Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-04-27

care is taken that no utensils used in
the preparation Of leavened food are
used in the composition Of the specific
dishes prescribed for the festive sea.
son. These dishes are four in number.
Special allusion is made TO the feast
which begins this evening after the
synagogue observances. The "Pass
over" terminates Tuesday night of
next week at q o'clock The first two
and the last two nights Of the eight
are the most important Last night
and tonight will be had the celebra,
tion OF the narrative" A table is
spread with four dishes as mentioned
above. The first contains three thick
passover" cakes the second has the
shank bone of lamb with a hard boil.
ed egg accompanying III in the third
platter are parsley and bitter herbs.
This is called the "Hagadah," which
means a narrative" In German par
lance IL is the "Sedar," possessing the
same significance. On the fourth dish
there are horse .radish and mixture
called "charoset," which is composed
OF almonds, raisins, nuts and spices.
1t is supposed TO symbolic the ma.
terials used in the making of the bricks,
which industry was the vocation Of the
Israelites during their captivity. The
bitter herb in the third dish is in com.
memoration Of the Israelitish lives
that were embittered by the bondage.
The unleavenod bread has more or less
remote allusion to the fact that the
Jewish dough did not have time to
rise, and that il was baked, more ire.
quently than otherwise, while being
carried on the backs of people exposed
to a broiling sun. The egg typifes
the festive offering made at the TEN.
pie in Jerusalem.
At the commencement Of the mar.
rative' the master Of the house breaks
the centre Of the three cakes in the
first dish in halves, one OF which is
called "Afieomen," and part of which
is given TO each individual present at
the dish OF the narrative" This is in
the nature of dessert, and is supposed
to be the last thing eaten that night.
The entire affair declares the whole
history Of the deliverance from Egypt,
and is a gastronomic legend Of most
peculiar Importance.
The head of the family addresses
Realistically four filial elements; "The
wise child, "the wicked child" "the
simple child, and the cone who knows
not what TO ask" The wise one says
"What are the statuettes2n For an
answer he receives: "This is in accord
ance with tradition, and you must not
eat anything tonight after the 'Afco-
men," The wicked one queries
"What is this TO me2' He is settled
with the remark at is nothing to
you. If you had been there in Egypt
there would have been no redemption
Tor you" As to the simple one he
says: what is this 2" To which is
responded "This is in commemoration
of the act Of God Almighty liberating
our people from bondage" To the
one who does not know enough to ask,
an explanation is made something like
this: awe were commanded to tell it
to our children that We were brought
out Of Egypt by Him who has called
US His chosen people. This occasion
is memory of His act"
The rites are very exclusive so far
as outside religious faiths are concern
ed, but to Jews every lsraeliLish house
hold is supposed to be open during the
first two days OF the eight. This is
almost Masonic idea, and has its po-
etical import in that any stranger Jew
sojourning within the gates of any
city where the Passover" is being eel.
ebrated is entitled, if attracted by the
sound of joyous festivities, TO enter the
house from which they proceed as an
honored guest. No malt liquors are
drank by Jews during the Passover"
The third, fourth, fifth and sixth days
are called "middle days" and the last
two, which will be Monday and Tues
day of next week, are observed as the
first two, with the exception that the
narrative" ceremonies arc not re-
peated
This is the 5,639th Jewish year, the
first day of which was in September
last beginning at sundown. In tho
Israelitlsh faith tho time is reokoned
according to the lunar system, while
with Christians it is based on solar OBJ
servations. There are 1853 days to
1856 in the Jewish year. the variation
being occasioned by an extra month,
which occurs every leap year. Of all
the epochs in the year, that which be-
gins tonight is the most important.
1t is pecan of victory; it IS com
memoration of the most glorious Incl
dent in the history Of the nation in
question, and is, therefore, to most
considerable portion of our population,
u period freigbted with peculiar inter.
est.-NeD York Truth, April 49,