Passover

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Passover

Matzo, the symbol of the Passover holiday
Official name Hebrew: פסח (Pesach)
Observed by Jews, Samaritans, Hebrew Roots
Type One of the Three Pilgrim Festivals
Significance Celebrates the Exodus, the freedom from slavery of the Children of Israel from ancient Egypt that followed the Ten Plagues.
Beginning of the 49 days of Counting of the Omer
Begins 15th day of Nisan
Ends 21st day of Nisan in Israel, and among some liberal Diaspora Jews; 22nd day of Nisan outside of Israel among more traditional Diaspora Jews.
2009 date sunset of April 8 to nightfall of 15 April / 16 April (7th day)
2010 date sunset of March 29 to nightfall of 5 April / 6 April (7th day)
2011 date sunset of April 18 to nightfall of 25 April / 26 April (7th day)
Celebrations In Jewish practice, one or two festive Seder meals - first two nights; in the times of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Korban Pesach. In Samaritan practice, men gather for a religious ceremony on Mount Gerizim that includes the ancient Passover Sacrifice.
Related to Shavuot ("Festival of Weeks") which follows 49 days from the second night of Passover.
Part of a series of articles on
Jews and Judaism
 
Who is a Jew? · Etymology · Culture

Passover (Hebrew, Yiddish: פֶּסַח Pesach, Tiberian: [pesaħ]  ( listen), Israeli: Pesah, Pesakh, Yiddish: Peysekh, Paysakh) is a Jewish and Samaritan holy day and festival commemorating the Hebrews' escape from enslavement in Egypt.

Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan (equivalent to March and April in Gregorian calendar), the first month of the Hebrew calendar's festival year according to the Hebrew Bible.[1]

In the narrative of the Exodus, the Bible tells that YHWH inflicted ten plagues upon the Egyptians before Pharaoh would release his Hebrew slaves, with the tenth plague being the killing of all of the firstborn, from the Pharaoh's son to the firstborn of the dungeon captive, to the firstborn of cattle. The Hebrews were instructed to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a spring lamb and, upon seeing this, the spirit of the Lord passed over these homes, hence the term "passover".[2] When Pharaoh freed the Hebrews, it is said that they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread to rise. In commemoration, for the duration of Passover, no leavened bread is eaten, for which reason it is called "The Festival of the Unleavened Bread".[3] Matza (unleavened bread) is the primary symbol of the holiday. This bread that is flat and unrisen is called Matzo.