This Monday evening marks the beginning of Pesach, or Passover. The festival is yet another memory, to a people haunted by reminders across both the world and history, of their vulnerability in lands of other religions and beliefs. Moses directed Jews, then living in Egypt, to mark their homes with blood of a lamb to prevent the Angel of Death from killing the first born in those homes. Pharoah then forced Jews into exile, leaving them no time to cook their leavened bread. Pesach is the celebration of survival in the face of that hurried departure and their circumstance free of slavery.
Pesach is an eight day festival to recount and remember. Hebrew days begin and end at sundown so tomorrow actually is the day on the calendar with meals, or Seders, held tonight for most and a second Seder tomorrow night for many as well. Families, whether Sephardic (descended from non-European Jews) or Ashkenazi (from Europe Jews), likely have rituals of their own but hue to the same fifteen part liturgy recounting the historic events of the Book of Exodus, thought to occur around 600 BCE. This Hagadah discusses the events and opens the door to discussions of many things confronting Jews today.
Like virtually everything in Judaism, the symbolism is powerful. A Seder plate is set with a unleavened bread showing the haste of departure (matzo), hardboiled egg (the sacrifice as well as hope life), bitter herbs to dip in salty water or vinegar to illustrate sadness and bitterness, parsley (the newness of spring), a lamb shankbone to recall the lamb sacrificed on the land of the Temple in Jerusalem, charoset (fruit paste to recall mortar slaves worked with to build for Pharoah), and horseradish (denoting bitterness of slavery). Four glasses of wine are part of the ceremony, used as part of the reading of the Haggadah which has been retelling the Passover story for thousands of years. A portion of the matzo, the Afikomen, is hidden through the meal, a delight for children to find at the end. An empty place setting at the table is for Elijah who will announce the coming of the Messiah. A cup of wine sits welcoming the Prophet to bless those at the Seder in preparing for the arrival of the Messiah as a symbol and hope. The meal ends with participants announcing ‘Next year in Jerusalem’ as a reminder of the forced dispersion of Jews around the world over their history.
Children, specifically the youngest male in Orthodox families but the youngest child in other Jewish homes, plays a particularly important role in ceremony by asking questions. Everyone participates in the Hagadah reading but it is the adults who linger around the table in celebration, often well into the night.
Passover is a spring festival as is Easter, welcoming the change of seasons as well as the hope for the future.
This abbreviated description of a Seder and its meaning is particularly poignant this year. Tonight’s events take on a special role for Jews following the attacks of 7 October. This horrified those inside of the Jewish state and around the world. The violence against Jews on that early October day as well as the subsequent and on-going anti-Semitism has been a harsh reminder of feelings and violence that never seem to subside. This is a terrifying for Jews around the world, hence their reactions to threats.
Thank you for reading today’s column—and any of these ideas. I welcome your thoughts. If you have never been to a Seder, attend one!
It was another spectacular sunrise, following a pretty sunset last night.
Be well and be safe. FIN
Thank you for a review for those of us of not of the Jewish faith, but United in support of our Jewish Brothers and Sisters. Let us hope that there is a next year, in Jerusalem.
Cliff