Chosen People Ministries - Removal of the Leaven Holidays and Festivals During Passover, observant Jewish people refrain from eating leaven. This tradition comes from God's commandment to Israel in the Torah, “For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread” (Ex 12:19-20). As Jewish people prepare for Passover, each family removes the leaven from their home. Then, during a ceremony called Bedikat Chametz, every traditional household conducts a final search for leaven throughout the house, gathers it together and burns it, after which the house is kosher for Passover. Paul uses this Jewish practice as the background to his discussion in 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, "Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened.

For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” At that time, the believing community of Corinth was tolerant of gross immorality. Paul compares sin to leaven and commands the congregation at Corinth to clean out the sin from within their midst in the same way the Jewish community removes leaven from their homes during Passover. Just as leaven permeates an entire lump of dough, sinful behavior affects the entire life of an individual and congregation. If the congregation at Corinth did not deal with the wicked behavior in their midst, then this behavior would defile the whole community. When making Challah, the traditional Jewish bread for Shabbat, a small amount of yeast is added to the dough, and this bit of yeast leavens the entire loaf of bread. In the same way, sin affects a person’s entire life. We cannot compartmentalize our lives and isolate sin in a particular area so that it does not affect the other areas of our lives.

God created us as holistic people, and we deceive ourselves when we think the small or hidden sins in our lives will not affect the other areas of our soul. Even small and hidden sins will permeate and corrode our entire being. As Paul wrote, the reason we must remove the wicked behavior from our lives is that our Messiah was sacrificed, like a Passover lamb, to remove our unrighteousness. Therefore, we should pursue righteousness, since our Messiah has removed the chametz (leaven) from our lives. Paul describes people with leaven as depraved and wicked, whereas people who are pure in motives and upright in character have no leaven. The “unleavened” person does not have a hidden or secret life. The preparation for Passover can remind us to think about the unrighteous behaviors we tolerate in our own lives. If we tolerate immoral thoughts or actions, they will begin to affect our spiritual lives and ultimately destroy our soul. If we are serious about honoring God and having a healthy spiritual life, then we cannot tolerate the hidden and secret sins. In the spirit of Passover, let us remove the sin from our lives, so that we are kosher for Passover. Why do Jews not eat Bread on Passover?

- Passover Fun Passover Fun Passover Fun » About Passover » Why do Jews not eat Bread on Passover? Why do Jews not eat Bread on Passover? During the holiday of Passover, the Jewish people are not allowed to eat or even to own anything leavened. Leavened products are grain products that were allowed to stand or rise for more than 18 minutes prior to being thoroughly cooked. This includes bread. This is because there is a direct commandment in the Torah, although some people follow it simply because it is now tradition and ritual. Hand-made Matzoh The first commandment about leavened products, called “chametz,” is found in Exodus 12:15. This requires that all such items must be removed from one’s home before Passover begins. There are many different ways of doing this. Some people make sure to eat up all their leavened products, including bread, pasta, and crackers, before Passover begins. Some people will take whatever is left outside and burn it (although some people will simply throw it in a communal trash bin).

Still other people, who have too many leavened products to easily eat them before Passover, will sell them to a person who is not Jewish and will buy them back again after the holiday. Often, the rabbi of the community does this last option and you have only to tell him where all your leavened products are kept, then to seal off those cabinets or freezers and say that their contents no longer belong to you. In Exodus 12:19 and Deuteronomy 16:4, we learn that one cannot have any leavened products in their home, car, office, or any other space they own, during the holiday of Passover. Thus, even if someone gives a Jewish person a gift of bread on Passover, they must throw it out or burn it immediately. Many people take this very seriously and will clean their houses very well before Passover just in case. Finally, there is the commandment not to eat any leavened food on Passover – including bread – which is found in Exodus 12:20, Exodus 13:3, and Deuteronomy 16:3.

This includes even things that might have something leavened mixed into them, such as some food that is covered in breadcrumbs. This also means that even if the Jewish person does not own the bread and the bread is not in their car or home, they still cannot eat it during Passover. Instead of owning and eating bread on Passover, Jewish people will eat a special kind of unleavened cracker, called a matzoh. This matzoh is made only from flour and water and is made in 18 minutes or less from start to finish. This way, it does not have time to rise. However, not every Jewish person is religious. Many people refrain from eating bread simply because it is a Jewish Passover tradition. By eating matzohs during the week of Passover, they may feel more connected to their ancestors or their families. They may also feel a stronger spiritual connection to G-d. Whichever of these reasons your Jewish friends choose for not eating bread on Passover, you will find that this is a very special and important thing for them to do.

Passover: Feast Without Yeast Movable Feasts The Jewish holiday of Passover , commemorating the Hebrews' exodus from slavery in Egypt, runs from sundown on April 3, 2015 through sundown on April 11, 2015. As you walk down the aisles of your supermarket, you may notice the words "Kosher for Passover" on some items and wonder what it actually means. Most people know that Jews eat matzoh instead of bread during Passover—but why would some soda, candy, or even vegetables be kosher for Passover while others would not? Here is some information that should make things a little clearer. During Passover, Jews refrain from eating chometz: anything that contains barley, wheat, rye, oats, and spelt , and is not cooked within 18 minutes after coming in contact with water. No leavening is allowed. This signifies the fact that the Hebrews had no time to let their bread rise as they made a hurried escape from Egypt. Jews of different backgrounds do not observe all of the same rules.

