[Faith-talk] FW: [masterslist] Israel on the Eve of Passover

Thu Apr 5 22:23:28 UTC 2012

Original Message: 
From: "Dean Masters" <dwmasters15 at gmail.com>
To: "masters list" <masterslist at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [masterslist] Israel on the Eve of Passover
Date: 
Thu, 5 Apr 2012 17:23:12 -0400

Israel on the Eve of Passover
Ryan Jones

Passover is the most anticipated of all Jewish holidays, and also one of
the 
busiest times of year in Israel. The first and the last days of Passover
are
religious and legal holidays, so all preparation work must be done during

the days prior to those two Sabbaths. But all that work is worth it, as 
Passover
is not only a joyous time of festivity, but a solemn remembrance of the
most 
defining moments in the history of the people of Israel.

Passover is first and foremost a commemoration of the Exodus of the
Jewish 
people from Egypt, a rebirth from slavery into freedom of the children of

Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob. But it is not merely remembered as a piece of history. 
Jewish families are commanded to tell the Passover story to their children

as though
it happened to them personally. In so doing, the vital lessons of the 
Passover story remain just as relevant today as they were in the time of 
Moses.

In the run-up to Passover, most Jewish homes will go through what has
become 
known in the West as "spring cleaning," an intense scouring of the house
for
all chametz, or leavened products. Often crumbs of bread will accumulate
in 
hard-to-reach places, so the easiest thing to do is simply cleanse the 
entire
house from top to bottom. In the final days before Passover, many
families 
will participate in a symbolic candlelight search for the last bits of 
chametz,
a reminder of the biblical commandment that no leaven is to be found
during 
the week-long holiday.

In place of normal bread, Jews will eat special unleavened bread, or
matzah, 
during Passover. This practice is a reminder of the hurried manner in
which
their ancestors had to depart Egypt, without even time to properly
prepare 
bread for the journey (Exodus 12). Already then, God commanded Israel to 
mark
the event as the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

For those visiting the Holy Land during this season, the Saturday before 
Passover, known as "the Great Sabbath," is a wonderful time to visit local

synagogues,
where rabbis will be expounding on meanings behind the laws and
regulations 
surrounding the commemoration of Passover.

The Seder meal on the first evening of Passover (Friday, April 6 this
year) 
is the main event of this holiday season. Following along in a
guide/prayer
book known as the Haggadah (literally "narration" in Hebrew), families
will 
engage in an evening of story-telling, prayers and feasting that often
lasts
into the late hours of the night.

At the center of the Seder table rests a special plate containing several

particular foods: a roasted egg symbolizing the Temple sacrifices; a
roasted 
shank
bone in remembrance of the special Passover lamb offered and eaten during

the Exodus and in Temple times; a delicious mixture of chopped apples,
nuts,
wine and cinnamon known as charoset as a reminder of the mortar the
Hebrew 
slaves in Egypt were forced to prepare day in and day out; sprigs of
parsley
and lettuce symbolizing the coming of spring; a bitter herb as a reminder
of 
the bitterness of slavery; and salt water to recall the tears of the 
children
of Israel in Egypt.

Another item of importance is a plate containing three sheets of matzah,
one 
for each division of the Jewish people: the priests (cohanim), the
Levites,
and the general population. One of those matzah sheets is traditionally 
known as the afikoman, and according to later Seder customs, the Passover 
meal
cannot be concluded until it is consumed. As a way of involving the
younger 
Seder participants, the afikoman is as some during the evening hidden
away,
and must be found by one of the children. At this point, the child who
found 
the afikoman will "ransom" it back so that the Seder may continue.

It is also customary, and important, to recall during the Seder the Ten 
Plagues visited upon Egypt both for its refusal to loose the children of 
Israel
and to demonstrate the God of Israel's dominance over the pagan gods. But
it 
is not a gloating remembrance. At this point in the Seder, Jews will
recall
the Ten Plagues by reciting each while simultaneously dipping their
fingers 
in their own glasses of wine and removing a drop for each plague. The 
symbolism
is that even though the Jews were oppressed by Egypt, nevertheless they
do 
not rejoice in the Egyptians' suffering. Israel's own cups of wine cannot

remain
full while there remains suffering, even the suffering of their enemies.

The morning of Passover (remember, Jewish holidays run from 
evening-to-evening) is a full public holiday, and nearly all stores and 
businesses will be closed.
This is again a wonderful time to visit local synagogues for festive and 
joyous readings of scripture both praising God for Israel's freedom and 
welcoming
the latter rains and the start of spring.

The intermediate days of Passover, known as chol ha'moed, occur on
weekdays 
this year (sunset on Saturday, April 7 until sunset on Thursday, April
12),
and so are not full public holidays. While schools will still be closed, 
most businesses will be open, including post offices and banks, and 
newspapers
will be published.

The seventh day of Passover (starting this year at sunset on April 12) is

again a full public holiday accompanied by festive synagogue services and

family
meals.

A more recent addition to the Passover week is the festival of Maimouna,
a 
custom brought to Israel by the Jews of Morocco and North Africa. While 
Maimouna
is not an official public holiday, many Israelis nevertheless take a day
off 
from work and gather in parks and other public venues to enjoy a day of 
feasting
and fellowship.

Ryan Jones writes regularly for
Travelujah-Holy Land Tours,
the leading social network focused on travel to the Holy Land. People can

learn, plan and share their Holy land tour and travel experiences on 
Travelujah.

Publication date: April 2, 2012

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