Why Passover Matters

Passover is one of the most honored of Jewish holidays. Known in Hebrew as "Pesah" or "Peysekh", this celebration commemorates the freeing of the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt. Exodus 12:13 says, "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt". The Pharoh decreed that the firstborn child of each family should die, and his curse was turned upon him. The hand of death swept down over every house but those marked with lamb's blood, a sign that the household was devoted to God. In this way, the Jews were favored by God, and the Exodus was triggered. Passover celebrates this freedom.

Comedians over the years have referred to Passover as the day Charlton Heston freed Paramount from thousands of extras. Indeed, the 1956 movie, "The Ten Commandments" has painted a theatrical picture of the Exodus into our minds in a way that nothing else has. The brilliant retelling from Dreamworks, "The Prince of Egypt", gives us yet another perspective, focusing more on the tragedy of two brothers which culminates in one of the most uplifting scenes in animation as the slaves of Egypt hesitantly, then joyously, accept their gift.

Traditionally, Passover begins on the first full moon after the vernal equinox, or the night of the 14^th day of Nisan according to the Jewish calendar. There is biblical evidence that this celebration may have been adapted from an earlier tradition with a reference to "unleavened bread" in Genesis 19:3. The first documentation of Passover in Palestine can be found in The Book of Joshua, 5:10-11, where it is said "and the children of Israel encamped in Gigal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land, on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched in the selfsame day." After Joshua's death, Passover was all but forgotten until a resurgence in the 11^th century BCE. The observance grew then solidified under King Solomon's reign in 960 CE, with the construction of the Jerusalem Temple.

As mentioned before, Passover traditionally refers to the Exodus of the children of Egypt, but many Jews also use this time to remember the Holocaust. On April 19, 1943, The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising took place the eve of Passover. The Jewish population realized their friends and families were not being taken to labor camps, but instead were being deported to concentration camps, and death. The second deportation went into effect early in 1943. One insurgency took place in January, and this was no small act. Weapons were procured, captives were held. One SS soldier committed suicide.

The next deportation was scheduled for April 19^th, surely with a bit of irony on the part of the Nazis who may have viewed this Passover eve as another "Exodus". The efforts of the SS auxiliary forces were thwarted by insurgents armed with "Molotov cocktails and hand grenades". It was possibly the greatest attempt to set back the Nazi regime. A Polish flag was raised over the Jewish Resistance headquarters and remained for four days. This uprising continued until June, when the forces turned the tide and continued to send people to the camps. The timing of this event leads some Jews to raise comparisons between the uprising and the Exodus, both as a bid for freedom and in appreciation of those who were willing to "stand up". Others believe the Holocaust has no bearing on Passover whatsoever.

Today, the Passover Seder is a very ritualistic representation of the Jewish faith. In the beginning of this eight day celebration, family and friends come together and homes are cleansed of all yeast foods. Matzo, or unleavened bread, is eaten to commemorate the fleeing of Jews from Egypt, who were said to leave before their bread could rise. The assortment of foods are served with deliberate meaning. Scriptures are read, songs are sung. The depth of tradition is intense, so much so that another article would be required to scrape the surface. But the sentiment behind it all is easily understood. It celebrates the glory, protection, and promise of God. As is quoted from Avadim-Hayinoo, "Once we were slaves. Today, we are free people." That sentiment remains.

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