Ashkenazi Jews, who come from Europe (most Jews in America), also avoid corn, rice, peanuts, and legumes as they are also used to make bread and may have other grains mixed in. These items are known as kitniyot. Rules and guidelines may be extremely stringent. Not only must Orthodox Jews not eat these items, but they also must completely remove them and any food that has come in contact with them from their homes. They may throw them away, burn them, or sell them to a non-Jew (they are allowed to buy them back at the end of Passover). Some go through amazingly thorough and labor-intensive cleaning processes to rid their homes of any hint of chometz or kitniyot. For example: Sinks, refrigerators, ovens, and stoves must be scoured and then not used for at least 24 hours before the beginning of Passover. Specific Passover china must be used. Silverware must be "heated to a glow" and then cooled. Items are placed in a pot of boiling water (usually one at a time, because they must not touch each other during the process) and then immediately submerged in cold water. Pots must be cleaned inside and out.

To accomplish this, a pot must be filled with water and brought to a boil. Then to clean the outside, a brick or rock is placed inside to cause the boiling water to flow over the sides. However, said rock must be hot because the water must still be boiling as it cascades over the sides. A cool rock would cool the water when it came in contact. A blowtorch can be used if one is available. Items which seem acceptable for Passover but may not be: Soda: Most sodas contain corn syrup. Since eating corn is a no-no, soda containing corn syrup is also out. Even if corn syrup is not used, sodas generally have "additional flavorings" which are not divulged and could be derived from grains. Only sodas produced under supervision of a rabbi or other official certified agencies are acceptable. Frozen vegetables: Many bags of frozen vegetables are produced on the same machinery that also produces pasta or pasta/vegetable blends. Since pasta is made from grain and not allowed, neither are most frozen vegetables, unless made under supervision. Raw vegetables: Some fruits and vegetables (cucumbers for example) have wax coatings that may be made from soy proteins and oils derived from grain. Sorry, no dice.

Dried fruits: These are often dried in ovens where bread is sometimes baked. Some also have waxes, oils, and even traces of flour to prevent sticking. Marshmallows: Not allowed unless made under supervision. They contain gelatin, which is made from the bones of potentially non-kosher animals. Milk: Unsuitable additives are often used. Chocolate milk is usually unacceptable because it could contain corn syrup or malt, which is made from grain. And these are just food items. Balloons and rubber gloves can have a powdered coating on them, which may be considered chometz. Even some bug traps use an oatmeal or wheat-based substance and must be removed from the premises. And let's not even get started on pet food. More about Passover Did you know? Leaven (Hametz) - My Jewish Learning Leaven (Hametz) When is Passover 2017? Click here to find out! The Bible prohibits the eating of leaven during the festival of Passover (Exodus 12:15-20).

The Hebrew word “hametz”is translated as leavened bread and refers to food prepared from five species of grain–wheat, barley, oats, spelt, and rye–that has been allowed to leaven. To these, Ashkenazic authorities add rice, millet, corn, and legumes, collectively known as kitniyot . [It should be noted that the Conservative movement in Israel has declared that kitniyot may be consumed on Passover even by its Ashkenazic followers.] Matzah (unleavened bread) is made from any of these aforementioned five species of grain. It is customary, however, to make matzah from wheat flour only, and it is essential that the wheat and flour be given no chance to leaven. Hence, the grain used for matzah must be kept perfectly dry. The rule against leaven applies not only to its consumption but also to enjoying any benefit thereof and even to its possession. Therefore, before the arrival of Passover, all leaven must be removed from one’s premises. Nor should one have leaven in his legal possession. In a simple economy, not having any leaven in one’s legal possession was easily accomplished.

If by chance a bit of leaven was left, it could be disposed of with relative ease. When the economy became more complex, a new solution had to be found — selling one’s hametz to a non-Jew for the duration of Passover. Selling the Leaven It has been suggested that there was a transition period when leaven was sold, but to a non-Jewish friend with the full knowledge that it was a temporary sale. When this process led to collusion, it was instituted that at least outwardly the sale take a legal form using a formal bill of sale called a “shetar mikheera.” Today, the sale is usually carried out through the agency of the rabbi, in order to ensure that the proper form is maintained. READ: Ask the Expert: Can I Sell Hametz on My Own? A “shetar harsha’ah,” an authorization, is drafted, which gives the rabbi power of attorney. Those persons who wish to sell their leaven sign their names under this agency appointment and authorize the rabbi to act on their behalf. The authorization empowers the rabbi to sell the leaven they own, and the place where it is stored, at terms that the rabbi sees fit.

The rabbi keeps the authorization and sells the leaven to a non-Jew by means of a “shetar mikheera,” which contains all of the terms of the sale. At the conclusion of Passover, one buys it back. [In reality the leaven is often not removed from the premises.] While this transaction is not intended to be a real sale, nevertheless, since all the formal requirements of a legal sale have been met, it satisfies the requirement of the law forbidding the possession of leaven during Passover. Bedikat Hametz: Searching for Leaven The night before Passover, immediately after sundown, one begins the search for leaven ( Code of Jewish Law , Orach Chayyim 431:1). The aim of the search is to be sure that no leaven has been left behind after the cleaning of the house. The procedure includes these items: a candle; a feather, which acts as a broom; and a wooden spoon into which the pieces of bread will be scooped.

First, a candle is lit, and the following benediction is recited: Barukh atah adonai eloheinu melekh ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’’zivanu al be’ur chametz. Praised are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who has made us holy by mitzvot [commandments] and instructed us concerning the burning of the hametz. Since by this time the house has been thoroughly cleaned and the chances of finding any leaven are minimal, it has become customary to put a number of crumbs of bread in places where they can be easily found in order to prevent the recitation of a benediction in vain. The crumbs of bread that are found and the leaven left over from breakfast should be guarded lest a new search become necessary.

