C. THE MANNER IN WHICH THE PASSOVER IS CELEBRATED IN THE PRESENT DAY.-With the exception of those ordinances which were legal, and belonged to the Temple, and the extension and more rigid explanation of some of the rites, the Jews to the present day continue to celebrate the feast of Passover as in the days of the second Temple. Several days before the festival all the utensils are cleansed (o4o I-63x) ; on the eve of the 13th of Nisan the master of the family, with a wax candle or lamp in his hand, searches most diligently into every hole and crevice throughout the house, lest any crumb of leavened bread should remain in the premises won nrrio). Before the search com mences he pronounces the benediction, and after recites the formal renunciation of all leaven given in the former part of this article. On the 14th of Nisan, the Preparation Day (non :13)), all the first-born males above thirteen years of age fast in commemoration of the sparing of the Jewish first-born at the time when all Egypt's first-born were destroyed. On this evening the Jews put on their festive garments, resort to the synagogue, and offer up the prayers appointed for the occasion, after which they return to their re spective homes, where they find the houses illu minated and the tables spread. Three of the thin, round, and perforated unleavened cakes, which are made of wheaten flour, resembling the oatmeal bread made in Scotland, and which are eaten during the whole of the Passover week, are put on a plate, wrapped up in a napkin in such a manner as to be separated from each other, though lying one above the other. These three cakes represent the division of the Jews into the three orders, viz., Priests, Levites, and Israelites [HAPHTARA]. A shank-bone of a shoulder of lamb, having a small bit of meat thereon roasted on the coals to com memorate the paschal lamb, and an egg roasted hard in hot ashes, to signify that it was to be roasted whole, are put on another dish ; the bitter herbs are on a third dish, whilst the Charoseth (norm), in remembrance of the bricks and mortar which the Israelites made in Egypt, and some salt water or vinegar in memory of their passage through the Red Sea, are put in two cups. When all the family have sat round the table, including the servants, to remind them that they were all alike in bondage and should equally celebrate their re demption ; and when the paterfamilias, arrayed in his death-garments, has reclined at the head of the table to indicate the freedom of Israel, the follow. Mg order is gone through—i. (Flip) Each one has a cup of wine, over which they all, standing up and holding their respective cups in their hand, pro nounce the blessing for the juice of the grape, welcome the festival, and drink the first cup lean ing on the left side ; ii. ('M) Whereupon the head of the family washes his hands ; iu. Takes the parsley or shervil, dips it into the salt water, and hands it round to every one at the table, pronouncing the following benediction ' Blessed art thou, 0 Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast created the fruit of the earth ;' iv. He then breaks in two the middle of the three unleavened cakes on the dish, conceals one half for an after dish leaves the other half on the dish ; v. (l'in) He then uncovers the unleavened cake, takes the egg and the bone of the lamb from the dish, holds them up and says, Lo ! this is the bread of affliction which our forefathers ate in the land of Egypt. Whoso ever is an hungred let him come and eat with us, whosoever is needy let him come and celebrate with us the Passover ! This year we are here, next year we shall be in the land of Israel ; this year we are servants, next year we shall he free children !' The second cup is then filled, and the son asks the father the meaning of this festival, who replies to him in the manner described above. Having given a summary of the Egyptian bondage, and the deliver ance therefrom, they all, lifting up the cup, ex claim, Therefore it is our duty to give thanks,' etc. etc. The cup is then put down, the unleavened cakes covered, and the first part of the Halle/ is recited. The unleavened cakes are again uncovered, the cups of wine taken up, and the folloNAng benedictions are pronounced : Blessed art thou, 0 Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast redeemed us and redeemed our forefathers from Egypt, and preserved us this evening to eat thereon unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Let us thus, 0 Lord our God, and our fathers' God, also peace fully reach other festivals and holy days, to which we look forward ! Cause us to rejoice in the re building of thy city, and to be joyful in thy service, so that we may there eat of the thanksgiving offering, and the paschal sacrifices, whose blood was sprinkled on the sides of thine altar as an acceptance. Then shall we sing unto Thee a new
song for our redemption and deliverance. Blessed art thou, 0 Lord, who redeemeth Israel The blessing over the second cup is then pronounced and the wine drank, whereupon each one washes his hands and says, Blessed art thou, 0 Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast sanctified us with thy commandments, and enjoined us to wash the hands !' The master of the family takes up all the three unleavened cakes together in the order in which they are arranged, pronounces the follow ing blessing over the uppermost cake, Blessed art thou, 0 Lord our God, King of the Universe, who bringest forth food from the earth !' and then pro notmces the blessing for eating unleavened bread over the middle broken cake, which is as follows : —` Blessed art thou, 0 Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast sanctified us with thy command ments and enjoined us to eat unleavened cakes !' He then breaks off a piece from the upper whole cake, and a piece from the half central cake, dips them in salt, and eats the two pieces in a reclining position. He then takes some of the bitter herbs, dips them in the Charoseth, pronounces the blessing over them, distributes them all round, and they eat them, not reclining. The master then takes a piece from the undermost cake and some of the bitter herbs, and eats them in a reclining position, saying, In remembrance of the Temple according to Hillel ! Thus Hillel did at the time when the Temple still existed. He wrapped up unleavened cakes with bitter herbs and ate them together, in order to perform what is said, It shall he eaten with unleavened cakes and bitter herbs.' This concludes the first part of the ceremony, and the supper 11W) is now served. After the supper the master takes the half cake, which has been concealed ()1Z3) for the after-dish ()t eats thereof the size of an olive, and gives each one of the household a similar piece ; whereupon (11Z) the third cup is filled, the usual grace after meals is said, the bless , ing over the fruit of the vine is pronounced, and the third cup drunk in a reclining position. A cup of wine is now poured out for the prophet Elijah, when profound silence ensues for a few seconds ; then the door is opened for this harbinger of the Messiah to enter, and the following passages of Scripture are recited at the moment when he is ex pected to make his appearance Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name, for they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his dwelling-place (Ps. lxxix. 6, 7). Pour out thine indignation upon them, and cause thy fierce anger to overtake them—pursue them in wrath, and destroy them from under the heavens of the Lord' (Lam. Ili. 66). The fourth cup is then filled and the Hallel is finished, pieces are recited which recount the power and goodness of God, the wonderful things which he wrought at midnight in Egypt, and in connection with the passover ; the blessing is pronounced over the fourth cup, which is drunk, and after which the following last blessing is said : Blessed art thou, 0 Lord our God, King of the Universe, for the vine and for the fruit of the vine, and for the increase of the field, and for that desir. able good and broad land wherein thou bast plea sure, and which thou hast given to our forefathers as an inheritance, to eat of its fruit and be satisfied with its goodness. Have mercy, 0 Lord our God, on Israel thy people, on Jerusalem thy city, on Zion the habitation of thy glory, on thine altar. Rebuild Jerusalem the holy city speedily in our days, bring us back to it, cause us to rejoice in it, that we may eat its fruit, be satisfied with its good ness, and we shall bless thee for it in holiness and purity. Cause us to rejoice on this day, the feast of unleavened bread, for thou, 0 Lord, art good and gracious to all. We will therefore praise thee for the land and the fruit of the vine. Blessed art thou, 0 Lord, for the land and for the fruit of the vine !' The whole is concluded with the singing of the soul-stirrring Paschal Hymn.