The Ultimate Passover Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Passover begins this evening and families around the world will gather together in celebration. If you’re not familiar with the holiday, this post outlines everything you need to know. From the history of Passover to its rituals, this post has everything!

Passover is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Observers celebrate the holiday for eight days and begins the Jewish agricultural year. Passover traditions have changed little over the last few thousand years. They provide a powerful way for Jewish people around the world to connect to their spiritual and cultural roots.

HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF PASSOVER

According to Jewish tradition, Passover is one of the three feasts that Jews must observe. The holiday comes from the time of liberation from Egypt when God (traditionally written G-d) sent Moses as the deliverer. The Torah states that Pharaoh refused to release the Jewish community from slavery. Despite many pleas from Moses, Pharaoh refused.

Each time Moses pleaded from Pharaoh and he refused, God sent a plague. These plagues included things like turning the Nile blood red and locust infestations. Pharaoh kept refusing. On the tenth time, Pharaoh was allowed to choose the next plague. He chose the death of every first-born son.

God instructed Moses to mark their doors with lamb’s blood that evening. The angel of death that would come would pass by any house with the lamb’s blood on the door post. This event marked the Passover.

If you’re wondering how it ended, tradition states that no son of an Israelite home died. Pharaoh pleaded to Egyptian gods, yet his son died. The Pharaoh finally relented and freed the Israelites.

It’s said that God commanded Moses to observe the Passover every year by sacrificing a lamb and reciting prayers. Communities around the world continue to celebrate this momentous event in Jewish history. It’s a time to reflect on the struggle for freedom and liberation in one’s personal life. It’s also to reflect on deliverance from life’s struggles.

PILGRIMAGE FESTIVALS

Passover is one of three commanded holidays that require celebration. The other two are Shavuot (Weeks/Pentecost) and Sukkot (Tabernacles). These holidays make up the Shalosh Regalim, or Three Pilgrimage Festivals. The temple of Jerusalem was the center of worship at the time and required Jews to make the special trip.

Each of the Shalosh Regalim holds a different focus around Jewish liberation. Passover celebrates the liberation from slavery and is a time of mental renewal and freedom. Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. This is a time of spiritual freedom. Sukkot celebrates the harvest season and tents the Israelites lived in the wilderness. This is a time of physical provision and abundance.

While the temple in Jerusalem no longer exists, observing these holidays is still important. Jews around the world continue celebrating these holidays to remember their history.

PREPARING FOR PASSOVER

Preparing for Passover involves a lot of planning. The holiday requires several different preparations, including cleaning the house, performing the bedikat chametz, and preparing for rituals. Meal planning is an important step because chametz is forbidden for the full 8-day celebration.

REMOVING CHAMETZ

One of the key parts of the Passover celebration is the removal of leavening and grains from the house. Chametz refers to food that contains leavening or requires rising. Chametz also refers to grain flours like wheat, spelt, barley, oat, and rye.  Jewish law forbids chametz during the holiday, and all traces must be removed from the home.

Orthodox Jews that observe this law will often clean the entire home. This is to remove any traces of chametz that might be in the cracks of the floor or hidden elsewhere in the home. Observant Jews remove all food products completely from the home in preparation for the holiday, a ritual called Bedikat Chametz.

In modern times, throwing out food can be very wasteful. Practicing Jews have gotten around this rule by giving the food to non-observant friends. After the holiday, the food is “bought back” by cash or simply “owing a friend.”

MATZO BREAD

Only one type of bread is acceptable during Passover. Matzo bread, containing wheat flour and water, is the traditional choice. It’s said that the Israelites were instructed to eat only unleavened bread during Passover. This bread symbolizes purity and the hardship endured during slavery.

Only matzo bread made under strict guidelines is acceptable. Matzo made under these strict guidelines will have a mark designating “Kosher for Passover.” This mark means the matzo contains absolutely no chametz and is OK for Passover.

Ground matzo bread makes matzo flour, which can replace many forbidden foods. It’s often used to make matzo balls (a dumpling) and used as breadcrumbs.

BEDIKAT CHAMETZ

Bedikat chametz, or “search for the chametz,” is a ritual performed in the days leading up to Passover. It involves searching the home for any traces of chametz or grain-based products. Anything found gets removed from the home.

