פס� Pesach (Passover) begins on the 14th of Nisan and continues for eight days. It commemorates the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt.
It is a tradition that we tell the פס� story or "The Exodus" out of Egypt to our children Every year at the Pessach Seder table, As it is said:.
"In every generation, each person must feel as if he personally had come out of �צר��-Mitzrayim- Egypt)
The Torah says: "You should tell your child on that day, 'When I left Mitzrayim, G_D did miracles for me .....We need to feel like we were in Egypt ourselves.
THE STORY OF PASSOVER
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Centuries before the Hebrews/Jewish people, were slaves to Pharaoh is Egypt
Our forefather Jacob, had 12 sons and a daughter.
Rachels & Jacob's childrens names were Joseph and Benjamin, Joseph, the son of Jacob and Rachel was a dreamer and a story teller, He was his fathers favorite son.
Josephs brothers were very jealous of him.
One day when Joseph came down to bring water and food to his brothers Joseph started to tell his brothers about the dreames he had,himself being a Great leader over everyone at the same time showing off the coat of many colors he got from thier father Jacob.
The brothers could not take Joseph and his stories any longer and one day the brother's took Joseph and pushed him into a dry deep well, later, they sold him to a bunch of travelers which sold Joseph to an Egyptian guard working for king Pharoh.
When Jacob's sons came home Jacob looked around for his youngest and favorate one and when he could not find Joseph
Jacob asked his sons to the where about of Joseph
The brothers said that a bad wild animal attacked Joseph and all they found was his ripped color coat stained in blood.
They gave old Jacob the wriped and bloody colored coat
Joseph was a very smart and very intelligent young man eventually Joseph was sold to one of the kings wise man, Joseph was framed by the wise man's wife and put in jail. Later on Joseph solved two dreams of the kings Baker and wine maker. A long time later King Harrow started having horrible dreams and No one of the king's wise people could solve the strange dreams of the king. Only after king Harrow put out a message looking for a person to solve his dreams for a large reward, the wine maker remembered the Hebrew named Joseph that solved his dreams and saved his life. The baker said to the king that he knows a Hebrew slave that will solve his dreams. Solving king pharaohs dreams of the Seven good years of plenty later to fallow by seven years of drought.
Joseph suggested to build storage buildings and store much food for the seven years of hunger and does saving the land from a total death by hunger.
As a way of thanking Joseph, King Pharaoh gave Josephs family a part of his land called Goshen where Jacobs family flourished to a very large community.
Years later, when Yacov, the third patriarch, passed away, leaving 70 descendants to flourish in the land of Egypt in the City of Goshen. A new king Pharaoh came to rule Egypt. A king who new nothing of Joseph, the dreams and the seven year drought.
The new king Pharaoh feared that the Israelites will one day rebel against him or even join another nation and go to war against him. He comes up with a plan to cut the Israelite population drastically.
The king ordered A HARSH DECREE
King Pharaoh ordered the Hebrews/Israelites to build his cities and made them slaves in the land of Egypt.
The Hebrews work hard with little to no water in the hot desert sun, and still the Israelite population was growing, The king could not break the Hebrews spirits.
king Pharaoh fears grew. His advisors said to him: what if in time of war the Hebrews might side with the enemy, overthrow him and his leaders.
When the king learned that his plan of enslaving the Israelites did not break the Hebrews spirit, he became cruller then before.
Since the population of the Israelites increased and multiplied, Pharaoh ordered the midwives to kill all male Hebrew children at birth.
But the midwives disobeyed so Pharaoh orders every newborn male to be drowned in the Nile river.
In the tribe of Levi lived two Hebrew people, Am ram and Ohevet, were parents of Miriam and Aaron. Following Pharaoh����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½����¯�¿�½������¢����¯�¿�½������¯����¯�¿�½������¿����¯�¿�½������½����¯�¿�½������¯����¯�¿�½������¿����¯�¿�½������½s decree, Yocheved had given birth to a second son. Yocheved hides her baby as long as possible.
After three month, when she could not hide him any longer, she puts him in a waterproof basket built by Am ram and floats the basket among the reeds of the Nile. The baby's sister Miriam's job was to watch where the basket will float to...
The basket went down the Nile River and little Miriam prayed that someone nice would find the baby and takes care of him.
Pharaohs daughter, the princess, came down to the river to bathe, she found the baby and decided to take him home to the palace. The
princess named the baby (Mosheh) Moses.
In Hebrew his name Mint "Brought out of the water. Miriam jumps out from among the reeds, offering to get a Hebrew nurse for the child, one that had just lost her own child. Miriam returns with her mother, Yocheved.
The child is brought up in Pharaoh����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½����¯�¿�½������¢����¯�¿�½������¯����¯�¿�½������¿����¯�¿�½������½����¯�¿�½������¯����¯�¿�½������¿����¯�¿�½������½s palace.Mosheh (Moses) grew up in the palace with his mother as his nanny .
