Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-06-20
MODERN JEWISH PASSOVER
ny REV. JOHN DUNBAR.

AS tho passover period has 30 recently
passed, period beginning with tho a4th
day. of Nissan, and corresponding with the
goth of April, aud extending to tho 2sth,
it may not be out Of place for some of us
Gentilcs to know u little moro than many
do of tho modern observance of this very
ancient and impressive ordinance instituted
by God and signally blessed to, it's. observers.
In endeavoring to gather up and give a
brief outline of tho modern observance of
this ordinance, it may be neodful to premise
that thero is now no paschal lamb. In tho
age following tho first institution of tho
passover, and after tho scttlcmont of the
Jews in tho holy land, tho pasohal lamb
could bo slain only BY the priest, and in the
court of tho tcmplc. 1t was then rcturnod
to its owner, carried homo and ronsted, and
thereafter eaten by himself aud his house
hold. Souttered now, however, as the Jews
arc, into all lands, tho temple gone, and it's
priesthood broken up, this sacred ceremonial
is simply 40 impos 'bility, and hcnoe in tho
observance there is now 10 paschal lamb.
In tho modern tunes, tho toast is therefore
simply "the fcaet of unlcavencd 6read,"
and in tho Observance Of it is still seen tho
wontcd watohful strictncss of tho s'most
straitost sect" Tho wheat from which this
bread is to be ,mado, must, as soon as out
be scrupulously protected against any rain
or moisture that might tend to cngcndcr
fermentation. Being carefully threshcd
and winnowcd, it is then ground undor tho
supervision of on appointed official, at onco
to prepare it in accordance with Rabbincal
rulo, and to preserve it from admixturo or
adultoration. In modern times, this bread
il bought rather than baked by tho jewish
families; aud in London, England, there is
an extensive establishment which supplies o
great deal of tho foreign us.wcll as all tho
home domnnd. Tho bread is manufactured
into very thin oakos, ranging from little
over or under twelve inches in diameter
Each oako weighs about two OUNCES, and is
thickly perforated with littlo holes; and
every synagogue secs to it that all its poor
have sufficient supply.
For number Of days preceding this
fcatival, tho houses of the faithful, both
rich and poor, undergo thorough renova--
ton in scrubbing, securing, polishing, otc.,
whilo pots and kcttles arc heated rod hot in
ordor to FREQ them from every vcstigo Of
loavcn; aud SO sctupulous are many families
in this respect, that sets of kitchen utensils
aro carefully kept sololy for passover uscs
and in consequence arc brought out only
once year. After duo oaro has bccn takcn
to discover and destroy evory particle of
lcavcn, tho head of suoh household, aftor
family prayer on the oveuing preceding tho
beginning of tho feast, is bound to mako
.diligent soaroh, with wax taper in hand, into
evory nook and oornor of his dwelling, lest,
aftor oil, tho least particle Of loavon may
have been undiscovered aud not destroyed.
As he enters on this search le nttors the
pious ejaculation, "Blessed art thou, o
Lord, King Of tho universe, who has aanoti.
fod Us with thy commandments and eom-.
manded us, to remove the loavan.' During
tho whole process Of search, ho mist not
.pttor q single word, but Immediately there.
iofter ha makes the solemn declaration, g II
mapnor of loaYea that is In my possession