The tradition of bedikat chametz dates back to ancient times. The ritual typically takes place the night before Passover (Erev Pesach). Before the search, it’s customary to place 10 pieces of chametz around the house. This might include a piece of bread, cookie, or breadcrumbs. Hiding chametz is often done for getting children involved, but it’s also to ensure no chametz gets left behind.

Searching for chametz is traditionally done by candlelight. It’s believed the dim lighting will reveal any hidden chametz. The head of the household, or an adult family member, recites a blessing and then uses a feather or spoon to sweep up the crumbs.

Bedikat chametz is meant to be a symbolic ritual. It represents removing chametz from the physical home and the spiritual self. It’s also seen as a reminder to examine one’s life and remove any negative behaviors or influences. After the search, it’s customary to recite a prayer that declares any chametz not found to become void.

TRADITIONAL PASSOVER FOODS

Passover is a holiday that centers around food, which plays an important role in the celebration. Because Passover prohibits eating leavened bread and grains for 8 days, it requires careful meal planning. Many practicing Jews opt for a few common dishes. These dishes are made with Matzo meal and are both filling and delicious.

The seder meal is the most important meal eaten, which is on the first day of Passover. This meal will often contain several different dishes and courses.

Some common foods eaten during the celebration are:

Matzo Ball Soup

Arguably one of the most well-known Jewish dishes, Matzo ball soup is a hearty and comforting dish. The soup is made with a flavorful chicken broth and dumplings made from matzo meal.

Coconut Macaroons

Macaroons are a sweet Passover dessert made from coconut flakes and egg whites. They’re typically served in place of baked goods, which are not allowed during the holiday. Macaroons are a reminder of the sweetness of freedom and of gathering with loved ones.

Try our recipe for Pistachio Orange Macaroons!

Gefilte Fish

Gefilte fish is a traditional Passover dish often served as an appetizer. It’s a mixture of ground fish, such as carp or whitefish, that’s formed into balls and poached. This dish has a strong flavor that can be overpowering for some!

Roasted Lamb

Lamb is often served as the main course for the Passover seder meal because of its connection with the Exodus story. Recipes often include a lamb shank roasted and seasoned with herbs and spices. A lamb bone plays a key part in both the Exodus story and the seder plate, which makes lamb a go-to choice for dinner.

Brisket

Brisket is a slow-cooked beef dish that is often served during Passover for observants that do not eat lamb. Many recipes for Passover brisket recommend roasting it with onions and serving with a flavorful sauce.

Kugel

Kugel is a baked noodle dish that can be both savory or sweet. This carby, delicious dish is often served as a comforting side dish. During Passover, some of the dietary restrictions get modified to accommodate the holiday. Dairy and meat cannot be eaten together at the same meal except for Passover. Because of this, kugel is almost as traditional as lamb!

THE PASSOVER SEDER MEAL

The Passover Seder is a special meal that takes place on the first two nights of the holiday. It’s a time for family and friends to come together to retell the story that inspired the festival. On the table will be several important elements to the meal:

• Four Candles
• Four glasses of wine
• Three Matzos
• Seder Plate
• The prepared meal
• Haggadah book

The Seder meal is the most important event of the holiday. It’s a structured meal that follows a specific order, called the Haggadah, which means “telling” in Hebrew. The Haggadah is a guidebook that outlines the 15 steps of the meal, each of which has a specific purpose and symbolic meaning.

During the Seder, participants take turns reading from the Haggadah. Some of the steps include singing traditional songs and eating specific foods. This retelling of the Passover story is joyful and celebratory, meant to reflect on the joy of leaving bondage.

CELEBRATING PASSOVER WITH THE HAGGADAH STEPS

Kadesh: The Seder begins with the lighting of candles, the first cup of wine poured, and a recitation of the Kiddush.

Urchatz: The participants wash their hands in plain water without soap.

Karpas: Karpas, or spring greens, are eaten. Parsley is often used as Karpas and is dipped in saltwater to represent the salty tears cried during slavery.

Yachatz: The second of the three matzos gets broken in half. Whichever half is larger is then hidden by an adult member. This hidden piece is called the “afikomen.”

Maggid, or telling of the Passover story. This part of the Seder is the heart of the meal and recounts the journey of the Israelites from slavery to freedom. It includes the recitation of the Four Questions. The young children will often ask the oldest member of the group four specific questions:

• Why is this night different from all other nights?
• Why do we eat unleavened bread?
• Why do we eat bitter herbs?
• Why do we dip our foods twice?

Rachtzah: Participants wash their hands again and a blessing is recited.

