This festival is named Passover because the miracle happened when the death of angled “passed over” the house of ancient Israelites in Egypt. This festival is centered on a communal celebration or family gathering.
During the Passover time, a special meal known as Seder is prepared. This meal is served to whole family members gathered at one place. It is one of the most beloved festivals among various Jewish holidays.
History Of Passover
The basic origin of Passover lies in the celebration of the first grain harvest by ancient Israelites. Also, it is associated with the birth of the first lambs in the season. In a Jewish context, the Passover is celebrated as God’s great redemptive act during the time of Exodus.
Exodus helped the ancient Israelites to obtain freedom from slavery. Along with Shavuot and Sukkot programs (two festivals of Jews), Passover is also celebrated by the Jews. During the time of the Passover festival, the adult males of the family visit a temple in Jerusalem.
They offer sacrifices and bask in the temple. After the destruction of the second temple in 70 CE, the main attention has been shifted to the ritual meal, popularly known as Seder. Seder is enjoyed with whole family members.
Usually, people host Seder at their home. Now, with the changing tradition, the trend of celebrating Passover has completely changed. At present, people prefer to celebrate Passover out-of-town. The Passover programs operators plan a special journey to Jewish people and let them enjoy Passover in a relaxing and luxurious style.
Passover Celebration At Home
In the Passover celebration at home, the traditional method is used to engage in the spring cleaning of the home and preparation of kosher items. During the Passover holidays, the preparation of a special kind of meal reflects the major theme of the celebration. The Passover festival is celebrated with the main intention to help Jews relive God’s redemptive act.
The ancient Israelites who were the slaves of the Egyptian Pharaoh did not have sufficient time to let their bread rise when they were leaving Egypt hurriedly.
Therefore, during the Passover festival, Jews are not allowed to eat anything that consists of leavening agents. Thus, the major part of Jewish preparation during Passover consists of removing all traces of leavened items from the house.
Before the time of Passover, the entire house is thoroughly cleaned to remove the traces of leavened items. They sell the leavened items to non-Jew people before starting Passover. Thus, every Jew does massive clean-up at their house to get rid of leavened items. Also, they restock their kitchen with unleavened products.
The main ritual during the Passover is preparing a Seder meal. It is a carefully prepared ritual meal that symbolized the tear, struggle, and torture faced by ancient Israelites. On the Seder plate, various symbolic foods are laid out on the table. Out of various meals prepared for the Seder plate, the most important one matzah (unleavened bread of affliction).
The script mentioned in Haggadah is followed for Seder. Haggadah is a book that describes the story of ancient Jews in Egypt. Every member of the family, even small kids participates in Seder meals.
Passover In Community
The main focus of Passover observance is at the home. During the first and last day of Passover, Jews are not allowed to work. During the Passover holidays, the special kind of biblical reading and special synagogue services are offered. On the last day of Passover, the Yizkor service of remembrance is recited after four years.
Passover Theology and Themes
Redemption is an overarching theme of Passover. The Passover holiday is celebrated as God’s intervention in history and helped the ancient Israelites to get freedom from slavery. Passover is a time for celebrating God as one of the biggest liberators of humanity.
The divine saving of ancient Israelites by God has led the Jews to understand the divine morality and ethics of God. All Jews should celebrate Passover with great enthusiasm. Every Jew should participate and understand the meaning of freedom.
