Later, during the existence of the Jerusalem Temple, the Passover offering was eaten during the Passover Seder on Nisan 15. However, after the destruction of the Temple, no sacrifices were made, so the story of " Korban Passover” is retold at the Passover Seder, and on the Seder platter it is symbolically represented by “ zroa"- fried lamb shank, chicken wing or leg, which are not eaten, but are involved in the ritual.
Passover Seder
Pesach celebration. Ukrainian lubok of the 19th century
Main article: Seder
The central event of the holiday is Easter evening ( layl a-seder or seder-passover, or simply seder / seider).
The holding of the Seder is carefully regulated and consists of many elements. On this night, Jews must read the Passover Haggadah, which tells about the Exodus from Egypt, and have a Passover meal in accordance with tradition.
Reading the Passover Haggadah
On the first evening of Pesach (outside of Israel - on the first two evenings) every Jew should read the story of the Exodus from Egypt.
four bowls
During the Seder, there is an obligation to drink four cups of wine (or grape juice). This applies to both men and women. According to the Mishnah, even the poorest person should drink them. Each bowl serves as an introduction to the next part of the Seder.
Matzo
Machine-made matzah.
The commandment says to eat at least one piece of matzah the size of an olive at the Seder. The ritual of the seder provides for several moments during the evening in which matzah is eaten.
Baking matzah
Matzah for the holiday is baked during the pre-holiday weeks. In orthodox Jewish communities men traditionally gather in groups to hand-bake special sheets of matzah called matzah shmura(“preserved matzah”, meaning that the wheat is protected from contact with water from the day it is cut in summer until the matzah is baked for the subsequent Passover). Matzah must be baked in 18 minutes, otherwise the fermentation process will begin and the matzah will become non-kosher on Pesach.
Maror
During the seder, at various points in the ritual, it is prescribed to taste bitter herbs (from horseradish to lettuce leaves) - maror.
holiday week
Counting down the days of the Omer
From the night of the second day of Pesach, the countdown of the days of the Omer begins. In the days of the Temple, on the day of the first day, a sheaf was brought there (“ omer”) of wheat from the new crop. Before bringing the Omer to the Temple, Jews were forbidden to use the new harvest. After the destruction of the Temple, it is forbidden to eat the new crop until the evening of the second day of Passover.
The days of the Omer are counted for 49 days, after which Shavuot (Pentecost) is celebrated on the 50th day. When counting, both days and weeks are counted: for example, on the first day they say “ Today is the first day of the Omer", and on the 8th -" Today is 8 days which is a week and one day of the Omer».
Seventh day of Pesach
The Almighty commands: on the seventh day also the sacred assembly; do no work» (Lev. 23:8). However, the reason for the holiday is not specified. According to tradition, on this day the waters of the Red Sea parted before the Jews and swallowed up the Pharaoh who was pursuing them (Ex. 14:21-29). In memory of this, on this day, a passage from the Torah dedicated to these events is read, including the “Song of the Sea”.
There is a custom to go to the sea, river or other body of water (in extreme cases, to the fountain) and sing "Song of the Sea" there.
Editorial responseLast update: 04/18/2016
Pesach, the oldest holiday of the Jews, is associated with an important event in history Jewish people- Exodus from Egypt, deliverance from slavery.
Passover begins every year on the 14th day of the month of Nisan according to the Jewish lunar calendar. In Israel itself, this holiday is seven days, outside it - eight days. In the Gregorian chronology, the date is different every year and is calculated separately. In 2016 Passover starts at sunset on April 22nd and ends on April 30th. The days of celebration are dedicated to the events of the Exodus.
The memory of the Exodus - the miraculous liberation of the Jews from Egyptian slavery in the middle of the XIII century BC. e. (Bible, Book of Exodus, ch. 12-15) - the basis of Judaism. The biblical texts tell how Moses, at the behest of God, led the people of Israel out of Egypt. On the night of the 14th day of the month of Nisan, all the firstborn of Egypt died, except for the Jews. The houses of the Jews, marked with the blood of sacrificial lambs, were bypassed by heavenly punishment. That night, the people of Israel, led by Moses, left the Egyptian lands.It was in memory of the fact that the angel of death passed by the Israeli families that the holiday was named: "Pesach" in Hebrew means "to pass, go around or pass by."
Pesach is also called the feast of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem along with two other pilgrimage holidays - and. For Israelis, this is a time of massive excursions and trips throughout the country and, in particular, to Jerusalem.
Passover Traditions
Before the holiday week, Jews collect all the leaven (chametz) around the house and burn it on the morning before Pesach. Any flour dish is considered leavened, during the preparation of which the fermentation process took place in the dough (on all days of the Passover celebration, it is forbidden to eat leavened food and it is prescribed to avoid foods that can ferment).
In addition, there is a tradition to collect “meot hittim” before the start of the holiday, which once meant money for flour for matzah, and later - money for festive table for the poor (matzoh is a special unleavened cake made from unfermented dough; they are baked in memory of how the Jews, who left Egypt in a hurry, took with them bread hastily made from dough that they did not have time to leaven).
