Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Passover

I know the calendar said Passover was yesterday, but all Jewish holidays begin at sundown, so today is the first full day of Passover. Passover is a movable holiday , like Easter. It is never on the same day each year. Passover operates on the ancient Hebrew calendar which is different from the Roman one we use today. It always begins on the night of a full moon, in the Hebrew month of Nisan

It is the story of Exodus, the old testament book in the Bible. If you remember the story of the Israelite being released from slavery, escaping over the desert, and the plagues being visited upon the Pharaoh, you know the basis of Passover.

The tenth , and worst of the plagues was that the angel of death would slaughter the first born of the household. The Israelite people who were still in Jerusalem were told to mark lamb's blood on their door, and the angel of death would PASS OVER their homes and leave the children alive. Only the people of the evil Pharaoh would suffer.

Passover is a celebration of that saving of the first born. The Jews fled and left in such a hurry that their bread could not rise, so they ate unleavened bread, known to us as matzoh. Matzoh (and this is spelled several ways), is almost like a cracker rather than bread. Nothing with yeast is eaten during passover to commemorate the escape from Egypt. You may have seen food products that are "safe for Passover" or "blessed" for Passover. People who honor the Jewish faith will not eat certain foods all during the Passover holiday. There is a large and very symbolic meal during Passover, called the Sedar. It involves certain foods, readings, songs, and prayers.

I have been to several Sedars in my day, and they are certainly interesting, and a reminder that we need to say thank you for our freedom, even if we are not Jewish. It also reminds us to have faith in God, even if you call that Higher Power Creator, the Universe, or anything else. It reminds us that miracles do happen. It reminds us that if we do the right thing, and live a good life, then we will be taken care of, and it also reminds us that it isn't easy.

There is much more to the holiday and would take pages and pages to write about, but it is a very important time in the Hebrew world, second only to Yom Kippur.

Today , take a moment to not complain to your Higher Power, but to say Thank You!
Even when things go wrong we need to focus on THANK YOU.

Do the right things for the right reasons, and you will be rewarded by the Universe!




Peshaui Wequashimese






(C)2011 Triple Moon Goddess Gina, May not be used, copied or reproduced without prior written permission.

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