There are in the months Adar and Nisan four Sabbaths distinguished by
the circumstance that on them additional sections are read from the
Pentateuch and special lessons from the Prophets. Two of them are
connected with the celebration of Passover.
1. שבת שקלים “Sabbath of the shekels;” i.e., on which the law
concerning the half-shekel contribution is read from the Pentateuch
(Exod. xxx. 11–16), and also the account of the gifts for the repair of
the Temple in the reign of King Joash (2 Kings xii. 1–17). Every male
Israelite, twenty years old or upward, had to contribute annually one
half-shekel towards the maintenance of the Temple and the Temple
Service. The year commenced the 1st of Nisan, when public sacrifices
had to be bought with money of the new contributions. [86] Every one
was therefore expected to send his contribution before the 1st of
Nisan. On the 1st of Adar proclamations were made throughout the
country that the half-shekel was due. [87] Hence the custom to read the
above-named sections on the Sabbath before the 1st of Adar, or on the
1st, if this happens to be on a Sabbath.
2. שבת זכור “Sabbath Remember” is the Sabbath on which the paragraph
concerning the enmity of Amalek is read from the Pentateuch (Deut. xxv.
17–19), and the defeat of Amalek by King Saul from the Prophets (I Sam.
xv.). The Agagite Haman, one of the principal figures in the history of
Purim, is believed to be a descendant of Agag, king of Amalek (ibid.
ver. 8). And as the Law commands us to remember the hostilities of
Amalek against Israel, it has been found appropriate to read the above
sections on the Sabbath before Purim.
3. שבת פרה “The Sabbath of the Red Heifer,” i.e., the Sabbath on
which the law concerning the sacrifice of the red heifer and the
purification with its ashes is read from the Pentateuch (Num. xix.),
and “the future purification of Israel” (Ezek. xxxvi. 17–38) from the
Prophets. It is the Sabbath after Purim, or, when the 15th or 16th of
Adar falls on Saturday, the second Sabbath after Purim. All Israelites
had to come to the Temple, and to offer the Passover-lamb on the 14th
of Nisan, and this could not be done by any unclean person. By the
reading of the above sections, all are, as it were, reminded to take
the necessary steps for their purification, and thus prepare themselves
for the celebration of Passover.
4. שבת החדש “The Sabbath of ha-chodesh,” i.e., the Sabbath before the
1st of Nisan, or on the 1st of Nisan if it falls on a Saturday, on
which the law that fixes Nisan as the first month [88] and the
commandment concerning Passover are read from the Pentateuch (Exod.
xii. 1–20), and the description of the sacrifices of the 1st of Nisan,
Passover, and other Festivals in the future Temple from the Prophets
(Ezek. xlv. 16–xlvi. 18).
In addition to these four Sabbaths, the Sabbath preceding Passover is
to be mentioned. It is not distinguished by any special lesson from the
Pentateuch, but it has nevertheless received the title “the Great
Sabbath,” שבת הגדול [89] on account of the importance of the
approaching Festival. The last part of Malachi (iii. 4–24) is read as
the haphtarah of the day, in which the ultimate triumph of the
God-fearing is described by the Prophet.
פסח PASSOVER.
Passover is the first of the Three Feasts, and is kept eight days, from
the 15th of Nisan to the 22nd; the four middle days being
half-Holy-days, called chol ha-moëd (“the week-days of the festival”).
The name Pesach, “Passover,” [90] reminds us of the way in which the
Israelites enjoyed the Divine protection before they left Egypt.
Pharaoh, king of Egypt, kept the Israelites as slaves, and when asked
in the name of God to let them go, refused to obey. But the ten plagues
which consecutively afflicted his land without causing injury to the
Israelites taught him the existence of a higher Power, to whose decrees
the will of earthly rulers has to submit. It was especially the tenth
plague, the slaying of the first-born, that convinced the king and his
people of this truth. When the Lord smote all the first-born in the
land of Egypt, “he passed over the houses of the children of Israel”
(Exod. xii. 27).
The Feast has a second name, viz., “feast of unleavened bread,” חג
המצות, a name derived from the commandment to eat מצה “unleavened
bread,” instead of the ordinary חמץ “leavened bread,” during the
Festival. The purpose of this commandment is to commemorate the
deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt as well as the mode of their
actual departure. For when the tenth plague, the slaying of the
first-born, had visited the Egyptians, they were overcome with fear,
and urged the Israelites at once to leave the country. The Israelites
therefore left Egypt hurriedly, and had no time for preparing the
ordinary “leavened bread,” and baked for themselves unleavened cakes
(מצות) of the dough which they had made.
Passover thus commemorates two distinct moments in the deliverance of
the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, viz. (1) the special protection
which the Almighty granted them in Egypt, and (2) their departure from
the house of bondage.
Two distinct observances, therefore, were ordained for the Feast of
Passover, viz. (1) the sacrifice of the Passover-lamb, and (2) the
eating of “unleavened bread” and the abstaining from “leavened bread.”
1. The Passover-lamb.—A short time before their departure from Egypt
the Israelites were commanded by the Almighty that on the tenth of the
first month every family should procure a lamb, keep it four days, [91]
kill it in the afternoon of the fourteenth, sprinkle of its blood on
the “lintel and the two door-posts,” and “eat in the evening the meat
roast in fire, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, in haste, their
loins girded, their shoes on their feet and their staff in their hand”
(Exod. xii. 3–11). Whatever the material benefit was which the
Israelites, in the moment of starting for a long and uncertain journey,
derived from the meal prepared and partaken of in this manner, there
was a higher purpose in the Divine commandment; it was demanded that
the lamb should be “a passover sacrifice unto the Lord” (ibid.). The
proceedings should be an expression of faith in God, [92] and of
gratitude to Him for His protection. Every house should thus form a
place holy unto the Lord; an altar, as it were, on which the blood of
the sacrifice was sprinkled.