On the morning before Pesach, the firstborn men symbolically fast in memory of the salvation of the firstborn of Israel during the tenth plague in Egypt.
On the first and seventh days of the celebration, the Jews do not work, on the other days work is allowed, but with some restrictions.
The first night and the first two days of the holiday (in Israel - only the first day) are called Yom-Tov, "good, festive day." On the first day of Pesach, a solemn service is held in the synagogues: a prayer for dew is read, as well as psalms of thanksgiving to God called Hallel.
On the evening of Nisan 14 Jewish families they gather for a meal at home, where the Seder Korban Pesach (the order of the Passover sacrifice) is read, after which Pesach actually begins. The meal is called a Seder and is served on the first and second nights of the holiday in a strictly defined order. During the seder, it is customary to read the Haggadah, a prayer that tells about the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.
A festive table prepared for the Passover Seder. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / RadRafe
The Seder is very important in the celebration of Passover. During the meal, everyone should drink four glasses of wine in honor of the four cups mentioned in the Torah, and on the table there should be three (sometimes two) matzahs laid one on top of the other.
In addition, on the table there should be a chicken egg and a chicken wing as a symbol of the sacrificial lamb, a vessel with salt water - a reminder of the tears of the Israelites during Egyptian slavery, maror (celery, horseradish or other bitter herb) and charoset (a sweet mixture of fruits, nuts , wine and flour) in memory of the clay from which the Jews made bricks during the Egyptian slavery. By the end of the meal, the front door is opened, marking the beginning of the exodus - the "night of vigil" for all the sons of Israel. It is also customary to invite all those in need to the Seder.
On the last day of Passover, which is associated with the passage of the Jews across the Red Sea, Hazkarat Neshamot is read in the synagogues - a prayer for the remembrance of the dead. In addition, there is a tradition on this day to go to the reservoir and sing a passage from the Torah dedicated to the events of the Exodus, called "Song of the Sea." The seventh day of Pesach, as already mentioned, is a non-working day.
What do Jewish Pesach and Christian Easter have in common?
The name is a direct transfer of the name of the Jewish holiday. "Pesach" in Russian - "Easter". The events of Holy Week took place during the celebration of the Jewish Passover.
For all the difference between the biblical and Gospel events, theologians see many parallels in them: both here and there we are talking about death and salvation, freedom and slavery, sacrificial blood and bread. The Gospel of John (1:29) and 1st Epistle to the Corinthians (5:7) say: Christ in his atoning sacrifice was likened to an innocent lamb (lamb), which in his time the Jews, according to custom, slaughtered before the start of Pesach. And just as the blood of an innocent lamb saved the Egyptian first-born sons from destruction, so does the blood of Christ save people who were created to become sons of God.
People often refer to images from the Passover story to make it easier to understand. The apostle Paul wrote: “Get rid of the old yeast to become a new base of dough, for this is what you as believers are: bread without leaven. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, was given to the slaughter” (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Why shouldn't Pesach and Easter be the same?
The Church determines that the day Christ's Resurrection should not coincide with the day of the Jewish Easter, that is, from Nisan 14 according to the Jewish calendar: “If anyone, a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, the holy day of Easter […] will be celebrated with the Jews, let him be deposed from the holy order” (Apostolic Canons .Rule 7).
The fact is that, in accordance with the Gospel, the Resurrection of Christ itself occurred after the Jewish Passover. That is why, that is, to comply with the chronology of the gospel events, the celebration of Easter was established by the First Ecumenical Council so, and not otherwise. The possibility of the coincidence of the celebration of Jewish and Christian Easter is still being debated. But, as the clergy clarify, it would be extremely strange to clearly contradict the Gospel, determining the date of the most important Christian holiday.
Easter, or Pesach (means: "passing by"), was celebrated in memory of the event when the Lord (Jehovah) brought the 10th trouble on Egypt (Ex. 12:12,13) and struck all the firstborn of the Egyptians. So that the punishments of God would not confuse the Jews with the Egyptians, the first smeared their doors with the ritual blood of a kosher tortured lamb. What is the attitude of other peoples to this wild, not human, Jewish horror?
But in fact, this prohibitively cruel and vile crime of the Jews for many centuries has been "celebrated" by the entire fooled planet. Wake up people! Stop being fools and puppets in the hands of bloody puppeteers.
Idiots who consider themselves Orthodox, some out of habit, some out of conviction, not bothering to figure out “their faith”, paint eggs with all their families, cook Easter cakes, then beat with eggs, eat Easter cakes with vodka and thus “approach God” (i.e. to Satan - Jewish Jehovah). Let's look at the heart of the matter.
Reading the Bible: “...Jesus went up the mountain and sat there with His disciples. Easter was approaching Jewish holiday»
(from John ch.6 st.3,4). So do Christians or Jews beat eggs and kiss the hands of priests compatriots?
What exactly is Easter?
This is the main jewish holiday Peisakh (Pesach), in Slavic transcription - Easter. The Jews celebrated and continue to celebrate it, dedicating it to their exodus from Egypt, the liberation of the Jewish people from "Egyptian slavery." That is why the holiday is called "peisach", which means in Hebrew "to leave", "to pass by".
