Happy Passover To The Handfull Of Jews On Here.

[Matty]

Happy Passover!!!

Yay for Matzos, Matzos Ball Soup, and Matzos Brie.

[Devaclis]

Oi!!!!

[Shea]

Yes, Happy Passover! :)

[Kitten]

Happy Passover! I'm going to miss all the good food and festivities this year. I'll have to make matzo ball soup when I get back into town.

[rapparee]

Chag kasher ve'same`ach

[dirkterrell]

Sounds like you hurt yourself again. :)

Dirk

[RajunCajun]

Yeah, wayyy to go Jews, thanks for killing my Jesus!!!!!!

[RajunCajun]

:pointlaugh: I'm Catholic, I couldn't resist!

Happy Passover!!! :yay:

You do get more days of presents than us :banghead:

[Matty]

Yeah, wayyy to go Jews, thanks for killing my Jesus!!!!!!
just call me, "Baby Jesus Killah!" lol.

[SaShWhO]

oi vee

[Redflash3]

Happy Passover everyone to you and your families.

[Airreed]

Whatever happened to the CSC resident Jew...Jmetz aka Kyle aka Josh?

[ZX9Rider]

Happy passover Jewish people. Can you provide a little back story to this holiday for the uninitiated? Is this a big day?

[Matty]

The Story of Passover

About 3000 years ago the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians under the rule of the Pharaoh Ramses II. According to the Book of Exodus - Moses, a simple Jewish shepherd, was instructed by G-d (http://www.holidays.net/passover/g-d.htm) to go to the pharaoh and demand the freedom of his people

Moses' plea of let my people go was ignored. Moses warned the Pharaoh that G-d would send severe punishments to the people of Egypt (http://www.holidays.net/passover/story.html#) if the Israelites were not freed. Again the Pharaoh ignored Moses' request of freedom. In response G-d unleashed a series of 10 terrible plagues on the people of Egypt


Blood
Frogs
Lice (vermin)
Wild Beasts(flies)
Blight (Cattle Disease)
Boils
Hail
Locusts
Darkness
Slaying of the First Born

The name - Pesach, meaning "passing over" or "protection" in Hebrew, is derived from the instructions given to Moses by G-d . In order to encourage the Pharaoh to free the Israelites, G-d intended to kill the first-born of both man and beast. To protect themselves, the Israelites were told to mark their dwellings with lamb's blood so that G-d could identify and "pass over" their homes

The Pharaoh was unconvinced and refused to free the Jewish slaves

Until the last plague

When the Pharaoh finally agreed to freedom, the Israelites left their homes so quickly that there wasn't even time to bake their breads. So they packed the raw dough to take with them on their journey. As they fled through the desert they would quickly bake the dough in the hot sun into hard crackers called matzohs. Today to commemorate this event, Jews eat matzoh in place of bread during Passover

Though the Jews were now free, their liberation was incomplete. The Pharaoh's army chased them through the desert towards the Red Sea (http://www.holidays.net/passover/story.html#). When the Jews reached the sea they were trapped, since the sea blocked their escape

It was then that a miracle occurred. The waves of the Red Sea parted and the Israelites were able to cross to the other side. As soon as they all reached the other side the sea closed trapping the Pharaoh's army as the waves closed upon them

Then as the Israelites watched the waters of the Red Sea sweep away the Pharaoh's army they realized they were finally free

Passover celebrates this history. The first 2 nights of the 8 day holiday are celebrated with lavish meals called Seders in which the stories and history of Passover are celebrated. Special foods, plates, silverware (http://www.holidays.net/passover/story.html#) are all a part of the Seder.

[Matty]

The Passover Seder

Taking place the first 2 nights of the 8 day holiday, the Seder is the most important event in the Passover celebration. Usually gathering the whole family and friends together, the Seder is steeped in long held traditions and customs


Leading up to the first night of Passover, the home is cleaned and cleared of all yeast foods, called hametz. All hametz is either eaten before Passover begins or "sold" to non-Jewish neighbors and friends.


The rules surrounding Passover are strict and many, with only special foods, utensils, and dishware allowed.


Kitchen and dishware normally used in the home are not be used during Passover.
http://www.burstbeacon.com/view/4228/62917/124418/208489/2290/B0A6BE9E/

Special dishes and utensils for the Passover holiday (http://www.holidays.net/passover/seder.html#) are taken out of storage, cleaned and used.


Only foods that are "Kosher for Passover" are allowed. No leavened (containing yeast) foods or grains are eaten. In their place matzoh and foods containing matzoh are eaten. This is to commemorate the Israelites who fled quickly into the desert with no time for their breads to rise and were forced to bake the dough into hard crackers in the desert sun. All foods prohibited during Passover must be disposed of the morning of the first night of Passover.


With its Passover dishware and silverware, the Seder (http://www.holidays.net/passover/seder2.htm#) table is different than the regular dinner table. The centerpiece of which is the Seder plate, a special plate containing the 5 foods that remind us of the struggle of the Israelites in their quest and journey to freedom.


Three pieces of matzoh are placed in a Matzoh Cover (a cloth sleeve or envelope) and placed in the center of the Seder table. Before the meal begins the middle matzoh is removed and broken in half.


One half is returned to the Matzoh Cover, the other - the Afikomen - is hidden, to be hunted by the children at the end of the Seder meal. The child who finds the Afikomen wins a special prize. Some homes break the Afikomen in to many pieces assuring that each child present can find a piece and receive a prize.


The Seder plate contains foods that have special meaning for this holiday.


Haroseth
Parsley (dipped in salt water (http://www.holidays.net/passover/seder2.htm#) Roasted egg
Shank Bone
Bitter herbs


http://www.holidays.net/passover/images/haroseth.gif
A mixture of chopped walnuts, wine, cinnamon and apples that represents the mortar the Jewish slaves used to assemble the Pharaoh's bricks.


http://www.holidays.net/passover/images/parsley.gif
Symbolizing Springtime, it is dipped in salt water to remind us of for the tears of the Jewish slaves.


http://www.holidays.net/passover/images/egg.gif
Another symbol of Spring.


http://www.holidays.net/passover/images/bone.gif
Symbolic of the sacrificial lamb offering, the bone can come from whatever the family is eating, such as the leg bone of a roasted turkey.


http://www.holidays.net/passover/images/herb.gif
Freshly grated horseradish (http://www.holidays.net/passover/seder2.htm#) reflects the bitter affliction of slavery.



During the Seder 4 glasses of wine are poured to represent the 4 stages of the exodus.


Freedom
Deliverance
Redemption
Release


A fifth cup of wine (http://www.holidays.net/passover/seder2.htm#) is poured and placed on the Seder table. This is the Cup of Elijah, an offering for the Prophet Elijah. During the Seder the door to the home is opened to invite the prophet Elijah in.


After the meal is eaten, the children search for the Afikomen. The Seder is finished when the children have found the Afikomen and everyone has eaten a piece.