Passover. Pesach is the Jewish Passover. Pesach Festive Table: Seder

Associated with one of the most important events, which is considered the beginning of the history of the Jewish people - the Exodus from Egypt and the liberation from slavery. The whole system of Judaism is based on the memory of the Exodus and subsequent events related to the acquisition of the Promised Land and the building of its own independent state.

In biblical times, the Passover celebration was accompanied by a pilgrimage to the Temple, sacrifices and a feast with the eating of the Passover lamb. It is believed that two ancient festivals - pastoralists and farmers - merged together in Pesach; in the biblical period, it became associated with liberation from Egyptian slavery.

Tradition associates the name "Pesach" with the fact that God "passed" (in Hebrew - "pasah") past the houses of the Jews at the time when he was punishing the Egyptians for the pharaoh's refusal to let the Jewish people go. In the Jewish prayer book (siddur) Pesach is called "the time of our freedom"; The Torah calls it the “Feast of Unleavened Bread,” since the main feature of Pesach is the commandment to eat unleavened bread (matzo) and the strictest prohibition not only to consume, but also to have leaven (chametz) in your home.

The holiday begins on the eve of the 15th day of Nisan (falls in March - April) in Hebrew lunar calendar and lasts seven days in Israel and eight days in the countries of the Diaspora. The date of the holiday according to the Gregorian calendar is annually announced separately.

Passover in 2013. Kvass is forbidden to eat from the fourth solar hour on March 25, and it is allowed to use it in any way for another one solar hour.

The procedure for celebrating Pesach is detailed in Holy Scripture(Tore). Throughout the days of Pesach, the Torah forbids the consumption of leavened food in any form. This is the same food that the Jews did not have time to stock up on when they left Egypt. Also avoid those foods that can ferment. Malt liqueurs, beer and others alcoholic drinks yeast-based are prohibited.

The only bread allowed on Pesach is matzah, an unleavened bread made from wheat flour, which the enslaved Jews ate in Egypt and during the exodus from there. The entire process of baking matzah from the moment water is added to the flour should not exceed 18 minutes. Flour is allowed to be used from one of five cereals: wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt.

Matzah is a reminder that the Jews, having finally received the permission of the pharaoh to leave the country, left Egypt in such a hurry that they had to bake bread from dough that had not yet risen.

Before Pesach, Jews clean their houses, especially in the kitchen. In all territories belonging to a Jew, all leaven is collected and burned on the last morning before Pesach (or sold to a non-Jew). Only the chametz belonging to a Jew cannot be in his dwelling, while the chametz of a non-Jew can be kept in a Jewish home, provided that it is not in plain sight. If the chametz was not sold or destroyed, and it was in the possession of a Jew during Pesach, it is forbidden to use it after the holiday.

The culmination of Pesach is the evening meal of the seder ("order"), which takes place on the first evening of the holiday (in the countries of the diaspora - on the first two evenings). The Seder begins after returning from the synagogue; the whole family with guests gathers around the table. During the seder, the blessings established by the rules are pronounced, prayers are read and psalms are sung. One of the prerequisites is an invitation to participate in the meal of all those in need, as well as those who cannot celebrate the holiday with their families. On the table they put the best dishes and silver, candles, kosher wine, three large pieces matzo and a specially decorated goblet for the prophet Eliyah (Elijah). During the seder, the story of the Exodus is read in a certain sequence (usually from the book of Haggadah) and special symbolic dishes are eaten. This is matzah, which is eaten in fulfillment of the commandment of the Torah; bitter greens - maror (lettuce, basil and horseradish) and hazeret (grated greens), symbolizing the bitterness of Egyptian slavery; as well as a mixture of grated apples, dates, nuts and wine - charoset: its color resembles the clay from which the Jews made bricks while in Egyptian slavery. During meals, greens are dipped in salt water, symbolizing the tears shed by the Jews in Egyptian slavery and the sea they crossed during the Exodus.

All food is laid out on a keara, a special dish used only for the Seder meal. Three symbolic dishes are placed on kear, which are not eaten: zroa - a fried piece of lamb with a bone, in memory of the Easter sacrifice in the Jerusalem temple, beytsa - a hard-boiled egg, as a memory of temple services, and karpas - a piece of any spring vegetable (Jews living in Europe, replace it with boiled potatoes). Cooked products are laid out on a dish in a certain way. Three whole matzahs ​​covered with a napkin are placed in front of the leader of the Seder. Before each participant in the meal, they put the Haggadah - a book containing the legend of the Exodus from Egypt and all the prayers and blessings necessary for the seder.