Let's remember biblical history underlying this holiday. Pharaoh did not let the Jews who wanted to leave. Then Jehovah (the angel of death, aka Lucifer, aka Satan) began to send various curses on the Egyptians. At first, these curses are in the nature of dirty tricks - toads, midges and flies. However, G-d's anger soon grows stronger, and he sends pestilence, inflammation with abscesses, hail and locusts. It ends with the fact that "good" the jewish god kills all egyptian firstborns - all children including babies. So that the punishments of God would not confuse the Jews with the Egyptians, the first smeared their doors with the ritual blood of a specially (kosherly) slaughtered innocent lamb (gavvakh - the energy of suffering).
"Kind" tolerant Jews, by the decree of Lucifer, anointed the doors with the blood of the Paschal lamb, and death did not enter their homes (ie, "passed by").
Only then did Pharaoh release the Jews. But before leaving, the Jews still managed to rob Egyptians. The Jews asked their Egyptian girlfriends to "reproach" gold jewelry, the Jews borrowed from the Egyptians, initially not intending to give it back. The story is really funny and the Jews have been enjoying it for the third thousand years. And Khrenstians decided to see to support the older brothers. Why older brothers? Yes, because Christianity, like Islam, are two branches of the Abrahamic religion. It should be noted that in the apparent confrontation between Christianity, Islam and Judaism, there is unstructured crowd control.
While the angel of death passed through Egypt, killing all the Egyptian firstborn, the Jews sat in their homes and ate the meat of the lamb with unleavened bread. All the firstborn of the Jews, through the blood of the lamb, were redeemed from death.
The sad thing about this story is that the Russian people, having turned away from their gods, turned from God's grandchildren into God's servants, shepherds who work for the good of the Jewish race. It is enough to read the words from the Bible, spoken by Jesus himself: “He answered and said: I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (from Matthew ch.15, verse 24). And: “...do not go to the path to the Gentiles and do not go to the city of the Samaritans; But go first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (from Matthew ch.10, verse 5, 6).
And here is what the Jews think about this: the paschal lamb is Jesus, who must be sacrificed in a ritual brutal way every year.
Thus, Jesus was called the immaculate and pure Lamb (1 Pet. 1:19; John 1:29), the Passover of God (1 Cor. 5:7). He was crucified on the day of the Passover, when the lamb was to be killed. Just as Easter was supposed to be laid when it was getting dark, so Jesus, being on the cross in the middle of the day (from 10 am to 4 pm), died when it was dark (Mat. 27:45-50), because the Most High specially closed the sun so that the ritual of offering the Paschal Lamb of God was performed correctly.. As the bones of the Paschal lamb could not be broken, and the meat could not spend the night until the morning (Num.9:12; Ex.12:10; 34:25), so Jesus was removed from the cross until the morning, before the bones of the legs were broken for the rest of the condemned (John 19:32-36).In the evening, at the last supper, Jesus broke bread and distributed it to his disciples with the words: “This is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19)Those. cannibals-ghouls eat my flesh and blood (matzah and alcohol is a purely satanic ritual!) !!!
As the Passover lamb was put to death for the salvation of the firstborn, so Jesus gave His body to be torn apart for the redemption of the firstborn - His chosen church - the Bride.
As due to the fact that death did not touch the firstborn of the Jews, Pharaoh was frightened and released the whole people from slavery, so thanks to the Bride - people who carry knowledge about Jesus - all nations got the opportunity to get rid of the slavery of sin and be saved.
After the breaking of the bread, Jesus handed over the cup of wine to the disciples, saying, “This cup is New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20)
However, the Jews did not give up their holiday, but set aside another day for the Christians to celebrate Easter. For according to the canons of Judaism, non-Jews are equated with cattle. To justify this decision, a complex and confusing system for calculating the day of Easter associated with lunar calendar Jews. Note that not a single church Christian holiday is not calculated as strange and ornate as Easter. All the rest (for example, Christmas) for some reason stand still. This means that Christians still celebrate the Jewish Passover, passing it off as their holiday. However christian church not the first time to appropriate other people's holidays. The celebration of St. George's Day in April replaced the ancient pagan holiday of Parilia; The day of St. John the Baptist (Ivan Kupala) has replaced the ancient holiday of Vedic Russia Kupala. Feast of the Dormition Holy Mother of God in the month of August replaced the feast of Diana; the day of All Saints in November was a continuation of the Vedic holiday of the dead (navy), etc.
Easter - Easter cake in the form of an erect Jewish circumcised penis (bon appetit to all Khrenstians!).