Motzi: Participants share a blessing over the 2 1/2 Matzo still on the table.

Matzo: The third matzo gets dropped onto the table and participants recite a blessing over the remaining 1 1/2 matzos. Guests then eat the matzo.

Maror: A bitter herb, usually horseradish, symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. Participants eat the Maror.

Korech: Participants make a sandwich from the matzo and bitter herbs. Participants make another sandwich with both the herbs and the charoset. These sandwiches represent the slavery and liberation.

Shulchan Orech: Participants eat the festive meal.

Tzafun: Children search for the afikoman that was set aside earlier.

Barech: A third cup of wine gets poured as participants recite a prayer. It’s traditional to pour an extra cup of wine for the prophet Elijah. A child will then symbolically open the door to invite him into the home.

Hallel: Guests recite Psalms of praise and pour a fourth cup of wine.

Nirtzah: The Seder meal ends with a blessing singing of hymns.

OTHER TRADITIONS AND RITUALS

Passover is primarily celebrated with the Seder meal and removal of chametz. Although, there are several other rituals associated with the holiday. Some of them include:

BIUR CHAMETZ

Symbolically, biur chametz represents the elimination of any negative behaviors or habits. Just as chametz is the leavening agent of bread and represents the “puffiness” of ego, removing it from one’s home and burning it represents the desire to remove any inflated sense of self-importance.

Biur chametz is also a reminder of the haste in which the Israelites left Egypt. According to tradition, the Israelites left Egypt so quickly, they didn’t have time to let their bread rise! As a result, they cooked it to make matzo. The act of burning chametz serves as a reminder of the urgency to leave and enter freedom.

YIZKOR

Yizkor is a memorial service held on the final day of Passover. Yizkor means “remembrance” in Hebrew, and is a service held four times a year. This service honors and remembers deceased loved ones. It’s typically a prayer recited in a synagogue during the morning service of Yom Kippur, Shemini Atzeret, the last day of Passover, and on the second day of Shavuot.

The Yizkor service is a time for reflection, prayer, and commemoration. The names of deceased loved ones are read aloud and mourners recite special prayers for the souls of the departed.

While Yizkor isn’t a part of the actual Passover tradition, it’s an important part of the holiday for those that observe it. For many, it’s an opportunity to honor the memory of those gone on and celebrate them. In the Passover tradition, Moses nor the generation that left Egypt saw the Promised Land. It was the generation afterward that entered in and remembered those that departed before them.

PASSOVER IN THE DIASPORA

The diaspora refers to the dispersion of Jewish people after exile from Israel. The term originally referred to Jews exiled during the 6th Century BCE, but now refers to Jews living outside of Israel.

Passover traditions and customs can vary based on geography and adaptations into different cultures. In the diaspora, Passover has take on some additional rituals and meanings:

Adding a second Seder: Some communities include a second Seder on the second night of Passover. The second Seder might be to include friends that were not present during the family meal on night one. It might also include non-Jews who would like to celebrate. 

Kitniyot: Some Jews refrain from eating kitniyot (legumes, beans, and grains) during Passover. This modification came from the idea that grains couldn’t be distinguished from legumes. Some Ashkenazi, or European Jews, observe this tradition. Sephardic Jews (North African) do not.

Mimouna: This Sephardic Jewish tradition takes place on the night after the end of Passover. This is a time for Jews to invite their non-Jewish neighbors to celebrate with them, marking the end of Passover restrictions.

MODERN INTERPRETATIONS

Passover traditions have evolved over time and have taken on different forms. Reformed and other non-Orthodox Jews have incorporated new elements to the holiday. These additions reflect the changing times. Some of these additions include:

Feminist Seders: In recent years, there has been a movement to create Feminist Seders that emphasize the role of women in the Passover story. They also incorporate more modern social justice issues like gender equality.

Environmentalist Seders: Many Jews have taken cues from environmentalism. Environmentalist Seders incorporate values that promote greener living. In addition to remembering Passover, participants use portions of the Seder to make planet-friendly vows. One example is pledging to work toward ensuring clean water access to everyone during the wine-pouring rituals. 

LGBTQ+ Seders: While LGBTQ+ affiliation is prohibited in Orthodox belief, some communities promote inclusivity. Inclusive LGBTQ+ Seders seek to create a safe and welcoming space for members who may be exiled from family.

Do you celebrate Passover? What are some favorite traditions you have?