Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is the Jewish holiday that commemorates the Jewish Exodus from Egypt, as described in the Hebrew Bible. According to the biblical account, God helped the Israelites escape slavery in Egypt by inflicting ten plagues upon the Egyptians, and then leading the Israelites out of Egypt, across the Red Sea, and into the desert.
The start date of Passover varies from year to year in the Gregorian calendar, as it is based on the Hebrew calendar which is a lunar calendar. Passover begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, which typically falls in March or April. This year, the beginning of the holiday occurs at sundown on April 5. The holiday lasts for seven days in Israel, and eight days outside of Israel. During this time, Jewish people traditionally refrain from eating leavened bread, such as bread or cake that has risen, or any food that contains leavening agents, such as yeast, baking powder, or baking soda. Such foods are called chametz. According to Jewish law, eating or owning chametz during Passover is prohibited and is considered a violation of the holiday's religious significance. Instead, Jews eat matzah, which is unleavened bread made from flour and water that is baked quickly before it has a chance to rise. The prohibition against chametz during Passover serves as a reminder of the Jewish people's hasty departure from Egypt, when they did not have time to wait for their bread to rise before they left.
The Passover Seder, a special meal that includes the retelling of the story of the exodus, is a central part of the Passover celebration. The Seder takes place on the first night of Pesach and includes the recitation of prayers and the consumption of symbolic foods, such as bitter herbs to represent the bitterness of slavery and matzah to represent the haste of the exodus.
In this study plan we are covering a different topic related to Passover over the next eight days.
Happy Passover!