Tomorrow, Jews around the world will be celebrating the beginning of Passover.
The eight-day Jewish holiday is celebrated in the early spring, from the fifteenth through the twenty-second of the Hebrew month of Nissan which will be April 12 – 20 this year. Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. The holiday is called ‘Passover ‘ because God passed over the Jewish homes when killing the Egyptian firstborn.
The highlight of the holiday is the Seder meal that includes Matzah and symbolic foods, four cups of wine and retelling the story of the Exodus from Egypt. The Passover Seder plate holds symbolic foods that represent the themes of the Exodus story including the Lamb’s Shank bone (zeroah), the Roasted Egg (beitzah), the Bitter Herbs (maror) and the Charoset (a sweet paste made with apples, wine and nuts.)
Here’s an explanation of the common symbols:
- The Lamb’s Shank Bone symbolizes the Passover sacrifice and also God’s “outstretched arm” that delivered the Israelites from Egypt.
- The Roasted Egg represents the spring season festival sacrifice, and also the continuing circle of life.
- The Bitter Herbs represent the bitterness of the Israelites’ enslavement in Egypt.
- Charoset represents the mortar that was used to build Pharoah’s pyramids.
- Matzah reminds us of the haste of the Israelite’s departure from Egypt. There was no time for their bread to rise.
- Additionally, there is often a bowl of salt water on the Seder plate representing the tears of the Israelites when they were enslaved.
–Tidelines Editors