Pesach (פֶּסַח) begins on the 15th of Nissan and lasts 7 days in Israel (8 days outside of Israel). Pesach commemorates the Exodus from Egypt, and it is the practice of many Jews to eat מַּצָּה (unleavened bread) on Pesach to recall the מַּצָּה that was eaten by Bnei Yisrael as they left Egypt.- In addition to eating מַּצָּה on פֶּסַח, the Torah (Shemot 12:15) demands that all Jews rid their homes of חַמֵּץ which means any leavened food. Given this, many Jews expend great energy cleaning their homes of חַמֵּץ prior to פֶּסַח. On the night of the 14th of Nissan – the night before Pesach – it is customary to perform בְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ, literally ‘the search for Chametz’. The next morning, they destroy the חַמֵּץ often by burning it.
- The highlight of Pesach is לֵּיל הַסֵּדֶר (Seder night) which takes place on the night of the 15th of Nissan which is the anniversary of the Exodus from Egypt. On לֵּיל הַסֵּדֶר we tell the story of the Exodus while eating special symbolic foods recalling the slavery in Egypt. These include: Bitter Herbs (Marror – מָּרוֹר), which is a bitter tasting vegetable such as horseradish or lettuce that symbolizes the bitterness of slavery & Charoset – חֲרֹסֶת, which is a sweet paste of fruits and nuts that symbolizes the mortar used by Bnei Yisrael slaves in Egypt.
- During לֵּיל הַסֵּדֶר, we follow the order of the הַגָּדָה and tell the story of the Exodus. The Sages state that the story of the Exodus should be conveyed through questions and answers. They therefore included the Four Questions known as the מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה in the הַגָּדָה for this purpose. It is customary for the youngest member of the household to read/sing the מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה.
- In addition to the reading and singing of the הַגָּדָה and the eating of the symbolic foods, most notably the מַּצָּה, it is customary to drink four cups of wine on לֵּיל הַסֵּדֶר which are said to represent the different stages of redemption experienced by Bnei Yisrael in Egypt. When recounting the fact that the Egyptian warriors died in the Red Sea, it is customary to remove some wine from the cup in order to demonstrate that loss of life – even of our enemy – is not a source of joy.
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