In Temple times the paschal lamb was offered during the afternoon of the eve of Passover; therefore more laws and ceremonies are grouped around this day than around the eve of any other holiday. On the evening of the day preceding Passover the ceremony of searching for leaven is performed by the master of the house (Pes. 2a; see Jew. Encyc. ii. 628 s.v.; BediḲat ḤameẒ ).
This is a tradition that has always fasinated me. You clean your house from top to bottom, get rid of all leaven products, dust, and crumbs. Then when it is spotless, you hide just a little cracker or bread crumb somewhere in the house and the head of the house, with kids following close behind, searches high and low in every room looking for it. They sweep it away and burned before noon.
The reason behind this is that sin hides in our life, even when we think we have it all cleaned up and aired out, we still have to go searching until it is all uncovered and given to God. Then for 8 days we eat no leavening. This is where my faith collides. Like this year when Passover is during Holy Week, it is hard...well alright impossible..for my family to keep 8 full days of unleaven bread because Easter without fresh Challah or fresh Cinnamon rolls is just not Easter! It is also hard to go back to Matza after tasting real bread.
Theologically, I love the symbolizm of sin and the denial of self that Passover brings. I love celebrating the Freedom that a Passover Seder is all about. I find the season of Passover to be as meaningful as Lent and love it when it comes the week before holy week or ends on Good Friday. However, when they intersect the way they do this year I have to decide which is a more powerful expression of my faith...the Risen Lord on Easter Morning, or Elijah coming as the stranger to bless my home.... Both are about Freedom, but the paths are different.
The reason behind this is that sin hides in our life, even when we think we have it all cleaned up and aired out, we still have to go searching until it is all uncovered and given to God. Then for 8 days we eat no leavening. This is where my faith collides. Like this year when Passover is during Holy Week, it is hard...well alright impossible..for my family to keep 8 full days of unleaven bread because Easter without fresh Challah or fresh Cinnamon rolls is just not Easter! It is also hard to go back to Matza after tasting real bread.
Theologically, I love the symbolizm of sin and the denial of self that Passover brings. I love celebrating the Freedom that a Passover Seder is all about. I find the season of Passover to be as meaningful as Lent and love it when it comes the week before holy week or ends on Good Friday. However, when they intersect the way they do this year I have to decide which is a more powerful expression of my faith...the Risen Lord on Easter Morning, or Elijah coming as the stranger to bless my home.... Both are about Freedom, but the paths are different.
1 comment:
It was really nice reading your post...thanks for sharing all these with us...and well as Easter is just round the corner i'd also like you to drop by my blog on Easter Wishes sometime and share some of the spirit and joy of this wonderful celebration!!!
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