This week Barcelona's Jewish communities are celebrating Pesach (Passover)
‘Pesach’ is the Hebrew name for the Jewish Passover. Following the Jewish lunisolar calendar, the celebration of Pesach begins on the 15th day of Nisan, the first month of the year, and lasts for seven or eight days, depending on where it is celebrated. Within the solar year, it follows the spring equinox; this year it will be from 13 to 20 April and will begin on the evening of the day before (coinciding with Holy Week).
Pesach is considered one of the three seasonal festivals, due to its connection with agricultural and pilgrimage cycles (sheloshet haregalim), as on each of these occasions Jews would visit the Temple in Jerusalem to make offerings.
Two consecutive key events in the history of the people of Israel are celebrated during Pesach. The first corresponds to God’s protection of the Jewish people from the tenth plague visited upon the Egyptians, when a deadly epidemic spread throughout Egypt killing all first-born sons. However, thanks to divine grace, the misfortune “passed over” the Jewish children, who were spared. Once the plagues had ended, a second event occurred: the long-awaited liberation from the slavery suffered by the Jewish people in Egypt. As it says in the Torah: “Then you shall have this day as a memorial, and you shall celebrate it as a solemnity to the Lord, in your generations, as an everlasting devotion”. Tradition says that the exodus happened so quickly that the Jews had no time to leaven their bread. This is why Jewish law prohibits the consumption of any cereal during Pesach that has been leavened (chametz): only unleavened bread (matzah) can be eaten.
The most important days during Pesach are the first and last. These are festive days when work is forbidden, in reference to the liberation from slavery. A commemorative supper (seder) is held on the first night, and here everything is highly symbolic; the main dish (ke’ara), the blessings, praises and prayers chosen.
*** Check out the article “Understanding the Jewish calendar” HERE!
Pesach sameach!
!פסח שמח
