Today, Jewish communities around the world begin the observance of Passover, an eight-day festival that starts this evening with Seders recounting the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. Known in Hebrew as Pesach, meaning “to pass over,” the holiday draws from the Book of Exodus and honors the enduring themes of freedom, resilience, and remembrance.
According to biblical tradition, Passover commemorates events from the 13th century BCE when the Israelites were enslaved under a resistant Pharaoh. The Torah describes how Moses, appointed by God, demanded their release. Pharaoh’s repeated refusals led to the Ten Plagues, culminating in the death of the Egyptian firstborns. Israelite homes, marked with lamb’s blood, were spared—an act described as the Lord “passing over” them. This moment led to their urgent departure from Egypt, with no time for bread to rise—hence matzah’s symbolic role today. While direct archaeological evidence is limited, scholars like James Hoffmeier note records of Semitic populations in Egypt’s Delta region around 1250 BCE, offering possible historical context.
Early observances of Passover, as outlined in Exodus 12, centered on the Paschal lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread. By the First Temple period (circa 950–586 BCE), it had become a pilgrimage holiday, with sacrifices offered in Jerusalem. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, the festival shifted to a home-based format. The Seder, formalized in the Mishnah around 200 CE, became the central ritual. The Haggadah—compiled over centuries—serves as the narrative guide, using symbolic foods and structured storytelling to pass the Exodus story from generation to generation. By the medieval period, illuminated Haggadahs like the Golden Haggadah in Spain reflected the festival’s spiritual and artistic richness.
In the diaspora, Passover evolved alongside the experiences of global Jewry. Medieval Jews in Europe often celebrated in secret due to persecution, while Sephardic Jews in North Africa developed unique customs and dishes, including date-based haroset. In the 19th century, American Jews began simplifying rituals for modern observance, while Eastern European communities maintained more traditional practices. In the 20th century, Passover took on new meanings—survivors of the Holocaust held Seders in displaced persons camps, and Soviet Jews used the holiday to affirm identity under oppression, fueling the “Free Soviet Jewry” movement of the 1960s and ’70s.
Tonight, as Jewish families recite the Four Questions and open their doors for the prophet Elijah, they participate in a ritual that bridges centuries. The Haggadah’s charge that “in every generation, one must see themselves as if they personally left Egypt” serves as a timeless reminder to reflect on freedom, justice, and dignity in our own times. In 2025, amid global unrest and humanitarian challenges, Passover invites renewed reflection. It is not only a celebration of ancient deliverance but a living tradition that continues to shape moral consciousness across generations.
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