Learn About the History of Passover and Its Traditions
Passover 2024 begins at sundown on Monday, April 22. What does this annual holiday celebrate? Learn about Passover’s meaning and find traditional recipes, including charoset and beef brisket.
What Is Passover?
The holiday of Pesach, or Passover, is an annual weeklong festival commemorating the emancipation of Jewish peoples from slavery (in ancient Egypt). The Hebrew name, Pesach, means “to passover” because the plague in Egypt that killed all firstborns passed over the Israelites’ homes, sparing the lives of their children.
When Is Passover 2024?
The dates are based on the Hebrew calendar, from the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan (or Nisan) through the 22nd day.
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Passover 2024 will be celebrated from April 22 to April 30. The first Seder will be on April 22 after nightfall, and the second Seder will be on April 23 after nightfall.
Passover Dates
| Year | Passover Begins (at sundown) | Passover Ends (at nightfall, when 3 medium stars become visible) |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Monday, April 22 | Tuesday, April 30 |
| 2025 | Saturday, April 12 | Sunday, April 20 |
| 2026 | Wednesday, April 1 | Thursday, April 9 |
| 2027 | Wednesday, April 21 | Thursday, April 28 |
Note: What is often called Passover today has its origins in two ancient observances. Nissan 14 was the Passover as mentioned in the Torah; at this time, an offering to the Lord, the sacrifice of a lamb, was slaughtered and prepared during the afternoon. Nissan 15 (the new day starting at sundown) was the beginning of the seven-day Festival of Unleavened Bread. On this start of Nissan 15, the Passover lamb that had been sacrificed and prepared on Nissan 14 (that same afternoon) was eaten that night (now Nissan 15), along with unleavened bread. Over time, the Festival of Unleavened Bread commonly became known as “Passover” and is usually considered as starting at sundown between Nissan 14 and Nissan 15.
Celebrating Passover
In many Reform Jewish communities, Passover is celebrated for seven days, not eight. In more traditional Jewish communities—including both Orthodox and Conservative communities—Passover is celebrated for eight days.
Family and friends gather together after nightfall on the first and second nights of the holiday for the high point of the festival observance, the Seder. During the Seder, which means “order” in Hebrew, the experience of the Exodus is told in story, song, prayer, and the tasting of symbolic foods. The Seder meals include four cups of wine, eating matzah and bitter herbs, and retelling the story of the Exodus.
The Meaning of Passover
(Note: To some followers of Judaism, it is considered disrespectful to write out the name of the Lord in full. Because Passover is primarily a Jewish holiday, we have elected to follow this custom on this page by using “G-d” to refer to Him. Thank you for your understanding.)
In Hebrew, this festival is known as Pesach (which means “to pass over”), because G-d passed over the Jewish homes to spare them from death that first Passover eve.
The Israelites had been enslaved by Egyptian pharaohs for many decades. Moses tried to appeal to the Egyptians with a message from G-d, but this was ignored. Devastating plagues destroyed crops and livestock.
On the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan in the year 2448 from creation (1313 BCE), the last of the 10 plagues afflicted the Egyptians, killing all their firstborn. However, G-d spared the children of Israel; the plague “passed over” their homes because G-d had instructed Moses to tell them to mark their doorposts with lamb’s blood. The Pharaoh relented. Six hundred thousand adult males, plus many more women and children, left Egypt on that day and began the trek to Mount Sinai.
Passover Recipes
Perhaps the most well-known of Passover foods are maror (bitter herbs) and matzah (unleavened bread), which is a reminder of the haste with which the enslaved people left Egypt because they did not even have time for the bread to rise.
For the duration of Passover, no leavened or fermented food or drink is eaten, including cake, cookies, cereal, pasta, and most alcoholic beverages.
Passover Charoset (or Haroset)
Traditionally, the matzah is served with a sweet condiment called charoset, a mixture of apples, nuts, and wine. This symbolic dish represents the bricks used by the enslaved Jews to build Pharaoh’s cities. The basic recipe (though it varies) is:
- 1 cup walnuts
- 3 apples, unpeeled, cored and cut into about 8 pieces
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar or to taste
- 2 to 3 tablespoons grape juice or sweet Passover wine
Put the walnuts in the chopping bowl, if doing it by hand, or a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Roughly chop into large dice or pulse just a few times in the processor, being careful not to over-process. Add the apple pieces and chop or pulse to the desired consistency. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well to blend. Makes about 2 cups.
The above recipe is the most basic version. Below is another , which uses honey, raisins, and dried apricots.
Credit:
A traditional Passover meal also includes gefilte fish and matzo ball soup for starters. A classic dinner dish is a beef brisket.
Note: For the duration of the 8 (or 7 days in Israel) of Passover, chametz (leaven) is avoided.
If you observe Passover, we hope you have a safe and enjoyable celebration!
Catherine Boeckmann
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It's actually hypocritical to say G-D instead of God. God is God, except you're talking about Man-made gods.
