Compare Two Different Observances Of Jewish Passover
COMPARISONS OF “PASSOVER”
Chi Li
REL 211: History and Literature of the Old Testament
September 8, 2017
1 The Passover refers to the events in Exodus where after 400 years of slavery, God helps the Israelites escape from Egyptian slavery and into the Promised Land. Two different observances of the event are the Jewish Passover Haggadah and the Christian Eucharistic Service. While the Passover Haggadah contests that the rescue of the Israelites from Egypt under Moses was the foundation for the Jewish people, the Eucharistic Service have taken and re-interpreted its meaning. Nevertheless, both observe the Passover to be a sacred meal where liberation is experienced once more. In the Jewish Haggadah, Passover is celebrated
by holding a ritual meal called a Seder. The Seder meal consists of a lamb with ingredients that symbolize the hardship of those who partook in the Passover. For example, bitter herbs symbolize hardship while salt symbolizes the tears of the slaves. The Passover is very much a case of collectivist gratitude toward God, as he had saved the people of Israel from the oppression of the Egyptians, and as a result, the Jewish feel indebted toward him as his servants, hailing him as the one true deity. As quoted from the Kiddush: “Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who has kept us alive, and sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season.” Further prayers of gratitude are given during in the tradition, and it is noted within that same passage that God unleashed his full wrath on the
2
Egyptians when it wasn’t necessary simply to save his servants from slavery. “He brought us forth from Egypt, executed judgment upon the Egyptians and their gods; slew their first-born, gave us their wealth, divided the sea for us, caused us to pass through its midst on dry land, drowned our adversaries in the sea, supplied us with everything 'during forty years, fed us with manna, gave us the Sabbath, led us to Mount Sinai, gave us the Law, brought us to the land of Israel, and built the holy temple for us to atone for our iniquities.” In comparison, the Eucharistic Service is a more individualist ritual that doesn’t focus solely on God and the people’s debt to him, but also on Christ and the sins of the people. The Christians see God’s rescue of them as not only out of love, but also forgiveness of their sins. “Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth, for you have had mercy on us children of men and given your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Similarly to the Jewish Passover ritual, the Eucharistic Service feels indebted to God, for more than just his love for them, but also for his willingness to forgive them for their sins. The word “eucharistic” is Greek for “thanksgiving.” While the ingredients of the Seder are to
3
commemorate the hardships of the Jewish people during the Passover, the bread signifies the body of Jesus Christ and the wine signifies the blood of Christ. In the service, unlike the Jewish service, God is portrayed as an extremely benevolent, and so passages that depict him wreaking havoc on Egypt are excluded. Then after the lamb, bread, and wine is consumed to cleanse the person’s sins, concluding rituals are given, and attendees are released to “go in peace.” The use of Exodus in both ritual texts
Chi Li
REL 211: History and Literature of the Old Testament
September 8, 2017
1 The Passover refers to the events in Exodus where after 400 years of slavery, God helps the Israelites escape from Egyptian slavery and into the Promised Land. Two different observances of the event are the Jewish Passover Haggadah and the Christian Eucharistic Service. While the Passover Haggadah contests that the rescue of the Israelites from Egypt under Moses was the foundation for the Jewish people, the Eucharistic Service have taken and re-interpreted its meaning. Nevertheless, both observe the Passover to be a sacred meal where liberation is experienced once more. In the Jewish Haggadah, Passover is celebrated
by holding a ritual meal called a Seder. The Seder meal consists of a lamb with ingredients that symbolize the hardship of those who partook in the Passover. For example, bitter herbs symbolize hardship while salt symbolizes the tears of the slaves. The Passover is very much a case of collectivist gratitude toward God, as he had saved the people of Israel from the oppression of the Egyptians, and as a result, the Jewish feel indebted toward him as his servants, hailing him as the one true deity. As quoted from the Kiddush: “Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who has kept us alive, and sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season.” Further prayers of gratitude are given during in the tradition, and it is noted within that same passage that God unleashed his full wrath on the
2
Egyptians when it wasn’t necessary simply to save his servants from slavery. “He brought us forth from Egypt, executed judgment upon the Egyptians and their gods; slew their first-born, gave us their wealth, divided the sea for us, caused us to pass through its midst on dry land, drowned our adversaries in the sea, supplied us with everything 'during forty years, fed us with manna, gave us the Sabbath, led us to Mount Sinai, gave us the Law, brought us to the land of Israel, and built the holy temple for us to atone for our iniquities.” In comparison, the Eucharistic Service is a more individualist ritual that doesn’t focus solely on God and the people’s debt to him, but also on Christ and the sins of the people. The Christians see God’s rescue of them as not only out of love, but also forgiveness of their sins. “Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth, for you have had mercy on us children of men and given your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Similarly to the Jewish Passover ritual, the Eucharistic Service feels indebted to God, for more than just his love for them, but also for his willingness to forgive them for their sins. The word “eucharistic” is Greek for “thanksgiving.” While the ingredients of the Seder are to
3
commemorate the hardships of the Jewish people during the Passover, the bread signifies the body of Jesus Christ and the wine signifies the blood of Christ. In the service, unlike the Jewish service, God is portrayed as an extremely benevolent, and so passages that depict him wreaking havoc on Egypt are excluded. Then after the lamb, bread, and wine is consumed to cleanse the person’s sins, concluding rituals are given, and attendees are released to “go in peace.” The use of Exodus in both ritual texts