Seder Of The Passover example essay topic

What is Passover? Its History and Traditions Passover is one of the oldest festivals in the world. This festival falls in spring, in the first month of the Hebrew year, called Nisan (March-April), and lasts for eight days, from the fifteenth to the twenty-third. It commemorates the release of the Israelites from Egypt and the fact that God "passed over" their houses when he sought the first-born in that land. According to the Bible, the story of Passover runs as follows. A group of Hebrews known as the sons of Jacob came down from Canaan towards Egypt.

They settled under a benevolent regime, where they were made slaves and set to work, building the cities of Pit hum and Ramses. The pharaoh ordered all the Hebrew sons to be killed at birth. A Hebrew mother placed her infant child into a box and placed him in the Nile River, to escape the pharaoh's decree. The Pharaoh's daughter found this Hebrew baby, called him Moses, took him home and raised him. One day, he saw a brutal attack upon a Hebrew by an Egyptian overseer; enraged by the attack Moses killed the Egyptian. Fearing to be killed for killing an Egyptian, he fled to Midian, where he married the daughter of a local priest.

On one occasion while attending the sheep of his father-in-law on Mount Horeb, Moses witnessed a spectacle of a burning bush. This bush seemed some how not to consume. Wondering what was happening, he came closer to the bush and the local god Yahweh (Jehovah) told him that the Israelites were suffering, and that he had been chosen to release them from Egypt and lead them to the land, what is known now as Palestine and Syria. Moses had to introduce Jehovah to the Israelites, and after they had adopted him, he had to go to the Pharaoh and request the release of the people. To show that it was indeed Jehovah, who had spoken to Moses, Moses was furnished with three magical credentials. First, his staff was turned into a serpent and then reverted to its normal shape.

Second, when he placed his hand under his sleeve, it became leprous and then it recovered when he removed it. Third, he was told that if the people persisted in questioning his mission, he was to give them visible proof by turning water from the Nile into blood before their eyes. As commissioned, Moses repaired with his brother Aaron, to the court of Pharaoh, where another magical demonstration took place. Moses threw down his staff and it immediately turned into a serpent. The Egyptian magicians did the same thing, but Moses serpent ate the other serpents. Nevertheless, pharaoh did not accede to Moses' message of God "Let my people go".

The land of Egypt was visited by a succession of nine plagues. First, the rivers turned to blood. Then came the plagues of frogs, lice, murrain, flies, boils, locusts, and darkness. Still the pharaoh would refuse to let the Israelites go, until at last, Jehovah brought one more plague on the pharaoh and on Egypt.

This is where the holiday's name- Pesach- meaning "passing over" or protection in Hebrew is derived. From the instructions given to Moses by Jehovah, in order to encourage the pharaoh to free the Israelites, Jehovah Himself came and slew the first-born in Egypt, passing over the homes of the Israelites, who were told to mark their dwellings with lamb's blood so that Jehovah could identify and "pass over" their homes. The pharaoh finally agreed to free the Israelites. They left their homes so quickly that there wasn't even time to bake their breads. Therefore, they packed the raw dough to take with them on their journey. As they fled through the desert, they would quickly bake the dough in the hot sun into hard crackers called matzohs.

The Jews were not free. The pharaoh's army chased them with a force of six hundred men towards the Red Sea. When the Jews reached the sea, they were trapped, since the sea blocked their escape. Then a miracle occurred, an angel of Jehovah interposed a pillar of cloud between the Israelites and the Egyptians. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the lake, and Jehovah caused a strong wind to sweep across the sea, dividing the waters, to give passage to the Israelites. The Egyptians followed them, but the waters closed in upon them and they were drowned.

Then as the Israelites watched the waters of the Red Sea sweep away the pharaoh's army, they realizes they were finally free. Since the time of Jewish freedom from Egyptian slavery, Jews have celebrated this historical event with the Passover holiday. The first two nights of the eight-day holiday are celebrated with lavish meals called Seders. The word "Seder" means "order" and refers to the order of historical events recalled in the Passover meal as well as the meal itself.

The Seder is the most important event in the Passover celebration. Usually gathering the whole family and friends together, the Seder is steeped in long held traditions and customs. Before the festival begins, all leavened food called Hametz is carefully removed from the household. "Hametz, is defined as any grain that ferments on decomposition, namely, wheat, barley, spelt, oats, and rye". (Cardozo, 126) All ha metz is eaten either before Passover begins or sold to non-Jewish neighbors and friends. Only foods that are "Kosher for Passover" are allowed.