After the search for leaven, one recites the following formula of annulment: “All leavened food and grain fermentation that are in my possession, that I have not seen or removed, shall be null and considered as the dust of the earth.” Be’ur Hametz: Burning the Leaven The following morning, usually sometime between 10 and 11 o’clock, the leaven is burned, and again the formula for the removal of hametz is recited, with a slight variation: “Any leaven that may still be in the house, that I have or have not seen, that I have or have not removed, shall be as if it does not exist, and as the dust of the earth.” When is Passover 2017? Click here to find out! The Bible prohibits the eating of leaven during the festival of Passover (Exodus 12:15-20). The Hebrew word “hametz”is translated as leavened bread and refers to food prepared from five species of grain–wheat, barley, oats, spelt, and rye–that has been allowed to leaven.

To these, Ashkenazic authorities add rice, millet, corn, and legumes, collectively known as kitniyot . [It should be noted that the Conservative movement in Israel has declared that kitniyot may be consumed on Passover even by its Ashkenazic followers.] Matzah (unleavened bread) is made from any of these aforementioned five species of grain. It is customary, however, to make matzah from wheat flour only, and it is essential that the wheat and flour be given no chance to leaven. Hence, the grain used for matzah must be kept perfectly dry. The rule against leaven applies not only to its consumption but also to enjoying any benefit thereof and even to its possession. Therefore, before the arrival of Passover, all leaven must be removed from one’s premises. Nor should one have leaven in his legal possession. In a simple economy, not having any leaven in one’s legal possession was easily accomplished. If by chance a bit of leaven was left, it could be disposed of with relative ease.

When the economy became more complex, a new solution had to be found — selling one’s hametz to a non-Jew for the duration of Passover. Selling the Leaven It has been suggested that there was a transition period when leaven was sold, but to a non-Jewish friend with the full knowledge that it was a temporary sale. When this process led to collusion, it was instituted that at least outwardly the sale take a legal form using a formal bill of sale called a “shetar mikheera.” Today, the sale is usually carried out through the agency of the rabbi, in order to ensure that the proper form is maintained. READ: Ask the Expert: Can I Sell Hametz on My Own? A “shetar harsha’ah,” an authorization, is drafted, which gives the rabbi power of attorney. Those persons who wish to sell their leaven sign their names under this agency appointment and authorize the rabbi to act on their behalf. The authorization empowers the rabbi to sell the leaven they own, and the place where it is stored, at terms that the rabbi sees fit.

The rabbi keeps the authorization and sells the leaven to a non-Jew by means of a “shetar mikheera,” which contains all of the terms of the sale. At the conclusion of Passover, one buys it back. [In reality the leaven is often not removed from the premises.] While this transaction is not intended to be a real sale, nevertheless, since all the formal requirements of a legal sale have been met, it satisfies the requirement of the law forbidding the possession of leaven during Passover. Bedikat Hametz: Searching for Leaven The night before Passover, immediately after sundown, one begins the search for leaven ( Code of Jewish Law , Orach Chayyim 431:1). The aim of the search is to be sure that no leaven has been left behind after the cleaning of the house. The procedure includes these items: a candle; a feather, which acts as a broom; and a wooden spoon into which the pieces of bread will be scooped.

First, a candle is lit, and the following benediction is recited: Barukh atah adonai eloheinu melekh ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’’zivanu al be’ur chametz. Praised are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who has made us holy by mitzvot [commandments] and instructed us concerning the burning of the hametz. Since by this time the house has been thoroughly cleaned and the chances of finding any leaven are minimal, it has become customary to put a number of crumbs of bread in places where they can be easily found in order to prevent the recitation of a benediction in vain. The crumbs of bread that are found and the leaven left over from breakfast should be guarded lest a new search become necessary.

After the search for leaven, one recites the following formula of annulment: “All leavened food and grain fermentation that are in my possession, that I have not seen or removed, shall be null and considered as the dust of the earth.” Be’ur Hametz: Burning the Leaven The following morning, usually sometime between 10 and 11 o’clock, the leaven is burned, and again the formula for the removal of hametz is recited, with a slight variation: “Any leaven that may still be in the house, that I have or have not seen, that I have or have not removed, shall be as if it does not exist, and as the dust of the earth.” Excerpted with permission from Every Person’s Guide to Passover (Jason Aronson, Inc). <!--Rabbi Ronald H. Isaacs is the spiritual leader of Temple Sholom in Bridgewater, New Jersey. He has served as the publications committee chair of the Rabbinical Assembly and has written more than 60 books. --> What Do We Eat on Passover? What Do We Eat on Passover? What Do We Eat on Passover? You are what you eat!

That is the message of Passover for all seven days in Reform Judaism. As you decide how to make your eating decisions for Passover, I invite you to consider the definitions and suggestions that follow. The conversation begins with a definition of “chametz.” This is the term the Torah first uses to teach that Passover should involve changing what we eat. Chametz becomes the term for what we do not eat on the holiday. What is "chametz?" What makes something "chametz?" Chametz is defined as food containing any amount of leavened product derived from five types of grain: wheat, barley, oats, spelt and rye. What is "leavened?" Leavened refers to the process of fermentation which results when flour from these grains is mixed with water and allowed to sit 18 minutes or longer. Why 18 minutes? Just as water has a boiling point, flour has a fermentation point - 18 minutes. After 18 minutes, the dough created by the mixture of flour and water begins to ferment and rise, creating "leavened bread". "Unleavened bread" (i.e.

matzah) is bread made with flour ground from these same grains (usually wheat) which has been kept absolutely dry until mixed with water and then baked before this 18-minute point of fermentation or leavening. This flour, when baked, becomes a flat cake of matzah bread because the dough was not allowed to rise. The hurried nature of baking matzah before the 18-minute point is what reminds us of the hurried flight of the Israelites from Egypt during the Exodus. Let's get specific: What do we eat? Here's a list that runs from fresh vegetables to potato chips and in between. The following foods can be eaten without concerning yourself about their "chametz" content. Fresh fruit, fresh vegetables Eggs, fresh fish, fresh meat and poultry The following foods can also be eaten without concern for "chametz" content. You should, however, purchase new packages and not use them before Passover. Pure tea, pure coffee (with no cereal additives) Sugar, honey, milk, cottage cheese, cream cheese Butter (See Category 3 for margarine) Although the following processed foods do not appear to contain chametz, they are often produced with chametz.

