Symbolism Of Pesach

Explain the history, Practices, symbolism and religious significance of pesach. In your concluding paragraph(s) suggest how might the observance of pesach might reinforce Jewish identity.
Passover or as the Hebrews would say Pesach is one of the most significant festivals in the Jewish faith. The name itself has many different symbolic meanings of Passover ‘God ‘passed over’ the houses of the israelites’. To understand the Passover is to understand its historical relevance in the Jewish community. Around 300 years ago the ancient Jews were enslaved to ‘Pharaoh in Egypt and God brought them out of bondage with an outstretched arm and a mighty hand’. There is a strong symbolism of freedom and deliverance in the lesson of the Passover. The festival of Passover lasts for around a week and is normally celebrated around the time of March or April every year the ‘heart of pesach is the seder, a special meal eaten on the first evening to celebrate freedom’. During this night all the family will gather and the story of there liberation will be told. The story of the
During the seder there table is set with foods as instructed by the ‘Haggadah’ which means the ‘telling’. The word seder in itself ‘means order’ as there is strict order that must be followed on the night of seder, for example it will always begin with a Kiddush which is a blessing which is usually sang, which could be seen as symbolism of the songs that where sung by the Israelites when they were delivered from the Egyptians by God. An example of one of the proceedings of the seder night that reflects on the Exodus story is the eating of the karpas ‘this a vegetable and everybody gets a piece, dipped in salt water and vinegar’ this is meant to represent the tears that were shed by the Jewish ancestors in there time of enslavement ‘it helps Jews to feel like slaves, so that they can feel for