Plates of salt water are certainly placed on the festive table - a symbol of the tears of ancient Hebrew women, from whom, by order of the pharaoh, their firstborn were taken away, because, according to the prediction, a person who would free people from slavery was to be born in one of the Jewish families.

During the seder, Jews go through five mitzvahs (mandatory stages). The first is to eat matzah, the second is to drink four cups of wine, the third is to eat maror (usually between two pieces of matzah), the fourth is to read the Haggadah, and the fifth is to read the laudatory psalms. The Easter meal often includes chicken soup with matzo dumplings, gefilte fish ( gefilte fish) and baked meat, as well as wine - a symbol of fun and joy.

During the meal, the Jews drink four glasses of red wine, which symbolize the four promises given by the Almighty to the people of Israel: "And I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians ..."; "And I will deliver you..."; "And I will save you..."; "And I will receive you..." According to tradition, it is customary to fill the fifth, special glass and leave it for the prophet Eliyah, who will return to earth on the eve of Pesach to announce the coming of "the great and terrible day of the Lord." This glass is not drunk, but left on the festive table. By tradition, the prophet Eliyah is considered the herald of Mashiach, with the advent of which all Jews will return to Eretz Israel.

There is a custom to hide a piece of matzah (afikoman) during the Seder in order to captivate the children in search of it; the found afikoman is eaten at the end of the meal. The meal ends with the words of greeting: "Next year - in Jerusalem!".

On the first day of Passover, all kinds of work are prohibited. A solemn service is held in the synagogue. The five following days are called "regular holiday days" and are considered working days. These days in Jerusalem, at the Wailing Wall, a ceremony of blessing the priests is held, in which only the descendants of the priestly family of the Levites take part.

The seventh day of Pesach completes the celebrations of the holiday and is considered non-working. It is celebrated in a joyful atmosphere with singing and dancing. At midnight, in synagogues and religious schools, a ceremony is held to "separate sea ​​waters". The eighth day of Pesach is celebrated only in the diaspora regions, where the first two days and the final two days are holidays.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

, 16 Nissan[d], 17 Nissan[d], 18 Nissan[d], 19 Nisan[d], 20 Nissan[d], 21[d] and 22[d]

Commandments

Kashrut for Passover

Hametz (leavened)

Such a "sale" is considered obligatory according to the Halacha, with each owner having to put all the "chametz" he is selling in a box or box and assume that at any time during the holiday a non-Jewish buyer can come to collect or use his share. Likewise, religious Jewish shopkeepers sell all their "chametz" to a non-Jew, fully aware that the new "owner" may claim their property. The Jews sell all their "chametz" to their non-Jewish neighbors at the risk that the latter will not return it back.

Formal search chametza (« Bdikat chametz»)

After dark on Nisan 14, there is a formal search for leaven (" Bdikat chametz"). At the same time, the head of the family reads a special blessing “on the elimination of chametz” (על ביעור חמץ - al biur hametz), after which he moves from room to room to check that there are no crumbs left anywhere. It is customary to turn off the light in the room being searched and conduct searches using a candle, a pen and wooden spoon: a candle effectively illuminates corners without casting a shadow, a feather can sweep crumbs out of hard-to-reach places, and a wooden spoon that collects crumbs can be burned the next day along with " chametz».

There is also a tradition to hide ten slices of bread carefully wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic wrap in the house before the search. This ensures that the head of the family finds some "chametz" and his blessing is not wasted.

Burning chametza (« biur chametz»)

In the morning, all leavened products found during the search are burned (“ biur chametz»).

The head of the family announces any " chametz", which was not found, "invalid" "like the dust of the earth." If " chametz” will actually be found during Passover, it must be burned or made unfit for food.

Dishes for Pesach

Because of the strict separation chametza» on Pesach, in religious Jewish families, as a rule, there is a complete set of dishes especially for Pesach. Ashkenazi families who buy new utensils for the holiday first immerse them in boiling water to remove any traces of oils or materials that may have contained "chametz" ( agalat kelim). Some Sephardic families who use the same glasses for Passover as they do throughout the year wash them thoroughly beforehand.

Fasting of the Firstborn

On the morning before Pesach, the fast of first-born men begins in memory of the salvation of the first-born of Israel during the "Execution of the First-born", the tenth of the plagues of Egypt.