Only matzoh (unleavened bread) and foods containing matzoh are eaten. This is to commemorate the Israelites who fled quickly into the desert with no time for their breads to rise and were forced to bake the dough into hard crackers in the desert sun. The rules surrounding Passover are strict and many, with only special foods, utensils, and dishware allowed. Kitchen utensils and dishware normally used in the home are not to be used during Passover.

Special dishes and utensils for the Passover holiday are taken out of storage, cleaned and used. With its Passover dishware and silverware, the Seder table is different from the regular dinner table. The center piece of which is the Seder plate, a special plate containing the five foods that remind us of the struggle of the Israelites in their quest and journey to freedom. Three pieces of matzoh are placed in a Matzoh Cover (a cloth sleeve) and placed one above the other in the center of the Seder table. These are usually baked especially thick, and are known as mitzvoth, cakes reserved for ritual use. The top one is popularly known as "the Cohen", the second as "the Levite", and the third as "the Israelite".

Before the meal begins the middle matzoh or "the Levite", is removed and broken in half. One half is returned to the Matzoh Cover, the other - the Afikomen is hidden, to be hunted by the children at the end of the Seder meal. The child who finds the Afikomen wins a special prize. Some homes break the into many pieces so that each child present can find a piece and receive a prize. The Seder plate contains five foods that have a special meaning for this holiday.

1) Haro seth- A mixture of chopped walnuts, wine, cinnamon and apples, pounded into a kind of paste that represents the mortar the Jewish slaves used to assemble the pharaoh's bricks. 2) Parsley- Symbolizes Springtime, it is dipped in salt water to remind us of the tears of the Jewish slaves. 3) A Roasted Egg - It commemorates the additional sacrifices at the temple as well as the destruction of the Temple. 4) A Shank Bone- A symbol of the sacrificial lamb offering. The bone can come from whatever the family is eating, such as the leg bone of a roasted turkey. 5) Bitter Herbs- This symbolizes the bitterness of slavery in Egypt.

Horseradish or the core of romaine lettuce is used. During the Seder four glasses of wine are poured, to represent the four expressions used in Exodus 6: 6-7. "I will bring you out from under the burden of the Egyptians, and I will rid you of the bondage, and I will redeem you and I will take you to me for a people". (Fredman, 21) A fifth cup of wine is poured and placed on the Seder table. This is the cup of the prophet Elijah. During the Seder, the door to the home is opened to invite the prophet Elijah in, who is believed to come as a guest to every Seder meal.

The master of the house sits at the head of the table, and on his chair, there is a cushion so that he may recline through out the meal. In many parts, he wears a long white robe known as a kitten. This robe is also worn on New Year and the Day of Atonement; and is in this garment, which is a symbol of purity, that a man is both married and buried. The evening is divided into three main sections.

The first and last deal with the past and the future history and hopes of the community, and are separated by a feast. The service begins with the sanctification (Kiddush). The first cup of wine is poured, and the master of the house pronounces a blessing, in which all join, thanking God especially for the festival of unleavened bread. After the wine has been drunk, the master washes his hands and distributes parsley dipped in salt water to every person sitting at the table. The master next takes the middle cake of the unleavened bread and breaks it in half, wrapping one of the halves in a napkin and laying it aside to use later. The other half is exhibited and then, the master rises and recites the Halacha Anya: "This is the bread of affliction, which our forefathers ate in the land of Egypt.

Let all who are hungry, come and eat. Let all who are needy come and celebrate the Passover feast. This year we are here, next year may we be in the land of Israel. This year we are slaves, next year may we be free men!" (Fredman, 32) The second glass of wine is now filled, and the youngest person present asks the four Questions.

1) Why do we eat only matzoh on Pesach? Matzoh reminds us that when the Jews left the slavery of Egypt they had no time to bake their bread. They took the raw dough on their journey and baked it in the hot desert sun into hard crackers called matzoh. 2) Why do we eat bitter herbs, mar or, at our Seder? Major reminds us of the bitter and cruel way the pharaoh treated the Jewish people when they were slaves in Egypt. 3) Why do we dip our foods twice tonight?

