The morning journal-courier., 1908-04-15
FEAST OF PASSOVER
Greatest Festival Of the jewish
Year Begins To
night,
FESTIVAL FOR EIGHT DAYS
Interesting Form Taken by the
Feast ut Each Family
Table.

the greatest festival In the Jewish !
year will begin. I'm the first month
on the fourteenth day uf the month,
at even. is the Lords Passover CPes-
ach)," Seven days shalt ye eat un-
leayened bread, and no leaven shall
be found In your house during those
days" The first and seventh days are
holidays set apart for religious ser
vices. on them no work may be done
other than the necessary preparation
OF food. Orthodox Jews observe an |
additional day, which makes the Pass
over an eight day festival, The first |
two and the last two days are OBJ /
served as holidays
To-day is the fourteenth Of Nisan |
only until sunset, and as Jewish days |
begin AT that time the Passover Is,
properly speaking, the festival of the
fifteenth Of Nsan.
The orthodox Jewish families are
busy several days before Passover In
cleaning the cooking utensils and
tableware used at the feast. on
Tuesday night the head of each
household made n formal search for
traces of leaven. At the seder Sup
peri or Passover. service tonight the
various details OF the ancient usage Is
observed, except the eating Of the
lamb. This is. however. symboli2ed by
q bone Of roasted lamb, which appears
on one of the dishes The breaking
and eating of the matzoth. or cakes of
unleavened bread takes its place.
The synagogue services tonight
will he short, as always >on this night.
because the subsequent family meal
and home service are the essential
features Of the Passover The home
service. the seder service whore the
head of the family is the priest, Is OK
ceedingly beautiful. The unique sup
per is interviewer with prayers and
benedictions made at every stage.
Seder night is perhaps the most
hallowed OF Jewish observances. and
the one that is ever recalled with the
greatest delight. Father. mother and
children are participants in the SER
vice. Although a meal. It Is also a
religious rite, The family table Is as
sacred as was the altar in the temple"
says a rabbinic teaching. There Is the
unusual meal and the haggadah. or
story of the wondrous delverance
from Egypt together with the hymns,
thanksgivings, Inscriptions of praise
and benedctions from beginning to
end of the repast.
The first born son has already fast
ed throughout the day. This Is known
as the fast Of the first born. And now
the feast comes. The mother of the
household kindles all the lights, for
the seder feast calls for rich llum-
nation to mark its joyous character.
The word seder means order" or
arrangement" and refers to the or
der or arrangement of the meal on
the table are the three cakes of un-
leavened bread, covered with n nap
kin; the roasted bone of lamb. bit
ter herbs. and n cup of wine placed
at each plate. and other dishes. When
all are seated the master lifts up the
wine-cup and says: Praised art thou,
o Lord orr God, ruler of the universe.
who hast created the must of the wine
to gladden. the hearts of men" This is
the kiddush, or the benediction.
Thanksgiving for the festival and
other blessings follow. and each one
present drinks the first cup Of wine.
A hymn is sometimes sung. Parsley
lettuce or watercress Is distributed
each person on eating 1t saying a
Thanksgiving for the fruits of the
earth. The middle one of the three
unleavened cakes Is broken. The
dish containing It Is raised and anoth.
er prayer offered over the bread ot
afflictlon the prayer concluding WITH
a petition for the speedy freeing ant
restoration of the whole house 81
Israel.
The wine cups are filed secon6
time and the youngest person-usual
ly a made child-asks: "Why IS thi,
night distinguished from all othe1
nights, and what is the meaning o
this service?" The head of the house
hold answers with the story of on
preston In Egypt, the delverance anC
the exodus The leader and the fam
lily join in repeating the "Dayenu.
What Is the meaning Of Pesach?" 4
next asked It Is answered and fol
lowed by a further question respect
Ing matzoth (unleavened bread), an,
by another concerning marar Uhn bit
ter herbs) to each Of which an answe
Is given. Then comes the responsiy
reading of some of the Hallel psalm
(psalms 1lS and 11S). A piece OF tn
broken matzoth Is eaten by each alto
an appropriate benediction. Bite
herbs are partaken Of, with anothe
benediction. Then each drinks his q
her second cup of wine. after SINH
lar benedietion to that over the fire
cup. There Is more eating Of mat2o
and bitter herbs with further prayer
and then the main meal is served
Grace Is said after the meal, an
1t Is followed by prayer for tho house
hold and its members. The wine Gun
are filled q third time Seder servio
thus falls into two parts, that whc
precedes aud that which follows tn
principal meal. The meal on ever
Sabbath evening and on every festive
Is preceded and followed by the GU
Of wine accompanied by the henedic
ton or kiddush To mark the NOR
joyful character of this greatest {
Jewish festivals two other cups {
wine are added and thus O hapr
evening is spent,
Passover falls at full moon, whic
this year comes on THURSDAY. IN