Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-23
Feast Of the
Passover


salt water and a cup containing a mixture
Of Spples and nuts. There is wine in
abundance. for each person must drink
four cups. There is also a cup for each
person present and an extra cup for ELL
jRh the Prophet
The head OF the family begins the oere-
mony By saying the prayer for the evening.
the Kidd0sh after which he pours water
on his hands TO qualify himself as the
priest OF the occasion. He then dips the
parsley into the salt water and hands Il to
each person, this action signifylng the dip
ping Of the hyssop in the blood OF the
/ lamb. 70 be sprayed on the door-posts on
that dreadful night in Egypt He then
takes one Of the cakes, breaks Il in half
and lays one-half aside. lie then tells to
the children the story OF the Passover, a
/ HagEsda. The children ask questions AZ
the end Of the story, and when everything
is explained, all persons at the table lift
the dish containing the bread and chant in
/ unison: This IS the bread OF rafflction
which our fathers ate in the land Of
Egypt: whoever is hungry. come and eat:
/ whoever is in need come and make the
Passover with as; this year here. next
year in Holy Land; this year as
subjects. next year as free men
I
two whole cakes are broken. Then the
horse radish tops are eaten, in oommemor-
alton of the bitter herbs upon which the
children OF Israel were forced tollive. The
head Of the household then takes the
matzo and makes sandwiches with the
sliced horse radish- root. which are eaten
during q ceremonial chant Then The reg
ular supper is brought in and eaten, After
everyone has finished the hidden haif-cake
Is brought out and eaten. Then the third
cup OF wine, the cup OF blessings" is
handed round, and the benediction- Is said.
Then comes the singing OF the Hallel. This
is the hymn which Jesus and his disciples
sang on the night Of the Last Sunper. 1t
is composed of the 11sth to the 1lSth
Psalms, inclusive and the 1seth Psalm.
Afr this the fourth cup is drunk and the
feast is brought formally TO end
On the day OF the Passover the Jews alb
stain from labor, but this inhibition does
not extend to the rest of the week, al
though nothing but the unleavened bread
is eaten In the United States there are
three grades Of matzo in use, the square
matzo used for the Sedar service. the tea
and-coffee matzo and the large cracker
known as the egg matte, in which beaten
eggs are used instead OF water to make
the dough. Recipes for this egg matzo,
, or matzah aschirah, have been known in
, Europe for many centuries, being set
forth in great detail IN "a book published
in London three hundred years ago.
The feature Of the Passover feast. which
has been most developed among Jews of
the Ashkenazim rite, is the story telling
This has been reformed, and in late years
good Jews frown upon. the introduction Of
"poetries" into this part OF tho service.
Books containing properly prepared stories
| of the Passover with English and Hebrew
} texts, fully illustrated, may be obtained
: at any Jewish book store for twenty-five
: cents A sample of one Of the Haggada
! ''poetfies.' however, Is quite interesting,
I and Christians unacuuainted with Jewish
religious rites win be surprised to find In
this instance the origin of a familiar
! Says the head Of the household at the
d story telling time in the service OF the
2 Passover feast: Then came the Holy and
I Blessed God and killed the Angel of
Z Death who killed the butcher, who slaugh-
tered the OK. Ewho drank up the water.
I which quenched the fire, that burnt the
stick which beat the dog, that bit the cat.
that ate the kid. which my father bought
for two shillings, one kioi one kid!'
This is an allegorieal poem which orig
= mated during the reign Of the Latin kings
! clear and simple TO every Jew of that pc
) riod. Our Father in Heaven bought the
! kid Israel with the blood OF the crcum-
) cision and with the blood of the Passover
! The Md was eaten by the cat Egypt. which
in turn was conquered by the dog Babylon
which was beaten by the stick of the Mede.
and PerslaHs which was consumed by this
fires Of Alexander the Great. The Mace
J doniAn fire was quenehed by Rome, which
" overspread the wor7d like water. Roms
: was supplanted in Palestine by the Sar
! aoenic OK The butcher Of the allegory
was the crusaders. The Angel Of Deati
: was only hoped foT that he might end th'
: oruelties practiced by the Crusaders. TheI
the Lord was. to destroy Death and re
unite Israel in the Promised Land.
To the Jews this fast Is OF tremendou
4 Importance. for 1t signiffes the peculiar re
: lation Of the chidnen OF Israel TO JEHOVAH
as the chosen, people. 1t commemorate
: their adeliverance from the bondage il
n Egypt and therefore is ever promise Il
4 the orthodox that He again will delive
e His children. 1t has also a great signifi
e oance to the Christian for Jesus was pre-
0 siding at just such a supper table as thll
e when he Instituted. the great sacrament o
K His church.
!, BX FREDERKC =. MA5KIM.
h Tomorrow-Klndergarbe Convention.