For example, corn syrup is frequently used as a sweetener in ketchup and chocolate. (See below for details on corn syrup.) It is therefore best to purchase these products for use during Passover only if they bear a label saying they are kosher for Pesach or if you at least read the contents label carefully. That way you will be sure that chametz has not been used in preparing them. Condiments (ketchup, mayonnaise), Canned goods, Grape juice, Wine Oils, Candy, Ice Cream, Yogurt, Potato Chips, Margarine (no corn oil!) And just stay away from the following foods altogether. Leavened bread, rolls, bagels, muffins, biscuits, croissants, doughnuts, crackers Cakes, Cereals, Coffee with cereal additives Wheat, barley, oats, spelt, rye All liquids containing ingredients or flavors made from grain alcohol Why would ice cream or yogurt or plain peanut butter even be considered chametz? Another set of restricted foods is called kitniot-legumes.

Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern European origin do not eat vegetables such as beans, rice, corn, and peas because they can be ground into a kind of flour and made into foodstuffs which might appear to be chametz. So, to guard against the possibility of confusion, legumes were forbidden. This explains the restrictions placed on the use of processed food which contain flour, grain, or legume products. Unless the product has been prepared for Passover, we don't know if the flour or grain used reached the fermentation point. In addition, many processed foods use corn syrup as a sweetener, which makes them inappropriate for Passover. (And, by the way, it's probably a whole lot healthier to say away from most processed foods anyway.) Can't I make the point by eating matzah at the Seder and then going back to bagels, creal, and pizza for the rest of the Passover week? Of course, you can. In the modern world you can live and eat however you wish as a Jew.

On the other hand, as you define your practice for Passover, the real question for you as a Jew may be why you would want to eat chametz at a time when Jewish tradition says not to do so. What are you saying about your Judaism when you eat pizza two days after the Seder? Are you making a statement of principle or rather missing an opportunity for self-definition as a Jew? Bagels are delicious, but abstention can also be delicious - a concrete way to affirm your role in a tradition that stretches back thousands of years. Does a Reform Jew Change Dishes for Passover? Most Reform Jews probably don't change dishes for Passover. In fact, most Passover comments from Sinai Temple have not mentioned the idea. That's because your Rabbi (that's me) has mainly wanted to focus the congregation on what and what not to eat for the holiday. That doesn't mean, however, that there isn't yet another possibility for giving shape to Passover. If you don't eat chametz during the holiday, it can indeed make sense not to use your usual dishes and silverware during Passover.

Some Jews (Reform Jews!) do have a totally separate set of dishes, silverware, pots and pans which they only use during Passover; others choose to use different dishes and silverware while holding onto their regular pots and pans. Some choose to use different silverware in order to indicate that what we eat on Passover is meant to be different from the rest of the year. Does it matter? Does "God really care" if we eat matza on the same plate used for a bagel the rest of the year? My bet is God doesn't much worry about our plates and silverware. Nevertheless, the idea of making our homes visually different for one week a year does speak strongly to me. At some level, "changing some dishes" can be an aesthetically pleasing and memory creating Passover option. Not Eating Bread This Year?

I vividly remember my experience as a young Air Force Chaplain, going to the senior Chaplain who I recall was a Protestant fundamentalist, and saying "Next month is Passover, and I need to have certain foods stocked in the PX for Jewish families." His response was a puzzled "Why?" A year later, I said the same thing to a Catholic senior Chaplain, and his response was "Of course," I got what I wanted in both cases, but the second was the easier. I vividly remember my experience as a young Air Force Chaplain, going to the senior Chaplain who I recall was a Protestant fundamentalist, and saying "Next month is Passover, and I need to have certain foods stocked in the PX for Jewish families." His response was a puzzled "Why?" A year later, I said the same thing to a Catholic senior Chaplain, and his response was "Of course," I got what I wanted in both cases, but the second was the easier. Jews have always understood this relationship. Even in Reform Judaism, where questions of kosher foods are left to the individual's choice, it is still clear that what we eat reflects what we believe.

This is especially obvious on Passover, when - at the very least - we abstain from eating bread for the duration of the holiday. It links us to other Jews in the world, and "vertically" to our people's experience on this planet. Although we talk about the great central ideal of Passover, the concept of freedom, nothing illustrates a concept better than some concrete action as a reminder. In fact, we realize more and more that you cannot have a religion based only on ideas. That is called a philosophy. We do not practice the philosophy of Judaism, but the religion of the Jewish people, which requires action as well as faith. We eat matzah during Passover to remind ourselves that we are part of the community of Israel, as well as the heirs of the hasty departure from Egypt. It is also a question of taste. matzah really doesn't taste very good the rest of the year, no matter what you put on it. And no bread ever tasted better than the first bite after the week of Passover. Right? We eat matzah during Passover to remind ourselves that we are part of the community of Israel, as well as the heirs of the hasty departure from Egypt.

It is also a question of taste. matzah really doesn't taste very good the rest of the year, no matter what you put on it. And no bread ever tasted better than the first bite after the week of Passover. Right? —Rabbi James Perman, Mount Vernon, NY Did You Know That Quinoa is Kosher for Passover? Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wa”) is rapidly becoming a popular healthy alternative to starchy side dishes like potatoes, rice & pasta. Quinoa is a grain-like tasty gluten free food that is high in fiber & protein and contains more calcium & iron than wheat. Another unexpected feature of quinoa is that it is kosher for Passover! This is a welcome fact for those who have been yearning for alternatives to potatoes and matzah during Passover. Quinoa was not a part of our ancestors’ diet in the Middle East during the time of their escape from Egypt. Since it was not part of their diet, quinoa is not on the list of leavened grains forbidden during Passover. So, is quinoa really Kosher for Passover? Jewish Law prohibits leavened wheat products, known as chametz on Passover.

