Passover Today

Passover today looks a little different then it did in Exodus. Somethings are the same while a lot has changed.

Similar things:

We still eat lamb or goat (although I don't know a single person who raises the lamb or goat and keeps it themselves then slaughters it) I will admit most go to butchers for that

We do make sure there is no yeast either in the house or not eaten during the 7 days (some of us more then others)

We do remember why Passover is still so important and why we still celebrate. The story of Exodus is repeated during the meal on the 1st or 2nd night usually during Seder

Bitter herbs are eaten and we ask 4 very important questions to help guide us and remind our youths why we are doing what we are doing.

Otherwise here is what we do in a traditional Passover (1st or 2nd night)

The table is set with the finest china and silverware to reflect the importance of the meal. During this meal, the story of the Exodus from Egypt is retold using a special text called the Haggadah. Four cups of wine are consumed at various stages in the narrative. The Haggadah divides the night's procedure into 15 parts:

1. 1. Kadeish קדש – recital of Kiddush;blessing and drinking of the first cup of wine usually said by the head of the house but we all say it at mine
2. Urchatz ורחץ – the washing of the hands – without blessing
3. Karpas כרפס – dipping of the karpas in salt water (no idea why but usually we do roast egg so stinking good and honestly my favorite part! 
4. Yachatz יחץ – 3 this one works by taking 3 pieces of matzo and then breaking the middle matzo; the larger piece becomes the afikoman (which is hidden) which is eaten later during the ritual of;
5. Tzafun Maggid מגיד – retelling the Passover story, including the recital of "the four questions" ;see below and drinking of the second cup of wine 
6. Rachtzah רחצה – second washing of the hands – with blessing 
7. Motzi מוציא – traditional blessing before eating bread products 
8. Matzo מצה – blessing before eating matzo 
9. Maror מרור – eating of the maror 
10. Koreich כורך – eating of a sandwich made of matzo and maror 
11. Shulchan oreich שולחן עורך – lit. "set table"—the serving of the holiday meal 
12. Tzafun צפון – eating of theafikoman 
13. Bareich ברך – blessing after the meal and drinking of the third cup of wine In many traditions, the front door of the house is opened at this point. Psalms 79:6-7 is recited plus Lamentations 3:66. In my house we have the custom to fill a fifth cup at this point for Elijah I think the fifth cup is called Kos shel Eliyahu ("Cup of Elijah"). Over time, people came to relate this cup to the notion that Elijah will visit each home on Seder night as a foreshadowing of his future arrival at the end of the days, when he will come to announce the coming of the Messiah. Since we are Messianic Jews we leave it for the sole purpose of Christ coming. It's a weird tradition that doesn't really make sense anymore. 
14. Hallell הלל – recital of the Hallel, traditionally recited on festivals; drinking of the fourth cup of wine The remaining psalms 115-118, are recited at this point 
15. Nirtzah נירצה – conclusion : The Seder concludes with a prayer that the night's service be accepted. A hope for the Messiah is expressed: "L'shanah haba'ah b'Yerushalayim! - Next year in Jerusalem!"

These are the 4 questions we ask during Maggid

Why is this night different from all other nights?

1. Shebb'khol hallelot anu okh’lin ḥamets umatsa, vehallayla hazze kullo matsa.
Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either leavened bread or matza, but on this night we eat only matza? We eat only matzah because our ancestors could not wait for their breads to rise when they were fleeing slavery in Egypt, and so they were flat when they came out of the oven.
2. Shebb'khol hallelot anu okh’lin sh’ar y'rakot, vehallayla hazze maror.Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables, but on this night we eat bitter herbs? We eat only Maror, a bitter herb, to remind us of the bitterness of slavery that our ancestors endured while in Egypt. Shebb'khol hallelot en anu matbillin afillu pa‘am eḥat, vehallayla hazze sh'tei fe‘amim.
3. Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip [our food] even once, but on this night we dip them twice? The first dip, green vegetables in salt water, symbolizes the replacing of our tears with gratitude, and the second dip, Maror in Charoses, symbolizes the sweetening of our burden of bitterness and suffering. 
4. Shebb'khol hallelot anu okh’lin ben yosh’vin uven m'subbin, vehallayla hazze kullanu m'subbin. Why is it that on all other nights we dine either sitting upright or reclining, but on this night we all recline? We recline at the Seder table because in ancient times, a person who reclined at a meal was a free person, while slaves and servants stood.