In fact, however, most firstborns only fast until the end of the morning prayers in the synagogue. According to tradition, one who takes part in a meal on the occasion of a joyful event is exempted from the need to fast. Therefore, before Passover, there is a common custom to finish the study of a section of the Mishnah or Talmud and, in honor of this, arrange a festive meal in the synagogue on the morning before Passover. Thus, all participants in this meal are exempt from fasting.

Passover sacrifice

During the existence of the Temples, a sacrifice was made on Pesach in the form of an animal slaughter, which was called " korban pesach". According to the Pentateuch, each family (or group of families if they are individually too small to eat a whole lamb) must eat one lamb on the night of Nisan 15. The lamb could not be slaughtered by those who had leaven in their possession. The lamb was to be roasted and eaten with matzah and maror (English)Russian- bitter herbs. It was impossible to break the victim's bones. Nothing should have remained from the victim until morning.

However, after the destruction of the Second Temple, no sacrifices were made, so the story of " Korban Passover” is retold at the Passover Seder, and on the Seder platter it is symbolically represented by “ zroa"- fried lamb shank, chicken wing or leg, which are not eaten, but are involved in the ritual.

Seder Passover

Pesach celebration. Ukrainian lubok of the 19th century

The central event of the holiday is Easter evening ( layl a-seder or seder-passover, or simply seder / seider / sider).

The holding of the Seder is carefully regulated and consists of many elements. On this night, the Jews should read the Passover Haggadah, which tells about the Exodus from Egypt, and hold the Passover meal in accordance with tradition.

Reading the Passover Haggadah

On the first evening of Pesach (outside of Israel - on the first two evenings) every religious Jew should read the story of the Exodus from Egypt.

four bowls

During the Seder, there is an obligation to drink four cups of wine or grape juice. Grape juice is also considered wine and may be used in the Seder (especially for children and the infirm) if it is prepared according to the requirements for kosher wine. This applies to both men and women. According to the Mishnah, even the poorest person should drink them. Each bowl serves as an introduction to the next part of the Seder. The four bowls symbolize the four promises in the book of Shemot (Ex. 6:6-8):

6 So say to the children of Israel:
I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage,
and I will save you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments;

7 And I will take you to myself as a people, and I will be your God, and you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of Egypt;
8 And I will bring you into the land about which I lifted up my hand and swore to give it to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and I will give it to you as an inheritance. I am the Lord.

In addition to these four bowls, there may be an additional fifth bowl - " a bowl for Elijah".

Afikoman

The meal is completed by "afikoman" - the final dish. During the time of the Temple, the afikoman was the Passover offering, and after its destruction, a piece of matzah, which is broken off at the beginning of the Seder. Afikoman is taken before eating the third bowl - the bowl of "redemption".

Matzo

Machine-made matzah.

The commandment says to eat at least one piece of matzah the size of an olive at the Seder. The ritual of the seder provides for several moments during the evening in which matzah is eaten.

Baking matzah

Matzah for the holiday is baked during the pre-holiday weeks. In Orthodox Jewish communities, men traditionally gather in groups to hand-bake special sheets of matzah called matzah shmura(“preserved matzah”, meaning that wheat is protected from contact with water from the day of cutting in summer until matzah is baked for the subsequent Passover). Matzah must be baked in 18 minutes, otherwise the fermentation process will begin and the matzah will become non-kosher on Pesach.

Maror

During the Seder, at various points in the ritual, it is instructed to taste bitter herbs (from

The celebration of the historic exodus of the Jews from Egypt begins annually on the 14th day of the month of Nisan according to the Jewish lunar calendar.

Pesach or Passover is one of the most important events in Jewish culture. The holiday is dedicated to the most important event biblical history- Exodus of the Jews from Egypt, which is considered the beginning of the history of the Jewish people.

In Israel, the holiday lasts a week, and outside it - eight days.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem Prepare for Passover

The date of the holiday in the Gregorian calendar is calculated separately each year. In 2018, Passover begins on March 31 at sunset.

Pesach

The Jewish Passover is older than the Christian Passover and has a completely different meaning. Jews celebrated this day long before the birth of Christ - from the XIII century BC, when Moses led the Jewish people out of Egypt.

The story began with the time of Jacob, who moved to Egypt with his family. At first they lived richly, but as the years passed, generations changed, the Egyptian pharaohs began to oppress and oppress strangers. Gradually, the Jews turned from guests into slaves of the Egyptians.

