Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-16
IN FREEDOn's NAME.
The Hebrews VIII Celebrate the Passover
Feast,


Feast.
On the evening of the 31st OF this
month the Jewish community Of this
city, together with the Jewish commu-
mites throughout the world, will cele-
brate one of their great feasts. 1t is
the feast of Passover, called Pesach in
Hebrew, and commentaries the eman-
cipation OF the ancient Hebrews from
slavery In Egypt
In the latter part OF the first book Of
the Old Testament II is related how Jo-
seph, one of the twelve sons OF Jacob,
was sold into Egyptian slavery, how he
was imprisoned and, through his wis
dom in the Interpretation Of dreams,
was raised to the premiership of that
great land. Bus after q gap OF years
there arose new king in Egypt, who
knew not Joseph, as Is stated in the be-
ginning OF the second book OF the Old
Testament He was afraid that the
Hebrews might Join the enemies of
Egypt in case OF war and held destroy
the ruling monarchy. So he made
slaves of the Hebrews and imposed Sc
we're tasks upon them and ordered the
Hebrew midwives TO destroy the chill
dren of Hebrews.
But the king hardened his heart each
time till finally the Lord killed all the
first-born of Egypt, from the frst-born
OF Pharaoh TO the hrSt-bOrn OF the
hand-maiden that sits behind the mill,
except the Jewish trSt-born, and then
the king fastened to send the ISraelites
away. This was on the fourteenth day
OF the Hebrew month of Nissan and
was ordained In a memorial as follows
ia the twelfth chapter OF Exodus, the
fourteenth verse: "And this day shall
De unto you a memorial; and ye shall
celebrate il as feast unto the Lord;
throughout your generations as an or
dinance forever shall ye celebrate il"
This injunction is continued in the
following verses, as follows: "Seven
days shall ye eat unleayened bread; but
on the first day ye shall put away leaven
out Of your houses; for whatsoever eat
eth leayened bread, that soul shall be
cut eff from Israel, from the first day
till the seventh day. And on this first
day there shall be a holy convOcation,
and on the seventh day there shall be
holy cOnyOcation unto you"
The ordinance is repeated in follow
ing verses. Its a question as TO wheth-
er the feast is called Passover because
the Lord passed over the houses Of the
lsraelites when he smote the first born
OF Egypt, or because they subsequently,
passed over the Red Sea when they left
Egypt for the land of Canaan.
In cOmmemOration Of this day ser
vices will be held in the synagogue in
this city, which will be followed by the
"Seder" feast at home Immediately
afterward. This is a feast symbolic
of the slavery and escape from it. As
the Lord knew by the blood OF lambs
on the Jewish door-posts which houses
he should pass over, and as the lambs
were roasted, the latter is done to-day.
Bitter herbs are eaten at this feast, as
well as the unlesyened bread, which is
continued throughout the week. This
bread is called ''matzos, and is rather
q thin wafer about foot square.
AS any leaven can be used, flour OF
"matzos" is used in baking the cakes
for which the Jewish household is fam
Gus on this week. The more conserva-
tive Hebrews not only admit no leaven
into their houses, bat also have spe-
cial table set and cooking utensils for
use during this week, dishes which no
leaven hes ever contaminated and the
poorest families often have these Spe-
cial dishes. They are called "YOm Tow
Tx" or eft for the FEAST" while the
Others are called "Chometz tik," or
contaminated by leayen."