New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-22
THE FEAST or THE PASSOVER.
HOW THE ORTHODOX JEWS WILL BEGIN IT'S
CELEBRATION NEXT SATURDAY,


The celebration Of Passover will begin this year
on the evening Of March 2s. Orthodox Jews ABSTAIN
from Ieaven for eight days instead OF the original
seven because during the captivity. doubt arose
regarding the calendar: make sure, two days were
held sacred for the opening and two for the CLOSING
services and this custom has been strictly observer
by the orthodox though the correct date is now well
known Reformed Jews observe the hrst ana the
seventh days by special services
Prcpar begin about two weeks pefore the
feast There is an accepted family joke among Jews
that the approaches nearer goodness by reason
of the Passover Gle irsing. Whtewashing, SCRUB
bling scaldlng and securing are everywhere IN EVIL
dence Those who IAN afford 1t buy new dishes;
others scald and scour their pots and pans. glass
and china for seven days on the evening peiore
the fourteenth day of Nissan. tho master OF the
house says a prayer and then begins the search Tor
Ieaven strict silence must be kept during the search
After he has ga thcred every crumb he can see, ne
declares that any eaven remains. II shai De nun
and accounted dust OF the earth About 10 o'clock on
the following morning all the leaVen that WAS gum
cred must Dc burned.
Tho table Is prepared in daylight. but the cere-
mony which t. called the order" does not begin
until afte. nghtfall. Three unleaver cakes Mat
10th" are placed on a dish each covered separately.
and upon tn I'm set In order. the egg, the lano
bone ''charoshoth''-a compound OF apples a'mo"uS
and other fruit representative Of Egyptian lime ana
..,tcr-b,tter herbs salt water and parsley. The
bitter harbs-horse radsh or ettuce-are eaten with
chorosheth in commemoraton Of the bitter work
the IsraoIItes performed IN Egypt The roasted laho
bone represents the Paschal lamb; as the Jews nave
h.en unable TO .acrce since the destruction OF ther
,emnl. the lnmb-bonc and tho egg roasted with hre
arc commemorative OF sacrifice. -Four cups Oh wine
mus, he drunk AZ special parts Of the service each
dreught having its own symbolism: the cup must
hive AT least the aplclty OF an egg ana ha'''
AT A solemn moment. the tallest gop'et 10 "''eu "
,h h,,n, tho doors are thrown open for the prophet
Elijah who may appear TO announce the coming VI
Tho Messiah and the words said: blessed IL nc
,h,, cometh IN the name Of the Lord HISTORIANS
have racel this custom OF opening the doors to the
necessity of asking nonJews to look IN ana see TOT
themselves tha, blood OF Christian chilh was us"'
IN the ccrcmonial-a monstrous charge WHICH WIS
often made The Jews believe that they are spec'a'F
under the care Of God at Passover some iea'c
,hei- door, open at Night a token OF trust IN the
Divine guardianship. 49,, T.,
a, 40, .,rne every Hebrew father Is a KING IN
., Aorse,old. he reclines on throne sometimes
=, oasv chair with pillows the arms AS
sign OF freedom. the celcbrants lean OH t"e e''
side when they drink the wine or take any 'n'"e
70 eat from the Seder dish. One-haif OF the uu'e
cake in the plate is broken by the ia'he'' the
other hall, the "Ahkuman." is reserved until after
sumner Sometimes the mother or one OF the chi-
are, nrct.nd to steal the "Afkuman. and sur
render Il 10 the father when ne promises to grant
whatever is desired.
When every member Of the household touches
the dish containing the lamb bone and the egg. all
recitc together 10 this Is the bread OF amiction
which our ancestors ate IN the land OF Egypt; let
all those who are hungry enter and eat thereof
and all who arc In distress come and celebrate
the Passover At present we celebrate II here, but
the next year we hope to celebrate 1t In the land
OF Israel"
After the removal OF the lamb bone. the youngest
son asks the reasons for the celebration. and he Is
answered by a recital OF the Haggadah or Agadah
an account OF the slavery under Pharaoh and the
deliverance from Egypt. with digressons concern
Ing Hannah, Daniel and the wise men OF Bona
Berak In the homes Of the wealthy this Is often
read from illuminated manuscripts; the poor
usually have printed books with quaint woodcuts.
the Egyptian ard other Incidents OF the narrative
At the mention OF each plague the finger Is dipped
in wine and the drops sprinkled over the shoulder
In Reputation OF the ten plaques OF Egypt. which
have been enthusiastically magnied to go The
counting OF the Omer begins with: "One who
knows IL? one. | know IT, One Is God In heaven
teen: Thirteen. who knows 1t? Thirteen. ! know
IT, Thirteen qualities OF God; twelve tribes Of
Israel: eleven stars once gttering In Josephs
dream: ten commandments" and down to
This most ancient OF the worlds extant do
inestic r.tuals' terminates with an allegorical
"IIonse That Jack Built" The tale ends thus:
And the Holy One. blessed be He. came and killed
the angel Of death. that killed the slaughtercr.
who slaughtered tho OK. which drank the water.
that extInguished the fire. which burned the stick
that has beaten the dog which bit the cat that de-
voured the KID which my father bought for two
suzm."
Reformed Jews do not observe all these details
They usually have the memorials the table
is brought on, and Is followed by beautiful musi-
cal service.