The Portland daily press., 1895-04-10
IMPRESSIVE HEBREW CEREMONIES

the World-The Home Service of Bread
and Wine, of Bitter Herbs and of
Thanksgiving of Centuries Ago
Become Vivid Realities Again.
AS was briefly announced in the PRESS
OF yesterday, our Hebrew fellow citizens
Will this week observe the Passover,
their. great national festival. The first
two and last two days of the eight are to
be observed by all the faithful ones as
strict fast days. They suspend all busi-
ness ON the first two days and attend SER
vice at the synagogues, and on return in
the evening each family is to devote an
hour to prayer and to explanation to the
younger members of the family of the
significance of the festival. Supper is
then served, iii which the unleavened
| bread of the feast is a prominent feature.
Whatever other lights may be In the
room each table must be lighted with
three candles. After the supper the SER
vice of prayer is resumed. During the
Passover no dishes which have ever been
used before, except during some previous
Passover, are allowable. This regulation
extends to the knives, forks and spoons,
ia BILE cloths and kettles. This rule is in
flexible. The seventh and eighth days of
the Passover are observed with the same
strictness, but on the other days the sus.
pension of business is not required,
though amusements are to be abstained
! from In the tbrna eyuauovroS &hs5
city; there will be three services daily,
all of prayer, and those taking part will
wear the robes commonly used while at
tending service. The first service will
| be at 7.30, the second at 4.30 and the
third at $50. AS stated above these
public services are supplemented by pro-
longed and very impressive home service
es. all calculated to recall the historic
days when God was with his people and
when his spirit led them out of the land
of bondage.
/ At the house of Mr.. Isaac Abrams yes
terday morning when a PRESS reporter
called there was as much of the appear
ance of a hurriedly gotten up, and has
| tily served meal as could we'll be under
the circumstances. The unleavened bread
was the prominent feature of the meal.
This bread is. no longer baked by each
Hebrew family. but comes from one
central bakery, where there is special
oven, and special machinery for the bak-
ing Of that bread. 1t is nice bread, and
evidently wholesome.
Every thing represents the time when
Moses brought us up out of the land of
Egypt" said Mr.. Abrams, land when
there was confusion and death in the
land for the oppressors. We thank him
who was with us, and who has been.with
us ever since, our leader and our Cod"
The home ceremony the night of the
Passover in very impressive, and serves
to keep in mind the history of the Jew
ish people. Prayer is offered, ending
with these words, "Blessed art Thou,
o Lord, our God, King of the Universe,
who hath preserved us alive, sustained
us, and brought US to enjoy this season. "
The wine of sanctification is then taken,
after which the hands are washed. Pars-
ley is then dipped in vinegar, and a
little taken by all. The following grace
is then said "Blessed are Thou, Lord,
our God, Creator Of the fruit of the earth
"The master of the house then breaks
the middle cake in the dish, and lays
half of it by. They then take the bone
of the lamb and the egg from the dish,
and all say "Lo this is the bread of
affiiction, which our ancestors ate in the
land of Egypt, let all who are hungry
enter and eat thereof, and all who are
necessitous come and celebrate the Pass
over. At present we celebrate here, but
the next year we hope to celebrate it in
the land of Israel. This year we are SER
wants here, but the next year we hope to
be freemen of the land of Israel
The cup is then filled with wine and
the youngest child asks this question
"Wherefore is this night distinguished
from all other. nights9 we may eat'either
leavened or unleavened bread, but on
this night only unleavened bread; OH all
other nights we may eat any species of
herbs, but ON this night only bitter
herbs, cd all other nights we do not dip
even once, but ON this night twice on
all other nights we eat and drink either
sitting or leaning, but on this night we
all lean."
10 this all reply by reading the service
reciting the bringing up out of the land
of Egypt. The whole history of the
captivity is recalled, and praise given TO
God, "the hearer of prayer and the re-
deemer of his people" The special
blessings of God are recoupted, and after
each blessing it is said, as for example:
"If he had brought us near to Mount
Sinai, and had not given US his law, it
would have been sufficient.
"If he had brought us to the land of
Israel and had not built the temple 1t
would bave been sufficient"
| The idea is to show that had God done
but part, there would still have been
abundant reason for eternal thankfulness
on the part of his people. Special mention
is then made of the pascal lamb, the un-
leavened cake. and bitter herb. The cake
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