The Lord, wanting to save the Jews, sent Moses and showed a number of miracles that made possible the exodus of the Jews from Egyptian captivity. Despite the punishments of God, the pharaoh did not agree to release the slaves. For this, God punished Pharaoh and all of Egypt with 10 terrible punishments, including the death of livestock and crops, Egyptian darkness, and terrible diseases.

But the worst of them was the 10th plague - in one night all the first-born of the Egyptian people were killed. To protect his people, the Lord told Moses that every Jewish family, on the evening before the execution, slaughtered a lamb and marked it with blood front door then pestilence will bypass their house.

And on the night of Nisan 14, the Almighty passed by houses with marks. "Pesach" in Hebrew means "to pass by." After that, Moses was able to lead the Jews away from the land of Egypt.

Since then, Easter has been celebrated by the Israelis as a day of deliverance - the Exodus from Egyptian slavery and the salvation of all Jewish firstborn from death.

The essence of the holiday

The whole system of Judaism is based on the memory of the Exodus and subsequent events related to the acquisition of the Promised Land and the building of its own independent state.

The celebration of Pesach in biblical times was accompanied by pilgrimages to the Temple, sacrifices and a feast with the eating of the Passover lamb.

Historians believe that two ancient holidays of pastoralists and farmers merged together in Pesach. And in the biblical period, he also became associated with liberation from Egyptian slavery.

Therefore, the holiday has several names - the first "Pesach", on this day the salvation of Jewish children from death is celebrated.

The second name - Chag a Matzot (holiday of matzah), recalls that during the oppression of the Jews in Egypt, they ate mostly ordinary unleavened bread, matzah, since there was no money and time for the rest.

The third name is Chag HaAviv (spring holiday), which means that Jewish Passover is also a holiday of the rebirth of nature. The fourth name - Chag a Herut (freedom holiday), means the exodus of the Jews from Egypt.

In the Jewish prayer book (siddur), Pesach is called "the time of our freedom." The Torah calls it the “Feast of Unleavened Bread”, since the main feature of Pesach is the commandment to eat unleavened bread (matzo) and the strictest prohibition not only to consume, but also to have leaven (chametz) in your home.

This is the same food that the Jews did not have time to stock up on when they left Egypt. Also avoid those foods that can ferment. Malt liqueurs, beer and other yeast-based alcoholic beverages are prohibited. The laws associated with Passover are formulated in the Talmudic treatise Psachim.

Traditions

Before the holidays, according to tradition, they arrange general cleaning. Dwellings are cleaned not only from dirt, but also from food that is not kosher on Pesach, called chametz. This is the name of all kvass products that have undergone a fermentation process - from drinks to bakery products.

To destroy all chametz and even its traces in the house, they clean every corner in the children's bedrooms where the child could bring bread, wash all the dishes with hot water, and so on.

On the evening before Pesach, according to tradition, the head of the house will go around all the rooms with a candle, a feather and a spoon in his hands in a symbolic search for hamtz. And everything that they find must be destroyed the next morning in the presence of the whole family.

Matzah, unleavened bread made from wheat flour, which the Jews ate in Egypt and during the exodus from there, is the only bread allowed on Pesach. Flour is allowed to be used from one of five cereals: wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt.

The entire baking process from the moment water is added to the flour should not exceed 18 minutes, since matzah is a reminder that the Jews, having finally received the permission of the pharaoh to leave the country, left Egypt in such a hurry that they had to bake bread from the not yet in time ascend test.

Seder

Of particular importance is the festive dinner - Seder (order), which is held on the first evening of the holiday, and in the countries of the Diaspora - on the first two evenings. The whole family usually gathers for a gala dinner, the table is set after sunset, after returning from the synagogue.

Not only the closest relatives are invited to dinner, but also lonely, poor Jews, as well as those who are left alone during the holiday.

During the seder, the blessings established by the rules are pronounced, prayers are read and psalms are sung. The best dishes and silver, candles, kosher wine, three large pieces of matzah are placed on the table.

Matzah for believing Jews

Matzah for believing Jews

During the seder, in a certain sequence, they read the story of the Exodus (usually from the book of Haggadah) and eat special symbolic dishes: matzah, in fulfillment of the commandment of the Torah; bitter greens - maror (lettuce, basil and horseradish) and hazeret (grated greens), symbolizing the bitterness of Egyptian slavery. While eating, greens are dipped in salt water, symbolizing the tears shed by Jews in Egyptian slavery, and the sea that they crossed in the time of the Exodus.

