The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-04-21
JEWISH FEAST
OF PASSOVER

The Jewish passover celebration.
one of the most sacred and interest
ing festivals on the calendar of the
Jewish religious year, viii begin next
Saturday evening. April %, at sun
down.
The meaning oil the event and the
significance of the various services
and customs observed by the Jewish
people Ia It's celebration makes of it
an occasion well worthy OF the I'M
pressivcness and sincerity with which
1t IS regarded by those of the faith.
AS stated, the celebration OF the
passover begins at sundown on next
Saturday. which marks the full moon
OF the first month, Nissan" OF the
Jewish religious year. BY the liberal
branch of the church the festival Will
he continued for seven days, while
those of the orthodox branch will cell
citrate for eight full days. The be-
ginning OF the passover Is cOincident
with tho first full moon after the YER
nal equinox. so that IL Is also sort
Of spring festival. celebrating the
awakening OF nature from its winters
sleep Ordinarily the event comes
before the Easter week of the Protes-
tant churches. but this year. which.
according to the Jewish calendar. Is
leap year. there being seven such
years In each cycle Of nineteen years.
the celebration Is late-as late. In
fact. as IL ever can come. The first
day of the passover and Easter Sun
day fall on the same day In every
400 years. This was the case last
year. so that such a coincidence Will
not occur again for four centuries.
Exodus from Egypt.
The passover festival commence
rates the exodus OF the children OF
Israel from Egypt, and the deliyerance
of the Israelites from Egyptian bond
age. During the week Of It's celebra-
tion those who observe the feast must
partake Of no food or beverages OF a
lcavened nature-this mandate being
according to the scriptures, as are
all in fact OF the practices INDUCED
In during the celebration. On the
first evening of the festival the Sc
der" service Is observed in the jew
ish homes. The family Is gathered at
the table. which bears the symbols
which are adjunct to the festival, and
there t. told in song and prayer. the
"Hageadah." or story of the exodus.
This story is told by the father TO
the children. who ask a series of pre-
scribed questions regarding its mean
ing the answers being illustrated by
reference to the symbols which arc
placed for that purpose. These sym
bols consist Of roast of lamb, To
designate the pascal bone. the un-
leayened bread; bitter herbs. indica-
tive of the life Of slave. infer
mented wine, and an egg, Symbolical
oi the resurrection There Is also
placed at the table the cup of Eli
Jah." which is reserved for the well
come stranger.
Eat Unleavened Bread.
On the first evening of the passover
in the homes in which this service is
observed, those partaRing of the serv-
Ice are obliged 10 eat Of the unleav-
ened bread and to drink four cups OF
the unfermented wine After the first
evening the eating Of the unleavened
bread is not obligatory. though moth
ing OF a leayened nature. either food
or drink, must pass the lips during
the period of celebration In the or
thodoX homes this "Seder" service Is
often repeated on the second evening.
Following the "Scdcr" service and the
regular meal, the evening is spent in
the singing Of special songs-the
Passover Melodies"
The passover festival celebration Is
sometimes called the festival Of un-
leayened bread" this food being sig
nlticant because the lsraelltes were
forced to leave in great haste. and
had not time TO wait until the bread
had become leayened, The orthodox
Jews remove every leavened thing
from their homes prior to the festival.
though in this practice. as In other
features Of the church celebrations,
the members of the liberal branch OF
the faith are less strict The unleav-
ened bread Is known as "matzoth"
The "Seder" service is significant
to Christians because it was In this
service that Christ was engaged when
he was apprehended, and it was while
observing this service also that he
was eating his last supper.