Chametz is any food product made of wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt, or their by-products, which has leavened (risen) or fermented. Jewish tradition has determined that flour from any of these five grains that comes in contact with water or moisture will leaven unless fully baked within eighteen minutes. Quinoa first arrived in the US from Chile in the 1980’s. Quinoa is not one of these forbidden grains, nor is it related to any of these grains, and is therefore not chametz. Quinoa is actually a grass rather than a grain. We are actually eating the seeds of a leafy green plant similar to chard or spinach. Thus, quinoa can be eaten on Passover. For fun with quinoa right now, follow the link to recipes. For Passover Recipes, follow this link .

Yeshua and the Feast of Unleavened Bread Unleavened Bread Partaking of the Bread of His Affliction THE SCRIPTURES MAKE CLEAR THAT YESHUA is the true Passover Lamb of God whose sacrificial death and shed blood causes the wrath of God to "pass over" (pasach) those who trust in Him ( John 1:29, 3:36; Acts 8:32-36; 1 Cor. 5:7-8; 1 Pet. 1:18-20 , etc.). Baruch HaShem: Worthy is the Lamb who was slain! ( Rev. 5:12) . Likewise, the Scriptures also reveal that the offering of the Firstfruits -- "the Waving of the Omer " -- is a picture of the resurrection of the Messiah -- as well as our own future resurrection ( 1 Cor. 15:20-23; Rom. 8:23; James 1:18 ). These associations are gloriously stated in the New Testament and are alluded to in the Jewish Scriptures. That said, what about the role of matzah and the " Feast of Unleavened Bread "?

How are we to understand this as a fulfillment of Yeshua's ministry? In Jewish tradition, of course, the eating of unleavened bread commemorates the original Exodus from Egypt. Since there wasn't enough time for the dough to rise when the Jews fled, the LORD memorialized the event with the commandment to eat only unleavened bread for seven days: "Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread (i.e., matzah), the bread of affliction (לֶחֶם ענִי), for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste -- that all the days of your life you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt" ( Deut. 16:3 ). To fulfill this commandment, we prepare for Passover by removing all traces of chametz (leaven) from our homes. Leaven (i.e., yeast) produces fermentation, especially in bread dough, and is the result of natural processes of decay. We therefore vacuum the house, wipe down cupboards, and physically remove all bread stuffs from our dwelling places. This is in obedience to the commandment to "remove all leaven from our dwellings" ( Exod.

12:5, 13:7, Deut. 16:4 ). On the night before Passover, we perform a ceremony called " bedikat chametz ," and symbolically remove the last vestiges of bread crumbs from our homes. So what's the problem with leaven? Again, it is a symbol of death and decay. The "rise of dough" is only possible by means of the natural processes of decay. In other words, were it not for the curse of death (i.e., the Fall of Adam and Eve), there could be no leavened bread. The sages identify leaven with the yetzer hara (יֵצֶר הָרָה), the evil impulse within us. When we purge the leaven from our homes, we are sanctifying ourselves by removing corrupting influences from our lives. But what is the connection with Yeshua? First, unleavened bread is a picture of His holiness, purity and sinlessness.

His life and sacrifice was "unleavened" -- without the taint of the curse of death, and therefore he was considered "a lamb without spot or blemish" for the ultimate Passover sacrifice ( 1 Pet. 1:19 ). Moreover, after He was buried, Yeshua did not suffer the natural process of corruption (i.e., decomposition of the body). His body did not "return to dust" -- the very curse given to Adam and Eve ( Gen. 3:19; Psalm 16:10 ). As the Second Adam (Adam haSheni), His death "killed the power of death" by putting away sin through the sacrifice of himself ( Heb. 9:26 ). Some have suggested that Paul's comment that followers of Messiah should "purge out the old leaven" ( 1 Cor. 5:7-8 ) means that we are to live in purity and separation from the corrupting influence of sin in our lives. Since we are made "unleavened" (pure) by the sacrifice of Yeshua, our lives should reflect holiness and devotion to the LORD.

We must strive to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us" in order to be unhindered in our walk with God. While this is certainly one application, I think it is equally important to recall that unleavened bread is called the "bread of affliction" (i.e., lechem oni, literally, "bread of humiliation" or "bread of humility"). Does this mean that we are supposed to flagellate ourselves in repentance? Are we to seek was to humiliate ourselves? No, partaking of this bread means humbly identifying with the suffering and afflictions that Yeshua performed on your behalf...

As the prophet Isaiah wrote about the Messiah, our Suffering Servant: אָכֵן חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא וּמַכְאבֵינוּ סְבָלָם וַאֲנַחְנוּ חֲשַׁבְנֻהוּ נָגוּעַ מֻכֵּה אֱלהִים וּמְעֻנֶּה וְהוּא מְחלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵנוּ מְדֻכָּא מֵעֲוֹנתֵינוּ מוּסַר שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ עָלָיו וּבַחֲבֻרָתוֹ נִ

רְפָּא־לָנוּ a·khen · cho·la·yei·nu · hu · na·sa · u·makh·o·vei·nu · se·va·lam va·a·nach·nu · cha·shav·nu·hu · na·gu·a · mu·keh · E·lo·him · u·me·u·neh ve·hu · me·chol·lal · mi·pe·sha·ei·nu · me·du·kah · me·a·vo·no·tei·nu mu·sar · she·lo·mei·nu · a·lav · u·va·cha·vu·ra·to · nir·pa · la·nu "Surely he has taken up our sicknesses and has carried our sorrowful pains; yet we regarded him as stricken, beaten by God and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our perversions; upon him was the correction that brought our peace, and by his blows we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 Notice that the word translated "blow" (i.e., חַבּוּרָה, "wound" or "stripe") comes from the same root as the word "friend" (חָבֵר), and therefore we can read this as "in His friendship we are healed." Yeshua gave up His life for us so that we could become his friends... As He later told us regarding his sacrifice: "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends" ( John 15:13 ). Indeed of Yeshua it may truly be said, Yesh ohev davek me'ach – "there is a friend who sticks (davek) closer than a brother" ( Prov. 18:24 ). We do not become sanctified, in other words, by afflicting ourselves, but rather by sincerely trusting in the afflictions that our Friend Yeshua endured on our behalf.

Just as we are saved by God's grace through faith, so are we sanctified. Sanctification is a work of the Holy Spirit in our lives just as miraculous as regeneration itself ( 1 Cor. 6:11 ). We do not earn merit before the LORD through performing "good deeds" ( Titus 3:5-6 ), but rather by humbling ourselves and trusting in the Messiah for righteousness ( John 6:28-29 ). Unleavened bread, then, signifies our identification with the Lord in his humility and afflictions, but it does not mean attempting to effect our own sanctity by means of self-styled affliction. We are sanctified by God's grace, not by outward shows of religion. Remember that all the "oughts" (i.e., commands) of the New Covenant are directed to the truth of who you are "in the Messiah," that is, by virtue of His connection to you, and not to your former life and identity as a slave in Egypt... Let me make a few additional comments about unleavened bread.

Unlike leavened bread that relies on an "outside" agency (i.e., yeast), unleavened bread is simple and pure: just add flour and water, mix and bake. Second, in ancient times, the leavening process usually involved adding a pinch of soured dough to the mix, but unleavened bread has no "history" that is brought into its creation. It's therefore a "new lump," not using material from the past.... It is free, in other words, from the effects of the curse of previous decay. Leavening therefore represents our connection with our past lives. Another way to say this is that unleavened bread represents an abrupt break with the past brought about through a lack of previous labor or human design. After all, it was God's work that delivered the ancient Israelites, just as it was God's work that saves us from our sins. Eating unleavened bread -- the "bread of affliction" -- is really to eat the bread of His affliction – and therefore testifies to our own powerlessness to effect righteousness. It is eaten "in haste" - not the result of human ingenuity or planning.

It is a commemoration that salvation is of the LORD - rather than a work of our own. The idea that we can merit our own righteousness before God -- that we are self-sufficient and do not need a Savior -- is something Yeshua regarded as a form of "spiritual leaven." It is only when the ego is deflated (i.e., "unleavened") that we are able to discern the truth of our inward condition. Likewise Yeshua warned us about the "leaven" (i.e., doctrine - διδαχή) of the Pharisees, the Sadducees -- and even of the politicians of his day ( Matt. 16:6-12; Mark 8:15 ). In Luke's Gospel, this leaven is defined as hypocrisy (ὑπόκρισις): "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy" ( Luke 12:1 ). But what is hypocrisy? The word might come from the Greek prefix ὑπὸ (under) combined with the verb κρίνω (to judge), and hence refers to the inability to come to a decision and exercise genuine conviction.

It is a state of being "double minded," duplicitous, and insincere... Later the word connoted playing a part, "putting on a show," feigning righteousness, acting with insincerity, reusing "canned answers" or repeating the party line. Hypocrisy is therefore a form of self-deception. It is institutionalized prejudice dressed up as religion; it is counterfeit thinking that cheats the truth; it is ethnocentric nonsense that despises others who are different, etc. The "leaven of the Pharisees" is like old sourdough added to the community -- it "puffs up" and is based on human pride. The way of Yeshua was radical -- far too radical for the religious establishment of His day. In His time, as in our own, the call to walk in sincerity and truth, to see beyond common distinctions by loving others, to regard the status of women, children, and the oppressed, to abide in the love and grace of God -- amounts to eating the "bread of affliction," especially in a world filled with self-righteous and proud religionists.

Partaking of this "unleavened bread" is to partake of the "bread of His affliction." Leaven is not always regarded as a symbol of evil, however. Yeshua used the image of a woman adding leaven to a lump to signify the (invisible) spread of the Kingdom of God in the earth ( Luke 13:20-21 ). Here leaven functions as an inward agent of change that is revealed when someone turns to the Lord in teshuvah (repentance). Likewise the presence of leaven actually signifies the culmination of the spring festivals. Shavuot (i.e., "Pentecost") is the only festival when leavened bread was to be brought and waved before the LORD at the altar ( Lev. 23:15-20 ) -- even though offering leaven was forbidden in Torah ( Lev. 2:11 ). There is a "rise" in the Spirit as opposed to the "rise" of the flesh, chaverim; there is old wine; there is new wine... What Is Matzo? | POPSUGAR Food What Is Matzo?

by Food 19 Shares Passover doesn't begin until the end of the month, but it's already impossible to walk into a grocery store and not find products such as matzo crackers, matzo meal, and other items that are kosher for the holiday. But, what exactly is matzo, and why does it play such a crucial role during the Jewish celebration? Matzo is a bland, cracker-like flatbread made of white plain flour and water. It is the substitute for bread during Passover, a holiday in which Jews refrain from eating bread, leavened products, or the five grains known as barley, spelt, rye, oats, and wheat in any processed form except dry-roasting and as matzo. There are several different types of matzo (not all of which are kosher for Passover), and a wide variety of applications for the food product. It can be eaten simply as a cracker, used as a pasta substitute in lasagna, or ground to produce coarse or fine matzo meal, which is used to make matzo balls for soup or as a breadcrumb-like binder for kugel and other casseroles. Have you ever had matzo?

Source: Flickr User ydhsu Get Inspired With Our Living Newsletter You're subscribed! Sign Up For Our Newsletter Select topics that interest you Love and Sex frome 5 years I would be most grateful if someone could read the ingredients and let me know if there is salt or trace of salt in matzo crackers. My husband is due to go into hosp., for radioactive iodine treament and he is on a 2 week diet minus salt, dairy food and all fish. I havent seen these crackers in the supermarket but I would be willing to buy them over the net if someone could assure me that there was no trace of salt. Many thanks ShaynaLeah 6 years haha I love how non-Jews "love" Matzah - I might if I didn't have to eat it for a week straight! ;-) I like mine with butter and salt, cream cheese and cinnamon, or made into matzah brei, matzah ball soup, or farfel pudding :-) danizzle 6 years passover is coming up...and you are right stardust, all my non-jewish friends love it cause they dont eat it for 8 days straight every year!! things that are DELICIOUS on matzah...

cream chesse, butter, nutella i also make matzah pizza - any brand or style tomato sauce w any type of cheese broiled in the oven for 3 mins...YUMMY! danizzle 6 years passover is coming up...and you are right stardust, all my non-jewish friends love it cause they dont eat it for 8 days straight every year!!things that are DELICIOUS on matzah... cream chesse, butter, nutellai also make matzah pizza - any brand or style tomato sauce w any type of cheese broiled in the oven for 3 mins...YUMMY! xxstardust 6 years Mmmm .. matzoh ball soup, matzoh brei, matzohs and butter and jelly, matzoh candy.... I love matzoh and can't wait to get my big free 5lb box from the supermarket!!My cousins are Jewish (although *very* reform), so I grew up eating them and love it. My roommate, however, whose family is conservative Jewish, laughs at me and says that only non-Jews really like matzohs because they don't have eat them all week for Passover with no break!

xxstardust 6 years Mmmm .. matzoh ball soup, matzoh brei, matzohs and butter and jelly, matzoh candy.... I love matzoh and can't wait to get my big free 5lb box from the supermarket!! My cousins are Jewish (although *very* reform), so I grew up eating them and love it. My roommate, however, whose family is conservative Jewish, laughs at me and says that only non-Jews really like matzohs because they don't have eat them all week for Passover with no break! Lexy403 6 years matza is also good done french toast style..let some broken pieces soak in some eggs, a bit of oj, then just pour it all into a butered pan and break it up a little bit and let it cook. Its kind of a scrambled egg meets french toast idea. Food Restrictions on Passover Explained: Chametz and Kitniyot | ReformJudaism.org Food Restrictions on Passover Explained: Chametz and Kitniyot Can We Eat Beans, Rice, Corn, and Peas on Passover? By: Print When was the last time you remembered something?

Did you remember something that you had forgotten, or was it something you just hadn’t thought about in a while? How did you remember? Was it by seeing, thinking, smelling, tasting? What was the memory: hazy, blurry, sharp, clear? It isn’t just scientists and biologists who know that memory is often a complex and complicated process. Our ancient tradition and rabbis knew this as well, and put all their efforts into Passover . Therefore, something as seemingly simple as food becomes a trigger for memory, or a reminder of the past: our own past as well as our people’s distant past as slaves under Pharaoh. Perhaps, what first comes to mind when thinking of Passover’s foods is matzah. What is it, beyond “square,” or “round”? Boxes of matzah – that plain, flat, and, well, plain unleavened bread – can most often been seen blocking the path of your shopping cart as your buy gefilte fish and other, tastier Pesach delicacies. Most literally, matzah is unleavened bread. Symbolically, it is most often seen as a symbol of freedom, that first food eaten by a newly freed people.

At the same time, matzah is also the “bread of affliction,” the bread of poverty. So simultaneously matzah serves as a warning, or reminder, as well: our Jewish tradition does not equate freedom with wealth. What is Chametz and Why Can’t We Eat It? Of course, we cannot have matzah, unleavened bread, without its opposite: leaven, or chametz. You might find it surprising that the Torah is more stringent about chametz than any other forbidden food! Chametz refers to products made from wheat, barley, rye, oats, and spelt. According to the Talmud (B. Pesachim 35a), these are the only grains from which matzah can be made, and therefore, strictly speaking, the only ones which are subject to the Torah’s prohibition of eating chametz, or leaven, on Passover. If that helps describe chametz literally, how might be describe chametz symbolically? Have you ever watched dough rise in the oven, or have you ever just seen bread? Dough rises, and what results is “puffed-up,” bigger than before. Full of air – or perhaps full of itself.

That is exactly what chametz has come to symbolize. Philo, a Greek-Jewish philosopher, described chametz as “pride,” because leavened bread is “puffed-up.” Removing chametz on Passover from our homes, our lives, our families, is a struggle between who we really are now and who we can be once we strip away all the trappings of self-importance. If chametz is so negative, why do we eat it all year? While it is oftentimes very difficult to be a Jew, the Jewish Tradition does not demand of us that which is impossible. Of course, Jewish Tradition doesn’t prohibit the eating of matzah after Passover either! What are Kitniyot and What are the Rules about Eating It? Just as chametz grows and grows (in the oven), so too did the category of chametz expand. For Ashkenazim (Jews of Eastern European descent), the tradition on Passover has been to not eat foods considered kitniyot, which includes many legumes, as well as beans, peas, rice, millet, corn, and seeds. There have been many reasons Ashkenazic communities refrained from eating kitniyot.

For example, there was a concern that because kitniyot can be ground to make flour and then baked, one could mistakenly assume that their neighbor was eating chametz. Furthermore, there was concern that chametz grain might get mixed up with the kitniyot, if they were stored in close proximity. This kitniyot prohibition was not accepted by most Sephardim (Jews of Spanish or Arab descent) – but that is not to say Sephardic observance of Passover has been any less meaningful than that of their Ashkenazic neighbors. Why is it, then, that many Jews who might not have done so in the past, now eat kitniyot during Passover? Two Groups of Rabbis Now Permit Kitniyot on Passover In the recent past, two groups of rabbis have met and, independent of one another, ruled that both Ashkenazim and Sephardim should be permitted to eat rice, corn, and kitniyot during Pesach. Who were these groups, and how did they determine such a ruling? The two groups were the Responsa Committee of the Reform Jewish Movement , and the Responsa Committee of the Israeli Conservative Movement .

Responsum are rabbinic decisions. Briefly, these rabbinical committees determined that the prohibition of eating of rice, beans and kitniyot is in direct contradiction to the opinion of all the sages of the Mishnah and Talmud (except one), and also contradicts the theory as well as the practice of more than fifty post-Talmudic Sages. Opposition to the ban on eating kitniyot began around the time of its inception in 13th century France, with one Rabbi calling the practice “a mistaken custom,” and the second rabbi calling it “a foolish custom”. With regard to Halachah (Jewish law), the central question is this: whether it is permissible to do away with a mistaken or foolish custom. Many rabbinical authorities (including the Rambam, or Moses Maimonides) have ruled that it is permitted (and perhaps even obligatory!) to do away with this type of "foolish custom”. Furthermore, there are many good reasons to do away with this "foolish custom.” A foolish custom: Detracts from the joy of the holiday by limiting the number of permitted foods.

Causes exorbitant price rises, which result in “major financial loss,” and, as is well known, "The Torah takes pity on the people of Israel's money." Emphasizes the insignificant (legumes) and ignores the significant (the avoidance of chametz). Can cause people to ridicule Jewish ritual in general and the prohibition against eating chametz in particular. One might think that if this custom prohibiting eating kitniyot has no purpose yet is observed, then perhaps there is no reason to observe other mitzvot. Can even cause divisions between World Jewry’s ethnic groups. What if I Still Want to Refrain from Eating Kitniyot? On the other hand, there is only one reason to observe this custom: the desire to preserve an old custom. While this desire can be very strong, our rabbinic decisors agreed that this desire does not override all that was mentioned above. However, there will be Ashkenazim who will want to stick to the "custom of their ancestors," and who will be drawn to that tradition, even though they know that it is permitted to eat kitniyot on Pesach.

Remember, this too is permissible, especially in light of Reform Judaism’s openness to all aspects of Jewish tradition. Rabbi David Golinkin concluded the Israeli Conservative Movement’s Responsum by stating that with a willingness to eat kitniyot on Pesach (Passover), “This will make their lives easier and will add joy and pleasure to their observance of Pesach.” It can become very easy to think that observing Pesach represents an unbearable burden: so much preparation, the need to give up chametz and instead eat matzah – the list surely goes on. We must remember that matzah is not only the “bread of affliction,” but the symbol of freedom as well! Increasing the Joy and Pleasure during Passover Rabbi Golinkin ends his legal decision with an understanding and insightful directive. He notes that adding joy and pleasure to our observance of Pesach was probably not on our Passover shopping lists – and if it was, did it even make the top 10? Now we have an opportunity to prepare for Pesach with an additional item on our “to do” lists: adding joy and pleasure to our observance of Pesach. May this be a meaningful Pesach for you and your loved ones!

Tags: Passover Matzo Cover | The Museum at Eldridge Street Museum at Eldridge Street. About This colorful textile is a matzo cover used on the Jewish holiday of Passover. Celebrated for eight days each spring, Passover is also known as Chag HaMatzot – the Feast of Unleavened Bread. During the holiday Jewish people traditionally abstain from eating leavened bread and instead eat matzo, an unleavened flatbread made only with flour and water. This custom dates back to the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt. According to the Bible, the Jews fled Egypt in such haste that they had no time to wait for the bread dough to rise. Instead, it cooked in the hot sun on their backs, producing matzo (Exodus 12:39). Matzo was originally baked into a round shape, not the square we are more familiar with today. In the mid 1800s however, the industrial revolution challenged thousands of years of tradition and changed the shape of matzo from round to square. Easier to cut by machine, square matzo was far more efficient to mass-produce. Today, only handmade matzo retains the original round shape.

Notice the matzo cover in the photograph is also round – a clue that it was designed for use with handmade matzo! The gold Hebrew letters along the circular border of the cover reads: “Leshanah haba-ah beyerushalyim habenuyah,” which means “Next year in the rebuilt Jerusalem.” This verse echoes the ancient Jewish hope of rebuilding the destroyed temple and for all Jews to celebrate and reunite “next year” in Jerusalem. The word in the center of the cover says “pesach,” the Hebrew name for Passover. The unknown artist included several common Passover motifs within the cover’s design. The buildings depict the ancient city of Jerusalem. The goblet and grapes represent the fou cups of wine Jews drink during the special Passover feast, or seder , while recalling the story of the Exodus. Discussion Questions Matzo is symbolic of redemption and freedom and servitude and affliction. In what ways does it represent both of these ideas? Food plays a central role in many cultures. What are some other traditional foods you have encountered? What stories do they recall? Classroom Extensions The Streit’s Family have been making matzo on the Lower East Side for over 100 years.

Take a guided tour of their factory with Martha Stewart and learn about how matzo is made. Have students design a textile for a personally meaningful holiday. In creating their design, students should consider what symbols and words to include that elicit holiday themes and traditions. Exhibit students’ work and as a class, discuss common choices and themes. ©2016 Museum at Eldridge Street | Sitemap | 12 Eldridge Street, New York, NY 10002 Museum Site: 212.219.0302; Administrative Office: 212.219.0888 | contact@eldridgestreet.org This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Question: During which holiday do Jews refrain from eating leavened bread?
Answer: Passover