The most commonly observed Jewish holiday is, perhaps, Passover. The holiday commemorates the salvation of the Jews from their years of Egyptian slavery and the "passing over" of the Holy Spirit during the last plague sent by God to "encourage" the Pharaoh to release the Jews and allow them to leave. In fact, the Hebrew word for the holiday is "Pesach" (pronounced "PAY-sahch" – the ‘ch’ is as in ‘loch," a Scottish lake) and translates as "to Pass Through." It also happens to fall at the beginning of the harvest season in the Middle East and that may – or may not – relate the holiday to even more ancient agricultural rites existing in the region. It is the first of three major holidays (Shavu’ot and Sukkot being the other two) that are deeply rooted in the agricultural calendar.
Pesach, or Passover, begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan and lasts for seven days. In 2008, this means that Pesach begins on April 2oth and runs until April 27th.
Chametz
One of the most important activities of Pesach or Passover is the ritual – and actual – removal of every bit of chametz (pronounced HUM- ch…again, as it "loch") from the home. Chametz is anything that is made from any kind of grain (wheat, barley, oats, rye, spelt, rice, corn and even sometimes legumes and peanuts) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes of coming into contact with any kind of liquid.
The Passover Seder
The first night of Pesach is the time to celebrate the Passover Seder, a family-centered meal steeped in ritual and the passing on of the Passover story to each succeeding generation. The meal follows a specific course, and there is a specific set of information that is an intricate part of the meal to be taught by the elders and learned by the youngest family members. In Hebrew, "seder" not surprisingly means "order."
The Seder begins with a blessing over the wine for the Pesach table. One cup each is drunk and a second cup is poured. Then the ritual meal follows:
1) Washing of the Hands and Karpas.
2) Yachatz
3) Maggid - retelling of apssover story. Then a second cup of wine is drunk.
4) Rachtzah - washing - in preparation of eating the matzah.
5) Motzi - Blessing of the grain products (all made of matzah). Another bit of matzah is eaten.
6) Blessing an deating of Bitter Herbs - to symbolize the harshness of slavery. Usually, this is horseradish or a lettice, eaten with harroset (a symbol of the mortar used in Pharaoh's building projects. This is called the Korekh portion of the meal (7)
8) The Shulchan Orekh or Dinner. There is no particular requirement for any particular meal for this portion – except that no Chametz of any kind may be eaten). In America, roast chicken, corned beef brisket or lamb roast are all quite common. Gefilte fish and matzah ball soup are also common first courses.
9) Tzafun or Afikomen. The piece of matzah that has been earlier set aside at the beginning of the meal is eaten as "dessert." In many families, the children traditionally "hide" the afikomen and the parents then "ransom" it with a bit of candy or another treat.
10) Following this, a third cup of wine is poured, blessed (Barekh) and drunk – and then a fourth cup is poured. The fourth pouring includes a cup for the Prophet Elijah – for whom a place at the Seder table has been set aside. The door to the home is also opened briefly to welcome the prophet into the home and "hear" his heralding of the Messiah – who is hoped for in the coming year. Several more psalms are recited. Another blessing is said over the wine and it is drunk.
Finally, there is a simple statement that the yearly Pesach has been completed.
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