According to a number of sources, Jews on Passover (Passover) make Kashrut (kosher) food soaked in the blood of a baptized baby, who is stolen for these purposes. Or more serious mystics simply drink his blood, which must necessarily be pumped out of a living body. There are testimonies of ritual murders of Christian children committed by Jews! Even Dahl, in his book Notes on Ritual Murders, described in detail and reasonedly numerous cases of such atrocities. Murders continue to this day! The specific reasons for such ritual Hasidic murders were different, at different times of the year. But most often - before the Passover holiday. Its purpose is to mystically bind the non-Jewish blood into a single organism again and again and self-improve energetically with children's clean energy. And to show that they are great and are waiting for their god (the future single ruler) living by his values. Indeed, in the concept of God's chosen people, the rest of the peoples are animals. And there is nothing shameful in sacrificing to your savior from the offspring of these animals, and even being nourished energetically and physically.
However, I would like to turn to the Slavs: celebrating the Easter-Pesach holiday, what do you Christians, out of habit or conviction, want from your masters? Well, in fact, do not recognize you as Jewish relatives? For them, you are only slaves and victims for slaughter and service.
In general, it is necessary to assimilate a simple truth, expressed more ancient philosopher Virgil: "Choosing gods, we choose fate!"
From the editor of DisciplesToday: “A few years ago I celebrated the Passover holiday in Jerusalem with 300 Jews from all over the world. This experience opened my eyes to the true meaning of Easter and its meaning for contemporary people in all generations.” Philip Lester, a Jewish brother from the Church of Christ in New York, will share his study on this subject.
“Get rid of the old yeast to become the new dough base, for that is what you as believers are: bread without leaven. For our Passover Lamb was given to the slaughter” (1 Corinthians 5:7).
This passage is addressed to Christians in Greek Corinth. And although many of them were not Jews, the apostle Paul suggests that they were well acquainted with the Passover picture. Paul saw the unique application of this Passover story to the situation in the Corinthian church at the time. The problem of the spread of sins and the proud spirit of the Corinthians were the backdrop for the reference to the practice of getting rid of old yeast, which was an integral part of the Passover celebration.
Let's take a moment to think about the meaning of Easter, which is celebrated in April for seven days. And also consider its relevance to us, modern Christians. In its original form, the Passover was a celebration of God's miraculous intervention that ultimately led to the release of the people of Israel from slavery. This event helps us look back and see the power of the blood of the lamb that led to the release of millions of slaves from Egyptian slavery. As we shall see, this also points to the final liberation of all people through the final sacrifice, the Messiah whom God sent into this world. There are so many powerful and inspiring lessons about Easter, and while this article will only scratch the surface of the subject, I hope that those who are interested in a better understanding of it, its relevance today, and its connection to the New Testament, will find much of interest. .
Easter is more than just a holiday
For many secular Jews, Easter mainly centers around things like family, food, and tradition. As in most cases, the holiday becomes a good opportunity to pass on customs, traditions and history to a new generation. Unfortunately, the deeper meaning of Easter is often overlooked, leaving more and more only the attributes of the holiday on the surface. The deep meaning lies in the message of God, freedom, deliverance from spiritual slavery and oppression. This is a message of His love, His power, His promises, miracles, and His ultimate plan, the liberation of mankind through the blood of the perfect Lamb. Prophets such as Isaiah spoke of one who was to come as a man to give us protection from the most destructive things in our lives—our sins. This article will help us find confirmation of this truth.
The true meaning and meaning of Easter is the celebration of freedom
Passover, also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread or Passover, is one of the oldest ancient holidays for humans. Along with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), this is one of the most significant holidays for the Jewish people. This is one of the three holidays that God commanded the Jews to celebrate every year. Passover, as the birthday of the Israelite people, is a reminder of the liberation of the ancient Jews from Egyptian slavery thousands of years ago. The name of the holiday in Hebrew means "to pass by, to bypass". God decided to use this extreme measure, which resulted in the destruction of all the firstborn and people and livestock in the land of Egypt, with the exception of the firstborn of the Jews. God commanded the Israelites to mark their doorposts with the blood of a lamb so that they would be protected and that He could see the mark and pass by the houses of the Israelites. For thousands of years, every year Jews observe a special fast that lasts 7 days. Passover is a special reminder for the Jewish people, thanks to which they restore this history again.
What happens on Easter? Restoring the history of the holiday
Like most holidays, it's an occasion to rejoice when all friends and family come together to eat a special meal. The highlight of the evening with special food is the retelling ancient history about how God miraculously freed the people of Israel from the tyranny of the Pharaoh. This story is about miracles, about God, about His promises, about His judgment, about His leadership, but above all about salvation. God wants this story to be passed down from generation to generation and never be forgotten. This story is told not only in words, but also through the eating of special foods that symbolize it.
Today, Passover is celebrated with various foodstuffs that are used to make a special meal called "Seder". The meal is combined with the reading of a special pamphlet called Haggadah. It takes place around the dining table and most often the head of the family is at the head of the table. Everything possible is done so that all participants in the meal are involved in this holiday, reproducing the events of history. As a rule, all invited guests participate in the Seder by reading the Haggadah. Along the way, prayers are said, wine is drunk and food is taken. Since one of the purposes of Easter is education, special attention is paid to children on this day. In fact, this holiday was designed in such a way as to arouse the interest of young people and attract them.
Traditionally, young people are asked four questions. These questions set the stage for the facilitator to begin explaining the true meaning of the evening.
