Passover Traditions
Passover, or Pesach, commemorates the time the Jews spent as slaves in Egypt and their escape to freedom. Jewish households were "passed over" during then tenth plague, the slaying of the first born, when they put the blood of the sacrificial lamb on their doorposts. The holiday is celebrated for eight days (seven in Israel), during which unleavened bread is avoided. The seder--a ceremony incorporating telling of the Passover story, singing, and using symbolic foods--is held on the first two nights.
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Chametz
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The prohibition against eating leavened bread ("chametz") during Passover arises from the story of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. They were in such a hurry that they did not have time for the dough to rise, leaving unleavened bread now known as matzoh. In commemoration of that event, observant Jews abstain from eating leavened bread throughout the eight days of Passover. It is not just bread itself that is avoided, but any food containing grain that has been in contact with water for more than 18 minutes. Many foods--such as cakes and casseroles--are thus made with matzoh meal, matzoh that has been crumbled and used as flour, as it has already been baked under strict observation to meet the 18-minute requirement and will not leaven when used as flour.
Kitniyot
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Ashkenazi Jews, those descended from Eastern Europe, also do not consume products made from legumes or rice ("kitniyot" in Hebrew). Products containing corn, corn syrup, peas, rice of any type, lentils, or any other legumes are restricted throughout the days of Passover. Sefardic Jews, those descended primarily from Spain and Portugal, do not include kitniyot among the dietary prohibitions for Passover.
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The Seder Plate
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The seder plate is the figurative centerpiece of the seder ceremony and the literal centerpiece on the seder table. It includes foods that are each symbolic of a component of the theme of the holiday. Charoses--the mix of apples, nuts and wine--is reminiscent of the mortar that the Jews used in bricklaying while slaves in Egypt. The horseradish or other bitter herb reminds us of the bitterness of slavery. A shank bone serves as a symbol of the paschal lamb, while an egg variably represents mourning, springtime or the sacrificial offering. A green vegetable, usually parsley, is dipped in salt water to remind us of the tears shed by the Jews in Egypt. Some seder plates have space for the matzoh itself, or it may be placed on a separate dish. All of these foods except the shank bone--and in some households, the egg--are eaten as part of the seder ceremony.
The Seder
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The seder is the formal ceremony and meal held on the first two nights of Passover, using a guide book called a haggadah. The seder plate, kosher-for-Passover wine and matzoh are placed on the table, along with an extra cup full of wine for Elijah the prophet. During the ceremony, which can take up to three or four hours in some households, the youngest person present asks the four questions about why that night is different from other nights. The remainder of the evening is spent answering the questions by retelling the story of the exodus from Egypt. The seder includes songs such as Dayenu (It Would Have Been Enough) and Chad Gadya (One Little Goat), drinking four cups of wine, eating the festival dinner, and the hiding and seeking of the afikomen, a portion of the ceremonial matzoh.
Ending
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There is no religiously-based tradition as far as "breaking Passover" is concerned. However, many Jewish people who observe the full dietary rules point to pizza as the food they crave and miss most, and they eat first once the holiday restrictions end.
New Traditions
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Many Jews believe it is commendable to continue adding to the traditions of the Passover seder. One popular new tradition is the inclusion of an orange on the seder plate. It is commonly believe that this started when Susannah Heschel was speaking at a synagogue, and she was told by an old-fashioned Jewish male that a woman has as much place on the bimah (pulpit) as an orange on a seder plate. However, Heschel herself has confirmed that this is an urban legend, and that the tradition started as a desire to acknowledge the historical exclusion of women, gays and lesbians in Judaism. Some people also advocate adding "Miriam's Cup" to the seder table to honor women's contributions to Jewish history. Some people have made modifications to accommodate vegetarianism, like using a roasted root vegetable instead of a shank bone.
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