"Jew & Gentile One in Messiah"

As it was in the beginning so it will be in the end-of-days

Exo 12:11 This is how you shall eat it: with your waist girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's Pesach (Passover).

       Exo 12:12 For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night,       and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD.

        Lev 23:5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is the LORD's Pesach.

Did The Messiah Yeshua Celebrate Pesach (Passover)?

Mat 26:17 Now on the first day of matzah, the talmidim came to Yeshua, saying to him, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Pesach?"

Mat 26:18 He said, "Go into the city to a certain person, and tell him, 'The Rabbi says, "My time is at hand. I will keep the Pesach at your house with my talmidim."'"

Mat 26:19 The talmidim did as Yeshua commanded them, and they prepared the Pesach.

       Mat 26:20 Now when evening had come, he was reclining at      the table with the twelve talmidim.

What does the word 'Seder' signify?

The night of Pesach is indeed very different from all other nights of the year. It is steeped in holiness and abounds with mitzvot, both Torah and rabbinic, and is rich in customs and traditions. Every detail is of great significance and one should perform each step meticulously, knowing that no part of the procedure is trivial. The word 'Seder' means order, indicating that the entire evening follows a set order, arranged by the Sages with holy inspiration and invested with hidden meanings and deep interpretations.

What are the main steps of the Seder?

There are 15 main steps, each of which has a special name. These names form a simple rhyme, thus becoming a memory aid to fulfilling the mitzvot of the evening in the correct order. They are:

Kadesh, Urchatz, Karpas, Yachatz, Maggid, Rochtza, Motzi, Matzah, Marror, Korech, Shulchan Orech, Tzafun, Barech, Hallel, Nirtzah. 

What are the main mitzvot of the Seder?

There are two Torah mitzvot - eating matzah and relating the story of the slavery and Exodus. 

There are three main rabbinic mitzvot - drinking four cups of wine, eating marror and reciting Hallel.

Are children obligated in all the mitzvot of the Seder?

Children who have reached the age of education (five or six) should try to fulfill all the mitzvot of the Seder. Since their obligation is rabbinic, smaller quantities may be used for the mitzvot.

Children should be encouraged to remain at the Seder table at least until the end of the meal and if possible until after the fourth cup of wine. It is for this reason that the Sages instituted many unusual procedures during the Seder, to arouse the interest of the children and hold their attention during the evening. The Torah requires a father to relate the story of the slavery and Exodus to his children, and the Haggadah emphasizes this by describing the four types of sons whom one may have to address. 

Who recites Kiddush at the Seder?

Some families have the custom that only the leader of the Seder recites Kiddush and the other participants fulfill the mitzvah by listening. Some have the custom that everyone recites Kiddush together, including the women and children.

All the participants should hold the wine during Kiddush, whether they are listening or reciting it.

What should one think about before reciting (or listening to) Kiddush?

One should have in mind to fulfill two mitzvot:

- The mitzvah of Kiddush.

- The mitzvah of drinking the first of the four cups of wine.

One should have in mind that the Shehechiyanu blessing applies to the Yom Tov and to all the mitzvot of the Seder.

What should one think about before beginning the narrative of the Haggadah?

Everyone should have in mind to fulfill the obligation to relate the story of the Exodus from Egypt. The mitzvah is fulfilled by relating three basic ideas:

- The wickedness of the Egyptians and the terrible sufferings that they afflicted upon the Jewish people during the long years of slavery.

- The miraculous plagues that God brought upon the Egyptians, and the punishments meted out to them measure for measure.

- Thanks and praise to God for the wonderful acts of kindness that He performed for the Jewish people, redeeming them from bondage and choosing them as His special nation.

What if a person does not understand the text of the Haggadah?

The mitzvah is not fulfilled by mere recital of the Haggadah if the words are not understood. Those who are not familiar with Hebrew are strongly advised to spend time before Pesach studying the Haggadah, in order to turn the Seder night into a deep and meaningful experience. It is a tragedy that so many people expend vast amounts of time and energy in preparing the house for Pesach, but are unable to find meaning and joy at the Seder night. In any event, the leader of the Seder must ensure that everyone understands at least the most essential sections of the narrative.

Which sections of the narrative are the most important?

- The ten plagues.

- Redemption/Salvation (Yeshua) by the Hand of Adonai


How much time should be spent on narrating the story of the Exodus?

For most people it is sufficient to recite the standard text of the Haggadah, pausing occasionally to elaborate on the essential sections. Analyses of the text are out of place at this stage, and a person should quote Midrashim and commentaries that describe the slavery and the miracles. It is important to explain the story to the participants according to the level of their understanding. In particular, one should try to hold the attention of the children during the narrative by describing the story as vividly as possible. One should keep an eye on the time, since every effort must be made to eat the Afikoman before halachic midnight. As a rough guide, one should complete the narrative of the Haggadah and drink the second cup of wine approximately two hours before halachic midnight. If there is time to spare, one may expound on the story during the meal.

What should one think about before the blessings are recited on the matzah?

- The leader of the Seder should have in mind to include everyone else with his blessings.

- Everyone else should have in mind to fulfill his obligation by listening to the blessings.