Questions like:
- Why is this night different from others?
- Why do we have only unleavened bread tonight?
- And why do we eat bitter herbs?
The facilitator then answers these questions, explaining the importance of the night and the unique products. All these symbolic things and traditions are designed to help re-experience the events that led to the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian slavery.
History of Easter
The historical background of this holiday is found in the first twelve chapters of the book of Exodus, the second book of the Bible, which takes us back to the ancient Egyptian world. However, to appreciate these events even better, we need to go back in history to look at the promises God made to Abraham. These promises include:
- Building a strong nation from his descendants
- Providing special land for the life of these descendants
- The coming of the promised "seeds" to bless all nations (Genesis 12:1-3)
An interesting prophecy was given to Abraham regarding his descendants. In fact, this prophecy does foretell Easter:
“... and the Lord said to him: “Know that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country, and the inhabitants of that country will enslave them, and will oppress them for 400 years.” (Genesis 15:13)
This prediction has actually come true. Genesis ends with the story of Joseph and the departure of Jacob's family of 70 from Canaan to Egypt. After receiving an invitation from Joseph, they left their homes in Canaan to avoid a severe famine. They settled in Egypt as guests and became very wealthy there. Their move to Egypt was originally meant for them to survive as a nation. They left from promised land but it was God's plan.
Easter in the Old Testament
Book of Exodus in Old Testament tells us a story that happened 400 years later. All this time the Israelites were in Egyptian slavery. However, over time, they became a strong nation, which already numbered millions of people. Due to the fact that there was a famine in their land, they were forced to move to Egypt, where they became slaves. This is where the whole Easter drama begins.
The Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians, who were ruled by Pharaoh Ramses II. We know from the Book of Exodus and history that Egypt was a world of pharaohs, pyramids and polytheism. For those unfamiliar with the Bible, the movie The Ten Commandments and the cartoon The Prince of Egypt can introduce you a little to that world. However, keep in mind that these events were real, and are not a Hollywood fiction. The cry of the Israeli people for liberation from harsh tyranny was heard by God. His plan was to raise Moses to be the liberator of the people. However, Moses needed to learn many things in order to do so. For forty years he was brought up in Egypt, and then for another forty years he was trained as a shepherd. At the age of 80, he received the right to be the representative of God for the pharaoh. Moses, a simple shepherd, was assigned to go to Pharaoh to demand freedom for his people. Moses left the palace for the desert and then returned to the palace as a prophet.
God provided Moses supernatural powers in order to demonstrate that it was He who sent him. So Moses came down the mountain with the message "Let the people of God go..." Moses' request was ignored. Pharaoh refused to listen to Moses and did not let the people go. Moses warned Pharaoh that he would inflict many punishments on him if he did not let the people go. Many times Pharaoh ignored Moses. As a result, God had to unleash a series of 10 punishments on the people of Egypt. All the people of Egypt suffered these terrible 10 plagues.
- Water turned to blood
- toad invasion
- midges punishment
- Dogfly punishment
- pestilence
- boils punishment
- Locust Invasion
- Death of the firstborn
The gods of Egypt were condemned by the God of Moses. The god of the Nile turned into blood, the god of the sun "Ra" turned into darkness. All the same, the Pharaoh was not going to let the Jews go, until the death of all the Egyptian firstborn, including in the house of the Pharaoh. These events are detailed in Exodus 12:
“Tonight I will go through Egypt and kill all the firstborn, people and animals, and execute judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood on your houses will be for me special sign: when I see blood, I will bypass your houses. I will cause all the bad things to the Egyptian people, but you will not be struck by any of these terrible diseases. (Exodus 12:12,13)
Read the entire 12th chapter of Exodus.
When Pharaoh finally agreed to let the Israelites go, the people left their homes so quickly that there was not even time to bake their own bread. Thus, they had to take raw dough with them. As they walked through the desert, the dough was baked in the hot desert, resulting in a flat cake called "matzah". Today, in honor of this event, Jews eat matzah instead of bread on Pesach.
Although the Jews were now free, their emancipation was not complete. The pharaoh's army pursued them in the desert, on their way to the Red Sea. When they reached the sea, they were trapped. It was then that another miracle happened. The waters of the Red Sea parted and the Israelites were able to cross over to the other side. As soon as the last man reached the other shore, the waters closed, engulfing the Pharaoh's army. Only then did they realize that they were free. This liberation is celebrated on Easter.
Passover celebration today by the Jewish people
Passover is celebrated for seven days during which Jews abstain from eating sourdough bread. The holiday begins with a special service and a solemn meal "Seder". The Seder is the most important event in the holiday. The whole family gathers at the table, headed by the owner of the house.
How Christians Celebrate Easter
Although Passover is a special time for Jewish families to come together, many Jews view this time as a time for family reunions and the use of the Seder. Many attend worship services and try to spiritually meditate. Many Gentiles (not Jews) have begun to take part in Passover, and although they are familiar with the texts of the Old and New Testaments, they do not really understand the meaning of this holiday. Some others have come to understand that Easter contains many symbols that foreshadow the coming of the Messiah. They consider Easter one of the most amazing holidays, during which it is necessary to make a deep analysis of the price that was paid for our liberation. They understand what has its roots in the Jewish Passover and understand that Jesus used Passover to tell the disciples about Himself and His sacrifice.