The Passover sacrifice first observed in Egypt was afterwards ordained
as a permanent institution (ibid. ver. 24). This difference, however,
was observed, that the Passover-lamb, like all sacrifices, had to be
brought to the Sanctuary, to “the place which the Lord chose to place
his name in” (Deut. xvi. 6). All who were prevented from performing
their duty on the 14th of Nisan were allowed to offer the Passover on
the 14th of the second month (Iyar). By way of distinction from the
sacrifice on the first date, this offering was called “the second
passover” (פסח שני, [93] Num. ix. 9–14). Since the destruction of the
Temple all sacrificial service has been discontinued, and in accordance
with the words, “We will compensate with our lips for the bullocks”
(Hos. xiv. 3), prayers and recitals from the Bible have taken the place
of sacrifices, whilst psalms and hymns are added such as used to
accompany the act of offering sacrifices. The Passover sacrifice has
therefore been discontinued; but the law of eating unleavened bread and
bitter herbs is still observed.
2. The Unleavened Bread.—“Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread;
even the first day ye shall have put away leaven out of your houses:
for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the
seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel” (Exod. xii. 15).
“Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no
leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen
with thee in all thy quarters” (ibid. xiii. 7). “Seven days shall there
no leaven be found in your houses” (ibid. xii. 19). The distinction
between leavened and unleavened only applies to bread or any other form
of food prepared out of any of the following five kinds of grain:
barley, wheat, rye, oats, and spelt. Bread or cake prepared from any of
these five kinds is called unleavened bread, or מצה, if the dough is
baked immediately after it has been prepared, no time being left for
fermentation. [94] It is not only forbidden during the Festival to eat
leavened bread, but it is not permitted to derive any benefit
whatsoever from it. [95] All leaven and leavened bread must be removed
before Passover comes in; and in accordance with the traditional
interpretation of the precept, “Thou shalt not offer the blood of my
sacrifice with leavened bread” (ibid. xxiii. 18), the leaven must be
removed before the time in which the Passover was offered. [96]
The law forbidding חמץ “leavened bread,” to be kept in the house
during Passover is frequently and most emphatically repeated in the
Torah. Jews have therefore, as a rule, been very conscientious and
zealous in the fulfilment of this Divine command. In accordance with
this law, the following observances have been ordained:—
(1.) בדיקת חמץ “the searching for leavened bread” on the eve of the
14th of Nisan. [97] The head of the family, or his deputy, examines his
residence thoroughly, and keeps the chamets, which he has found, in a
safe place till the next morning. This searching, like every other
performance of a religious duty, is preceded by a blessing, viz., ברוך
… אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על ביעור חמץ “Blessed art thou ... who hast
sanctified us by thy commandments, and hast commanded us concerning the
removal of the leavened bread.” [98]
(2.) ביעור חמץ, “the removal or the destruction of chamets.” All the
chamets that is left after the first meal on the 14th of Nisan must be
removed, i.e., sold or given as a present to a non-Israelite, or
destroyed. In addition to the actual removal or destruction of chamets,
a solemn declaration is made by the head of the family, that if any
chamets should be left in his house without his knowledge, he would not
claim it as his. The object of this declaration is to free the master
of the house from all responsibility in case any chamets should be
found on his premises, contrary to the Law. [99]
(3.) Utensils which have been used for chamets are put away, and
replaced by new ones, or by such as have exclusively been kept for
Passover. Some vessels used during the year may be used for Passover,
after having undergone a certain process called kasher; [100] i.e.,
“fitting” them as vessels for use on Passover.
(4.) Although the articles of food that are directly forbidden as
chamets are very few, there are a great many things that contain an
admixture of chamets, and those “who fear the word of the Lord” use
during Passover only those articles of food concerning which there is
no doubt whatever that they are perfectly free from chamets. Articles
of food for Passover are therefore only bought of persons who can be
trusted to hold these observances in respect.
In addition to the commandments of the Passover-offering and the
unleavened bread, there is a special duty, mentioned four times in the
Pentateuch, for the Israelite to relate to his children the history of
the departure from Egypt, and to explain to them the meaning of the
several rites connected with the celebration of Passover. This duty is
called haggadah, “relating,” and a service has been arranged for the
purpose, called Seder, “the Order.” The first two evenings of Passover
are therefore called “Seder-evenings,” and the book which contains this
Service is generally called Haggadah.
The Seder-service contains four elements: (1) the relation of the
deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt; (2) the festive meal,
preceded by Kiddush and the partaking of bitter herbs and unleavened
bread, and followed by Grace; (3) Hallel and other hymns; (4) the
partaking of four cups of wine (arba kosoth). [101]
The head of the family or his substitute who reads the Service has
before him on the table: (1) three unleavened cakes (matsoth); [102]
(2) bitter herbs and other vegetables; [103] (3) salt water, in which
the vegetables (karpas) are dipped before they are eaten, and
charoseth, a mixture of apples, almonds, various spices, especially
cinnamon, and wine, in which mixture the bitter herbs are dipped; [104]
(4) a bone with some meat on it and an egg, [105] both roasted.
The order of the Service is indicated in most editions of the Haggadah
in rhymed Hebrew as follows:—
קדש ורחַץ . כרפס יחַץ . מגיד רחַץ . מוציא מצָה.
שלחן ערֵךְ . מרור כרֵךְ . צפון ברֵךְ . הלל נרצָה׃