Passover

Passover, important Jewish festival commemorating the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt and their safe flight across the Red Sea (see Judaism: Festivals). This flight, described in the Book of Exodus, was led by Moses.

The name of the festival (pesach, Hebrew for “passing over” or “protection”) is derived from the instructions given to Moses by God (see Exodus 12:3-17). In order to encourage the Egyptians to allow the Hebrews to leave Egypt, Moses is told, God intends to “smite all the first-born ... both man and beast” in the land. To protect themselves, the Hebrews are to mark their dwellings with lamb's blood so that God can identify and thus pass over them. The English term Passover is believed to have been introduced in the 16th century by Biblical translator William Tyndale.

The celebration of the holiday begins after sundown on the 14th day of Nisan, the first month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year (falling in March or April of the Western calendar). In accordance with rabbinic law (see Halakhah; Rabbi), Jews living outside the limits of ancient Palestine (see Diaspora) celebrate the holiday for eight days and partake of a ceremonial meal, known as the Seder, on the first two nights. The Seder consists of prescribed foods, each of which symbolizes some aspect of the ordeal undergone by the Hebrews during their enslavement in Egypt. For example, horseradish signifies the bitterness of the experience, and a mixture of chopped nuts and apples in wine symbolizes the building mortar used by the Hebrews in their forced labor. During the Seder the narrative of the exodus is recounted and prayers of thanksgiving are offered up to God for his loving protection. The readings, songs, and prayers of the Seder are contained in the Haggada, copies of which are available for all at the table. Jews living within the limits of ancient Palestine, along with some Reform Jews, celebrate Passover for seven days, conducting a Seder only on the first night.

Throughout the holiday observant Jews abstain from eating foods that are made with the grains wheat, rye, barley, oats, and spelt in ways that allow the dough to rise. Instead of leavened bread, they eat unleavened bread, usually in the form of matzo. Matzo is made from water and grain flour, most commonly wheat. The matzo dough must be baked before it can rise. These matzoth recall the unleavened bread eaten by the Hebrews during their flight because they had no time to prepare raised bread. Jewish tradition prescribes that, during Passover, meals be prepared and served using sets of utensils and dishes reserved strictly for that festival.