The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-04-05
PASSOVER SOON
TO BE OBSERVED
Special Ritual is Compiled For
Use of the Service of
Haggadah

Passover. the Jewish festival Of
liberation. known in Hebrew as
'.Pesach." begins this year on
Wednesday evening. April y.
Starting on this evening every
Jewish household in the country
eats MatZotn, the unleavencd
bread In some households no
leavcn Of any character is eaten
during the eight days the festival
Of Passover is observed.
Among the more liberal Jews of
this country Passover ends on
! Wednesday, April 10. In most
Jewish homes. however liberal, a
portion Of TIE elaborate ritual built
up during the long centuries this
feast has been celebrated viii be
retained
The OF ening evening Of the fes-
tival. known as Seder night, Will
certainly be observed in all Jew
ish homes. a special ritual; has
been compiled for this service call
ed the ''Haggadah." This vener-
able volume recites The events Of
/ the Exodus by means Of quaint
songs and stories. and endeavors
| to awaken within the soul of old
and young a love Of liberty. The
ritual of the Seder stresses the no
| ton that each one is to regard HIM
self as if he himself came forth
from the house of Egyptian bond
age.
Additional efforts have been ex-
erted by the Central Conference OF
American Rabbis 10 make this fes-
| tival of Seder more appreciated
among the younger generation OF
j American Israel and to this end a
new edition Of the '.Haggadah" is
4! being prepared which will retain
| the salient features of the ancient
| ritual and omit only such frag-
! ments as are obscure and lnappll-
cable to our day ara generation.
Many Jewish congregations and
organizations are planning TO cele-
brate Seder in their own institu-
tions. While primarily a feast for
! the home there is no traditional
objection to an institution, SYM
/ boliZing as it does a larger family,
gathering about a festive board and
reviving common memories.
Originally Passover was an agri-
cultural feast. At later period
it became dissociated in part from
its primitive nature and was iden-
tilted with an event IN the early
history of the Hebrews which in
| vested the festival with the new
and highly significant spiritual
message Of liberty for all man
kind.
In the synagogue the note OF
/ spring is reflected in the assigned
scriptural reading from the Song
Of Songs. wherein the worshipper
is reminded that the winter Is over
and gone and the song OF the tur-
: tle-dove is again heard in the land.
This joyous note is not sounded
/ to the exclusion Of the historical
association of the Exodus Of the
children of Israel from Egypt. The
I purpose Of the Passover is to re-
cali to mind the many miracles
! which were wrought in behalf Of
the House OF Jacob by the never
slun1bering Guardian and Keeper OF
+ Israel.
Throughout the festival Of Pass
over the historical circumstance of
this delivery from Egyptian bond
age is vividly revived and the
scenes reviewed where the kindred
Of Joseph were degraded to slave
labor in the very country upon
/ which their illustrious ancestor had
/ showered richest blessings. Then
enslavement Of body afflicted like
wise their souls. They sank into
the grievous thraldom Of despair
The deliverancc frcGl Egyptian
tyranny assured them that their
supplications had been heard on
high. The memory of this rcdcmp-
ton reminds the modern Jews that
they. too, must be Oh their guard
against oppression and work with
all their might for the eventual
triumph of humanity over the tyr
amy of injustice and iniquity.
Passover has inspired the Jew to
trust in the eventual reign Of right
pO11SnpSc