Passover 2010: Remembering the Basics

Whether you’re steeped in pre-Seder planning or still a little foggy on what Passover is even about, the holiday is upon us: Passover 2010 begins tonight.

Passover celebrates the end of Hebrew enslavement by the Egyptians, as told in the Bible’s Exodus narrative. The term “Passover” has to do with the final plague wrought on the Egyptians, which meant the death of every firstborn child and animal — except those in homes with marked doorposts, which the Lord passed over.

So, what’s with the unleavened bread? When the Egyptian Pharaoh finally freed the Jews, the Bible reports that they left so quickly that the bread didn’t have time to rise. Thus, Jews go without leavened bread products for the duration of Passover in recognition of the holiday’s significance.

For more info on Passover, we recommend this excellent and accessible article by Rabbi Brad Hirschfield in The Huffington Post.