At the festive meal, they also eat a mixture of grated apples, dates, nuts and wine - charoset, the color of which resembles the clay from which the Jews made bricks while in Egyptian slavery.

All food is laid out on a keara, a special dish used only for the Seder meal. Three symbolic dishes are also placed on kear, which are not eaten: zroa - a fried piece of lamb with a bone, in memory of the Easter sacrifice in the Jerusalem temple, beytsa - a hard-boiled egg, as a memory of temple services, and karpas - a piece of any spring vegetable (Jews, living in Europe replace it with boiled potatoes).

Cooked products are laid out on a dish in a certain way. Three whole matzahs ​​covered with a napkin are placed in front of the leader of the Seder. Before each participant in the meal, they put the Haggadah - a book containing the legend of the Exodus from Egypt and all the prayers and blessings necessary for the Seder.

The main dishes for the Passover meal are chicken soup with matzo dumplings, gefilte fish (stuffed fish) and baked meat.

During the seder, every Jew must go through five obligatory stages (mitzvot): eat matzah, drink four cups of wine, eat maror (usually between two pieces of matzah), read the Haggadah, sing (or read) laudatory psalms.

Four glasses of red wine symbolize the four promises given by the Almighty to the people of Israel: "And I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians ..."; “And I will deliver you…”; “And I will save you…”; "And I will accept you..."

According to tradition, it is customary to fill the fifth, special, glass and leave it for the prophet Eliyah (Elijah), who will return to earth on the eve of Pesach to announce the coming of the "day of the Lord, great and terrible." This glass is not drunk, but left on the festive table. Prophet Eliyah is considered the herald of Mashiach (Messiah), with the advent of which all Jews will return to Eretz-Israel.

There is a custom to hide a piece of matzah (afikoman) during the Seder in order to captivate children in search of it. The found afikoman is eaten at the end of the meal. The meal ends with the words of greeting: "Next year - in Jerusalem!". The first and last days of the holidays are considered non-working for the Jews. The rest of the week is called "holiday days". On the first day of Passover, all kinds of work are prohibited. A solemn service is held in the synagogue.

In the next five days in Jerusalem, at the Wailing Wall, a ceremony of blessing the priests is held, in which only the descendants of the priestly family of the Levites take part.

The last, seventh day of Pesach, celebrates the crossing of the Red Sea by the Jews. When Moses and the Jews, pursued by the Egyptian army, reached the seashore, they had nowhere to go, since they had no ships. Then Moses asked the Almighty for salvation, and a path appeared before the Jewish people, straight across the sea.

This day is celebrated in a joyful atmosphere, with singing and dancing. At midnight, in synagogues and religious schools, a ceremony is held to "separate the waters of the sea."

The eighth day of Pesach is celebrated only in the regions of the Diaspora, where the first two days and the final two days are holidays.

On Friday evening, March 30, the Jews will begin to celebrate Easter, which in their religion is called Pesach.

Unlike other religions, Jews celebrate Pesach for seven to eight days (depending on the location of a certain family, - ed.). Every year, the holiday is celebrated from the evening of the 14th day of the spring month of Nisan according to the Jewish calendar. This year, this period falls from March 30 to April 7.

Pesach is one of the most ancient and significant holidays in Jewish culture. At this time, it is customary to gather at the table with the whole family, have a meal, talk about the history of their people and remember the most significant events. It is important that every Jew celebrates the holiday, regardless of financial capabilities and position in society.

history of the holiday

In the religious tradition, Pesach is dedicated to the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery - for 400 years the Jews were in slavery to the Egyptians. For the liberation of God's chosen people, the Lord sent 10 plagues to the Egyptians (turning the Nile water into blood, the appearance of a myriad of toads, overwhelming hordes of lice, wild animals, loss of livestock, ulcers, death of crops from hail and locusts, continuous three-day darkness and death of the firstborn). And only after the tenth pharaoh released the Jews to freedom. According to the Pentateuch, on the eve of the last of the ten plagues of Egypt - the defeat of the firstborn - God commanded the Jews to slaughter lambs, roast their meat, and mark doorposts with their blood. On the night of Nisan 14, God "passed by" (pasah) the houses of the Jews, and they were saved, while in the rest of the houses all the first-born died. On the same day, Moses freed the Jewish people, leading them out of Egypt.