We dip bitter herbs into to remind us how hard the Jewish slaves worked in Egypt. The chopped apples and nuts look like the clay used to make the bricks used in building the pharaoh's buildings. We dip parsley into salt water. The parsley reminds us that spring is here and new life will grow.

The salt water reminds us of the tears of the Jewish slaves. 4) Why do we lean on a pillow tonight? We lean on a pillow to be comfortable and to remind us that once we were slaves, but now we are free. Then comes the section of the Four Sons. The Four sons represent different methods of reading the Passover story to people with different types of personal attributes. One child is wise, another is slow, another is wicked, and the final one is silent.

The reciting of the story of Passover to match the different abilities of various people is also a reflection of the flexibility inherent in freedom, as opposed to the rigidity of slavery. The section of the Four Sons is followed by a poem reciting the benefits given by Jehovah upon Israel. Each line ends with the word "Dayyenu" meaning "it was enough". The evening meal is then served, preceded by dipping the hard-boiled eggs in salt water and eating them. After the meal, the master unwraps the reserved half of the middle cake or Afikomen and everyone receives two pieces. The is the last food of the Passover ritual, and it must be eaten before midnight.

After graced had been said, the third glass of wine is drunk. Elijah's cup is filled, the door is opened by anyone present, and the following words are said: "O pours out thy wrath upon nations that know Thee not, and upon the kingdoms that call not upon thy name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his land. Pour out Thy indignation upon them, and let the fierceness of thy anger overtake them.

Pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of the Lord. (Phillip, 234) The door is closed and all are seated. The fourth glass of wine is filled, and a long Hallel is read, which are praises to God. The fourth and last glass of wine is drunk, reclining to the left.

Another passage is read asking for the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and then comes the closing line, which is a poem that declares that the prescribed ritual has now been carried out in all its detail, and offers a prayer that those who have partaken in it may be spared to do so again in the coming year:" The Seder of the Passover is now complete, according to the laws, rules and customs. As we have been privileged to celebrate it this year, may we be worthy to actually offer it in the Holy Land. O pure One, Who abides in the temple, rise up Thy numberless people. O speedily lead the branches Thou has planted, as free men to Zion, with songs of rejoicing. Next year in Jerusalem!" (Goodman, 242) After the conclusion, about midnight, it is customary to sing a few hymns praising Jehovah's benevolence. The last song of the Haggadah is the most familiar.

This is the famous Had Gaya (Only one kid). The song relates the chain of events that followed when a little kid was set upon by a fox. The fox was bitten by a dog, the dog was beaten by a stick, the stick burnt by fire, the fire quenched by water, the water drunk by an ox, the ox slaughtered by a butcher, the butcher slain by the angel of death and the angel of death by the Holy One, blessed be He. The song was popularly interpreted as an allegorical history of Israel. The kid was Israel, purchased by God for the price of the two tables of the Covenant.

The fox was Assyria, the dog Babylon, the stick Persia, the Fire Greece, the water Rome, the Ox the Saracens, the butcher the Crusaders; and the angel of death the Turkish domination. The evening ends with the spirited singing of these songs. All foods and drinks served at the Passover meal carry a significant symbolic meaning. The recital of the Passover story and its rituals serve to remind the person of his / her importance, enabling the person to be aware of gratitude, and to widen an individual's perspective of himself / herself in relation to his / her fellow human beings.

The Feast of Freedom, called Passover, is an example of a meaningful story showing God's intent to convey a balance between the Hebrews's elf concerns and the concerns of their enemies, as God reminds the Hebrew to pray for the fallen Egyptians army and the slain first-born's of the Egyptian families. Passover's concept of freedom is not only a cause for celebration, but also a strong lesson in the value of how a person should conduct oneself or a group should conduct itself to other human beings.

Bibliography

Bulk a, Reuven P. What you thought you knew about Judaism. Jason Aronson Inc. North vale, New Jersey. 1989 Cardozo, Arlene Ross en Jewish Family Celebrations.
St. Martin's Press, New York. 1982 Fredman, Ruth Gruber The Passover Seder.
University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia. 1981 Goodman, Philip The Passover Anthology.
The Jewish Publication Society of America. Philadelphia. 1971 Sohn, Stock-tae The Divine Election of Israel.
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1991.