Miriam and Her Mother Yocheved taking care of baby Mosses.
Mosheh grew up to be a Kind and caring young man.
Moshe had grown into a good man, he goes out among the Hebrews and observes their suffering. He witnesses an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave.
Accidentally, while Moshe pushes the Egyptian away from the Hebrew slave the Egyptian falls on a rock and dies. Mosheh buries his body in the sand, thinking that no one has witnessed his actions.
Mosses tells Yocheved what had happened.
The next day Moshe breaks up a quarrel between two Hebrews. One taunts Moshe, "will you kill us like you killed the Egyptian?"
Moshe realizes that he will be in terrible trouble for killing the Egyptian. Again he follows his true mothers advise and before Pharaoh discovers the truth, Moshe runs off to the land of Median.
����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½������¯������¿������½����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½����¯�¿�½������©����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½������¯������¿������½ Mosheh made a life for himself as a shepherd in the land of Median where his mothers people came from.
Yitro, welcomes Moshe into his home with a happy face, Itro gives his nefew a job, Moshe tends Yitro's sheep.
Eventually, Mosheh marries Yitro's daughter TZiporah.
They have two children together: Gershom and Eliezer.
In Egypt, the life of the Hebrews got unbearable, King Pharroh treats tham badly, He works tham hard The hebrew slaves get little water to drink and very little food.
The Hebrew people cried out to G-D for help.
One day While searching for a baby lamb that got lost from his mother lost.
While looking around for the little lamb Moses came upon a fire in the mist of a desert, He came closer and saw to his amusment a "Burning bush"
When Mosses got really close he heard a voice calling out from the midst of that fie.
The voice of G-D came from the burning bush instracting Mosses to go back to Egypt and tell King Pharaoh to "Let his people(the Hebrews) Go."
So Mosheh returned to his wife Tzipora and children told tham what happen while his was out working with the Sheep and decided that he was returning to Egypt find his Brother Aaron and both face the king Pharaoh.
After Mosheh and Aaron went to visit the king,and gave him G-D's message to let G-D's people out of slavory.
Pharaoh's heart harden, and stubbornly the king told Moses he would not free the Hebrews (Jewish people), but instead the king ordered their lives insufferable, He doubled thier working time and gave tham less food to eat and water to drink.
G-D punished Pharaoh by sending ten terrible plagues upon the king and his land.
Here are the plagues and What happened when the plagues accrued:
1 ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½ - DAM - Blood
1 ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½ - BLOOD - The 'Nile River turned to
Blood.
2 ������¦������¤������¨����¯�¿�½������¢ - TZFARDEH / Frogs
2 ������¦������¤������¨����¯�¿�½������¢ - FROGS- Frogs were every where
3 ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½������ ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½ - Kiniem/ Lice
3 ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½������ ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½ - LICE- Lice were every where
4 ������¢������¨����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½ - Arov/Untamed Beasts
4 ������¢������¨����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½ - BEAST sickness- Sick wild beasts
appeared in streets.
5 ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½������¨ Dever/Disease
5 ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½������¨ - The cattle got sick and died.
6 ������©����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½������ ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½ Sh'chin/Boils
6 ������©����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½������ ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½ - BOILS-- The Egyptians were covered
with boils and sores.
7 ����¯�¿�½������¨����¯�¿�½- Barad- Hail
7 ����¯�¿�½������¨����¯�¿�½- HAIL- Icy hail fell.
8 ������¢������¨����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½- Arbeh/Locusts
8 ������¢������¨����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½- LOCUST- Locusts ate the crops.
9 ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½������©����¯�¿�½- Choshech/Darkness
9 ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½������©����¯�¿�½- DARKNESS- Darkness covered the land
10 ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½������ª-����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½������¨����¯�¿�½������ª- MAKAT B'CHOROT/Death
10 ����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½������ª-����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½����¯�¿�½������¨����¯�¿�½������ª- Death to the first Egyptian born.
When Pharaoh heard of the last plague the Hebrew G-D had prodicted on his people (himeself being a first born) Pharaoh called Moses and yelled: Take your people the Hebrews and Go.(Hebrews-Jewish people).
The people packed their essentials very quickly before Pharaoh could change his mind and left toward the sea. Not having time to bake bread. Instead, they took the raw dough on their backs and run. The sun baked it into hard crackers [which today we call Matzah].
Pharaoh again changed his mind, and sent his army to chase after the Israelites and bring them back to him. The army followed the Israelites to the edge of the big sea. known as the red sea.
There was no way to escape, The Hebrews cried out to Moses for help and Moses asked G-D to show him what to do.
G-D instructed Moses to Touch the waters with his Rod and the waters will part.