"Pesach" is interpreted as "a speaking mouth", and this corresponds to the fact that the main commandment of this holiday is to speak, to tell about the history of the Exodus.

Holiday traditions

Preparation for the holiday begins in advance. The main stage is cleaning the house - it is customary to throw away all foods and drinks that have been prepared by fermentation or fermentation.

The main tradition of the week of Pesach is a festive dinner - Seder.

It is also important not to consume leavened products (beer, yeast bread, pasta and all products that have gone through the fermentation process - ed.).

In particular, on a holiday it is forbidden to use:

• cereals that have come into contact with the liquid (wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt);
• barley, corn, peas due to the fact that the fermentation process can begin in them;
• flour products (bread, rolls, pasta, cookies, cakes, etc.);
• flakes made from cereals;
• malt and yeast products, mustard;
• alcoholic drinks (beer, cider, wheat vodka, whiskey);
• pickled products with malt vinegar, fruit essence.

On the first day of the holiday week, before dinner, it is customary to read a message describing the events of the Exodus from Egypt.

It is necessary to put new dishes on the festive table, which are thoroughly washed before that. There should also be a special dish - kear - on which the following treats are laid out:

• zroa - fried lamb shank, or Chicken's leg- ritual symbol of sacrifice;
• beyza - boiled egg- a symbol of sorrow for the destroyed Temple in Jerusalem;
• karpas - parsley - a symbol of the meager diet of the Jews in Egypt.

Also served in the seder are crushed apples and dates, which symbolize the clay from which the Jews made bricks during slavery, and horseradish with lettuce, a symbol of bitterness and suffering in slavery.

In no case should we forget about matzo - an unleavened cake that is baked before the holiday.

Salt water bowls are a special attribute of the Seder. In this symbolic way, Jews honor the memory of women who shed tears when they learned about the order to kill all firstborns.

Also during the festive dinner, every adult Jew should drink four cups of wine, which means the promises of God to the Jewish people. Children and the sick use grape juice.

It is worth noting that the first and last days of the holiday in Israel are days off, it is forbidden to work on these days. On the last day of Pesach, the "parting of the waters" ceremony is held in synagogues in memory of the fact that the Lord drained the waters of the Red Sea so that the Jews could cross it, and then brought down the waves on the enemies.

Pesach and Easter: What's the Difference?

The bright holiday of Easter is dedicated to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, while Pesach is dedicated to the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. The Seder, also known as the Passover dinner, is called the Last Supper in Christian tradition. That is, both holidays are closely connected both in terms of events and in the theological interpretation.

According to the Gospel, Jesus and his disciples entered Jerusalem when the ancient Jews were just getting ready to celebrate Pesach. Thus, all the events of Holy Week took place just during the celebration of Pesach.

In addition, as a rule, Orthodox Easter is tied to the Gospel events and comes a week after Pesach.

These days Israel celebrates the holiday of the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery.

Pesach is the oldest of the Jewish holidays, it is associated with one of the most important
events in Jewish history - with the Exodus from Egypt around
3300 years ago, in the year 2448 according to the Jewish calendar. This year it is celebrated on April 18-26. It can be called the time of the birth of the Jewish people. The Israelites came to Egypt as one family - the tribe of Jacob, consisting of
seventy men, and went out as a people, numbering six hundred thousand.
Pharaoh did not want to let the Jews go, and God sent to Egypt ten plagues:
the transformation of the Nile water into blood, the appearance of a myriad of toads, overwhelming hordes of lice, wild animals, the loss of livestock, ulcers, the death of crops from hail and locusts, continuous three-day darkness and, finally, the death of the firstborn.

This holiday begins on the 15th day of the spring month of Nisan (approximately corresponds to March-April of the Gregorian calendar) and is celebrated for 7 days in Israel (and 8 days outside of Israel): the first and last days of which are -
full holidays and non-working days. Intermediate days are called
words Chol HaMoed("holiday days")
The Torah forbids Jews during the holiday to eat bread and any other food containing grains that have been leavened (Heb. "chametz"- leavened).