Jesus and His Disciples: The Last Seder of Christ
The four gospels have preserved for us the records that Jesus planned to celebrate the Passover with his disciples. Hundreds of years later, it will already be called " The Last Supper". It was the Seder that eventually became known as the “Lord’s Supper.” It begins shortly before He is arrested and tried before being crucified. Jesus ate the Passover meal with His disciples. He died on the Passover according to prophecy (Isaiah 53 contains one of these prophecies), taking upon Himself the sins of the world. Jesus became the true Lamb, whose sacrifice helps us receive the remission of sins to this day.
Easter holiday: lessons and conclusions
1. Bitterness of slavery and slavery of sins. The difficulties caused by slavery are symbolized by bitter herbs. Bitterness: selfishness, pride, envy, lust and other addictions are held captive in a similar way to Egyptian slavery.
2. Personal touch of God. Easter is held with the personal participation of God with His people. Just as God saved Moses at the time of his birth, He saved the people of Israel from slavery. This salvation was always in His plans. When the time came, salvation became a reality. He hears all of our prayers and cries for help, but His timing does not necessarily match ours.
3. God is above all other gods. The show with the "gods" of Egypt was God's merciful attempt to show that He is the only amazing God.
4. Freedom from slavery. Just as God provided physical freedom through the blood of lambs for the Israelites, He provides us with spiritual freedom through the blood. Although we are not slaves like the Israelites in Egypt, we are slaves to our sins. was our master until Jesus, our Passover Lamb, delivered us from him.
5. Memories of a former life. Never forget Egypt. When we forget what we have been saved from, we become blind and ungrateful (2 Peter 1:5-11).
6. Purification of the old leaven. This is a memory that the Jews left Egypt in a hurry and there was no time even for the bread to rise. It also helps to get rid of arrogance and pride (1 Corinthians 5:7)
The word "sourdough" means yeast. These are the bacteria that cause fermentation in milk, causing it to turn sour. And they are what make the bread rise. One of the most important actions in the tradition of the Jews during the preparation for Passover is the removal of yeast from the house shortly before Passover. On the eve of the first night of Pesach (or Easter), the entire house is cleansed of everything that contains yeast. Everything is either eaten before Easter or sold to “non-Jews”. This is a large and rather complex process. To do it right, you have to be prepared to thoroughly go over all surfaces for several weeks to clean them, even if they just came into contact with something that had yeast in it. Exactly the same effort is needed in our lives to deal with sin, which can just as easily spread (1 Corinthians 5:7).
7. We "find" the sinlessness and suffering of the Messiah in unleavened bread. The Messiah is the bread of life. The streaks and marks on the unleavened bread are a remembrance of His stripes: “by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5b). In the Old and leaven or fermentation often symbolize sin. Jesus warned against "Pharisaic or Sadducean leaven" (Matthew 16:6). Paul wrote, “Let us keep our Passover feast as before, not with the old leaven, the leaven of wickedness and corruption, but with bread without leaven, with sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8). The Passover bread from the book of Exodus became a symbol of sinless life, known as the "Bread of Life".
8. Salvation through the blood of the Passover Lamb. Zorora - the thigh of the Passover lamb, which is the central dish of the Seder, symbolizes that the lamb slain at Passover was supposed to shed blood that could be applied to the doorframes of houses and protect the firstborn from death. The word Zorora is also translated as "the hand of the Lord" (Isaiah 53:1), which symbolizes God's desire to stretch out his hand to save us. Once again, HaShem (God) gave the Lamb to the slaughter without “stain or wrinkle.” As predicted in the book prophet Isaiah 53:6-7 the last sacrifice will be a human. Easter foretells redemption. For those who believe in the Messiah, the feast of Easter has a special meaning. The whole thread of Easter symbols was embodied in Christ. Before the baptism of Christ, John said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29b). The Jews celebrated Passover for fifteen hundred years. They understood the significance of such a statement.
The lamb slain at Passover was a harbinger of the redemption we have received through Christ, our Passover Lamb. The principle of redemption means that we are sold into the bondage of sin and can be freed from its dominion (John 8:31-32). To be "redeemed" means to be "redeemed from bondage." Christ Jesus paid for our freedom with His blood - this is the price of redemption (1 Peter 1:18,19, Galatians 3:13, Ephesians 1:7, 1 John 1:7).
To fully understand the connection between Easter and the Cross, we must look at the history of the atonement for sin, which began in Genesis and continued throughout the Bible. From the beginning of time, God said, "You cannot approach Me except through the blood of the lamb." Sacrifice was ordained by God from the very beginning. Adam and Eve never saw death. They didn't know what it was like to die. When they broke God's commandment, He sacrificed an animal to cover their sin. “And the Lord God made garments of leather for Adam and his wife, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). He used an unblemished lamb to cover their guilt, and He does the same today. Isaiah chapter 53 was written hundreds of years before Yeshua (editor's note: the author uses Jewish name Christ - Yeshua) and illustrates life in the name of sacrificial service: the Man-Lamb must suffer "on behalf" of others.
