What Is Passover And How Is It Celebrated?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Passover is often celebrated with great pomp and ceremony , especially on the first night, when a special family meal called the seder is held. ... At the seder, foods of symbolic significance commemorating the Hebrews' liberation are eaten, and prayers and traditional recitations are performed.

What does Passover symbolize?

Passover, also known as Pesach, is a Jewish that lasts for eight days to commemorate the freedom of the Israelites from the Egyptians . In the Torah, God helped the people of Israel escape—with the leadership of Moses—by casting 10 plagues on the Egyptians so they would release them from his reign.

What is Passover in simple terms?

Passover (Hebrew: פסח, Pesach‎) is a religious holiday or festival noted by ceremonies each year, mostly by Jewish people. They celebrate it to remember when God used Moses to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as told in the book of Exodus in the Bible.

How do we celebrate Passover?

They celebrate the seven-day festival by enjoying the first and last days as legal holidays and many take the week off to travel around the country . During Passover, Jews refrain from eating leavened food (made with yeast) such as bread and stores stop selling bread and bread products for the entire week.

How is Passover related to Easter?

Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover by its name (Hebrew: פֶּסַח pesach, Aramaic: פָּסחָא pascha are the basis of the term Pascha), by its origin (according to the synoptic Gospels, both the crucifixion and the resurrection took place during the Passover) and by much of its symbolism, as well as by its position in ...

What is the story of the Passover?

Why is Passover celebrated? Passover commemorates the Biblical story of Exodus — where God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The celebration of Passover is prescribed in the book of Exodus in the Old Testament (in Judaism, the first five books of Moses are called the Torah).

What is the Passover and why is it important?

Passover, Hebrew Pesaḥ or Pesach, in Judaism, holiday commemorating the Hebrews' liberation from slavery in Egypt and the “passing over” of the forces of destruction , or the sparing of the firstborn of the Israelites, when the Lord “smote the land of Egypt” on the eve of the Exodus.

Did Jesus eat a Passover meal?

The Last Supper was a Passover Seder meal that Jesus Christ and his disciples ate to celebrate this event. Jesus taught his disciples that the wine and the bread at the meal signified that he would become the sacrificial lamb by which sins are forgiven and reconciliation with God can occur.

What does the bread represent in the Passover?

Also called the Bread of Affliction, (Lechem Oni in Hebrew), matzah symbolizes the hardship of slavery and the Jewish people's hasty transition to freedom . Karpas is one of the six Passover foods on the Seder plate.

What is not allowed during Passover?

Ashkenazi Jews, who are of European descent, have historically avoided rice, beans, corn and other foods like lentils and edamame at Passover. The tradition goes back to the 13th century, when custom dictated a prohibition against wheat, barley, oats, rice, rye and spelt, Rabbi Amy Levin said on NPR in 2016.

How long is the Passover?

Passover begins on Saturday 27 March this year and lasts for seven or eight days . The festival is traditionally observed for eight days by many Jewish people around the world, including those who left Israel as part of the Jewish diaspora.

Is Good Friday and Passover the same thing?

Passover, Good Friday fall on same day , making for more religious observances. Friday marks the beginning of Passover in the Jewish faith and Good Friday for Christians worldwide, meaning thousands of people in the Phoenix area — and millions more globally — will participate in special observances to mark the holy days ...

Was last supper a Passover meal?

In most depictions, Jesus (a practicing, if somewhat rebellious, Jew) and his 12 disciples are reclining. They say prayers, they drink wine, and they break bread —all hallmarks of a Passover celebration. ... The books of Mark, Matthew, and Luke all describe the Last Supper as a Passover Seder.

When was Jesus crucified in Passover?

Mark and John agree that Jesus died on a Friday. In Mark, this was the Day of Passover (15 Nisan), the morning after the Passover meal of the evening before. Arrested and interrogated by Caiaphas and Pilate that night, Jesus was tried and crucified the next morning at 9 a.m. on Passover day.

What are the Passover plagues?

Pharaoh refused, so God sent ten plagues on the Egyptians to compel them to release the Israelites. The plagues killed Egyptian livestock and crops and sent lice, flies, frogs, wild animals, locusts, hail, boils, and extended darkness to compel Pharaoh to release the Jews.

Why did God send plagues?

Because Pharaoh refused to set the Israelites free, God decided to punish him , sending ten plagues on to Egypt. These included: The Plague of Blood. ... The fish in the river died and the Egyptians couldn't drink the foul water.

Maria Kunar
Author
Maria Kunar
Maria is a cultural enthusiast and expert on holiday traditions. With a focus on the cultural significance of celebrations, Maria has written several blogs on the history of holidays and has been featured in various cultural publications. Maria's knowledge of traditions will help you appreciate the meaning behind celebrations.