Passover And Its Significance In The Lives Of Every Jew
The people of Israel were tormented by Pharaoh who was ruler of Egypt. Pharaoh did not believe in God and despite umpteen attempts made by Moses to prove that there was a one true God, Pharaoh ridiculed and mocked Moses on each occasion. Even when God sent down a series of plagues on the land of Egypt, Pharaoh did not change his stand. Though the Nile changed into blood leaving the people of Egypt thirsty, locusts raided the fields and left them without food and darkness filled the earth, Pharaoh stood resolute in his disbelief in God. He lost no opportunity to scoff at Moses' strong belief and faith in God.
Even the final devastating plague sent by God to destroy the first born of every household in which Pharaoh too lost his only son did not break his steadfast skepticism about God. God said he would shield the Israelites and gave Moses and Aaron instructions to kill a lamb and smear its blood on the doorway of each of his Chosen People. This way the Angel of Death 'passed over' each door of the Israelites killing only the first born sons of Egyptians. To this day Jews celebrate the festival of Passover or Pesach as it is more commonly called as a mark of remembrance of this great event.
Special foods are prepared and eaten during Passover and daily prayers are offered. Tables are laid with choicest fruits, homemade wines and special bread called Matzo. This is unlevel bread prepared without use of yeast specifically prepared and eaten by all Jews during the month of Passover. No leavened bread is eaten by any Jewish household during Passover. This is done in remembrance of how the people of Israel left Egypt on the last minute instructions of Moses in such a hurry that they did not even have time to make the bread dough rise and baked it immediately to take on their long journey. Passover meal too has to be eaten in accordance with certain laws. Food has to be cooked and eaten at night and no meal should be eaten after sun rise. Lamb which is slaughtered has to be cooked without removal of internal organs and is eaten with unlevel bread and bitter herbs. All members of the family are supposed to sit down for the meal with shoes on feet and staff in hand, fully dressed to remember that our forefathers ate the meal and left in haste to escape the wrath of Pharaoh.
Moses acted on instructions by God to take all the people of Israel and lead them out of bondage and slavery. Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt into the Promised Land. Though they encountered many hardships along the way and Moses was even cursed and abused by the people for making them suffer, God saw to it that they were finally delivered into the Promised Land. Along the way, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God while he went up to Mount Sinai to pray. There he encountered a burning bush and heard God's voice.
Year after year, Jewish families celebrate the feast of Passover as a remembrance of what our forefathers suffered and how they were delivered due to the power of God. Eating special foods, saying special prayers and conducting our lives in accordance during the period Passover is a reminder of the hardships and difficulties that the Jews have suffered at the hands of the Egyptians. The slavery and bonded labor that they had to endure along with being downtrodden and ridiculed for their firm belief in God confirms and strengthens our faith and makes us better and God fearing human beings today.