Passover 101

Everything you need to know before celebrating Passover

What is passover

"In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord's Passover." (Leviticus 23:5)

The original Passover is told in the book of Exodus.  You may know it as all the plagues and when Moses parted the Red Sea.  Well, did you know that we are commanded in Exodus to keep a memorial to remember this great occasion forever?

"The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are.  And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.  This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast." (Exodus 12:13-14)

passover and the feast of unleavened bread

how we celebrate

Passover is popular, but it's just the beginning.  It leads into the next holy day, the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  Since these holy days go hand in hand, it affects how we celebrate Passover.
Some of these practices are Biblically commanded; whereas, others are traditions developed by man to help us fulfill the commandment to remember the Exodus story.

Removing Leaven

Exodus 13:7
"Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory."

Eating Matzo

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For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread.” 

No Work

Exodus 12:16
On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you. 

Seder Dinner

Tradition 
While not explicitly commanded in the Bible, the seder is a tradition that commemorates the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt.
The Bible does mention eating the passover meal with bitter herbs, so this is usually part of the seder.