“But He took upon Himself our infirmities and bore our sicknesses; but we thought that He was smitten, punished, and humiliated by God. But He was wounded for our sins and tormented for our iniquities; the punishment of our peace was on Him, and by His stripes we were healed. We all wandered like sheep, we turned each one to his own way: and the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all. He was tormented, but suffered voluntarily and did not open His mouth; He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth” (Isaiah 53:4-7).
9. Blood protects at the Judgment. During the Seder, participants must dip their little finger into their glass of wine and, while listing their sins (ed. note: the author uses a word that can also simply mean problems and worries), shake it off. Wine symbolizes various sins and worries. When God saw the blood, He passed by this house and did not remember the sin (did not judge) the Israelites. Likewise, the blood of the lamb covers and protects us from Judgment: “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb…” (“his” is Satan, Revelation 12:11a).
10. New life theme. Passover cuisine includes vegetables and herbs traditional for the Seder, which are served at the table both as an appetizer and as a reminder. (Editor's note: in Hebrew, "karpas" is a vegetable or herb that is dipped in salt water during the Seder, it could be potatoes, celery, onions, etc.) Karpas reminds of spring - a symbol of the beginning of a new life. And many other similar symbols that unite this holiday: freedom, rebirth, new life, hope even in the midst of despair.
11. Afikoman - breaking bread and returning to life. During the Seder, unleavened bread is broken into three parts, they are hidden (ed. note: symbolically hidden under a napkin), then they are reunited and distributed to all participants. (Editor's note: after that you can't eat until the morning, so that the “taste of freedom” remains in your mouth. This piece is called afikoman.). A clear and eloquent image of the torment of Christ, His burial and resurrection. It is like the same bread that Jesus broke at the last Seder and said: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” That very cup of wine about which Christ said: “Drink from it all, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins!”
And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and giving it to the disciples, said, “Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, and said, Drink all of you out of it, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. I tell you that from now on I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink new wine with you in the kingdom of my Father” (Matthew 26:26-29).
12. The third bowl of wine. The third cup of wine is traditionally called the "chalice of atonement". The cup symbolizes the very last step of God, which brought us all redemption through the suffering of His Son on the Cross. It is obvious and absolutely clear what Christ had in mind when he shared the cup of wine with His disciples. In His last Seder on Earth, He was with them and He said: “…do this in remembrance of Me” (Gospel of Luke 22:19b), “for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Gospel of Matthew 26:28). The realization of the connection of the Jewish Passover with the Lord's Supper will bring a deeper understanding and gratitude for the weekly Communion.
Pesach and modern Easter
Traditionally, unfortunately, Passover often overshadows Passover. Easter is associated with rabbits and eggs, which come from pagan traditions that honor Spring. These traditions were mixed with the celebration of the resurrection and the motif of new life. However, based on the Bible, there are many reasons to make more meaningful and celebrate Passover more than Easter. And in fact, more and more Christians observe the Seder outside of their traditional holidays, and even the entire "holy week." Especially when the traditional Passover and Pesach of the Jews coincide according to the Jewish and Gregorian calendar.
conclusions
Easter is a wonderful symbol of liberation from slavery - both physical and spiritual. Easter is rooted in history, but not tradition! Although the traditions that the authors of the Talmuds added (ed. note: Talmud, the Talmud - a multi-volume set of rules for Judaism, the “oral law”) are not terrible, they still risk overshadowing the true meaning, like many other biblical legends. Unfortunately, many typical Jews and Aggad worshipers can simply “dig into” something, losing real feelings in their hearts. We always need constant reference to Scripture in order to return everything to its true meaning.
The excitement of Passover Bible study fills us as we realize how all of these symbols and individual events bring back to how God Himself made history, how He used lamb's blood on doorposts to protect people, and how it foretold the future blood of the Lamb. on the tree of the cross. He redeemed all mankind! He will henceforth be called "The Lamb of God who took the punishment of the world..." (according to Isaiah 53:5). The coming of Jesus of Nazareth is more than a coincidence. When Jesus came to Jerusalem in Palm Sunday(Editor's note: then, according to the traditions of that time, these were palm branches, later traditions gave the Sunday before Easter week the name Palm), He Himself predicted about Himself - the Lamb, who would be betrayed in Jerusalem for shameful suffering. He then sought to be at the last supper of the Seder with His disciples, who then passed on to us the commandment of communion. And then He was like a Lamb, slain for our sins, so that the prophecies would be fulfilled!
“…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, silver or gold, from the vain life that was delivered to you from your fathers…” (1 Peter 1:18)
Understanding the true meaning of Pesach and the Hebrew roots of the Lord's Supper brings us closer to the Christians of the first century, we are imbued with their attitude towards communion. It can also help us get closer to our Jewish friends to share with them about Christ, the Lamb of God who took the sins of the world upon Himself.
