The San Francisco call., 1896-03-28
TO CELEBRATE PESACH.
The Hebrew Feast of Passover
Will Commence This
Evening.
Interesting Ceremonies to Be Observed
in the Orthodox Jewish
Household.

Israelites throughout the entire world
will this evening begin the eight-day cele-
bration OF the feast of Pesach or Passover.
To-day is the 14th day of the Hebrew
month Nissan-the day upon which tradi-
ton fixes the exodus from Egypt. 1t is
in celebration of the freeing of Israel from
the tyranny of Rameses that the festival
is held.
The history OF the Passover is admit
tedly one of the most complicated SUBJ
iects in Hebrew archaeology, and has for
centuries formed as it were great battle
field of Pentateuch criticism. SOME of the
original Passover customs and traditional
usages have too been deleted from the
modern Hebrew ritual. The reformed or
progressive element among Jews is largely
responsible for this.
The orthodox Hebrew welcomes the
Passover with much ceremony. On the
eve of Pesach his wife sets the supper GER
emonial table while it is yet light. Upon
it she places dishes containing the shank
bone of lamb, to commemorate the Pas
chal sacrifice, horseradish, which typiies
the bitter servitude of Israel in Egypt,
and curious compound of chopped al
represent the mortar used by the ancient
Israelites in building. In addition to these
in separate dish are placed four cakes of
unleavened bread, called matzos. This is
in ful6llment of the Scriptural command
that there shall be no leaven throughout
your habitations."
Upon arrival from synagogue on Pass
over night the master of the house chants
the sanctifcation prayer. He then raises
the Passover bread to the view of all as
sembled at his board and reads in Chal-
daic the opening words of the service:
Like unto this was the bread of af1iction
which our fathers ate in Egypt Let all
who are hungry enter and eat" 1t is
notable that, the better to carry out the
spirit of the invitation, the door of the
orthodox Jews residence is Hospitality left
ajar during the progress OF the service.
More than this, if there be in his house
hold any servant of the Hebrew faith he
is entitled to seat at the table.
The ritual proper for the Passover even
ing is quaint mixture of history, poetry,
legendary lore, archaeology and philoso-
ply. The Seder. as it is termed, has been
contributed to by rabbis and scholars for
ages, till it resembles nothing so nearly as
a moss-grown and lichen-coyered castle
full of interesting souvenirs of bygone
times.
At stated points in the service the mas
ter of the house exhibits the bitter herbs,
"mortar," and unleavened bread. This he
does in response to the queries Of the
youngest male member seated at the table,
who inorires in set form "Why is this
night distinguished from all other nights?"
and many other questions equally to the
point. Four glasses of wine are also
drunk during the service, and carry an
allegorical meaning to the orthodox He
brew.
Supper is eaten during short recess in
the service, which is afterward resumed
with the chanting of the halleI. or hymns
of praise. set to tunes as ancient as the
compositions themselves.
The Seder is read by the orthodox the
first two nights of the festival, but the
celebration is continued for eight days.