What is the Passover?

Of all the many religious observances of the Jewish faith, the Passover represents the most important and the most revered and commemorated. Why is this so? The reason lies within the story of the Passover and the history of the Jews themselves. It’s why the need for symbolic Seder Plates, like those from cazenovejudaica.com/uk/seder-plate are an important requirement for the ceremony for the official food that is eaten.

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The Passover is about a time in the ancient world where Jews were held in bandage by the Egyptians. The Jews were scientists and master builders, plus labourers. They wanted to return to Palestine and the promised land of Milk and Honey. But the Pharaoh was worried they would become a power and threaten his empire so he said, repeatedly, no.

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Moses, his step brother, rose up with his real brother Aaron to ask Pharaoh to release the Jews. If not, Yahweh would visit 10 plagues on the people of Egypt. Pharaoh was unimpressed and hardened his heart each time a plague was visited. The final plague, where the Angel of Death passed over Egypt, taking the first born child of every non Jewish family, was the final straw. He finally agrees to free the Jews from bondage and they can begin the long journey home. There were still many more trials for them to experience in the wilderness and desert along the way. The Passover commemorates them all.