The seder is replete with questions, answers, and unusual practices to arouse the interest and curiosity of the children at the table. The children are also rewarded with nuts and candies when they ask questions and participate in the discussion of the Exodus and its aftermath. Children are encouraged to search for the afikoman, the piece of matzo which is the last thing eaten at the seder. Audience participation and interaction is the rule, and many families' seders last long into the night with animated discussions and much singing. The seder concludes with additional songs of praise and faith printed in the Haggadah, including. 

So there you have it... Any questions let me know I would be happy to answer. This year Passover is on April 22, 2016

The Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread

Today we start in chapter 12 and with it comes the first important instruction from the Lord, "This month is to be for you, the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. The animals you choose must be year old males without defect, and you make take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the 14th day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and the tops of the door frames of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to  eat the meat roasted over the fire along with bitter herbs, an bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water but roast it over a fire - with the head; legs and internal organs. Do not leave any of it til morning; if some is left till morning you must burn it. This is how you are to it it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat in haste it is the Lord's Passover."

There is a lot of instruction on that one paragraph so let's break it down. 

When one does the Lord's Passover they are to: 

1. Each man is to take a lamb for his family (1 per household) if that household cannot eat a whole lamb they are to share with a neighbor

2. They are to pick a male lamb with no defect from either sheep or goat

3. It must be a year old and you will take care of it until the 14th day which it will be slaughtered at twilight

4. The lamb must be roasted (not boiled and there should be no blood left)

5. Some of the blood needs to mark the sides and top of a door frame of the house (this will be important in a moment)

6. The lamb is to be eaten that night with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast.

7. If any meat remains in the morning it is to be burned

8. You are not to be relaxing during the meal and joyous instead this meal should be eaten with your cloak in your belt sandals on your feet and your staff in hand ready to move and food should be eaten in haste

V. 12 is one of my favorites and brings home the point of Passover for me

"On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals and I will bring judgement on all the gods of Egypt, I am the Lord"

And here is why the blood on the door is important

v. 13 "The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will passover you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt."

v. 14 "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord - a lasting ordinance. "

It goes on in this chapter to give further instructions that for 7 days no one is to work except to make food and no yeast should be in the house or eaten during the 7 day festival and if this happens that person should be cut off from Israel. 

Moses goes forth to tell the people what has been instructed they do as they have been told for once and v. 29 shows us "t midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt. 

v. 30 "and there was a loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead."

Moses was summoned to Pharaoh who told him to take his people and "go worship the Lord as you have requested." When the people left they took their dough before the yeast was added and did as instructed by asking the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people and they gave them what they asked for so the y plundered the Egyptians. Just like the Lord said they would. 

So the people lived in Egypt 430 years at the end of the those years the Lord brought them out of slavery. 

v. 42 is awesome "Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelities are to keep vigil to honor the Lord for the generations to come. 

There are additional restrictions given for Passover at the end of this chapter which is interesting when you compare to how Passover is done today (we will go into that in a minute)

Chapter 13 Consecration of the Firstborn

FUN FACT: The firstborn principle: At the time of the Passover and the exodus of Egypt God introduced an important principle: Every firstborn male, including animals, was to be dedicated to him. Later, the Levites were established as a symbolic firstborn for all the people, with very precise accounting. 

v. 1 "The Lord said to Moses, "Consecrate to me every firstborn male, The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me whether human or animal."

Why you ask? Because of what the Lord did for them when they came out of Egypt. This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and reminder on your forehead that this law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his might hand. (when he didn't have to and is giving you the land flowing with milk and honey when you don't deserve it - as a side note)

v. 14 goes into more details as to what to say when your son asks why am I consecrated to the Lord. 

Crossing the Sea 

I love this part because God has a plan and it shows that he has forethought. For example in v. 17 God knew not to take the people through the quicker road that would take them into the Philistine country because it would make them face a war, which would then make them change their minds and return to Egypt (ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW WITH THIS? God got you out of slavery and one war with God on your side and you would change your minds and go back to Egypt after He straight up just killed all the freaking firstborns? yet you don't trust Him enough to get you through a war?!?!?! Yet clearly they don't or the short cut would've been the route they took instead God had to take them on the long way through the stinking desert and the Red Sea in order to get where they needed to go)

I also love that Moses remembered to bring Joseph's bones like the Israelites has sworn they would do. 

I also love v.21 "By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left it place in front of the people.
How freaking awesome is that!

So what do you think of the great Exodus? Next week is the Read Sea parting (this week was long so I will do the Passover Modern version in another post) What has been your favorite part so far?