- To fulfill the Torah mitzvah to eat matzah on the first night of Pesach.

- The blessings should also apply to the korech sandwich and Afikoman.

- Remember to recline while eating the matzah.

Are there any restrictions relating to the meal?

Roast meat or poultry should not be served. The shankbone should also not be eaten.

One must leave sufficient time after the meal to eat the Afikoman before halachic midnight.

What is the meaning of the cup of Elijah the Prophet?

It is a symbol of faith, that just as God redeemed the Jewish people from the slavery in Egypt, so too will He send Elijah to announce the final redemption from exile.

It represents the fifth cup of wine corresponding to the fifth expression of redemption - "I will bring you to the promised land" (Exodus 6:8)...

Many have the custom to leave [the wine from the cup of Elijah] covered on the table overnight and use it for Kiddush on Yom Tov morning. Others pour it back into the bottle.

Why do some people recite Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs) after the seder?

According to the Midrash, Shir Hashirim is an allegorical song describing the mutual devotion between God and the Jewish people. Many of the verses refer to the miraculous Exodus from Egypt.

There is a mitzvah to remain awake as long as possible to study the laws of Pesach and to continue relating the miracles of the Exodus. If a person is overcome by sleep he is exempt. Similarly, if he will not be able to daven Shacharit properly without a good night's sleep, he may retire to bed.

What is Chametz?

Chametz is any food product made from wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt, or their derivatives, which has leavened (risen) or fermented. Our Sages have determined that flour from any of these five grains that comes in contact with water or moisture will leaven unless fully baked within eighteen minutes. As we are commanded by the Torah, if a food contains even a trace of chametz, we don't eat it, we don't derive benefit from it, and we make sure not to have any of it in our possession for all the days of Passover.

Adonai’s holiday of Pesach/Passover, commemorating the Hebrews' and the mixed multitudes exodus from slavery in Egypt, runs from sundown .

As you walk down the aisles of your supermarket, you may notice the words "Kosher for Passover" on some items and wonder what it actually means. Most people know that Jews eat matzoh instead of bread during Passover—but why would some soda, candy, or even vegetables be kosher for Passover while others would not?

Here is some information that should make things a little clearer.

1. During Passover, those who are obedient to HIS rules refrain from eating chometz: anything that contains barley, wheat, rye, oats, and spelt, and is not cooked within 18 minutes after coming in contact with water. No leavening is allowed. This signifies the fact that the Hebrews had no time to let their bread rise as they made a hurried escape from Egypt.
2. Jews of different backgrounds do not observe all of the same rules. Ashkenazi Jews, who come from Europe (most Jews in America), also avoid corn, rice, peanuts, and legumes as they are also used to make bread and may have other grains mixed in. These items are known as kitniyot.
3. Rules and guidelines may be extremely stringent. Not only must Orthodox Jews not eat these items, but they also must completely remove them and any food that has come in contact with them from their homes. They may throw them away, burn them, or sell them to a non-Jew (they are allowed to buy them back at the end of Passover). Some go through amazingly thorough and labor-intensive cleaning processes to rid their homes of any hint of chometz or kitniyot. For example:
   • Sinks, refrigerators, ovens, and stoves must be scoured and then not used for at least 24 hours before the beginning of Passover. Specific Passover china must be used.
   • Silverware must be "heated to a glow" and then cooled. Items are placed in a pot of boiling water (usually one at a time, because they must not touch each other during the process) and then immediately submerged in cold water.
   • Pots must be cleaned inside and out. To accomplish this, a pot must be filled with water and brought to a boil. Then to clean the outside, a brick or rock is placed inside to cause the boiling water to flow over the sides. However, said rock must be hot because the water must still be boiling as it cascades over the sides. A cool rock would cool the water when it came in contact. A blowtorch can be used if one is available.
4. Items which seem acceptable for Passover but may not be:
   • Soda: Most sodas contain corn syrup. Since eating corn is a no-no, soda containing corn syrup is also out. Even if corn syrup is not used, sodas generally have "additional flavorings" which are not divulged and could be derived from grains. Only sodas produced under supervision of a rabbi or other official certified agencies are acceptable.
   • Frozen vegetables: Many bags of frozen vegetables are produced on the same machinery that also produces pasta or pasta/vegetable blends. Since pasta is made from grain and not allowed, neither are most frozen vegetables, unless made under supervision.
   • Raw vegetables: Some fruits and vegetables (cucumbers for example) have wax coatings that may be made from soy proteins and oils derived from grain. Sorry, no dice.
   • Dried fruits: These are often dried in ovens where bread is sometimes baked. Some also have waxes, oils, and even traces of flour to prevent sticking.
   • Marshmallows: Not allowed unless made under supervision. They contain gelatin, which is made from the bones of potentially non-kosher animals.
   • Milk: Unsuitable additives are often used. Chocolate milk is usually unacceptable because it could contain corn syrup or malt, which is made from grain.

And these are just food items. Balloons and rubber gloves can have a powdered coating on them, which may be considered chometz. Even some bug traps use an oatmeal or wheat-based substance and must be removed from the premises.

And let's not even get started on pet food.

  Aaronic Blessing

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