The San Francisco call., 1897-04-16
WILL OBSERVE
THE PASSOVER
Hebrews All Preparing
for the Festival of
Freedom.
Ceremonies Typical OF the Ser.
vitude of Israel in
Egypt.
The Fast to Continue Eight Days,
With Appropriate Services in
the Synagogue.

Hebrew residents in all parts of the
civilized world will this evening COM
mence an eight days celebration of the
Feast of Passover, or ''Pesach," as it is
called in the vernacular of the chosen
people.
The festival derives both its name
and origin from the events recorded in
the second book of the Old Testament
These ere the descent into Egypt,
the oppression of the Israelites by
the Egyptians, the retaliatory plaques
upon Pharaoh and his people, the exodus
from Egypt and the drowning OF the
hosts OF The E yptians, their chariots and
their horses in the Red Sea.
The Feast of the Passover is celebrated
on the evening OF the 14th day of the first
month of the Jewish calendar, Nisan.
Preparations for the festival are made
while it is yet light. The good Hebrew
housewife sets the table, upon which are
spread the shank bone of a lamb and a
hard boiled egg, EN- blematfc OF the an
cient Paschal Lamb and the Levitical Of
terlng; four unleavened cakes, sy bollcal
OF the unleavened bread which the
lsraelites baked in the sun from the
dough made in haste in Egypt; horse
radish, typical of the bitter servitude en-
dured by them, and mixture of chopped
fruits-almonds, cinnamon and raisins-
called "charoseth," symboliZing the NOR
tar with which were built Pithom ana
Rameses, the treasure cities of the
Egyptians.
The festival throughout all its observ-
ances commentaries the national free-
dom. Everything possible is done TO i'm
press this fact upon the cele ebrants. Thus
during the whole services in the house
hold the participants lean upon pillows
and with the same object in view; even The
meanest Hebrew servant in the house
hold is permitted to sit at table with the
master thereof.
I'm III ediately after service in the syna-
gogue on the first nights of the Passover
(caIled the Nights 10 Be Observed") the
master of the house takes the sanclifica-
tion cup of wine, with which he inaugu-
rates the festival. He then lays his hand
upon the unieavened bread and exhibit
ing it to ali present repeats the formula
that has descended from the Babylonian
exile and beginning, "Lo, this Is the bread
OF afiiction which our fathers ate in the
land of Egypt Let all who are hungry
enter and eat" This formula is read in
the Aramaic text.
The youngest membe of the company
then asks: why is this night distin-
guished from all other nights?" He
that he sees performed and the distinct
i've articles of food he perceives exhib-
tied. The master of ths house answers
bis question in the traditional narrative,
begin ming: "Slaves were we in the land
of Egypt, and the Eternal, our God,
brought US forth from there with strong
hand and an outstre.ched arm, and if the
Most Holy. blessed be he, had not re-
deemed US from Egypt, behold We, our
children and our children's children
would have been perpetual slaves to Pha-
raoh in Egypt"
The remainder of the services consist Of
quotations from rabbinical writers, of ad-
ditions 10 and emendations of the original
biblical text. Supper is then served and
the rest of the evening is spent in chant
ing the "Hallel," or songs of praise.
The festival is observed in The syna-
gogues by the orthodox on the first two
and the last Two days of the Passover. The
reform element of the Jewish community,
however, observes only the first day and
the eighth.
Services will be held in the Temple
Emanu- Ell and the Sheriff Israel and Beth
Israel synagogues tomorrow, when SER
mons on timely themes will be delivered
by Rabbis Voorsanger. Nieto and Levy.