ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
AppleTree Editor

• Why We Celebrate:

In the Torah, God commands the
Jewish people to commemorate their
liberation from Egyptian slavery
(Exodus 12:4-19).

• The Name Of The Holiday:

Pesach in Hebrew, Passover in
English.
Pesach in Hebrew means "skip
over" or "pass over," and refers to the
10th and final plague that God
brought upon Egypt, where He
killed all first-born Egyptians, but
passed over the
Jewish house-
holds (Exodus
12:21-30).

• When We
Celebrate:

On the
Jewish calen-
dar, 14-22 Nisan. This year, the first
seder will begin on Wednesday night,
March 27. Most Jews observe an
eight-day holiday, while some
denominations celebrate for seven •
days. In Israel, the holiday is seven
days. The first two and last two days
of Pesach are full holidays when no
work is permitted. The intervening
days are semi-holidays when work is
allowed.

Alicorz Schmall of
Farmington Hills gives
her 2-year-old son
David a taste from the
Matzah Factory at the
West Bloomfield KC.
For more on the
Matzah Factory, see
Picture This!, page 112.

• What We Celebrate:

Primarily, our liberation from slav-
ery to the Egyptians, 3,000 years ago.
On a more profound level, we cele-
brate the founding of the Jewish
nation and the beginning of our rela-
tionship with God on a national
level.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM

• The Omer And Mourning:

AppleTree Editor

The first part of the Omer period is charac-
terized as semi-mournful. We do not get hair-
cuts, have or attend marriages, or play musical
instruments. As stated in the Talmud, during
this period a plague decimated the disciples of
Rabbi Akiva because they did not treat each
other with respect. Later sources point to the
Omer as a period of mourning, for it was dur-
ing that time of the year in 1096 and 1146
that Jews in the Rhineland were killed by the
Crusaders. The Chmielnicki massacres in the
Ukraine and Poland (1648-49) also took place
during this -period.

• What It Is:

A daily count of the 49 days and seven
weeks between Pesach and Shavuot.

• Why We Do It:

A divine commandment found in the Torah
(Leviticus 23:15 16)

-

• How And When We Do It:

Begin the count on the second night of
Pesach. Thereafter, ideally, we count as part of
the daily evening service. The count itself is
preceded by a blessing. We then announce the
relevant day and week of the Omer. The count
should be recited while standing.

• Lag B'Omer:

This is the 33rd day of the Omer. The sylla-
ble lag is an acronym formed from the Hebrew

• How We Celebrate:

With prayer, fellowship, discussion
and food.
Special prayers are recited at all
services for the entire holiday. In
observance of the Torah command-
ment, "You shall tell your child"
(Exodus 13:8), we gather with family
and friends to hold a unique com-
memorative meal called a seder
("order").
The seder menu includes foods
intended to arouse curiosity from the
children, and discussion among all
gathered on the many subjects that
revolve around Pesach: Jewish identi-
ty, our relationship with God, the
actual events of the Exodus from
Egypt, our life in Egypt prior to lib-
eration, miracles, and so on. Among
the best-known seder foods are
matzah (unleavened bread), a bitter
vegetable, and four cups of wine.

• Rules And Regulations:

There are many, most of which are
concerned with food. On Pesach, we
refrain from consuming any foods
that are leavened or contain leaven-
ing (such as yeast). This includes
bread and other items made from
dough or batter, most foods and bev-
erages made from grain, and any-
thing edible that even might contain
any amount of anything leavened.
All food for Pesach is certified as
kosher for Passover (kosher l'Pesach)
or is beyond suspicion of containing
any leaven. Instead of bread, we eat
matzah, either plain by itself or pre-
pared with other ingredients to make
a variety of dishes.

❑

letters which signify 33 — lamed and gimeL
Lag B'Omer is the day on which mourning
is suspended. It is usually a day of joy and cel-
ebration. Hair may be cut and weddings may
be held. Among those Jews who do not cut
their sons' hair until the boys reach the age of
3, Lag B'Omer is the day chosen for the first
haircut.
A long-standing tradition is to light bonfires
and for children to play with bows and arrows
on Lag B'Omer. For unknown reasons, Lag
B'Omer is associated with Bar Kochba, the
Jewish leader of a revolt against the Roman
occupation during the time of Rabbi Akiva.
This year, Lag B'Omer will be on Tuesday,
April 30. ❑

•

3/22
2002

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