Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-16
FEAST OF THE PASSOVER
CELEBRATION OF THE EVENT
BEGUN LAST EVENING.
Services in the Synagogue-1srael's
National Birthday-Is the
Methuselah of History

The celebration Of the Jewish feast OF
the passover began last night. the 18th
OF April. that being also the eve of
the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month
o. Nissan. the Jewish Nationally holt
day. and-sill continue eight days. Like
all other Jewish holidays. the feast
of passover. or "Pesach.' as il is called
in Hebrew. has a twofod aspect. 1t Is
the spring festival. for the earth is throw
ing off it's bonds and letters and is APP
pearing resplendent in its attire of foliage.
And Israel. rejoicing with nature. cele-
brates its birth as people, its deliverance
and redemption by the hand of God from
Egyptian oppression and slavery.
In all orthodox Jewish homes prepara-
tons for the proper celebration of TINS
feast have been in progress for some time
Each house has undergone thorough
cleaning. Every nook ana corner OF every
close. and cupboard has been inspected
and every semblance of ieaven has been
removed for The holiday is also known as
"Hag Hama zza. the feast of unieavened
bread. and neither leavened bread nor
fermented liquors may be used during the
eight days of the observance of the fes-
tival. Every family. be i; as poor as II
NAV Possesses a set of dishes which is
exclusively used for the passover week
to lessen the possibility of mixing !eav-
ened with unleavened.
Search for the Leaven.
On the eve of the 18th of Nissan an in
teresting ceremony. the 'Bedikat Hamez
(search for the leaven). was performed in
every religious household. The master
Of the house, armed with a woode: spoon
and a buster composed of three Or four
feathers, searched for leaven by candle
light in every nook and crevice. But since
the housewife had previously done her
duty the search would have been in vain
had not the husband distributed in notice.
able places a few mOrsels of bread. These
he gathers up carefully in his spoon. The
spoon and it's contents and the buster. to-
gether with the remnants of the next
mornings breakfast. were burned be-
fore 10 o'clock in the morning. after which
only unleavened bread may be eaten for
the period of eight days.
fast is tna b es FIRST noan
remembrance Of the deiverance of the
first born of the Israelites, when the angel
Of death passed through the houses OF
the Egyptians and smOte all their first
born.
Last evening there was a service in the
synagogue, after which all went to their
homes for an impressive family service
called the 'Seder." The members of the
family and their invited guests and in
many instances the Jewish dOmeStlcS OF
the household are seated at table
beautifully decorated and handsomely or
namented with the most expensive plate
the family can afford. In front of the
master of the house is large "Seder"
dish upon which are placed various OBJ
jects to be used in the service, each hav-
ing it's own particular significance. First
are three MaZZos to represent the three
divisions or classes in Israel-the priest
(Cohen). the Levite UevD. and the
Israeite. 1sraeD. Above the Mazzos are
placed in a prescribed position the follow
ing emblems of the passover festival:
Some-parsley and a cup of salt water. in
which the former is to be dipped: some
bitter herbs consisting of horse radish or
lettuce dipped into haroseth. a tOothsOne
dish compounded of grated almonds.
apples raisins wine and cinnamon. to re-
call to mind the lime and mortar with
which the Jews worked. are emblematic
of the bitter and severe prosecutions that
the Israelites endured during their forced
sojourn in Egypt: roasted shank bone.
symbolic of the paschal lamb, which in
former times was eaten in every Jewish
home passover night. and roasted egg
as reminder of the festive sacrifice Of
fered in the temple on the recurrence of
a holy day.
Chanting of the "Kiddush.
The service begins with the chanting of
the "kiddush.'' At its conclusion is DRINK