7 things to know about Passover

Faith, history and tradition are part of Passover, the Jewish holiday that this year begins this evening and ends the evening of April 7. USA Today Network — Tennessee asked Rabbi Erin Boxt of Knoxville’s Temple Beth El to answer some basic questions about Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew:

What’s Passover, and why is it celebrated?

“Passover is the Jewish holiday in which we celebrate our redemption from slavery in Egypt,” Boxt said.

The Old Testament chapter Exodus tells the story of the Israelites’ freedom and exodus from slavery in ancient Egypt and how their first-born children were spared during plagues God sent Egypt. “The term ‘passover’ refers to the angel of death that passed over the houses of the Israelite slaves as the 10th and final plague — the killing of the firstborn son — was being acted out by God,” Boxt said.

How long does Passover last?

“According to the Hebrew Bible, Passover lasts for seven nights. Historically, however, Passover has been observed eight nights in all places outside of Israel, which observes only seven nights,” Boxt said.

“When there were no calendars, an extra day was added to make sure that all Jews outside of Israel … would be able to make sure they observed the correct number of days. Now that we have a calendar (and GPS timing), many non-Orthodox Jewish communities celebrate seven nights outside of Israel.”

Why do the dates change?

If you’re Jewish, Passover doesn’t move. It’s always on the 15th of Nissan, the first month of the Jewish calendar.

“The Jewish calendar is a semi-lunar-based calendar,” Boxt explained. “The Gregorian calendar is a solarbased calendar. So, for the Jewish calendar, the date of Passover is always the same — the 15th of Nissan. Jewish holidays begin at sundown. So our ‘days’ are from evening to evening. As the Gregorian Calendar is solarbased, the date for Jewish holidays seem to ‘move around.’”

What happens during the Passover Seder?

The text of the Passover Seder is written in a book called the Haggadah. Seder means order; Haggadah means

The Old Testament chapter Exodus tells the story of the Israelites’ freedom and exodus from slavery in ancient Egypt and how their firstborn children were spared during plagues God sent Egypt.

telling, according to “The Passover Seder: Pathways Through the Haggadah” written in 1965 by Rabbi Arthur Gilbert.

The Haggadah tells the story of the Jews’ exodus from ancient Egypt and explains some of the holiday’s practices and symbols, according to the Judaism 101 website jewfaq.org.

Various Haggadahs, from traditional ones to 2017’s “The (Unofficial) Hogwarts Haggadah,” are available. A Haggadah serves as the Seder program, incorporating rituals with stories, prayers, recitations and music.

› What goes on the Seder plate?

The food placed on a Passover Seder plate is symbolic and used at times during the Seder. Boxt details what’s on the plate:

A roasted egg symbolizes the Jews’ “festival sacrifice in biblical times. It is also a symbol of spring — the season in which Passover is always celebrated,” Boxt said.

Charoset is chopped apple, nuts and spices ground together and mixed with wine. It’s symbolic of the mortar used by Hebrew slaves to build Egyptian structures, Boxt said.

Recipes for charoset vary. “The Mishna (the post-biblical collection and codification of Jewish oral laws) describes a mixture of fruits, nuts and vinegar,” Boxt wrote.

Bitter herbs, usually horseradish, symbolize the bitterness of the Jews’ Egyptian slavery. Called maror, the herbs often are dipped in charoset to reduce their sharpness. The herbs are used, Boxt wrote, because of the commandment in Numbers 9:11 to eat the Passover lamb “with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.”

Lettuce, known as chazeret, is often used in addition to horseradish as a bitter herb. “The authorities are divided on the requirement of chazeret, so not all communities use it. Since the commandment (in Numbers 9:11) to eat the paschal lamb ‘with unleavened bread and bitter herbs’ uses the plural bitter herbs, most Seder plates have a place for chazeret,” Boxt said.

A lamb shank bone, symbolizing the lamb offered as the Passover sacrifice in biblical times. Some communities use a chicken neck as a substitute; vegetarian households may use beets.

Parsley dipped in salt water. “The salt water serves as a reminder of the tears shed during Egyptian slavery. The dipping of a

“According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will be proceeded by Elijah the Prophet. We open the door during the Passover Seder with the hopes that Elijah will come in — and of course following shortly would be the Messiah.”

— RABBI ERIN BOXT OF KNOXVILLE’S TEMPLE BETH EL

vegetable as an appetizer is said to reflect the influence of Greek culture,” Boxt said.

› Why’s a door left open during the Seder?

“According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will be preceeded by Elijah the Prophet. We open the door during the Passover Seder with the hopes that Elijah will come in — and of course following shortly would be the Messiah. We even have a cup called Elijah’s cup during the Seder,” Boxt said.

› What’s the afikoman? Why is it hidden?

“During the Seder (close to the beginning), we break the middle of three (unleavened flatbread called) matzot. The smaller of the two pieces is placed back between the other two pieces,” Boxt said.

“The larger of the broken pieces is wrapped in paper and hidden. This is called the afikomen because it is a word similar to the Greek ‘epikomen,’ which means ‘that which comes after.’ We eat this at the end of the Seder before we conclude. It is seen in some circles as a dessert to be eaten after the meal. The Seder cannot conclude until it is eaten.

“It has become tradition in modern times to hide the afikomen and have the kids search for it. It is a game and a way to get the kids involved with the Seder, especially the younger ones,” he said.

Amy McRary writes for the Knoxville News-Sentinel.