On all days of the holiday, it is forbidden not only to eat, but also to own "chametz" in any form. Are eating only kosher foods suitable for Pesach (" Kosher le Pesach”) - and kosher foods can be eaten all year round. Jewish families usually spend the weeks leading up to the holiday in intensive household cleaning. The goal is to eliminate all traces of leavened ( chametza) from every closet and corner in the house. Search chametza always turns into general cleaning, children's rooms and kitchens are searched for leftovers in cupboards, under beds, etc. Although Halacha requires the elimination of pieces of "chametz" the size of an olive, many clean the chametz to the last crumb. In parallel, the family tries to eat up all the available stocks of “chametz” (bread, pasta, cookies, soup mixes) by the beginning of the holiday. If this fails, the remnants of grain food are thrown away. :about)
Chametz, which is of material value (for example, alcoholic drinks made from cereals), is allowed to be sold before Passover to a non-Jew (that is, someone who does not celebrate Passover). The sale of "chametz" is organized by the local rabbi, who becomes the "agent" of all the Jews of the community, through a procedure called " mehirat hametz" (sale). As an agent, the rabbi "sells" the entire "chametz" to the non-Jew at a price to be agreed upon after the holiday, and before that, the non-Jew is asked to pay a token initial fee, subject to paying the balance after Pesach. When the holiday ends, the rabbi contacts the non-Jew to buy the community's "chametz" back. Such a "sale" is considered obligatory according to the Halacha, with each owner having to put all the "chametz" he is selling in a box or box and assume that at any time during the holiday a non-Jewish buyer can come to collect or use his share. Likewise, Jewish shopkeepers sell all their "chametz" to a non-Jew, fully aware that the new "owner" may claim their property.
After dark on Nisan 14, there is a formal search for leaven (" Bdikat chametz"). At the same time, the head of the family reads a special blessing “on the elimination of chametz” ( al biur hametz), after which he moves from room to room to check that there are no crumbs left anywhere. It is customary to turn off the lights in the room being searched and conduct searches using a candle, a feather and a wooden spoon: a candle effectively illuminates corners without casting a shadow, a feather can sweep crumbs out of hard-to-reach places, and a wooden spoon used to collect crumbs can be burned the next day together with " chametz».
There is also a tradition to hide ten slices of bread carefully wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic wrap in the house before the search. This ensures that the head of the family finds some chametz, and
his blessing will not go to waste. In the morning, all leavened products found during the search are burned (“ biur chametz"). The head of the family announces any " chametz", which was not found, "invalid" "like the dust of the earth." If " chametz» will actually be found during Pesach, it must be burned or made unfit for food
The Torah also commands to eat matzo these days (lit. `squeezed`, `devoid of moisture`; in the Russian tradition - unleavened bread).

Because of the strict separation chametza» On Pesach, religious Jewish families usually have a complete set of utensils specifically for Passover. Many families buy new utensils for the holiday each year, first immersing them in boiling water to remove any traces of oils or materials that may contain "chametz" ( agalat kelim). In addition, dishes are a very common gift for Pesach.
On the morning before Pesach, the fast of first-born men begins in memory of the salvation of the first-born of Israel during the "Execution of the First-born", the tenth of the plagues of Egypt. In fact, however, most firstborns fast only until the end of the morning prayers in the synagogue. According to tradition, one who takes part in a meal on the occasion of a joyful event is exempted from the need to fast. Therefore, before Passover, there is a common custom to finish the study of a section of the Talmud and, in honor of this, arrange a festive meal in the synagogue on the morning before Passover. Thus, all participants in this meal are exempt from fasting.

The Easter sacrifice is called " korban pesach" (in the Russian version - "Easter"). Each family (or a group of families, if they are individually too small to eat a whole lamb) must taste one sacrificial lamb on the night of Nisan 15. Moreover, the lamb cannot be killed by those who have leaven in their possession - The lamb had to be eaten roasted along with matzah and maror (bitter greens) - It was impossible to break the bones of the victim - Until the morning, there should not have been anything left of the victim.

Later, the Passover sacrifice began to be eaten during Passover Seder Nisan 15, but there were no more sacrifices. Therefore, the story of Korban Passover” is retold at the Passover Seder, and on the Seder platter it is symbolically represented by “ zroa"- fried lamb shank, chicken wing or leg, which are not eaten, but participate in the ritual.

The central event of the holiday is Easter evening ( Leil Ha-Seder or Seder-Pesach, or simply seder / sider / sider) is held on the first day of Pesach.

