Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-05-05
The Jewish Passover.

The Jewish Passover, In accordance with
the Divine Injunction, was to last seven
days; the first and seventh TO be kept as
holy convocation, and no servile work was
to be done. Rabbinical enactments have
extended the time one day, aEd made the
first, second, seventh, and eighth holy
days. This festival is not so generally nor
30 religiously observed as formerly, except
by the very orthodox. For a week ante
rlor, the Jewish matron In busily engaged
IN house cleaning and removing oil traces
Of leaVen, locking up rooms and pantries
not in use, and on the morning OF the eve,
finishing with the dining room.
All crockery and cooking utensils are
| put by, and either new or those KEEP. es-
pecialIy for tine Passover week, brought
into requisition, Everything being In or
der, the master of the house inspects each
room, searching for leaven, without the
remotest expec tation Of finding particle.
Strict construchonists having provisions Of
any kind left on handgive them away 10 the
poor OF different creeds, whilst others lock
them in room, to be brought into use
again when the week is over. Articles OF
food, such as rice, that swell In process OF
cooking, are discarded.
In different parts of Europe, the congre-
cations unite in sending inspectors into the
fferent countries where tea, coffee, raisins,
currants end various condiments are grown
and cured, who supervise, pack, and put
their seal on them previous TO shipping,
the object being TO exclude leaven, for
which the consumers have TO pay an en-
hanced price. Here they are purchased In
the usual manner at wholesale, and On the
plea that they are free from leaven, sold to
consumers at extorIionate rates, which i'm
posture la very generally submitted TO. The.
only liquor drank ls ut. Croix o. Jamaica
rum, 1t being distilled from sugar or mo
lasses instead of grain.
The home religious services are peculiar;
on the eve of the first and second days. a
table is spread, on which is placed a plate
with three passover biscuits between nap
kins, and another plate on top Of the bis
cult containing a burnt loin OF lamb and
roasted egg (Which is emblemalical Of the
burnt Offering Of ancient times, paresly,
horseIadish, bitter herbs, salt AID water,
and mixture composed of fine cut al
monds, apples and spices.
After the family are seated and raisiD
wine placed before each, the master Of the
house reads the prayers, or rather Rabbin-
ical essays, OF why the passover should be
observed in this ceremonial manner, after
which they drink the wine, partake OF the
bitter herbs and mixture, then q supper
feast, after which songs OF praise for their
ancestors deliverance from bondage, finish
the evening. The bitter herbs and mix
ture are commemorative of the bitterness
OF their captivity when they made bricks
and mortar for the Egyptians. The young
members OF the family slyly throw the
bitter herbs under the table. while they eat
the mixture with much gusto. judicial re-
formation with its ratlonalistIc tendencies
Is making serious inroads into these as
well as other ceremonial observances OF the
chosen people, but the absurdIty or many
OF them mig well be overlooked In view
OF the beneficial sanitary effects obtained
by their establishment and strict adhsr-
ence lheIeunto.