Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-04-02
A FAST and A FEAST.
THE HEBREW PASSOVER WHICH IS CELE-
DRAFTED THIS WEEK.
Some Of Its Peculiar CsrsmOniss-Intsrsstng
Points About tie katzOs or Unlsavsnsd
Bread Prsparsd-Ths Sadsr, and
the Other Services.

A period Of sadness and OF mirtn,
week of fasting and of feastlng, with
ceremonies which keep fresh sad and
pleasant memories, is the Hebrew Pass
over. which occurs the present week OF
April. 1t is most important AID most
sacred. 1t celebrates an event in his
tory which is a landmark in the story OF
nations, and in which the hand OF God
himself is apparent.
II is matter of no small amount OF
thought TO historians how the celeora-
tion OF events which occurred thousands
OF years ago is still observed by the
Hebrew people. But the reason is the
nature of the ceremonies attached TO
them. They invariably form part OF
the religion and enter into the daily
habits OF the people; and Of this holiday
especially are the ceremonies most ex-
tensive and carefully observed.
To the Hebrew housewife the APP
preach Of the Passover means what
spring housekeeping does TO house
wives all over this country, and means
much more, for the work is greater.
There must not be one crumb OF bread
left in the house, and no food which Is
to be eaten during the week is to touch
any food in any manner whatever
which has been used during the year.
The only food which is to be eaten
| during the Passover is that made or
raw materials, or the raw materials
| themselves, which have never touched
the utensils used during the year. or
course the kinds OF foods made out OF
| the raw materials are limited. The
week is to be one Of partial fasting,
and therefore, among other things,
milk and butter are forbidden.
! The peculiar article Of food for the
Passover is the Matzos, or unleaVened
| bread. All have eaten water crackers
aud some have relished them. Imagine
water crackers reduced from the hard
tack, which IL usually is, TO brittle ten
derness, and you have fair idea OF the
unleavened bread. 1t is made out OF
-four aud water, nothing more. But it
is not bad tasting food. Christians
who have been favored by their He
brew neighbors with few Of these
round cakes, whose surface resemble
hammered brass, have always expressed
desire for more. They sometimes
avail themselves of the opportunity TO
purchase the Matzos from some baker
who makes them for their benefit.
No orthodox Hebrew would eat Mat
EOS made by Christian, because they
are not made according to the law.
They are likely to mix the dough In the
same bin as they have been mixing
dough for bread all year, while to be
strictly correct, the -four itself should
not be made in the same mill as flour is
made for bread during the year.
This prevention Of the contamination
OF the Passover food by the yearly artl-
Gle is what makes the work for the He
brew housewife. All the dishes, knives,
forks or any other articles used in cook
ing or eating during the year are put
away and and another outfit, which has
never been in service since the last
passover, is brought in use.
All preparations must be completed
on the eve OF the Passover, and the holi-
day commences with the evening SER
vices called "Sader." The entire fam
lily is seated around the table. The
father and sons read the service books
written in the original Hebrew, or per-
haps translated into the German or Eng
fish.
On the table are sweets and bitter
goods, which are tasted by each one
present, to remind him OF the trials Of
their forefathers when they were In
bondage, and of the JOY which they
themselves should feel at retaining that
liberty. That part of the Bible relating
10 the event celebrated is read and
thanksgiving offered. The wine used
on the occasion is home made,
from raislns, or a specially i'm
ported one. Supper Is served after
'Sader" 1t must not be supposed
that the meal is scanty or univiting
one. Only few articles Of food are
forbidden. The regular -four is not al
lowed TO be used, but substitute Is
found in Eour made by grinding the
"Matzos," or -four made from pota-
toes. This latter is a better flour for
making cakes and buildings than
wheat -four, but the baker must
be a skilled one or the cake will be OF
the solidity of a brick. Meat and all
sorts of vegetables are used, and fruits
are served. Candy is forbidden. The
first day Of the Passover week is a
sacred one, and is observed by religious
services. All Hebrews observe this
day, and also the last day Of the week,
but for some unexplained reason the OF
thordox Jews observe the first two days
and the last two days Of the week as
sacred ones.
GREEN, Red, Purple, Yellow and Blue
EASTER CHIPS