About 3300 years ago an important event for all Jews took place - Exodus from Egyptian slavery. Since then, Jews from all over the world have celebrated Pesach or Easter every year. The celebration of this great event for the Jews begins on the 14th day of the spring month Nisan and lasts 7-8 days. Pesach symbolizes the awakening of all nature, the renewal and liberation of man. This year, the date of Pesach was April 15.
According to the ancient legend, the Jews before the Exodus did not have time to ferment the dough and therefore fed on fresh cakes - matzoi. In order for the Jews not to forget this, during the entire Pesach they are forbidden to eat any of the cereal grains subjected to leaven. Instead, only matzah is allowed.
Preparation for Pesach
What is Passover in Israel and how should it be celebrated? One of the ancient legends says that the Egyptian ruler did not release the Jews from slavery. For this, God sent ten plagues to Egypt. On the eve of the last execution, God told the Jews to slaughter lambs, and then to mark the doors of their homes with their blood. At night, all the Egyptian first-born were killed, but the Jews did not touch.
Preparation for the celebration of Pesach begins the morning before the event. In honor of saving the Jews during the tenth Egyptian execution on the eve of Pesach, all male first-borns should fast. On this day, all the chametz - flour products created on the basis of fermentation is destroyed in Jewish homes. And men start baking matzo. The Jewish evening begins with a festive meal or Seder, which takes place in a strictly defined order. Before the beginning of the meal, the Paschal Haggad is read, narrating about the Exodus from Egypt.
During the Seder, every Jew should drink four cups of wine. Finish the Easter meal search afikomana - a piece of matzo, which hides at the beginning of the Seder.
Behind the Easter Seder follows the first day of the holiday, which must take place in prayers and rest. It is followed by five so-called festive everyday days, when some people work, and some rest.
On the final Easter day, the Jews traditionally go to the river, the sea or any other body of water, read there an excerpt from the Torah, narrating how the waters of the Red Sea diverged and absorbed Pharaoh. Everyone is singing "The Song of the Sea".
An indispensable tradition of the Jewish holiday Pesach was a pilgrimage. A lot of Jews from all over the world make a pedestrian procession every year through the Israeli wilderness.