“The next day John sees Jesus coming towards him and says, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (Gospel of John 1:29)
Don't Miss the Messiah at Easter
Messiah at Easter. Just as many Jews missed the Messiah when He came (Gospel of John 1:1-12), so the world lacks deep messianic reflections in the Seder.
This review of Easter is meant to highlight those topics that are often not emphasized. In doing so, I hope that Jewish families and their friends will look deeper into the messianic meaning of Passover so that other believers can have a deeper understanding of the roots of their faith. It is through His sacrifice, His blood, that we can be freed from the bondage of sin. And it was only through His guidance that we emerged from "Egypt." Jesus brought us out of the bondage of things that made our lives bitter, and it was He who freed us from false gods.
I hope that this study has helped to remember and reaffirm what Jesus has done for all of us. Lest we be blind that we have been cleansed from our former sins - (2 Peter 1:1:3-11). In other words, not to forget Egypt (Romans 6:4-23)!
If you receive an invitation to take part in a Seder at your friend's home, accept and experience firsthand what it is like. You may even be able to answer four questions. This will give you the opportunity to share about your connection to the Jewish Messiah. Perhaps this holiday will become one of your favorites!
Shalom (Hebrew, means a wish for peace, literally "peace")!
I wish you a very good Easter week!
Translation: Ksenia Baldina
We have long been accustomed to the fact that the entire Christian world, at the end of a long seven-week fast, celebrates the great and solemn feast of the resurrection of Christ. But Easter is celebrated not only by Christians. There is also a whole nation for which this holiday is an integral part of not only its religion, but also its culture and history. It's about the Israelis. Moreover, the Jewish Easter is no less solemn and colorful than the Christian Easter. Let us also plunge into this magical world unfamiliar to us and see how Easter is held in Israel, get acquainted with the customs and national dishes of this main Jewish holiday.
History of the Jewish Passover
The history of the Jewish Passover has its roots in the depths of the Old Testament time, and it begins from the time when there were no Jews as a nation yet. The righteous man Abraham lived on earth with his wife Sarah. According to God's promise, he had a son, Isaac, and Isaac had a son, Jacob. Jacob had 12 sons, one of whom was Joseph. Out of envy, the brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt, where Joseph was very successful in the eyes of the pharaoh ruling at that time. And when, after some time, famine began in all the surrounding countries except Egypt, Jacob and his sons moved there. Joseph, of course, did not hold a grudge against the brothers, because he loved them very much and missed his family. While he was alive, the Israelites were in honor of the local pharaoh. But time passed, one generation was replaced by another, the merits of Joseph have long been forgotten. Jews began to be severely oppressed and oppressed. It even went as far as murder. In a word, the Israeli people turned from guests into slaves.
But the Lord did not leave his people and sent them Moses and his brother Aaron to lead them out of Egyptian captivity. Pharaoh did not want to let his slaves go for a long time and, despite the punishments of God sent to him, did not listen to the Jewish messengers. Then God commanded the Israelites to slaughter young immaculate lambs and, having cooked them, eat them at night until morning, and anoint the doors of their dwellings with the blood of these lambs. At night, while the Egyptians were sleeping, and the Jews were fulfilling God's command, angels passed through Egypt and killed all the Egyptian firstborn, from cattle to man. In fright, the pharaoh ordered the Jews to be expelled from Egypt hastily. But after a while he came to his senses and regretted what he had done. The troops and the pharaoh himself gave chase. But God led his people through the waters of the Red (Red) Sea, and drowned their enemies in its waters. Since then, the Israelites have celebrated Passover every year as the day of their liberation from Egyptian slavery.
Jewish Passover customs
Today, Jewish Passover is celebrated not only in Israel, but also in other countries where Jewish families live. And, regardless of geographic location, there is one single procedure for celebrating Pesoch for all Jews. This is the correct name for the day of Jewish liberation.
The date of the Jewish Passover is the month of Nisan, or rather, its 14th day. A week before the day of Pesoch, they spend in houses general cleaning and they remove chametz from the dwelling - everything leavened, bread, wine, and so on. There is even the custom of Bdikat chametz. At nightfall on Nisan 14, the head of the family, reciting a special blessing, goes around the dwelling in search of leaven. 
What is found is burned the next morning.
The central place in the celebration of Passover is the seder. This includes many important points. Namely, the reading of the pagoda, which outlines the history of the holiday. Eating bitter herbs, as a memory of the bitterness left after the Exodus from Egypt. Drink four bowls of kosher wine or grape juice. And also the necessary eating of at least one piece of matzah, a traditional cake for the Jewish Passover. After all, it was matzah - bread made from not sour dough - that the Israelis had when they left Egypt in a hurry. Opara just did not have time to turn sour. That is why the unleavened matzah cake has become a symbol of the Jewish Passover, as well as a symbol of the Christian Passover.
The Jewish Passover lasts 7 days, during which the Israelis rest, go to the waters to sing songs of praise to God, visit and have fun. This is such an interesting and very original holiday, which has absorbed the culture and history of an entire nation.