The people did not believe and Mosses Hit the waters with his Rod, The waters parted and the Jewish people The Hebrews crossed over to safety.
The Egyptians followed the Hebrews into the waters but as soon as the last Hebrew/Israelite crossed into dry land, the waters came back together as they were before.
Pharaohs army couldn't get through and drowned.
The Jews were saved by the hand of G-D from the cruel Pharaoh and his soldiers.
We were slaves in Egypt, but G-D helped the Hebrews become a free people.
The Jewish people celebrate Pessach/Passover every year to remember the Exodus of the Jews from slavery to Freedom.
We follow certain rules (guide)to teach our children the importance of:
MITZVOT:
Hachnasat Orcheem - (Hospitality)
Hachnasat Orchim is a Jewish tradition of welcoming strangers into our homes. On the Sabbath, during the holidays, as well and on any other day of the week.
We welcome our guests and offer them a place to wash and a meal, As the Torah tells us, our father Abraham did in Biblical times when he welcomed The three strangers into his tent.
He gave them a place to wash their feet from the desert sand and bread to eat and to make them welcome.
At this time, (ACTIVITIES} We teach and talk to our children about building responsibility. This is a wonderful opportunity to extend this value of Hachnasat-Orchim.
During this Passover season, allow the children to help ready the house for yom-tov, prepare the food, and greet the guests.
As they work along with you, allow the children to see the joy in your preparation, and the excitement you feel while getting ready to welcome guests into your home. This is also an opportunity to teach our children that it is written in our Torah to invite and welcome a guest (not a family member) in for the Sabbath dinner - maybe you know someone at your Temple who is alone and would enjoy sharing a dinner with your family. Possibly you have a neighbor you would like to get to know-- what better way to show your hospitality than sharing a meal?.
This weeks lesson:
Pessach Hebrew words (Vocabulary):
What are Chametz foods?-
"Chametz" foods--Bread and other foods containing Yeast, considered "Unkosher for Passover".
Seder -----Order
Afikoman----- The hidden Middle Matzah.
Matzah -----Flat bread (cracker)
May-Melach---Salt water
Maror -----Biter herbs
Charoseth----Clay for Bricks
Baytza ----Egg
Zro-ah ----Shank Bone
Karpass ----Greens for Springtime.
Dayenoo ----Enough
Avadeem -----Slaves
Cup of Eliahoo ----- Cup of Elijah
Bitter Herbs---Reminds us of the tears of the slaves and bitterness of Slavery
CARPAS ---Greens, symbolizes spring time, Life and hope
ZRO'AH --- The lamb shank or chicken bone. It reminds us of the lamb sacrificed at the first Passover.
BAYT'SA--- The symbol of new life and Hope
Traditionally we burn the egg, the burned cracked shell represents life in general, life has its ups and downs, high and lows. The burned and cracked egg reminds us that life isn����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½����¯�¿�½������¢����¯�¿�½������¯����¯�¿�½������¿����¯�¿�½������½����¯�¿�½������¯����¯�¿�½������¿����¯�¿�½������½t always smooth.
CHAROSET --- The color of the Charoseth reminds us of the Mortar used by the Jewish slaves to build the Pyramids and Egyptian cities for king Pharaoh.
MAY-MEH'LACH --- Salted Water. It reminds us of The Tears the Hebrew slaves shed in bondage.
Matzah - Three whole matzos are placed one on top of the other, separated by a cloth. Matzah must be eaten three times during
the Seder, by itself, with Maror and
as the dessert(Afikoman) the minimum portion of Matzah for each person should have a volume
equivalent to about half an egg.
Maror - Bitter herbs are eaten twice during the Seder,
once the Maror is eaten by itself. and a second time we make a little sandwich, Maror with Matzah.
The Talmud lists several vegetables that qualify as Maror, two of which are put on the Seder plate in the places marked Chazeret and Maror. Most people use romaine lettuce (whole leaves or stalks)
for Chazeret, (Horseradish-whole or grated) for Maror, although either may be used for the mitzvah of eating Maror.
later in the Seder.
Maror, we read from the Haggadah, symbolizes the bitter lot of the enslaved Israelites .
Charoseth -A mixture of grated apples, nuts, cinnamon spices, and red wine.
The Charoseth has the appearance of mortar.
CHAROSET - symbolizes and reminds us the Mortar the Hebrew slaves in Egypt used to build the Pyramids .
Zroa [Roasted bone] and Baytza- Egg
On the eve of Passover in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, two sacrifices were offered to G-D.
To commemorate these two sacrifices we place a roasted leg or shank bone and a hard-boiled egg also burned until cracked, on the Seder plate.
The Egg-- A symbol of Life and Spring.
The Egg is burned to show that life is not always with out faults and problems, Life has its up and downs.
