The rabbis questioned every witness for credibility:. Where did you see [the new moon]? Was it before or after sunset? Was it in the north or the south? How high was it? Which way was it tilted? Mishnah Rosh Hashanah Once the sighting was legitimated, the rabbis declared the next day Rosh Hodesh , the beginning of the new month.
Originally, beacon fires would be set on mountaintops to spread the word to distant Jewish communities already living in far away places such as Egypt and Babylon. But relations with neighboring sects such as the Samaritans worsened, and they deliberately harassed the Jews by lighting beacon fires at erroneous times.
As a result, the Sanhedrin substituted messengers to alert the Diaspora communities, but they could take a long time to arrive from Jerusalem. Only the Sanhedrin was able to make pronouncements about the new moon, so Diaspora communities could not do this for themselves. The proclamation of each new moon was significant as an alert about the exact dates of holidays. Jewish communities always knew approximately when a festival would fall, but waited until the date of the new moon had been established to decide when festivals would fall.
As most holidays fall around mid-month, they could — generally — afford some delay in receiving the Jerusalem news. But celebrating festivals for an extra day would ensure that, regardless of whatever confusion reigned about the exact start of the new month, at least one day of their celebration would be on the correct day.
One biblical holiday does not fall in mid-month: Rosh Hashanah. Delay in receiving word of this new moon would lead distant communities to miss the day and violate Torah law. This was a safety measure, to ensure that these communities would celebrate at least one day of Rosh Hashanah on the proper day. With the official news from Jerusalem, they could not know if the new moon had been sighted on the first or the second of these days, but observing two days ensured they would not violate the holiday.
As this custom of yom tov sheni spread through the Diaspora, it began to be observed even in the land of Israel and Jerusalem. This also started as a safety measure, because late-day testimony that the new moon had been seen might leave no time for observing the holiday. Therefore the next day would be observed as Rosh Hashanah as well.
The second day of Rosh Hashanah became a more integral part of the celebration of the Jewish new year. The tenth and final plague is the most drastic: the killing of the first born by the so-called angel of death. The Israelites were ultimately freed from slavery and wandered the desert for 40 years before making it to the promise land. Families hold a seder on the first and sometimes second night of Passover.
It is fundamentally a religious service set around a dinner table, where the order in which participants eat, pray, drink wine, sing, discuss current social justice issues and tell stories is prescribed by a central book called the Haggadah. On Passover seder tables, you may see a partitioned plate containing small amounts of specific food. This is the seder plate, and each food is symbolic for an aspect of Passover: A roasted shank bone represents the Pescah sacrifice, an egg represents spring and the circle of life, bitter herbs represent the bitterness of slavery, haroset an applesauce-like mixture with wine, nuts, apples, etc.
Also placed on the table are three pieces of matzah — a cracker-like unleavened bread — that represent the bread the Israelites took with them when they fled Egypt, and salt water to represent the tears of the slaves. At your seat, you may see a specific wine glass or kiddish cup. The Torah commands that at least four symbolic cups of wine be consumed during the Passover seder. There may also be one or two extra kiddish cups at your table: One is a cup of wine for the prophet Elijah whose spirit visits on passover.
On the chairs, you may see pillows. This is because on Passover you are supposed to recline at the table as a symbol of being free. There is even a specific section of the seder called the four questions, where the youngest person at the table asks about the different Passover symbols and the elders explain. In addition to eating the foods represented on the seder plate with the exception of lamb, which is not eaten a Passover meal — that breaks up the two halves of the seder — is served. Traditional dishes include matzo ball soup , gefilte fish, beef brisket, chicken and potatoes.
More traditional Jews will completely clean out any foods containing chametz from their home. Before celebrations can begin the house must be cleaned from top to bottom to remove any traces of chametz leaven from the home.
This commemorates the Jews leaving Egypt who did not have time to let their bread rise, but also symbolises removing 'puffiness' arrogance, pride from their souls. The day before Passover begins there is a ritual search for chametz in every home. The children usually join in with great enthusiasm. A Jew may not eat chametz or derive benefit from it during Passover. He may not even own it or feed it to animals. Any chametz in his possession, or utensils used to prepare food with chametz, have to be temporarily 'sold' to non-Jews.
They can be bought back after the holiday. You can even sell your chametz online! The day before Passover begins the Fast of the Firstborn is observed. All first born males fast on this day to celebrate their escape from the Plague of the First Born. The highlight of Passover observance takes place on the first two nights, when friends and family gather together for ritual seder meals. Seder means 'order' and the ceremonies are arranged in a specific order.
Special plates and cutlery are used which are kept exclusively for Passover. Learning Zone video: Buying kosher food for Pesach. The Haggadah is a book which tells in fourteen steps the story of the Jewish experience in Egypt and of the Exodus and revelation of God.
As the story of each of the ten plagues is read out a drop of wine is spilt to remind Jews that their liberation was tinged with sadness at the suffering of the Egyptians. The haggadah also contains songs, blessings, psalms and Four Questions. These four questions are:.
Unleavened bread or matzo is eaten to remember the Exodus when the Israelites fled Egypt with their dough to which they had not yet added yeast. Bitter herbs, usually horseradish, are included in the meal to represent the bitterness of slavery.
At the beginning of the meal a piece of potato is dipped in salt water to recall the tears the Jews shed as slaves. In ancient times, people who were free reclined on sofas while they ate. Today cushions are placed on chairs to symbolise freedom and relaxation, in contrast to slavery. Usually the youngest person present will ask the questions and the father will respond.
The paradox of this is that these four questions should be asked spontaneously, but celebrations cannot happen unless they are asked! Children are central to Passover proceedings and symbolise the continuity of the Jewish people.
Customs are designed to hold their attention. There's the hunt for the afikomen , where a piece of matzoh is hidden which children have to find and hold 'ransom' until a reward is given. Each of the components of the meal is symbolic. The food is eaten in ritual order and its meaning and symbolism is discussed.
Passover is also called The Festival of Freedom and is a celebration of freedom, not just in Biblical times, but its importance to the individual today and throughout history.
Jews believe freedom to be one of the basic human rights. Readings about contemporary slavery or oppression to show solidarity with the oppressed may be included in some traditions although not in Orthodox Jewish households. Passover can be called the Festival of Spring and was an agricultural festival which marked the beginning of the cycle of production and harvest during the time the Jews lived in ancient Palestine.
Passover is also a pilgrim festival. It is one of the three occasions in the year when, according to the commandments of the Torah , Jews were to go to the Temple in Jerusalem. Passover began as a ceremony celebrated in the home, but once the Jews settled in Jerusalem they constructed the Temple and the celebrations moved there.
Today, Passover celebrations continue to be focussed on the home. This makes Passover the most popular Jewish holiday. Families travel great distances to be together at Passover. In the synagogue there are special readings for each day of the festival.
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