Today is the Third Day of Passover and thought this would be a good time to discuss some of the Jewish Traditions and Laws of Passover. Before I get onto this, I want to remind you that it was only after God inflicted Egypt with the Tenth and final plague that the Pharoah set the Israelites free. It is this Exodus that led to this celebration of freedom. Passover is referred to as the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the Torah. Removing leavened bread from Jewish homes during Passover is known as the chametz, and all grains both dry and wet are removed, so what do the Jews eat? Well, let’s look at some of the traditional Jewish meals.
The Passover Seder
On the first night of Passover, the 15 step Seder (order) is overserved. The components of the Seder Plate:
- Matzah – Unleavened bread.
- Beitzah – Roasted egg a symbol of spring and the festival sacrifice.
- Chazeret – Often Romaine lettuce, symbolizing the harshness of slavery.
- Zeroah – The shank bone represents the Paschal lamb sacrificed in Biblical times.
- Charoset – Apples, spices and nuts ground in wine symbolize the mortar used by Hebrew slaves.
- Karpas – Parsley which is dipped in salt water symbolizes the tears of Jews during Egyptian slavery.
- Maror – Bitter Herbs such as horseradish symbolize the bitterness of slavery.
- Salt Water.
The Matzah Ball Soup
Kneidlach, another word for Matzah Ball is often served up in Chicken soup. The Matzah Ball is made with rendered chicken fat, eggs, chicken broth, salt, pepper, ginger nutmeg and matzo meal. There are many recipes choose from here, here and here.
Traditional Passover Foods
Braised Brisket (not roasted)
and many more…
An Opportunity for Christians
Passover offers Christians a wonderful opportunity to learn so much from our Jewish friends. From foods rich in tradition, to their linkage with story’s we know from the Old and New Testaments. I’ll say it again because it bears repeating; “if we don’t know our rich history that is linked at the hip with Judiasm, then understanding Gospel of Jesus Christ becomes impossible to know in fulness.”
Third Traditional Scripture Reading of Passover
Exodus 13:1-16 – King James Version
13 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
4 This day came ye out in the month Abib.
5 And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.
6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the Lord.
7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.
8 And thou shalt shew 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.
9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt.
10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.
11 And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,
12 That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord’s.
13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.
14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.
16 And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt.