Today is a very special day. Believe it or not, this day is celebrated by more Jews than those who celebrate Rosh Hashana (almost 3:1). Yes, even those who consider themselves “Secular” Jews.
Tag Archives: Passover
Hurry up…It’s time!
It’s that time of year. Spring cleaning. Many of you may not know how old this tradition really is. It started out some 3000 years ago- when it was a commandment to remove all the chametz from one’s life. Now, chametz literally means “leavened items”. Because the holiday of Pesach (Passover), which celebrates the liberation of the Jews, also involved a commandment to destroy all the chametz in one’s possession. One is not permitted to see any chametz in one’s domain for the entire holiday.
Let all who are hungry come and eat
I just celebrated the beginning of Pesach- the 7 or 8 day holiday you may know as Passover. The first night or two (depends on where you live and your customs) is a communal meal of study and discussion, called the Seder. The words of the title form the primary statement said at the very beginning of the Seder. The fourth (of 15) part of this event is called ‘Yachatz’, where the leader breaks the middle matza of three on the Seder table into two, unequal pieces. (Matza is the unleavened bread that carries conflicting interpretations – it’s both the bread of affliction and the bread of freedom.)
Removing Our Chametz
Almost everyone makes resolutions. I promise to … And, for some reason, we consider New Year’s the only proper time for this activity.