The holding of the Seder is carefully regulated and consists of many elements. On this night, Jews must read the Passover Haggadah, which tells about the Exodus from Egypt, and have a Passover meal in accordance with tradition. During the Seder, there is an obligation to drink four cups of wine (or grape juice). This applies to both men and women. According to the Torah, even the poorest person should drink them. Each bowl serves as an introduction to the next part of the Seder. The commandment prescribes eating at least one piece of matzah the size of an olive during the Seder.
The Seder ritual provides for several moments during the evening at which matzah is eaten. Matzah for the holiday is baked during the pre-holiday weeks. Matzah must be baked in 18 minutes, otherwise the fermentation process will begin and the matzah will become non-kosher on Pesach.
During the seder, at various points in the ritual, it is prescribed to taste bitter herbs (from horseradish to lettuce) - maror
From the night of the second day of Pesach, the countdown of the days of the Omer begins - an oral count of forty-nine days between the holidays of Pesach and Shavuot: the countdown of the Omer begins on the second day of Pesach and ends on the day before the holiday of Shavuot ("fiftieth day"). In the days of the Temple, on the day of the first day, a sheaf (“omer”) of wheat from the new crop was brought there. Before bringing the Omer to the Temple, Jews were forbidden to use the new harvest. After the destruction of the Temple, it is forbidden to eat the new crop until the evening of the second day of Passover.
After nightfall (about 30 minutes after sunset), the person counting the omer recites a specific blessing in Hebrew
The count of the Omer is then recited in full days as well as weeks and days: for example, on the 23rd day of the Omer, the count would be as follows: "Today is twenty-three days, which is three weeks and two days of the Omer." The blessing can only be pronounced during the night. If a person remembers the account in the morning or after lunch of the next day, the account is made without blessing. If someone forgot to count the day, he can continue to count the following days, but without a blessing.
During the countdown of the Omer, it is forbidden to cut hair, shave, listen to live instrumental music, as well as hold weddings and entertainment events - with the exception of Lag B'Omer (on the 33rd day) and three last days reference.

On the seventh day of Pesach, the Almighty commands: “on the seventh day also the sacred assembly; do no work" .. According to tradition, on this day the waters of the Red Sea parted before the Jews and swallowed
pharaoh chasing them. In memory of this, on this day, a passage from the Torah dedicated to these events is read, including the “Song of the Sea”. There is a custom to go to the sea, river or other body of water (in extreme cases, to the fountain) and sing "Song of the Sea" there.

The holiday "Pesach" has several names:

1. Pesach- from the Passover (Hebrew passed, passed by) - in memory of the fact that the Almighty passed the Jewish houses, destroying the firstborn of Egypt: on the eve of the last of the ten Egyptian plagues - the defeat of the firstborn - God commanded the Jews to slaughter the lambs, fry their meat, and with their blood mark the doorframes. On the night of Nisan 15, God “passed by” (pasah) the houses of the Jews and they were saved, while in the rest of the houses all the firstborn died.
2. Chag HaMatzot- the feast of unleavened bread - in memory of the fact that the Jews ate matzah during the years of slavery, and also that during the exit from Egypt the dough did not have time to leaven: “they baked ... from the dough that they took out of Egypt, unleavened cakes, for it has not yet turned sour, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not tarry."
3. Chag HaAviv- spring Festival. The month of Nisan is also called the month of Aviv (Spring).
4. Chag a-Herut- a holiday of freedom - in memory of the Exodus from Egypt.

The difference between Jewish Pesach and Christian Easter

Christian Easter is dedicated to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is not connected with the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. Victim Easter lamb in Christian theology is considered as a prototype of the voluntary self-sacrifice of Jesus to atone for the sins of the world.
The Passover Supper (Seder) of Jesus and His Disciples Got a Name last supper and became the prototype of the "sacrament" of the sacrament - the main Christian rite the Orthodox, in which believing Christians "eat" the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ the Redeemer and, thus, unite with God. Communion is necessary for every Christian for salvation: “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you.”
During the supper, Jesus compares himself to the Passover lamb and, pronouncing the traditional blessing over wine (Kiddush), likens the wine to his blood:

“When evening came, He lay down with the twelve disciples;
and as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

They were very sad, and began to say to Him, each of them: Is it not I, Lord?
He answered and said, He who dips his hand with me into the dish, this one will betray me;
However, the Son of Man goes as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed: it would have been better for this man not to have been born.

At the same time, Judas, betraying Him, said: Is it not I, Rabbi? Jesus says to him: You said.

And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, and having blessed it, broke it, and giving it to the disciples, said, Take, eat: this is my body.

And he took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, and said, Drink all of you out of it, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

I tell you that from now on I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink new wine with you in the kingdom of my Father.

And having sung, they went up to the Mount of Olives."