (s'rayfat chametz). The head of the household says a special phrase, declaring any chametz that was not found to be worthless "like the dust of the earth".

The historic Passover sacrifice is no longer part of the holiday since the Romans' destruction of the Second Temple long ago, and it is not done today.

Not eating matzah from sunrise until sunset (day before Passover)

Even matzot that are okay for Passover cannot be eaten during the daylight hours before Passover eve.

Passover sacrifice

During ancient times, families ate a special lamb at Passover. They brought the lamb to the Temple and ate it together at a meal called the Seder. The lamb was prepared in a special way and eaten with special foods.

Today, the Temple is not there anymore. People cannot make the lamb offering. Instead, they remember it with special foods and stories during their Passover meals.

Matzah

Main article: Matzah

A key symbol of Passover is matzah, a special flatbread made from just flour and water. It is baked quickly so it doesn’t rise. This reminds us how the Israelites left Egypt in a hurry and didn’t have time to let their bread rise. Eating matzah during Passover helps people remember their history and the importance of freedom.

During the holiday, many families share matzah at a special dinner called the Passover Seder. Some people make matzah by hand, while others use machines. No matter how it’s made, matzah is prepared carefully to stay free from anything that would make it rise.

Passover seder

Jewish families come together for a special dinner called a seder on the first night of Passover. During this meal, they share the story of the Exodus from Egypt using a book called the Haggadah. The seder follows a special order with 15 parts. This includes saying blessings and eating symbolic foods like matzah and bitter herbs.

Children are an important part of the seder. They ask questions about the traditions, which helps everyone talk about what the symbols and the story mean. One fun tradition is hiding a piece of matzah called the afikoman. The children help find it, which makes the evening more enjoyable. The seder usually ends with songs and prayers, including a wish for "Next year in Jerusalem."

Hallel

During Passover, Jews read special prayers called Hallel. These prayers come from the Psalms. They thank God for helping the Israelites. On the first day of Passover, people read all of Hallel. During the rest of the holiday, they read only half of it. This tradition helps people show thanks and celebrate Passover. It is similar to prayers on other holidays like Shavuot and Succot.

Counting of the Omer

Main article: Counting of the Omer

Starting on the second night of Passover, Jews begin a special practice called the Counting of the Omer. This is a way to count the days until the holiday of Shavuot.

Each night, after the evening prayer service, people say a blessing and count the day of the Omer. For example, on the first night, they say, "Today is the first day in the Omer." On the second night, they say, "Today is the second day in the Omer."

The counting shows the link between Passover and Shavuot. Passover celebrates when the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. Shavuot marks when they received the Torah at Mount Sinai. The counting helps remind people of this journey from freedom to spiritual growth.

Chol HaMoed: The intermediate days of Passover

In Israel, Passover lasts for seven days. The first and last days are major Jewish holidays. Outside Israel, many people celebrate for eight days, with the first two and last two days as major holidays. The days in between are called Chol HaMoed. These days are fun for family outings and picnics. People eat foods like matzah, hardboiled eggs, fruits, and special treats such as macaroons and homemade candies.

Passover cooking uses special ingredients. For example, Passover cakes use potato starch or special Passover flour made from matzah instead of regular flour. Cookies might use matzah farfel or ground nuts. Some families enjoy borsht, a soup made with beets, especially those with Eastern European backgrounds. In Israel, some families use a special pot called a Wonder Pot to cook meals if they cannot use their regular ovens.

Seventh day of Passover

Shevi'i shel Pesach (שביעי של פסח, 'seventh [day] of Passover') is a special Jewish holiday. Outside of Israel, people in the Jewish diaspora celebrate this day on both the seventh and eighth days of Passover. This day marks when the Children of Israel came to the Red Sea.

Hasidic leaders, called Rebbes, often gather their followers for a special meeting called a tish on this night. They place a cup of water on the table and talk about the miracle of the sea splitting.

Second Passover

The "Second Passover" (Pesach Sheni) is a special day mentioned in the Hebrew Bible's Book of Numbers. It happens on the 14th of Iyar in the Hebrew calendar. This day gives people another chance to celebrate if they missed it before because of ritual impurity or being far from Jerusalem.

Today, this day is a very small holiday. Some communities do not say a special penitential prayer called Tachanun. Many people enjoy eating a piece of matzah that night, but this is just a custom, not a rule.

Notable events on Passover

Some important events happened during Passover.

Long ago, Isaac was born on this holiday. Much later, the Israelites left Egypt during Passover. They were safe because they put lamb's blood on their doors.

In 1979, during Passover night, the new government in Uganda let people freely practice Judaism again after years of restriction.

Traditional foods

During Passover, Jewish families eat special foods because they do not use leaven (chametz) for eight days. Popular foods include Matzah brei, which is matzo fried with egg, and Charoset, a sweet mixture that reminds us of the mortar used by the Israelites in Egypt. Other traditional dishes are Chrain, a horseradish and beet relish, and Gefilte fish, made from ground fish.

Different Jewish groups have their own Passover foods. For example, Sephardi Jews enjoy Kafteikas di prasa, fried balls with leeks and meat, and Mina, a pie made with matzot. Spring vegetables like artichoke and fava beans are also common during this holiday.

Related celebrations, sermons, liturgy, and song in other religions

The story of freedom during Passover has inspired many religious songs and prayers, including spirituals in the African-American community. The Saint Thomas Syrian Christians celebrate Pesaha on Maundy Thursday, a tradition that includes eating Pesaha Appam. The Samaritan religion also has its own version of Passover based on the Samaritan Pentateuch.

Christianity celebrates Easter around the same time as Passover because of the events surrounding Jesus' crucifixion. In Islam, Ashura marks Moses' escape from Egypt with fasting.

Environmental links

Some people think Passover teaches us important lessons about caring for our planet, especially today with problems like climate change. Rabbi Yonatan Neril, who leads the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, says that the problems we face with climate change are like the hardships the Israelites faced in ancient Egypt. He compares the Plagues of Egypt to modern environmental issues and encourages us to change our habits, just as the Pharaoh needed to change his ways. Scientists think climate shifts during the time of Ramesses II might have affected the Nile River, possibly leading to events described as plagues, such as a red algae bloom.