Numbers 9 marks the beginning of the second year of the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the promised land.

Where did the Israelites celebrate the first Passover?

By the 1st century CE, Josephus and the Gospels indicate that Passover drew large crowds of Jews to Jerusalem, the central cult site for the celebration of Passover.

What did the Israelites have to do for Passover?

One of the most important Passover rituals for observant Jews is removing all leavened food products (known as chametz) from their home before the holiday begins and abstaining from them throughout its duration. Instead of bread, religious Jews eat a type of flatbread called matzo.

When did the Israelites celebrate the first Passover?

Passover, also called Pesach, is the Jewish festival celebrating the exodus of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery in 1200s BC.

Why was the Passover held in Jerusalem?

Josephus, a Jewish historian contemporary with the Gospels' authors, writes that on Passover, the population of Jerusalem swelled to more than two million as Jews made pilgrimages to the Temple for the annual celebration of Israel's liberation from slavery in Egypt.

Passover in the Wilderness - Preaching Christ From Moses (Numbers 9)

Why do Jews celebrate Passover?

Passover, Hebrew Pesaḥ or Pesach, in Judaism, holiday commemorating the Hebrews' liberation from slavery in Egypt and the “passing over” of the forces of destruction, or the sparing of the firstborn of the Israelites, when the Lord “smote the land of Egypt” on the eve of the Exodus.

Why do we celebrate Passover for 8 days?

Celebrations. Every year, Jews celebrate the Feast of Passover to commemorate the liberation of the Children of Israel, as commanded by God in Exodus 13. The celebrations last for seven or eight days, depending on where you live.

What happened at the first Passover?

The Passover story begins when the Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, starts worrying that the Jews living in Egypt will outnumber his own people. ... One baby, named Moses (more on him here), is saved and adopted by Pharaoh's own daughter. When Moses grows up, he's told by God to command Pharaoh to let the Jews go.

Where do they celebrate Passover?

Israel. Passover is one of the most sacred holidays for Jews living in Israel and elsewhere. They celebrate the seven-day festival by enjoying the first and last days as legal holidays and many take the week off to travel around the country.

What is the origin of Passover?

The holiday originated in the Torah, where the word pesach refers to the ancient Passover sacrifice (known as the Paschal Lamb); it is also said to refer to the idea that God “passed over” (pasach) the houses of the Jews during the 10th plague on the Egyptians, the slaying of the first born.

Why is Passover so important?

Why is Passover celebrated? Passover commemorates the Biblical story of Exodus — where God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The celebration of Passover is prescribed in the book of Exodus in the Old Testament (in Judaism, the first five books of Moses are called the Torah).

What is Passover in simple terms?

Passover (Hebrew: פסח, Pesach‎) is a religious holiday or festival noted by ceremonies each year, mostly by Jewish people. ... They celebrate it to remember when God used Moses to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as told in the book of Exodus in the Bible.

What did the Israelites eat on the first Passover?

The festive food, as stated, was the best, the tastiest, the traditional Israelite manner of celebration. Thus, the people were told to eat the lamb with the best kind of bread, (10) matzot, unleavened bread, and season the lamb and make it tasty with (11) sharp herbs.

Why is lettuce on the seder plate?

In Ashkenazi tradition, fresh romaine lettuce or endives (both representing the bitterness of the Roman invasions) or horseradish may be eaten as Maror in the fulfilment of the mitzvah of eating bitter herbs during the Seder.

How is Passover celebrated today?

Passover usually lasts between seven and eight days and begins with Seder. ... During Seder, families gather to retell the heroic story of how the Israelites escaped from Egypt, while enjoying symbolic food and drink like Charoset, matzah, and wine.

What happens during the 7 days of Passover?

In Israel, Passover is the seven-day holiday of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, with the first and last days celebrated as legal holidays and as holy days involving holiday meals, special prayer services, and abstention from work; the intervening days are known as Chol HaMoed ("Weekdays [of] the Festival").

Is the Last Supper and Passover the same?

Passover is an event where Israelites sacrifice the lamb on the 14th day of the month of Nisan and consume it with bread and wine on the 15th. The Last Supper was the last meal Jesus had with his 12 apostles, after sacrificing a lamb in the morning and then consuming it with bread and wine in the evening.

Why did they put blood on the door?

God told Moses to order the Israelite families to sacrifice a lamb and smear the blood on the door of their houses. In this way the angel would know to 'pass over' the houses of the Israelites. This is why the festival commemorating the escape from Egypt is known as Passover.

Why does Israel celebrate Passover for 7 days?

The answer lies in both how the Hebrew calendar is determined as well as in tradition. The Hebrew calendar is based on the moon. ... Reform Jews follow the practices of those in Israel and adhere to the fixed mathematical Hebrew calendar and therefore observe Passover for seven days.

How are the 10 plagues and Passover connected?

As the Passover story tells it, after Pharaoh refuses Moses' entreaties to let the enslaved Israelites go free, God sends a series of ten plagues to pressure the Egyptian ruler. Each time, Pharaoh promises to free the Israelites, but reverses his decision when the plague is lifted — until the last one.

What are the last two days of Passover called?

OF PASSOVER (Pesach) During the last two days of Passover, no work is permitted. (Feast of Weeks) Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, is also known as "Pentecost." According to Rabbinic tradition, the Ten Commandments were given on this day. It is traditional to eat meals containing dairy during Shavuot.

Why are Passover and Easter at the same time?

“In early Church history, particularly the first two centuries, followers of Jesus commemorated the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the same day as Passover. Back then, Easter was known as pascha (Greek for Passover).

What does the story of Passover teach us?

Passover encourages us to understand that our lives are not about sloughing off responsibilities. Service to God, to one another and to what is best in ourselves — those are freedoms. They enable us to maximize the capacities of our own souls. Tomorrow, people will sit down to seders all across the world.

Should you say Happy Passover?

Unlike Yom Kippur, which occurs in the fall and is a somber holiday, it's appropriate to wish someone a "Happy Passover" because it's also about celebrating life after being enslaved. A person could also wish someone a "Happy Pesach," as "Pesach" is Hebrew for "Passover."