Research Paper On Passover

Passover
Passover is an eight-day festival that takes place, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan, which is April 22 to the 30th (Chabad). Passover occurs over an important date because “It commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. And, by following the rituals of Passover, we have the ability to relive and experience the true freedom that our ancestors gained” (Chabad). The Jewish people gather to have this celebration to have more connections with their ancestors and celebrate their freedom from slavery by doing the ritual of Passover.
The Torah (the Hebrew Bible) tells the readers the final steps that lead up to the liberation of Israel from slavery in ancient Egypt. The first night of Passover, God told Moses that he was going to kill every

firstborn child of the Egyptian family. Then he proceeded to tell the Jews to take some lamb and goat blood and place it on the doorposts outside of their house (Exodus 12:7-13). God stated, “and when I see the blood I shall pass over you; there shall not be a plague of destruction upon you when I strike in the land of Egypt”(Exodus 12:7-13).
The sacrifice in the Passover is either a lamb or goat because that is what the Torah mandates Jews to ritually slaughter on the eve of Passover, or it has to be eaten in the first night (BBC). This is offered on the night of the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt. After the destruction of the second temple in 70 CE, the Jewish leaders said to discontinue doing the ritual of sacrifice. Yet, there are some people, like the orthodox, that still have the rituals still to this present day.
According to God, the Jewish people are determine to know the amount of lamb or goat they need to be eaten and if there’s left overs, either share it with the neighbor or it must be burned.

Also the meat must be roasted over the fire with the head, legs and internal organs, and cannot be eaten raw or boiled in water. This is how it must be eaten “with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover” (bibldgateway). Everything is supposed to go as God mandated it because it is his Passover.
Although the sacrifice of the Lamb or Goat is a big deal during the Passover, the food is a big part of the celebration as well because they have to eat certain foods. There are six main items that are part of Passover that are placed on a Sedar plate. The six items are: “Zeroa” – which is a roasted chicken bone with most of the meat removed, but wont be eaten, “Beitzah” – a hard-boiled egg, “Maror” – grated horseradish “bitter Herbs”, “Charoset” – a paste made of apples, pears, nuts and wine, “Karpas” – a bit of vegetable, such an onion or potato,
“Chazeret” – more bitter herbs

(Chabad).
The celebration cannot go on unless the four questions have been asked to the father or the leader of the gathering. The four questions should be asked spontaneously and is the youngest person in the family present that must ask the questions in order to proceed with the celebration of Passover (BBC). Sometimes the questions don’t happen spontaneously, they make that the kid knows that he most ask those four questions.
The Seder meal can’t go on with out having these four questions asked, and the father or leader of the gathering must answer the questions as well. The first question is: Why do we eat unleavened bread? To which the father responds: We eat unleavened bread because it’s eaten to remember the Exodus (bibldgateway). The second question: Why do we eat bitter herbs? To which the father responds: Jews eat Bitter herbs to have a sense of taste of the bitterness of slavery (bibldgateway). The third question: Why do we dip our food in liquid? To which the father responds: Jews dipped their food to remember the tears the Jews shed during the slavery in Egypt (bibldgateway). The fourth and final question: Why do we eat in a reclining position? To which the father responds: We eat in a reclining position to symbolize freedom and relaxation, as opposed to slavery in the ancient times (bibldgateway).
In conclusion Passover is an eight-day festival to commemorate “the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. And, by following the rituals of Passover, we have the ability to relive and experience the true freedom that our ancestors gained” (Chabad), and the rituals they have to do is the sacrifice of the lamb or goat. Also the blood they have to put on their doorposts, and the Seder meal questions before continuing the celebration. Passover is a worldwide thing not just to the Jewish people; our on president every year has the Seder meal.