Want to know some interesting and fun facts about Passover holiday? Read on to explore some Pesach trivia, as given here.
Passover Facts
Passover is a celebration of the freedom and liberty of the Jewish community, from an era of unimaginable tyranny and autocracy. It deals with the struggle that the Hebrews went through, to reach and create the 'Land of Hope and Promise'. To honor this, every year, thousands of followers and believers observe the occasion of Pesach and organize parties and get-togethers. Mouth-watering dishes are prepared, houses are decorated and beautiful gifts are bought and exchanged. However, there is a lot to know and learn about the festival, apart from the sumptuous meals and gala parties. To give you a better insight about the different aspects of the festival, certain interesting facts have been cited below. Go through them and get amazed by some fun Pesach trivia that many people do not know about.
Passover Holiday Facts
- The celebration of Passover begins from the 14th day of the month of Nisan, post dusk, and ends the next day at the same time.
- Although the prime figure of the story of exodus or the Passover festival is Moses, he is mentioned only once in the Holy Haggadah.
- Leavened bread or food containing yeast is completely prohibited during the seven or eight days of Passover.
- The baking of unleavened bread for the festival takes place under very strict conditions. There is a very ancient theory among the orthodox Jews that the water used for the purpose of making matzo should be taken from a well and allowed to stand overnight, before being used. This was because they believed that warm water might lead to fermentation of the flour. According to them, every night, when the sun sets, it goes under the earth and heats the water in the wells. The warm water, thus formed, was more likely to ferment the dough that was made from the flour.
- During the time of the World War I, in Poland, people made use of sweet tea, instead of the traditional four cups of wine, during the Seder meal. This was because, during the war times, it was very difficult to find kosher wine and hence, the rabbinical authorities in those areas gave this special decree.
- For the people who cannot have the traditional four cups of wine during the festive Passover night, grape juice has been allowed as an option.
- Passover is also known by three other names: Hag Hamatzot - meaning the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Pesach - meaning the Passover sacrifice and Zeman Heirutenu - meaning the Season of Our Freedom.
- The term Passover refers to the 10th plague of the story of exodus, when the death plague hit Egypt. The Lord asked Jews to smear their doorpost with the blood of a lamb, so that the death would 'pass over' their house and not hurt their first-born.
- For the Orthodox Jews, the day before Passover is a fast day for every firstborn Jewish male. This is done to commemorate the original deliverance of the firstborn sons on the first eve of Pesach.
- One popular song that is sung during the occasion of Passover is Dayenu.
- It is believed that the festival of Pesach has a connection with the Bible, as it refers to the Biblical story of the 10th plague.
- The account of the complete story of exodus is found in the holy script of the Jews, called the Haggadah.
- Many centuries ago, the Jewish people who lived in the Sahara used to abandon their houses and villages at Passover and march into the desert. This was done in the memory of their Hebrew ancestors, who left Egypt under the guidance of Moses to the 'Land of Hope and Promise'.
- The Seder meal takes place during the first or sometimes, the second night of Passover and comprises of a festive family meal.
- It is an important ritual among the Jews not to eat anything after the intake of the afikomen. The reason behind this is that the afikomen represents the festive sacrifice that is to be savored and remembered over and above everything else.
- Many scholars believe that there is a resemblance between RAMESES II and the Pharaoh of Exodus. They that RAMESES II, whose likeness is found in many of the great ruins and artifacts of ancient Egypt, was probably the Pharaoh of Exodus 12.
- In certain villages of Eastern Europe, at the time of Passover the womenfolk not only clean their houses of all leaven, but also sterilize the needles that are to be used for sewing up the stuffed fowl for the Seder meal.
