Passover Questions & Answers

Why is the Haggadah recited at the Seder?

The Haggadah is a small volume that recounts the dramatic story of the Exodus. It also contains psalms and songs to be recited and sung in celebration of the event. It was introduced by members of the Great Assembly almost 2,500 years ago in order to comply with the biblical verse, “And you shall instruct your son on that day . . .” (Exodus 13:8). The Haggadah is basically a book of instruction for the young.

Why are special charitable collections, maot hittim, made  immediately before Passover?

The words maot chittim mean "money for wheat," wheat needed to bake matzoh for Passover. Since on Passover Jews may not eat bread or grain products that ferment, a special fund is established to assist the poor in purchasing Passover necessities. The custom of money donations is an ancient one, governed by the talmudic rule that "those who have enough, give, and those who don’t have enough, take."

Why are firstborn required to fast before Passover Eve?

This biblical custom is based on the account in Exodus 12:21-28 in which all Egyptian firstborn were slain and the firstborn of Israel were spared. The word "Passover" is from the verb pesach, meaning "to spare, to pass over."

The day preceding Passover became a fast day for the firstborn male in each family. In time, the requirement changed: the fast was excused if the firstborn undertook to study a talmudic tractate and to complete his studies on the day before Passover. In practice, with exceptions, the studying was and is assumed by the local rabbi, who assembles all the firstborn of the community the morning before Passover. After morning prayers, the group joins the rabbi in studying the last section of the tractate. This practice is called Siyum or Siyum Massechta, meaning "completing a tractate” (of the Talmud). This year, the Siyum will be held on Friday, April 6, at 7:00 AM.

Why do Jews "sell" chametz to non-Jews before Passover?

Because of the hardship often involved, a procedure was created whereby a Jew "sells" his chametz to a rabbi, who in turn "sells" it to a non-Jewish person with the understanding that the sale is only symbolic. The non-Jew is considered the owner of all this chametz throughout Passover. It is understood that for  some monetary consideration at the conclusion of Passover, the transaction is to be nullified, and the chametz once again becomes the property of the Jew.

 Why is a search for chametz conducted on the night before Passover Eve?

The search for leaven is called bedikat chametz. The Book of Exodus says, “Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days, and there shall be no leaven seen with you in all your borders. And you shall explain to your son on that day, saying: ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of the land of Egypt.’” (13:7-8)

Why is the family celebration on the first two nights of Passover called a Seder?

Seder means "order." The recitation of the Haggadah, the ritual, and the foods eaten follow a prescribed order that is outlined in every Passover prayer book.

Why is Chad Gadya such a popular Seder song?

The message it carries is extremely significant. It tells the story of the Jewish people: A father bought a little goat for two zuzim, two small coins. Then a cat came along and devoured the goat; a dog came along and bit the cat; a stick came along and beat the dog; etc. So it was with the Jewish people. One nation after another tried to conquer it but unsuccessfully. The message is: evil designs may be planned and even carried out, but in the end, G-d conquers all, and justice will prevail.

Why are weddings banned during a part of the Sefira period (between Passover and Shavuot)?

There are varying practices as to which 33 days during the 49-day counting period (Sefira) between Passover and Shavuot should be considered days of semi-mourning. Our tradition is to bar weddings from the beginning of the Sefira period through Lag B’omer eve.