Symbolisms of the

Passover
Asim Zahoor
Introduction to religious studies
Teacher: Ameena Blake
What is the Passover?

 1) Weeklong festival starting on the 15th of Nissan (first

month of the Jewish Calendar) and ending on the 21st of
Nissan.

 2) Obligated in the Torah to observe and much of the

rituals practised are found in the Torah (Exodus 12 and
Numbers 9).

 3) Symbolises the Jewish deliverance from Egypt or more

accurately the faithful (transcends national identity).

Etymology and Timing

1) Passover as God passed over the houses of those people who followed God’s
commandment in painting their doorsteps with the blood of the goat they were
due to sacrifice.

2) Fast of the Unleavened Bread (Bread without any yeast or raising agent which
results in bread being typically flat, Matthew Henry 1706).

2) Nisan (1st month of the Jewish Calendar as ‘Hijrah’; The ‘Umar’ represents
further evidence as countdown to Shavuot; Spring festival).

3) Night represents danger and the 14th moon hope (Tamara Prosic),

4) Pilgrim festival (collective solidarity)

Process of Passover

 1) 14th Nissan Paschal lamb is slaughtered (Seen as a sign of conformity to

God’s will despite oddity of the command, it represents Abrahamic submission
or it can represent a thanksgiving)

2) Firstborn fast (thanksgiving)

3) Khametz removal (Matthew Henry, not mere remembrance; submission to

God just as Israelites did)
 3) First and last day is a day of rest, only food preparations allowed (Exodus
12), and sacred assemblies to be hosted in remembrance of this event.
 4) Seder
Seder

 1) Haggadah is fulfilment of God’s command in Exodus to narrate the events

of the Exodus to the next generation, tinge of wine dropped at every mention
of plague to express the suffering of Jewish people, perhaps it could also
refer to the punishment of Egyptians. Rabbi J. D. Eisenstein says it replaces
spitting.

2) Menu: Matzo (Unleavened bread), bone of lamb and egg, green vegetable
(life) which is dipped in salt water (tears), Maror/Chazeret (bitter herbs
which is in conformity to commandment in Exodus like horseradish) and
Charoset (brown paste made from chopped apples, walnuts and wine
representing mortar/bricks, which is sweet)
 3) Afikoman (Talmud forbids any food to be the last food but Matzo so it
leaves its taste on the consumer), Children to find the larger half of middle
bread (to keep them awake, could be to instil in them search for prosperity).
Seder Ctd

4) Four questions asked by the youngest child, on why Matzo to be eaten ? Why
bitter herbs need to be eaten ? Why food to be dipped twice ? Why do we recline
?

5) Mishna demands 4 cups of wine to be drunk throughout the meal, representing

the four expressions of God, "I will bring out," "I will deliver," "I will redeem," and
"I will take.“ (Exodus 6).

6) Seder concluded with prayer for acceptance of service and that Passover be
observed in Jerusalem and for the return of the Messiah, also wine left for Elijah
and door opened as to express hope which is the message of Passover.
Passover symbolism

 Judaism: Suffering of Jews (liberal Jews extend to suffering of all people;

freedom delivered to God’s chosen people although Jewish apostates could
not observe the feast in the Old Testament, in the OT).

“Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day
that I brought your divisions out of Egypt” (Exodus 12:17).

Islam: ‘Ashura, deliverance of Muslim people

Christianity: Passover lamb was the innocent blood to atone for the sins of an
individual, Jesus who was crucified according to Christian tradition Passover
of God’s judgement can be understood as forgiveness but not in context of
exodus
Reference

 Tamara, Prosic, The development and Symbolism of Passover, T&T Clark

International 2004
 http://www.schechter.edu/why-do-we-spill-16-drops-of-wine-while-reciting-
the-ten-plagues-during-the-seder/
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/holydays/passover_1.shtml
 Henry, Matthew, Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible, Grand
Rapids (1706).
 Jewish Federation, The Passover Haggadah: A Guide To The Seder.
http://jewishfederation.org/images/uploads/holiday_images/39497.pdf