Passover Case

Jewish Holy Days

There are many religious Holy Days in Jewish faith and the most well - known of these is the Passover because of the time of year, historical origin, religious practices, and cultural differences.

Time of Year

The Passover is possibly the most recognized of the Jewish holidays, chiefly because of the ties that link it with Christian history because that the Last Supper. This meal was a Passover feast, and because many of its rituals are interpreted by Christians as signs of Jesus. The Passover celebration starts in early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan. The holiday honors the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. The Jewish people use the rituals of the Passover to re-experience and understand the freedom that their ancestors reaped.

Historical Origin

According to the Bible the Israelites moved into Egypt during a time of famine in the east. Joseph, the youngest son of Jacob predicted that there would be years of plenty and years of famine, so the people of Egypt had stored food to feed them during the years of famine. The result of Joseph's predictions gave him a position of high esteem in the court of Pharaoh. The Pharaoh received Joseph's household and established them in Goshen, where they thrived.

For numerous generations, the Israelites experienced the security of the Pharaohs, who appreciated their labor as shepherds. Then a Pharaoh came into rule who was frightened of the Israelites. This Pharaoh attempted to do away with the Israelite people by ordering all male Israelite infants to be killed at birth, (Talmud, n.d.). He likewise forced the Israelites to toil on extensive construction endeavors minus salary and under poor circumstances. The Israelites found themselves as slaves.

The Bible states that God told Moses to guide the Israelites away from Egypt with his brother Aaron to help him. In order for him to do this the Pharaoh had to agree to let the people go and he refused.

God was not pleased the Egyptian Pharaoh kept His people in bondage so He sent 10 plagues on them to get the Pharaoh to release the Israelites. One plague was that the first born of each Egyptian family would die. To protect His people God spoke to the Israelites and told them to kill a lamb as a sacrifice and to place the blood on the doorposts of their residences so that the Angel of Death would pass over them on the night of the tenth plague, (Talmund, n.d.).

This opened the Pharaoh's eyes, and he let the Israelites leave Egypt. Frightful of the Pharaoh changing his mind the Israelites departed as rapidly as possible. Because of their hasty retreat their bread did not have time to rise, (Talmund, n.d.).

Pharaoh later changed his mind and sent chariots in pursuit of the Israelites and when they were upon the shore of the Red Sea, God divided the sea and they walked through on dry land. When Pharaoh's chariots tried to follow the wheels bogged down in the sand and the army drowned. The women danced and sang songs of praise to God for the miracle that He had executed on their behalf. God spoke to the Israelites and said the people should celebrate their release from bondage in Egypt.

Religious Practices

The most significant observation connected to Passover involves avoiding eating leavened bread during the holiday. This honors the circumstances of the Jews exiting Egypt urgently and not having the time to let their bread rise. It is likewise symbolizes removing the arrogance or pride from the persons soul.

The first night of Passover a special meal is made which is a significant to the holiday which is called a Seder. The Seder involves telling the story of the deliverance of the Israelites from captivity in ancient Egypt. You shall tell your child on that day, saying, "And thou shalt show thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt," (Exodus 13:8). Seder practices consist of