Mind you, Passover is not only for the Jews or Hebrew, because There's no Jew, Hebrew or Gentiles again! We are one in Christ Jesus!
If you say Passover is for the Jews, then, is Tithe payment not for Jews also? Why do we collect tithes, the Jew's commandments but neglect the Passover or the biblical Sabbath laws? Sometimes I wonder why we allowed Satan to control our minds and practice what is unscriptural! Biblical Feasts still stands because even Jesus Christ also observed it with His Apostles! Jesus Christ has never instructed us to disobeyed the laws, because He said "I didn't come to abolish the Laws! Let's obey the laws, because Jesus said *Be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect* "Be ye Holy* ..He also say " If you love me, keep my commandments*. Grace has nothing to do with obeying the laws!
Amen
Amen!
Also, there are 613 commandments in the Torah, aka your first testament. These are sacred; do you follow them all? Jews have no proof the messiah has come. So, your point is moot.
Jesus is risen
Jesus is alive
He will come again!
Daughter of the Most High KING
In Jesus Name
As Jews we write (or type) G-d, otherwise If it is deleted or erased we don’t have to worry about the real thing being erased.
Please don't fall from grace into the law look up Every Grace and Every Law scripture . Jesus explained it to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.
Very well spoken or written. Your right this is about our King and His sacrifice for us all the Creator Himself and Lawgiver sacrificed Himself in our stead and bridged the chasm between us all and The Father. He fulfilled every word jot and tittle of the law for all who would only believe on Him. John 3:16 it's that simple
Wow, how can it be that simple? Christ himself said that the Christian life is difficult. This is in Christ's own words: Matthew 7: 13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and DIFFICULT is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
People entering by the wide gate are taking the so-called easy route, nothing to do, simple just believe. But Jesus himself said the way is narrow and difficult.
All Sunday religions got it wrong are going down the wide gate path. Not condemned just confused.
Christ did fulfill the Passover portion of God's plan, but not all. As a matter of fact, Christ said, UNTIL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS AWAY, not one jot or tittle of the law shall pass until ALL is fulfilled. Well guess what, Heaven and Earth haven't passed away. What does that mean then? So that would mean that the 10 commandments, not 9 and the holy days aren't done away with yet.
There are 7 holy festivals that reveal God's plan and Passover is just the beginning. You have the 7 days of unleavened bread, which represents coming out of sin, I Corinthians 5, 6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore [d]purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed [e]for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Some might say that these are jews holidays. But while is Paul instructing a gentile congregation of Christians to KEEP the Feast, in verse 8.
The 3rd Holy day of God's plan is Pentecost, which in the New Testament represents God pouring his spirit out on his church, Acts 2.
The 4th Holy day is The Feast of Trumpets, Revelation 8 through 11, Matthew 24: 30and 31, I Corinthians 15: 51...etc.
The 5th Holy day is The Day of Atonement. This represents Satan being bound for a thousand years, Revelation 20: 1 and 2.
The 6th Holy festival is a 7 day event. This one represents the 1000 year reign of Jesus here on Earth. Revelation 20: 4 through 6.
The 7th Holy day of God's plan is the reason Christ had to die and be resurected, to show all of us the way to salvation. Revelation 20: 11 through 15.
If you think keeping Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Valentine's Day and Sundays are Christian, then you have been deceived. Revelation 12: 9.
Scriptures says, God is God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That has not change nor will it ever change. Jacob's name was changed Israel. Jacob (Israel) has twelve sons, who are the twelve tribes of Israel. Under King Solomon Israel was divided into two Kingdoms, Northern Kingdom ten tribes and Southern Kingdom two tribes, Judah and Benjamin. All of the twelve tribes of Israel are scattered through the earth till this day. Not all twelve tribes of Israel were called Jews and they were never referred to as being Jewish in Scripture. Only the Southern Kingdom of Judah and Benjamin are referred to as Jews in Scripture. The Apostle Paul is of the tribe of Benjamin and referred to himself as a Jew. The ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Israel were in Samaria and were referred to as Israel or Ephraim. When the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom sinned and stopped being circumcised the Most High scattered them among the Japheth Gentiles (Hosea 8:8) as a vessel of no pleasure. Going forward, the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom were no longer referred to as Israel or Ephraim but were referred to as Samaritans, Canaanites, Gentiles, Greeks, Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians, Colossians, Philippians, Thessalonians or whatever location were they lived. The Scripture says, Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” That has never changed nor will it ever change. The Scriptures are only written to the Chosen People of the Most High, the twelve tribes of Israel. Everyone else are taking the Scriptures out of context to fit their Religion such as Christianity. To be clear, Jesus did not come to start or establish any Religion, including Judaism, Catholicism, Christianity, Islam, or any other Religion. Jesus is not coming back for any Religion, He's coming back for a People, the twelve tribes of Israel that believe the Gospel of the Kingdom. He will send his angels to gather his elect from the four corners of the. Isaiah 11:12 And He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Ezekiel 37:22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one King shall be King to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.
