Passover Religion

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have been big topics of discussion during our class periods, as well as, topics that our documentaries have covered. Each of these religions have been covered fully and have brought different viewpoints to my eyes. I never understood these religions before this class. I would have never guessed that I was going to be learning about Judaism and Islam the way that I did. I never seemed to pay attention to what was happening within these religions. However, when I started this class I gained the knowledge necessary to understand the backgrounds of these religions. What I thought was intriguing during our class discussions, was that these religions have a lot of things in common but also have a lot of differences.
In my eyes, in Judaism, the Passover meal was intriguing, as well as, how Jews dealt with death. In Christianity, the Holy Triduum and the roles that women play in ministry were interesting to learn about. In Islam, the five pillars of Islam and Shi’ism was captivating. Throughout my paper, I will be highlighting each of these topics in regards to what I have learned throughout our class discussions, readings, documentaries, and online articles.
Judaism:
One of the most well known Jewish holidays that has been celebrated for years is known as Passover.
Surprisingly, Passover is derived from the Hebrew word Pesach. Pesach is known as “pass over” and refers to when G-d “passed over” the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the first born of Egypt. Before coming into this class, I had heard about Passover but I never understood what it was or what it meant to individuals who were a part of the Jewish religion called Judaism. What I quickly found out was that, Passover is known to be the most celebrated and beloved Jewish holiday that occurs in the spring. Passover begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan and is known to mirror personal journeys of individuals who follow Judaism. Also, Passover commemorates the biblical Book of Exodus that tells how Israelites were slaves in Egypt. This holiday represents the beginning of the harvest season in Israel as Jews are prohibited from eating leavened bread during the 7-day holiday. Leavened bread plays a significant role in this holiday because when Jews were leaving Egypt, they were in a hurry and did not have enough time to wait for their bread to rise. As a result, Jews have to settle for unleavened bread which is made from flour and water which is baked very quickly. The removal of leavened bread is a way of removing the arrogance and pride from our soul. If there is any leavened bread remaining the morning before Passover begins, it must be burned in regards to the
commandment called Biyur Chametz. The day before Passover begins is known to be a fast day for males who were the first born to commemorate the firstborn Jewish males who were not killed during the final plague. What I thought was really intriguing about this whole holiday was the meal that started on the second day which was called the Seder. The Seder is a ritul in which the whole family participates in. It is centered around the story of the Exodus from Egypt in the context of Jewish history and faith.