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How to celebrate Pesach

MARCH 25, 2021

 
Pesach is one of the most important Jewish High Holidays and at the same time probably the most complex one to observe. There are so many laws to follow, so many Mitzvot to keep and so many things we can not do on Pesach. With this article I want to help you to understand the most important facts about this Jewish holiday and how to celebrate Pesach. But first let's start with the history of Pesach...

​
Why Do We Celebrate Pesach?

The Jewish holiday of Pesach commemorates the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The holiday originated in the Torah, where the word Pesach refers to the ancient Passover sacrifice (known as the Paschal lamb); it is also said to refer to the idea that God “passed over” (in Hebrew פסח pasach) the houses of the Jews during the 10th plague on the Egyptians, the death of the firstborn. The holiday is ultimately a celebration of freedom, and the story of the exodus from Egypt can be a powerful metaphor that everyone could benefit from. 

The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for 300 years by Pharaoh. Moshe was the appointed leader by God and he was fighting with Pharaoh to let his people go and when Pharaoh persisted in his refusal to liberate the Israelites, Moshe and Aaron warned him that God would punish both him and his people. And, indeed, God sent the ten plagues, one after the next, until Pharaoh conceded. Only 20% of the Israelites left Egypt during the Exodus. Torah says 600,000 males- that means more or less 2-3 million Israelites left Egypt. The other 80% stayed. 


The Ten Plagues 
​
  1. Dam - Blood 
  2. Tzefardeia - Frogs 
  3. Kinim - Bugs 
  4. Arov - Wild Animals 
  5. Dever - Pestilence
  6. Shechin - boils 
  7. Barad - Hail 
  8. Arbeh - Locust 
  9. Choshech - Darkness 
  10. Makkat Bechorot - Death of the Firstborns ​

The exodus the most important event in Jewish history since it is the beginning of our freedom and the time when we become a Jewish nation and finally receive our Torah.

You can learn more in my Pesach class 1 where I teach thoroughly the history of Pesach. Watch the class here.

Soon after allowing the Israelites to depart from Egypt, Pharaoh chases after them to force their return, and the Israelites find themselves trapped between Pharaoh’s armies and the sea. The sea splits to allow the Israelites to pass. On our first (and second if in diaspora) night of Pesach we remember this event and retell the story of our first night free in the desert. We remember that in Egypt we served Pharaoh and in this new life we serve God.

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Chametz: Kosher For Pesach כשר לפסח

The Torah says: "Don't eat leavened bread for one week to remember the time when you left Egypt and your bread didn't have time to ferment."

We call this Chametz and it includes grains like wheat, oat, rye, barley and spelt. These are prohibited if they’ve had contact with water/moisture for longer than 18 minutes, leading to rising or “leavening.” When the Israelites left Egypt, they left so quickly that their dough couldn’t rise and they ate Matzah for those first few days while wandering in the desert.

Did you know: During the Festival of Sukkot, we also commemorate this very same event- the first day in the desert, eating hard bread and without a real home (ex: our temporary home-- The Sukkah).

The Halacha (Jewish Law) instructs we are not allowed to eat, own and benefit from Chametz. Therefore, we clean our entire home and kitchen to get rid of all the small pieces of Chametz (all products that are made of grains and ALL bred crumbs) that may be hiding around the house. We get rid of or sell all of our Chametz before Pesach arrives.

To learn all of the important steps in preparing your home for Pesach, watch my class on How to make your home Kosher for Pesach here!


​The Practice: How to Celebrate Pesach 

On the first night of Pesach (and the following night if you are in the diaspora) a festive meal called a Seder סדר is held.  There are 15 steps to this ceremony.


Haggadah - the 15 Steps of the Seder: 

  1. Kadesh (sanctification of the day - Kiddush over wine) 
  2. Urchatz (handwashing with no blessing) 
  3. Karpas (eating the green vegetable) 
  4. Yachatz (breaking the matzah) 
  5. Maggid (telling the story) 
  6. Rachtzah (handwashing with a blessing) 
  7. Motzi (blessing before eating matzah) 
  8. Matzah (eating the matzah) 
  9. Maror (eatig the bitter herb)
  10. Korech (Hillel’s sandwich) 
  11. Shulchan Orech (eating the meal) 
  12. Tzafun (eating the afikomen) 
  13. Barech (blessing after eating) 
  14. Hallel (song of praise) 
  15. Nirtzah (conclusion) 


The Mitzvot of Pesach - מצוות הפסח

The biblical Mitzvot of Pesach are to read the exodus story, eat matzah during the first night (and second night if you are in the diaspora) and eat maror. The rabbinical laws added the four glasses of wine, show an act of comfort and freedom by leaning to the left when drinking the wine during the seder.


What Do You Need for Pesach? 

  1. A Haggadah- This is the text recited at the Seder on the first night (and second night if in diaspora) It includes a narrative of the Exodus. 
  2. A seder plate is the focal point of the proceedings on the first (two) night(s) of Pesach. Whether it is on a pretty silver dish or a simple napkin, it holds the special foods around which the Seder is based. ​
  3. A lot of wine. Each person needs to consume 4 glasses of wine and you will need an extra cup for Eliyahu
  4. A bowl with salted water 

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 What is on the Seder plate? 
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  • Matzah
  • Zeroah (a shankbone) 
  • Beitzah (a boiled egg) 
  • Maror and Chazeret (Bitter herbs, like romaine lettuce and horseradish) 
  • Charoset (a sweet paste, consists of apples, pears and nuts) 
  • Karpas ( a vegetable like potato, onions or parsley)

The word Seder means order or procedure. We strictly follow the Haggadah’s procedure during our Pesach Seder to know exactly when and what to eat, when and what to bless, and when to drink the four glasses of wine while retelling the Exodus story. The seder can take up to 5 hours or more! According to tradition, during the Seder, our homes are graced by the presence of Eliyahu the Prophet. There are multiple reasons and meanings behind this age-old tradition. 

  1. Open the door for Eliyahu 
  2. Pour a cup of wine for Eliyahu

Another and final tradition during the seder is the Afikomen. Earlier during the Seder, the middle matzah will be broken in half and the bigger half will be hidden to be found after the seder to be eaten as the dessert.

Learn the details of the Seder here- where I teach a full class on the Pesach Seder.

And now I wish you Chag Pesach sameach v'kasher - A kosher and happy Passover!

By Galya Yebra & Ilana Schiffner

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1 Comment

ILANA
MARCH 25, 2021

Chag Pesach Sameach to everyone! :)

    Leave a Comment

About Me

Welcome to "Jewishbychoice"! 
I am Ilana! 
​German, 28 years old, converted to Orthodox Judaism, currently living in Israel. Fascinated by Torah, Spirituality and Jewish values.
​Today I share my experiences on my blog and assist people in their conversion process. I teach weekly Judaism classes and offer professional conversion coaching.

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