Passover is a holiday that commemorates the escape of the Hebrews from
enslavement in Egypt. The ritual is an ancient one and, therefore, has built up
many traditions. These customs aid in the remembrance of that extremely
important event in Jewish history, and they are held in reverence. Since the
holiday is so old, many of its traditions have been held for
centuries.
Removing the ChametzAccording to commandments
found in the Torah, all chametz must be removed from one's home before the first
day of Passover. Chametz refers to any substance that is fermented or can cause
fermentation. These could include breads, most alcoholic beverages, some types
of cakes as well as yeast, sourdough, and high fructose corn syrup.
The
practice of removing the chametz is meant to be a reminder of God's command to
the Hebrews to only eat unleavened (without chametz) bread on the night they
left Egypt.
The removal of all the chametz from the home often takes the
form of a spring-cleaning. Prior to Passover, observant Jews will clean out
every part of the house to ensure that no chametz is left behind. Any appliance
or implement that has come into contact with chametz is cleaned as well. For
example, the kitchen counters would be scrubbed and the oven would be cleaned
with heat (either by running it in "clean" mode or by cleaning it with boiling
water).
Ideally, chametz must be discarded, but selling it is permitted
for those who are in desperate financial situations or for particularly valuable
items like liquor products. After all the leavened products have been gathered,
they are burned together. If any additional leavened products are found during
Passover, they are to be discarded in the same way as soon as
possible.
Matzo
Matzo (also spelled
matzoh, matza, matze, matzah) is unleavened bread that is eaten during Passover.
It's a substitute for traditional bread, since chametz is not allowed, but it
also serves a more important purpose as well.
While matzo can be eaten
all throughout the holiday, it is a necessary part of the Passover Seder. At
times, matzo is made with extra ingredients like eggs or fruit juice; however,
it's traditional to have Matzo made with only water and flour at the Passover
Seder.
There are several explanations for the meaning behind matzo:
- Since the Hebrews left Egypt very quickly, they didn't have time to wait for
bread to rise, so they made matzo as a quick substitute that they could eat on
their journey.
- Some scholars teach that matzo was already common for traveling during the
time, as it kept longer and was light for carrying.
- Another teaching is that matzo, sometimes called Lechem Oni, meaning "poor
man's bread" in Hebrew, is a reminder of what it was like for the Hebrews to be
poor slaves under Egyptian rule.
The Fast of the
FirstbornAccording to the book of Exodus, God sent Moses to ask
Pharaoh of Egypt to let his people (the Hebrews) go. Each time Pharaoh refused,
God sent a plague over the land (ten in all). The final and most terrible plague
is known as "the death of the firstborn." God sent an angel to take the lives of
all the firstborn sons in Egypt, including Pharaoh's own son. God, however,
spared the Hebrews from this plague.
To celebrate this miracle, there is
the "fast of the firstborn." Firstborn sons of practicing Jewish families that
have reached the age of Bar Mitzvah must fast on the morning before Passover.
Traditionally, if the son has not yet had his Bar Mitzvah, the responsibility of
the fast falls to the father.
The Passover Seder
The Passover Seder is
perhaps the most important part of the Passover celebration. This traditional
dinner is held on the first night of the holiday. Special sets of china and
silverware are used just for Passover. This is done to ensure it has not come
into contact with chametz.
The meal is split into 15 parts and retells
the story of the exodus from Egypt. A special Hebrew text called the Haggadah is
used to narrate the ritual, with four cups of wine being drunk, and other
actions taking place throughout the 15 parts. The 15 parts of the meal represent
the 15 steps in the Temple of Jerusalem. The Hebrew priests (called Levites)
would stand on these steps during temple services.
One of the
major goals of the Passover Seder is to teach children about the events
surrounding the Exodus. The meal incorporates questions and unusual practices as
a means of piquing the interest of the children. They receive candy and other
rewards for asking questions and being a part of the discussion.
The
afikoman is an important part of the Seder. When the leader of the meal breaks
the middle section of Matzo into two pieces during the fourth step of the Seder,
the larger of the two pieces becomes the afikoman. Sometimes the afikoman is
hidden and children are presented with a reward for finding it. Other times the
children can "steal" it and insist on a reward for returning it. The afikoman is
finally eaten during the 12th part of the Seder.
Other
TraditionsThere are many other traditions associated with this
holiday. Here are a couple more:
- Counting of the Omer - This ritual begins on the second night of
Passover. It is a nightly reminder of the approach of Shavuot, which is a
celebration of the day God gave the Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai.
- Seventh day of Passover - This day is filled with prayer services and
special meals as a celebration of the day the Hebrews reached the Red Sea and
saw the miracle of its parting.
These traditions are well developed and
serve an integral role in the celebration of Passover. They add much depth to
the event and also serve as a means of bringing people together for discussion,
in addition to celebration.